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Creating Co-Curricular Student Research Opportunities. Find all info presented at the following: http://tinyurl.com/ n9j5jcl. Illinois State Standards. Illinois Learning Standards : Stage J
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Creating Co-Curricular Student Research Opportunities Find all info presented at the following: http://tinyurl.com/n9j5jcl
Illinois State Standards • Illinois Learning Standards : Stage J • 11A —Students who meet the standard know and apply the concepts, principles, and processes of scientific inquiry. • 1. Formulate issue-hypothesis, reviewing literature as primary reading sources, differentiating between subjective/objective data and their usefulness to the issue, or examining applicable existent surveys, impact studies, or models. • 2. Design an issue investigation, proposing applicable survey and interview instruments and methodologies, selecting appropriate simulations, or projecting possible viewpoints, variables, applicable data sets and formats for consideration. • 3. Conduct issue investigation (following all procedural and safety precautions), using appropriate technologies, interviewing associated entities or experts, testing applicable simulation models, or completing all data collection requirements. • 4. Interpret and analyze results to produce findings and issue resolution options, evaluating data sets and trends to explore unexpected responses and data distractors, evaluating validity and reliability, or substantiating basis of inferences, deductions, and perceptions. • 5. Report, display and defend the process and findings of issue investigation, critiquing findings by self and peer review, generating further questions or issues for consideration, evaluating comparable issue resolutions or responses for action, or generalizing public opinion responses.
Why should students do research? • Develop Skills • Learn how to DO science • Learn how do research using a library data base • Learn to write with clarity • Learn how to organize and present data • Learn to analyze data • Learn to use data to support or refute a hypothesis • Practice public speaking • Practice time management • Gain lab skills
Why should students do research? • Add to their college resume to help get into top colleges or to help get into a lab to do research during their undergraduate work. • University admissions officers know how much work it takes to complete a research project • Many universities are looking for students who have lab experience • Many professors do not take on undergraduates in their lab unless they have lab experience • Students will attend competitions and symposia for which they will get official awards and recognition.
Why should students do research? • There are many competitions and opportunities that students can participate in, once they have completed a project. • IJAS-Illinois Junior Academy of Science (March/May) • ISEF-International Science and Engineering Fair (May-by invitation only—very selective) • Intel Science Talent Search (November) • Northwestern (May or June) • ISU-CeMast (April) • JSHS (March) • Siemens (Early October) • Wheeling Positive Impact (March)
Why should students do research? • Most importantly—Explore a question for which the student wants an answer. • Satisfy student’s curiosity. • Gain confidence in science and pride in their accomplishment
How to Start a Science “Club” • Find out what the school (and you) are willing to commit • Will the sponsor get paid? If so, how much time? • Will materials be purchased? • How does the school want to handle field trips? • Where and when can you work with students? • Even one student is enough to start with. • Advertise in science classes and to incoming students • Don’t just focus on “advanced” students • This is unlike other clubs, in that, for this, students work independently, but have regular meetings in order to have some camaraderie and peer support.
Before you start, decide how you can fit it in to your time • Set aside times that you are willing to commit to the students’ projects and make sure all meetings are within those times. • Decide how many individual student meetings and whole group meetings you want or need. • A stressed out sponsor is no good to anyone. Time management and enforcing deadlines is key.
Once you have students, what do you do? • First, all students need to know what they are getting themselves into: Good and Bad • Discuss the competitions you plan to attend. (the good) • Explain the process thoroughly to them. They must: • Plan an experiment • Do thorough background research • Conduct the experiment • Analyze their data • Write a paper • Create a presentation board or Powerpoint
Set a Timeline • Students need to start early. A project will take a lot of time to do and revise. • Set deadlines and let students know early on. STICK to the deadlines. • Sample timeline: • By the end of September, students need solid independent and dependent variables • By the end of November, students must have a completed review of literature and procedure • By the end of January, all experimentation should be completed • By mid February, all papers must be completed. • By late February, boards are done and students should start practicing presenting.
