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Being Critical in ScienceBeing Critical in ScienceEducation: Why knowing whatsEducation: Why knowing whats
wrong matters as much aswrong matters as much asknowing whats rightknowing whats right
Jonathan OsborneSchool of Education, Stanford University
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The Three Ironies of ScienceThe Three Ironies of ScienceEducationEducation
Training Not an Education
Emphasis on the Intrinsic Valuerather than Extrinsic Value
The Absence of Critique
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Deaths/million from Infectious &Respiratory Diseases 1920-2000
(UK)2,036 3,341 1930 2,667 2,591 4,219
2,043 3,513 1931 2,669 3,322 4,255
2,020 3,450 1932 2,492 2,860 4,259
2,039 3,493 1933 2,478 3,460 4,213
2,039 3,442 1934 2,349 2,432 4,257
2,005 3,430 1935 2,211 2,371 4,232
2,005 3,611 1936 2,112 2,385 4,2301,970 3,545 1937 2,097 3,041 4,198
1,981 3,378 1938 1,930 1,978 4,205
1,947 3,549 1939 1,930 2,048 4,123
1,907 3,636 1940 2,247 4,139 4,104
1,871 3,204 1941 2,342 2,986 4,082
1,875 3,025 1942 2,133 2,374 4,108
1,864 3,007 1943 2,174 2,988 4,111
1,829 2,976 1944 2,063 2,314 4,061
1,821 2,995 1945 2,046 2,309 4,1181,834 3,016 1946 1,665 2,260 4,079
1,808 3,064 1947 1,632 2,311 4,103
1,791 2,863 1948 1,491 1,838 4,119
1,774 3,092 1949 1,391 2,324 4,104
1,767 3,185 1950 1,123 2,063 4,129
1,719 3,230 1951 977 2,966 4,142
1,720 3,003 1952 775 1,939 4,148
1,686 2,898 1953 663 2,220 4,130
1,701 2,914 1954 596 1,824 4,188
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
Yea
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Grounds for accepting the models proposed by
the scientist are often no different from the
young African villagers grounds for accepting the
models propounded by one of his elders. In both
cases the propounders are deferred to as the
accredited agents of tradition.
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Second IronySecond Irony
Science teachers, science educators allare fascinated by the intrinsic value ofscience. Low Use-Value
Students value science for its Exchange
Value.
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Osborne, J. F., Simon, S., &Collins, S. (2003). Attitudestowards Science: A Reviewof the Literature and itsImplications. International
Journal of ScienceEducation, 25(9), 10491079.
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Third Irony: The Absence ofThird Irony: The Absence ofCritiqueCritique
Construction Critiquev
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Three Form of Knowledge inThree Form of Knowledge inScienceScience
Content Procedural
Epistemic
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How do we Know?How do we Know?
That Day and Night are caused by aspinning Earth?
Arguments Against:
1. The Sun moves
2. If you jumped up you would not land inthe same spot
3. If the Earth was spinning at that rate,the speed at the equator is over a1000 mph and you should be flung off.
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The Foucault Pendulum
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A Sample QuestionA Sample Question
Janet was asked to do an experiment to find how longit takes for some sugar to dissolve in water. Whatadvice would you give Janet to tell her how manyrepeated measurements to take?
A. Two or three measurements are always enough
B. She should take 5 measurements
C. If she is accurate she only needs to measure once
D. She should go on taking measurements until sheknows how much they vary
E. She should go on taking measurements until shegets two or more the same
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Bayesian InferenceBayesian Inference
P (h | e) = P (e | h) P(h)P (e )
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Prior Hypothesis
Day & NightCaused By ASpinning Earth?
ArgumentsAgainst
Post Hypothesis
Day & NightCaused By ASpinning Earth
50%
50%
How Likely? Ratio of 50:50
ArgumentsFor
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Prior Hypothesis
Day & NightCaused By ASpinning Earth?
Post Hypothesis
Day & NightCaused By ASpinning Earth?
ArgumentsFor
ArgumentsAgainst
66%
33%
How Likely? Ratio of 66:33
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Prior Hypothesis
Day & NightCaused By ASpinning Earth?
Post Hypothesis
Day & NightCaused By ASpinning Earth?
ArgumentsFor
ArgumentsAgainst
80%
20%
How Likely? Ratio of 80:20
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Evidence for this ViewEvidence for this View
Hynd, C., & Alvermann, D. E. (1986). The Role ofRefutation Text in Overcoming Difficulty with ScienceConcepts.Journal of Reading, 29(5), 440-446.
Ogborn, J., Kress, G., Martins, I., & McGillicuddy, K.(1996). Explaining Science in the Classroom.Buckingham: Open University Press.
Johnson, A. (2009). Hitting the Brakes: EngineeringDesign and the Production of Knowledge. Durham: DukeUniversity Press.
Koslowski, B. (1996). Theory and Evidence: TheDevelopment of Scientific Reasoning. Cambridge, MA:MIT Press.
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