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ContemporaryApproachestoResearchinMathematics, Science,Health,andEnvironmentalEducation,24November2017,DeakinUniversity

Trackingdisciplinarylearningininterdisciplinaryprojects

VaughanPrainDeakinUniversity

Trackingdisciplinarylearningininterdisciplinaryprojects:AcasestudyinartsandscienceanduseoftheSLRCClassroom

ProjectTeam:ShelleyHannigan,RussellTytler,Mary-JaneWalker,JoeFerguson,DanJazby &VaughanPrain

Ourstudyaimedtoidentifylearningoutcomesinandacrossthesesubjectareaswhenstudentsengagedwithtwointerdisciplinaryarts/scienceprojects,incorporatinguseoftheSLRCclassroom.

OverviewofPresentation

1. Broadmethodologicalchallengesandassumptions2. MethodologicalassumptionsinresearchingintheSLRCclassroom3. Overviewoftwocasesstudies4. Someearlydataandongoingchallenges

CaseStudyOne:ArtsandScienceYear10PresentationCollege

Year10studentsvisitedMelbourneZootoresearchoneof15VictorianendangeredspeciesinpreparationforNationalThreatenedSpeciesdayonSept7th.

TheMelbournezoostaffdesignbriefwasforthestudentstofindawayto"helpVictoriansfallinlovewiththeseanimals"aspartoftheir“loveyourlocals"program.

StudentscametotheSLRCclassoom fora90minutelesson(August1st)andingroupsof2-3startedtocreateatrashpuppetoftheirselectedspeciesandtodevelopa"storyinasuitcase”.Thestudentshadtoidentifythespineoftheirspeciesfromarangeofun-annotatedphotcopies,andconsiderhowskeletalstructureinfluencedtheiranimal’sbehaviour,movement,andendangeredstatus.ThepuppetcreationwascompletedatPresentationCollege,withstudyofpuppetstylesandmethodsofpuppetmovementpartoftheprogram.

ThestudentsreturnedtothezooonSept7th(withtheirsuitcaseofpuppet(s),props)andpresentedtheirstorytozoovisitorsincludingprimarystudents.

ResearchMethodologicalChallenges

1. Whatshouldcount asdisciplinaryorinterdisciplinarylearningprocessesandoutcomes,andwhy(lackofconsensusinresearchcommunityaboutsimilarities/differencesinpurposesandmethodsinsciencesandthearts)

2. Whatshouldcountascollaborativecreativereasoning(inventiveproblem-solving)withinandacrosseachsubject,andwhy?

3. Whatmethodsshouldbeusedtoconstructrelevantdataasabasisforclaim-makingandwhy?

4. HowcantheaffordancesoftheSLRCclassroombeusedtosupportthisresearch?

TheoreticalAlignmentsbetweenScienceandtheArts

Bothaimtocreatenewrealitiesratherthancapturepre-existingones,byconstructingrepresentationsoftheproperties,processes,andinteractionsofmaterials,phenomenaandhumanagents.

Neitherareaaimstocopynature.Scientistsmakeclaimsabouthownatureworks.Artistsmakesclaimsaboutourlearntperceptionsofnature:howourphysiologyregistersourexperienceoftheworld(Latour,2014).

“Icreateanimationsthatreconstructwhatweknowaboutcellsbutcannotsee.”

DrewBerry,biomedicalanimator(TheAge,18/11/2017)

DifferencesbetweentheArtsandSciences

Scientistsandartistscandifferinepistemologicalcommitments,inhowtheyviewambiguity,uncertainty,paradox,livedabstraction,experimentalverification,assessmentandmeasurementofsuccess,andthevalueorroleofpeerorotherreviews.

Theycanalsodifferaboutthepurposeoftheirwork,whattheirtheoriesexplain,orintendtoexplain,andwhatareappropriatefociandtoolsforinquiry.

Ifakeyfocusintheartsisaesthetics(and/orresistingconventionalaesthetics),andakeyfocusinthesciencesismodel-basedreasoningthenthereareinterestingoverlapsanddivergences…..

