Kristine Fleck's Portfolio Page

Kristine Fleckenstein's Portfolio Page

Project Home: The MOON Project

ETAP Fall 2013

Intent of Project

The MOON Project

The intent of this course is to show Grades 4-8 teachers how to set up a science discovery-based learning unit using technology.

Topics that will be covered:

Collaborative-based Learning Evironment
Project-Based Scientific Learning Environment
Using Computers and the Internet for Teaching and Learning
Metacognition in Enhancing Student Performance

Needs Analysis for The MOON Project

Problem: Teaching astronomy to the primary and secondary education levels is challenging for instructors because it contains complex scientific concepts, requires and understanding of three-dimensional geometry and dynamics, and demands (on the students’ side) advanced cognitive capabilities . Astronomy teaching is considered difficult also because of the large amount of facts and details it contains and because some of the concepts seem abstract. Teachers are often faced with the dilemma of what topics from the large curriculum to cover in the limited time frame that is usually allocated. (Yair et. al. 2003, p.43).
What is to Be Learned: Learners will become familiar with The World MOON project and how to use it in their classroom. This project will help teachers to bring deeper critical thinking and collaboration into learning science. The students of the learners will use project-based learning to emulate scientific practices like that of researchers which conform to authoritative knowledge and scientific discourse.
The Learners: The learners will be teachers of primary and secondary education, as well as student teachers. Teachers need to prepare their students for 21st Century learning where students interact with others on a global level to gain knowledge, collaborate, and have the critical thinking skills necessary for a scientifically literate world. If teachers know what types of scientific websites they have available to them, they can provide an environment for students to learn with others in the world as well as take detailed scientific observations.
Instructional Context: Most of the activities in this course are online. The implementation of the project can be done in the classroom if the learner is a full-time teacher.
Exploring the Problem and Solution: Learners will have the chance to learn, practice, and reflect on the course's activities. Learners will explore how to use The World MOON project in their classroom, and how to make it work in their class. Project-based learning involves students engaging in collaborative based environments and evaluating others' scientific arguments. Projects require students to seek out sources of scientific information, interpret qualitative and quantitative data concerning the problem, draw conclusions, and communicate the results, mimicking how science is conducted.(Brickman et. al., 2013 )
Goals: For teachers to learn how to use science websites to enrich their lessons, and to offer a means to encourage their students' deeper understanding in science coursework, particularly in astronomy.

Performance Objectives

Given links and the online teacher manual, the learner will use the website The World MOON Project to teach the phases of the moon to their class.
Given The World MOON Project website, the learner will apply project-based learning environment to teach the phases of the moon to their class.
Given the project-based learning environment of The MOON Project, the learner will be able to assist their students in collaborative scientific environments to develop critical thinking skills necessary for a 21^st century learning environment.
Given The World MOON Project, the learner will be able to assess their students' understanding of the phases of the moon by interpreting their responses to online and in-class discussions and written observations of the phases of the moon.

Task Analysis

Course Purpose

The purpose of this course is to aid teachers in astronomy lessons and to prepare their students for 21st Century learning skills involving the use of computers and collaborative learning.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, the learners will be able to:

Teach students the cycle of the phases of the moon.
Use project-based learning to teach science concepts.
Use computers and the Internet for teaching and learning.
Integrate cultural understandings behind scientific processes in their lessons.

Prerequisite Skills Essential Prerequisites

In order to reach outcomes, learners must know/learn to:

Understand the lunar cycle and phases of the moon.
Use the computer and internet web browsers.
The definitions of collaborative learning.
The definition of project-based learning in science.
Apply project-based learning to science websites.

Supportive Prerequisites

For easier access to reaching outcomes, learners should:

Be open to using the computer in the classroom.
Be open to cultural explanations behind science phenomena.
Allow their students to offer their own descriptions of the moon phases.
Be familiar with using multimedia such as graphics in learning and teaching.
How to build teams with their students.
How metacognition connects with learning scientific concepts.

Curriculum Map

Resources and References

Brickman, P., Gormally, C., Jardeleza, S., Schutte, V., Jordan, C., Kanizay, L. (2012). Media-Savvy Scientific Literacy: Developing Critical Evaluation Skills by Investigating Scientific Claims. The American Biology Teacher. 74(6). University of California Press. DOI: 10.1525/abt.2012.74.6.4 Retrieved 10 October 2013 from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/abt.2012.74.6.4

Lee, S., Roth, W. (2003). Science and the “Good Citizen”: Community-Based Scientific Literacy. Science, Technology, & Human Values. 28 (3). Sage Publications Inc. Retrieved 10 October 2013 from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1557970

Yair, Y., Schur, Y., Mintz, R. (2003). A “Thinking Journey” to the Planets Using Scientific Visualization Technologies: Implications to Astronomy Education. Journal for Science Education and Technology. 12(1). Springer. Retrieved 10 October 2013 from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40186643 P.43-49.