Episode Five: Comments and reflections

[Daniel Pier]

As a humanities teacher, I never thought about how the scientific method might apply to my courses. As we worked on this episode, however, I thought about what a challenge it often was for me to get students in the habit of drawing conclusions based on evidence. It occurred to me that the process in science and the humanities is very similar. For example, when reading a novel, one may formulate a question based on an interesting conflict, challenge, or problem in the book; form a hypothesis based on a first reading; gather evidence by returning to the text to analyze and consider all relevant textual passages; then draw a conclusion--either confirming, modifying, or changing the hypothesis based upon what the evidence yielded. 

What process do you teach students in order to draw conclusions based on evidence? In what ways do you find it challenging? Do you have any tips for the rest of us? 

Thanks to all for your active participation, 

Dan 

[Natalee McKenzie-Williams]

Hello,

How do I listen to the audio programs?

Sorry i'm just joining.

[Daniel Pier]

Dear Natalee,

Thank you for your interest and welcome to the group. Please visit the audio program page. Be sure to download the program guide, which is available in a link just above the matrix of audio episodes. Then click on whichever episode you need and you can listen online or download the audio file.

Please feel welcome to introduce yourself in the main comment board of this listening group and join in the general conversations, the conversation posted for each episode, or both.

Again, welcome to the program. I hope you enjoy it and learn some practical tools to improve your teaching.

Warm regards,

Dan Pier, ITEN

[Irvin Smith]

I use the scientific method with my students but would usually restrict it to science, especially when engaging them in an experiment of preparing for a science fair.

For the other subjects I would have them share their ideas or make predictions and see if it plays out. What I have been missing out on is finding out what evidence or character traits and previous situations led them to make that prediction. Then I would know if it was just a guess or they were actually thinking critically. I now have to be mindful of this and nail it the next time. Time pressure usually causes this :(. 

I do see how the scientific process can be applied to other subject areas. In most cases it is just a tweak or insertion of a step - using evidence and/or gathering data to get to the conclusions. There one must take the time to ask students how they arrived at their ideas. We have to get in their heads more often, so to speak and let them verbalize and express what is going on in there by probing them along when ever necessary. 

This really calls for a student centered approach - to slow down and listen to the students a whole lot more and get them doing more to answer their own questions or those we pose.

[Glenda Morales de Duchicela]

Hi Daniel and colleagues! This scientific method draws my attention. I have been listening the audio many times to get the whole idea. I am also a Humanities teacher and I have been teaching different subjects for  EFL students. I understand that activities must follow steps to help students think critically.  In one of my next classes, there is a reading on "Follow the rules when dirving" and I was thinking to link this topic with a short information from our country. Students will form a hypothesis based on the readings and the relation with  car accident statistics in our country. They will need to  research about accidents to validate their information and finally draw conclusions; either differences or  similarities, etc of car accidents among young adults in UK and Ecuador. 

I am very inspired in working on this activity!!! 

[Lerdon Barr]

A thought came to me while listening to this recording. How can teaching critical thinking cater to different learning styles?

[Irvin Smith]

Lerdon Barr said:

A thought came to me while listening to this recording. How can teaching critical thinking cater to different learning styles?

Nice question - differentiation comes to my mind as well.

For your question, I am thinking to ensure that the stimulus for your introductions and the activities cater for the various learners. Also if they are creating one can give them a choice for delivery of the final product. A written piece, video or audio presentation etc.  

As long as they are catered for in the planning especially for content delivery, then they can participate in discussions and respond to critical questions / activities and so on. 

When I gave differentiation some thought, I figured it is pretty much the same idea, one has to plan and differentiate accordingly - whether it is the process, product or content etc. they will respond and participate at their cognitive level but still go through the critical thinking process. 

Got me thinking critically there :) 

Look forward to hearing from others...

[Imogene Howard]

In my classes, I used mathematical calculations to help students to draw conclusions. I sometimes try to get them to answer 'why' questions. However this sometimes pose challenges.

I believe the teaching of critical thinking skills will encourage students to make better conclusions. This can be exercise when in mathematics , they give reasons or opinions for certain process, answers and calculations. Also when the situations are related to real life situations.

In this episode, I learnt that conclusions are made based on observations, this is very practical in Mathematics when students do investigations. It is noted that the scientific process is very student centered which is highly recommended and is instrumental in improving critical thinking skills.