AestheticsintheArtsandSciencesAestheticsintheArtsmakingthefamiliarstrangeandmysterious,transgression,playfulness,unruliness,relinquishingconsciouscontrol,practicebeforetheory, realizingconceptsthroughobjects,disruption,novelty,repurposingofthrowawaymaterials,pattern-spottingandpattern-making,ephemerality,assemblage,shock,pleasureindistortion,mesmerizingthroughthebeautiful,inscrutability,ineffability,wonder,realism

AestheticsintheSciencesParsimonyandeleganceofexpression/theory,trustintheinstruments,searchforpattern,anxietyaboutbias,subjectivity,distortion,inaccuracyandimplausibility,appreciationofprecision,wonder,beauty,realism(Daston,2007)

“Therearenowell-foundeddoubtsaboutLeonardo’sresponsibilityforthepicture.”“Thisisnotjustamatterofjudgmentbyeye,butbasedontechnicalexamination,andineffablesignsofLeonardo’s‘scienceofart’,mostnotablyoptics,whichnoneofhisfollowersunderstood.”

MartinKemp(2017)

Model-basedReasoningModel-basedreasoninginScienceProbingmodels,phenomenologicalmodels,computationalmodels,developmentalmodels,explanatorymodels,impoverishedmodels,testingmodels,idealizedmodels,theoreticalmodels,scalemodels,heuristicmodels,caricaturemodels,didacticmodels,fantasymodels,toymodels,imaginarymodels,mathematicalmodels,substitutemodels,iconicmodels,formalmodels,analoguemodelsandinstrumentalmodels(Frigg&Hartman,2017)

Model-basedreasoningintheArtsFiction,sciencefiction,scalemodels,andseeabovererealism,photorealism,surrealism,fantasy

RelationofArtstoSciencesSocanartbescienceandsciencebeart?Aworkofartalwaysremainsopenforinterpretation,drawingthespectatorintotheshapeoftheartist'svisualization,butwithoutbeingabletoexertfixedcontroloverthefeelingsitinduces.Thereisalwaysroomforthebeholder'sshare.Scientistsmaywishtoengagethereaderorspectatorinawonderfuljourneyofimaginativevisualization,butinthefinalanalysistheywishtocommunicateaninterpretationthatembodiestestablecontentinanunambiguousway.Butbehindthesedivergingstreamsofintentionrunsaturbulentriverofsharedintuitionsabouttheorderanddisorderofthings.(Kemp,2005)

MethodologicalAssumptions1. Scienceandthearts,althoughoverlapping,aredistinguishableasdisciplinarypractices

andformsofknowledge.2. Studentlearninginbothsubjectscanbeenhancedthroughdesignedinterdisciplinary

experiences(potentialvalueofartsmethodsandaesthetic,expressive,affectiveinputintoscientificproblem-solvingandcommunication,andvalueofscientificknowledgeinshapingnewartsresearchfociandexpression).

3. Theselearningprocessescanbetrackedovertimethroughmultipledatasourcesincludingmicrogenetic study(focusonmoment-by-momentgenesisofideas/decision-making)ininquiryepisodesintheSLRCclassroom.

4. Theselearningprocesseswillentailstudentcreative/criticalreasoning.5. Needformultiplesites(school,uni,zoo)andmultipleandmultimodaldatasources(video

capture,researcherobservations,discourseandartefactanalysis,andanalysesofstudentandteacherpresentationsandinterviews,assessment).

MethodologicalAssumptionsinusingSLRCclassroom

1. Needtooptimise likelihoodofpurposefulmotivatedinteractionsbetweenstudentsinthisclassroom,withvideotapedlessonpartofmuchlargerbeforeandafterengaginglearningsequenceanddatacollection.

2. Likelihoodthatlearnershavenotconsideredrelationofartsandsciencebeforeorexperiencedthiskindofproject,butinterviewscanfunctionasSocraticdialoguethatpromptsreflectionandlearning.

3. Needformixofwholeclassandintensivesubgroupsemioticfocus.

4. Expectationofhighlevelsofvariationinstudentactionsonopen-endedtasks,andthereforeneedforextendedsamplingofdecision-makingepisodesacrosssub-groups.

Methodologicalchallengesinusingmicrogenetic researchintheSLRCclassroom

• Ifcreativereasoningprocessesarenotalwaysevidentinexplicit“visible”or“audible”signs,howshouldthisbedealtwithinthisapproach?• Whatisanappropriatesamplingrateforstudyofthislearning?• Whatshouldcountassignificanteventswithinthislearningsequenceandwhy?• Whatkindofsequenceofanalysisisappropriatewithinthisapproach?• Howshouldhighvariabilityinmoment-by-momenttrackingofstudentgroupstacklinganopen-endedtaskbedealtwith?

