Randy Bell

Curry School of Education

Edward Murphy

Department of Astronomy

University of Virginia

University of Virginia

1. Observation and Inference

Three Aspects of Science

Science Processes

Scientific Knowledge

Nature of Science

Process Skills:QuestioningObservingMeasuringInferringPredictingClassifying

Observation-Using your 5 senses to gather information about your surroundings

Observe This!

Process Skills & Nature of Science

“Candle” Demonstration

Nut Sliver

String Cheese

Candle Holder

Process Skills & Nature of Science

Observation-Using your 5 senses to gather information about

your surroundings

Inference-A conclusion based on evidence

Process Skills & Nature of Science

Observation-What you “see” happening

Inference-What you “think” is happening

Digital Images in the Classroom

Scientists strive to pay attention to minute details when making and recording observations.

It is not going too far to say that scientific conclusions are only as strong as the observations upon which they are built.Fallibility always exists.Scientists work to limit errors through

experimental design, sophisticated instruments, and repetition of observations.

Scientists background knowledge and training can influence their observations.

Inferences are different from observations in that there is less chance of widespread agreement.

Not all inferences are created equal.Wild inferences are an opportunity to analyze

why a particular inference appears absurd.

“Notice all the computations, theoretical scribblings, and lab equipment, Norm….Yes, curiosity killed these cats.”

Science is different from pseudoscience, and history is different from pseudohistory, not only in evidence and plausibility, but in how they change. Science and history are cumulative and progressive in that they continue to improve and refine knowledge of our world and our past based on new observations and interpretations. Pseudohistory and pseudoscience, if they change at all, change primarily for personal, political, or ideological reasons.

Michael Shermer, 2002, Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, superstition, and other confusions of our time.

On way to practice observation and inference is with “How do we know …?” questions.

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Lunar Eclipse

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Lunar Eclipse Showing Earth’s Shadow

Observation may be defined as using what you see, feel, taste, hear, or smell to gather information about the world around y0u.

Scientists use observations to describe what they experience.

Scientists make and record observations with care.

Scientists often use tools to extend or enhance their observations.

Scientists test their ideas against observations.

“Field Geology” 201Your geology class is on a field trip to a fossil bed in Alberta, Canada. While exploring the site, you discover a slab of rock covered with interesting impressions. Your instructor invites the class to make observations and inferences about the imprints…

For process skills instruction:

Good way to practice making observations and inferences

For nature of science instruction discuss:

Scientific knowledge is based on observations and inferences

Scientific ideas/conclusions can change with new data

What’s the Point?

Includes all three aspects of science:Knowledge of scienceProcesses of scienceNature of science

Beware of confusing processes with the nature of science!

observing/inferring ≠ nature of science

Effective Science Instruction