How we develop investigative skills in upper secondary

1. How wedevelopinvestigativeskillsin uppersecondary French International School Georges Pompidou

2. Summary • Landmarks • What is the investigation approach ? • Examples of investigative approach • Questions and answers

3. A few chronological landmarks in science teaching in the French educational system… 1860–1880 : Setting up of a new form of school knowledge based on evidence and linked with modernity. 1882 : Introduction Of « object lessons »  you need to see to understand the world to which reason goes accordingly (Intuitive method – Empirical method). 1969 : Instutionalisation of discovery learning  from a culture of objects to a culture of investigation. You must HENCE QUESTION to UNDERSTAND 1995 : Official curricula focus on concrete aspects. 1996–2000 : At the instigation of Nobel Prize Georges Charpak and the Académy of Sciences, the project of Integrated Science « La main à la pâte » was launched. 2008 : Reform of upper secondary curricula for a larger dedication to investigative approach.

4. FIn the French educational system • The lasting link between content (knowledge) and approaches (methods). • The evolution of science for all implies that there is no need to choose between approaches and contents. • The teaching of science now aims at a continuity between primary and lower secondary, and lower secondary and upper secondary. 

5. FIn upper secondary • Narrow link between knowledge and approaches within class. • From Grade 10, specific strategies are set up within specific courses : • Grade 10 : « MPS, SL » (Scientific methods and Pratice, Laboraty Science) • Grade 11 « TPE » (supervised group/individual project) 

6. Resolution of problems and approaches Problem to besolved Studentsearches for solution Teacherprovides the solution Teacherprovidesresearch medium Student sets up resolution strategy (or participes in it) Teacherprovides argumentation Investigation approach Expository approach Deductive reasoning Scientific approach ? Studentsearches for argumentation Expérimental approach Argumentative approach

7. 2) What is an investigative approach ? The scientific investigative approach is a tool/medium to describe and understand our surrounding world It is based on QUESTIONING.

8. QUESTIONING STUDENTS’ INVESTIGATION ACQUISITION AND STRUCTURATING OF KNOWLEDGE Build up an investigativeapproach Founding idea : Students elaborate their learning process by being actors of scientific activities. The teacher implemtns the best strategies to enable students carry out a real intellectual activity.

9. « Temporary » knowledge « Established » knowledge Structurating of knowledge - Generalisation New problem, new question Initial situation Scientificproblem, question Hypothesis ScientificApproaches Experiments Establishment of a model Observation Investigation Investigative approach Gathering of results – Written production Synthesis – Argueddebate

10. 2) The different steps of investigative approach • Problem situation > • Student’s problem appropriation > • Hypotheses formulation, explanations and possible protocoles by the class > • Problem investigation > • Setting out arguments and back to 3. > • Acquisition and structuring of knowledge > • Opérationalisation of knowledge >

11. Problem situation • Chosen by the teacher depending on knowledge aims and objectives. • It enables the teacher to carry out a diagnostic assessment of the class, assess previous knowledge and identify pre-established conceptions of students (whether true or false). 

12. Problem appropriation by students • Work is supervised by the teacher who ensures the class well apprehended the problem to solve.. • This phase allows the setting up of work groups. 

13. Hypothesesformulation • Students enunciate, written or oral, hypotheses to solve the problem : • = Solution is only a possibility. It can be true or false. • Solving strategy • experiments to set up, • explanation models, … • Throughout this phase,cross-curricular skills from other subjects, e.g. Mathematics, Arts, Technology, Biology, can be used. 

14. Investigation • Time when students carry out actions leading to test their speculation : • ¤ Experiments (experimental approach) • ¤ Exploitation of results, documents, … • ¤ Use of ICTE (Information and Communication Technology in Education), • ¤ Use of computer modelling, general computer usage • ¤ Visits, surveys, technical realisations… • Throughout this phase, students will confront the investigation results to formulated hypotheses, thus contemplating, often unconciously, their initial conceptions.. 

15. Exchanges – Feedback • This phase is structured and led by the teacher. The class builds up a restitution of investigations previously carried out. • Results are put in common, approved, confronted and answers are then put into place. 

16. Acquisitionand structuring • Synthesis guided byt the teacher where new elements to be known are organised. These elements have to be remembered in relation with skils, knowledge and know-how as mentioned in the curriculum. • That is the phase when initial conceptions are to be modified and that false pre-conceived ideas are defeated. 

17. Operationalisation • Implementation and build on knowledge already learnt with direct application of exercises implying learning context transfer towards new contexts…. (formative assessment). • Summative assessment of new knowledge and experimental skills. 

18. Examplesofinvestigativeapproach

19. Example of investigativeapproach in Biology Curriculum of Grade 11, scientific stream Theme : Male/Female – Physiological regulation of the female gonadotropic axis. Dureing the previous session, students studied the cyclical modifications underwent by ovaries and the uterus especially trough observations of their sections under the microscope. They drew a synoptic diagram showing the modifications of these two organs during a cycle. 

20. The session starts by the exploitation of the following document, afterdiscussing the goal of ovarian cycle and uterine cycle synchronyresponsible for optimal conditions for fertilisation and implantation. 

21. Studentsthenformulatesseveralhypotheses: • H1 : Nervous type command • H2 : Hormonal type command • (H2a : ovaries to uterus) • (H2b : uterus to ovaries) The following problem emerges : How isthissynchronymaintained ? 

22. INVESTIGATION Each team of two proposes experimental protocoles allowing to test hypotheses and giveverifiableexperimentalconsequencesin each case. Eg : if ovaries command the uterine cycle thenthis one willbeperturbed by its ablation on a pubescent femalemammal. If after ablation : an ovary transplant isperformedsomewhereelse and itre-established the uterine cycle thenwecanattest to a command via the humoral way, Injections of ovarianextractsenable the re-establishment of the uterine cycle thenwecanconcludethat hormones are the actors. STUDENTS CARRY OUT THEIR INVESTIGATION BY EXPLOITING A simulation SOFTWARE WHILE REFERRING TO THEIR PROTOCOLES. 

23. CONFRONTATION Theexploitation of results by each pair of students, then by the whole group validates hypothesis H2a : the ovaries are at the origin of the uterus cyclical functioning hormonally (and more globally of good fertilisation). 

24. PROJECT ASSESSMENT :The synchrony of the two cycles isensured by a hormonal command of ovaries on the uterus. The variations in secretions of ovarian hormones result in the observed modifications for the uterusduring the cycle.From a cycle to another, thereis a renewal of variations in secretions of ovarian hormones, this observation leads to the formulation of a new problem :Whichmechanism of regulationcanallow the regulation of a parametrewith variable values ? 

25. Synopticdrawing of the last session iscompleted by students 

26. Example of a scientific approach in the elective course Scientific Methods and Practices, grade 10