• Whatistheassumedrateofchangeinstudentlearning,andhowdoesthisrelatetothesamplingfrequency?• Doeslengthofobservationsuittrackingofproposedlearningchanges?(Brock&Taber,2017)

Theorising theProcessesandValueofThisLearningSocioculturalviewoflearningaspurposefulparticipationincollectivediscursivepracticesthrough interplayofbody,mind,feelings,environment,andrepresentationaltools

Embodiedcognition”(Barsalou.2008;Glenberg,2004;Wilson,2008)

“Manipulativeabduction”,(Magnani,2015)

Distributedcognition(Kirsh,2010;Latour,2005)

Activityandcreativity(Oppezzo &Schwartz,2014)

Roleofaffectinreasoningandjudgment(Damasio,2008;Lemke,2017)

Interplayofvalues,aesthetics,feelingsinsciencelearning(Jacobson&Wickman,2008).

Learningthroughdrawinginscience(Ainsworth,Prain&Tytler,2011)

Learningas“messy”and“unstable”overtime(Taber,2013)

CaseStudyOne:ArtsandScienceYear10PresentationCollege

Year10studentsvisitedMelbourneZootoresearchoneof15VictorianendangeredspeciesinpreparationforNationalThreatenedSpeciesdayonSept7th.

TheMelbournezoostaffdesignbriefwasforthestudentstofindawayto"helpVictoriansfallinlovewiththeseanimals"aspartoftheir“loveyourlocals"program.

StudentscametotheSLRCclassoom fora90minutelesson(August1st)andingroupsof2-3startedtocreateatrashpuppetoftheirselectedspeciesandtodevelopa"storyinasuitcase”.Thestudentshadtoidentifythespineoftheirspeciesfromarangeofun-annotatedphotcopies,andconsiderhowskeletalstructureinfluencedtheiranimal’sbehaviour,movement,andendangeredstatus.ThepuppetcreationwascompletedatPresentationCollege,withstudyofpuppetstylesandmethodsofpuppetmovementpartoftheprogram.

ThestudentsreturnedtothezooonSept7th(withtheirsuitcaseofpuppet(s),props)andpresentedtheirstorytozoovisitorsincludingprimarystudents.

Whatcouldbelearntfromthisproject?

• Disciplinarytopicknowledgeinscienceonadaptation• ProceduralknowledgeaboutaddressingZoobrief,includingdesignandcreationofpuppetry,engineeringapplications• Dispositionallearningaboutthetopic• Creativereasoningpractised incompletingbriefandexplainingtopictoyoungerstudents• StudentIdentityworkinlearningscience• Studentunderstandingofrelationofscienceandarts

StudentinterviewresponsesatcompletionoftheprojectValueofArtinLearningScience“Itwasamazingtocombinecreativeworkwithallourscienceresearch.”“Ithinkitwentforalongtime,butitwasarelaxingclasswithhandson,notwriting.”“Youneedtolearnhowtoworkitout.Itwasniceto,nottakeabreak,butdosomethingcreativewithyourhands.”“Whetherthearthelpsdependsonyouranimal.Ouranimaldidn’tmovemuch.”“Theartprocesswasusefulforlearningandcommunicatingscienceandshowinghabitat.””Theartwasusefulbecausemakingitinpersonwasgoodbecauseit’slife-sizeandanengagingwaytocommunicate.”“Itmadeitalotmoreinterestingandfunincreatingsomething.”“Itchallengedourcreativity,itwasagoodrelieffromeverydayschoolwork,learningthesciencebehindhowafrogleaps.(buttheproject)laggedabit.”

Studentinterviewresponsesatcompletionoftheproject

ApplyingEngineeringinPuppetry“Welearntalotabouthowthemovementofthepuppetworks.I’malsodoingphysicsatthemomentanditwasinterestingtolookatthebiomechanicsofhowthepuppetworked.”“Ienjoyedtheengineeringsideofit,howthepuppetmoves.”“Themovementofthepuppetrelatestoengineeringandphysics.”

ValueofArtinCommunicatingScience“Theysayyoureallyknowsomethingwhenyouteachittoothers.”“Communicatingsciencecanbedoneforanyagegroupbecausescienceisaboutmakingsenseofsomething.”(Thereisvalue)“whenyoutouchandholdthingsforlearningconcepts”.

TeacherComments

“Ithinkthegirlsreallyneededtolearnsomeofthetechniquesforactuallyconstructingpuppets,thatitwasreallyanengineeringproject.Someofthemmighthavethoughtitwasanartandcraftproject.Buttheyhadtolearnthatengineeringwasinvolvedinmakingjoints.Ihadtoteachthemhowtomakeanaxletomakeajointmove”.

“Ihadtoemphasizetothemwhatpartmightmove,howcanyoumakeitmove.Ithinkweneededsomethingprior(tothetrashpuppet-making),tolookattechniques.Howdojointsmove?Andtheyneededtopractise thetechniques.”

“Igotthemtothinkaboutwhatwasunderneath,thestructure.Itwouldhavebeengoodtohaveabitmoreaboutadaptation,exaggeratethepartthathashelpedtheanimalsurvive,suchashugeeyesonthepossum.Itwouldhavebeengoodforthemtofocusonthat.”

CaseStudyTwo:ArtsandScienceYear9 PresentationCollege

Year9 studentswerestudyingthetopicofthepropertiesoflightinterm42017.Aspartofthisunittheyhada90minuteclassintheSLRCclassroomwhereingroupstheywereinvitedtousearangeofprovidedprops(mirrors,figurines,fakeeyeball,golfball,bubble-makingfacilities)andcameras,includinginfraredcamerastocreateanintriguing“artistic”photo.Theywereexpectedtodrawpartlyontheirknowledgeofthepropertiesoflight,andtogivetheirphotoatitlethatencapsulateditsmeaning.

Thestudentshadfollow-uplessonsatschool,andwereinterviewedabouttheSLRCprocessandtheirsenseofthepurposeandvalueofthisinterdisciplinaryexperience.

Studentcomments“Ilikedit,butwedidn’treallylearnmuchfromart.Allwedidwastakephotos.”“Boththeartandthesciencewereprettymuchthesamething.”“(learningfromart)Justthewayweseethings…photos helpedusseethings.”“(learningscience)Howangleschangewhatwesee.”“Weweregivenobjectsandhadmorefreedom.It’sagoodwaytolearn.”“Youcanusescienceaspectstocreatereallyabstractconcepts.”“Whetheryoulearnsciencethroughartdependsonwhatscienceyouarelearning.”“Sciencemadethephotoartistic.”“Sciencecanbeseenasart.Scienceisbeautifulandeverythingcanbeseenasart.”“Youdoit(takethephoto)andyouseethesciencebehindit.”“Youwanttoknowthescienceinordertomakeacoolpicture.”“Youcanlearnsciencefromart.Youlearnhowwhitelightisreflectedthroughtheprism.Theartaspectisusingdifferentcolours andwaystocaptureit.”“Thesciencewaswhatweputinthephoto,andtheartwastheresult.”(Whatdidyoulearn?).”Surprises,howbubblesbounce,popindifferentways,andarebendable.”

TeacherComments

Thiswasaverycreativewaytolookatlight,anditissomethingthatnexttimeIteachitIwilluse.Thisisamuchmoreinterestingeverydaywaytointroduceit.Itopensitupalotmore.

Intermsofataskitwasausefultogothroughthisforrevision.(Relookingatyourphotos)Nowwhatdoyouunderstandthatyoudidn’tbefore?

(Canartsbecombinedwithscience?)Beingabletoarticulatescienceisimportant.Soatdifferenttimeswegetthestudentstomakestorybookstodemonstratewhattheyknow.Visualorganisers helpthemtounderstandtheworkbetter.

Furtherthoughtsandwhatnext?

Whataregenerativereciprocalprocessesbetweenmicro,meso andmacroanalyses?Arethererisksintryingtoitemise/essentialise disciplinarycreativeprocesses/strategies?Inwhatwaysdoesafocusonmodel-basedreasoninginsciencepromotestudentdisciplinaryinventiveness(Lehrer&Schauble,2006)?Whatwouldbekeyfeaturesofmethodologicalrelationalagency(Edwards,2005)?Howwelldoourmethodsserveourintentions?