Get Parents on Board Parents need to know what the students are getting into, since they will be supporting them at home. Create a document that outlines the student, parent and sponsor responsibilities and have the students and parents sign it, and/or have a parent meeting. If you participate in IJAS, you will need to recruit judges. Parents may need to participate as judges.
Make sure all students understand the scientific method • Do a fun experiment at the first meeting and go through things like variables, how to control an experiment, how to write a hypothesis, etc. • Make sure students also understand what a “testable” question is and what can be done at your school. • To start with, you may want to suggest projects that you know you can help them with well.
Help students pick a topic • Show students equipment that they can use. Maybe even do a sample experiment or two. • Bring in science catalogs, so they know what types of things can be ordered. • If you are doing IJAS (which I recommend), start with the categories. • If they have done a project before, see if they can expand on that project. • They can also consider experiments that they have done in a science class as a starting point. • Break students into groups interested in similar categories. • Have them brainstorm ideas—testable questions. • Make sure students can define an independent variable and that the project is do-able in the school.
Help students to do background research • Students may have never used a database in the past. • Bring students to your school library for a lesson in using the databases and/or assessing sources for reliability. • Have students write an outline of topics they need to know more about. • Make sure students know how to cite sources in text and in a bibliography. • Teach them how to keep track of sources as they write—this will make life easier when they write up their paper. • It is a good idea for each student to have a Google Doc where they can dump information and citations • Require that research is done before experiments can be started.
Students should find a mentor • Possibly, you know a lot about the topic the student has chosen. You can be their advisor. • Usually, there is someone else with more knowledge than you that can better advise the student. • Start with people within your school. • Have students contact experts in the field via e-mail. It is amazing how responsive people are. • University websites • Journal articles
Meet with students individually to discuss ideas • Plan individual meetings with each student. Plan for about 45 minutes for each student. • Often students come in with either an idea that is not well defined, or not do-able in school. • Counsel them on how to clarify their idea, or modify it into a testable question. • For first time students, the simple is better. • For experienced students, encourage them to build upon what they have done before
Have a midpoint deadline • My deadline this year was after Thanksgiving. • Students had to turn in a purpose, hypothesis, review of literature, citation list and procedure. • I strongly suggest that if students are not at this point when you set a deadline, then you require that they not enter this school year’s fair, but instead enter next year. • In the past I wasn’t firm on deadlines, and it was hard on students and sponsors, and projects were not done well.
Have a data collection deadline • Winter break tends to be a time when students like to conduct their experiments. • Meet with students individually in January to discuss their data and how to analyze it. • For me, any students not started with data collection by mid January could not do the fair this year. • Sign up for IJAS is at the end of January.
February should be the time when students get ready for the fair • If your fair is earlier, make sure students start putting their paper and poster together at least a month prior to the fair. • It is a time consuming process • Students need revision time • Hold workshops to work on papers and posters. • Students won’t inherently know how to format a paper
Students need to practice • Invite other teachers or advanced students to serve as “judges” for students. • Presenting is many student’s downfall. It can make or break their project. • Students need to be concise and clear • Students’ enthusiasm needs to shine through • Students need to practice answering questions and showing their understanding
Students should feel great about completing a project • Regardless of the result of the fair, students should know that they should be very proud of themselves. • Parents should be aware of this as well. Be sure to praise students, especially in front of tough parents.
Students can start working on next year’s project in summer • Once students have been through the process once, they can start a new project on their own. • Expanding on the project they already did is a great idea.
Summer Research Opportunites • Going to a research internship is also a good idea: • ISU-CeMasthttp://cemast.illinoisstate.edu/students/high-school/summer-academy/ • DNA Residency for High School Students at the Field Museum http://fieldmuseum.org/happening/programs/teens/dna- residency-high-school-students • American Cancer Society Summer High School Research Program http://www.chooseyourfuture.org/american-cancer- society-summer-high-school-research-program • RIBS-Research in the Biological Sciences at U of C http://chicago-center-for-systems-biology.org/ education/student-and-faculty-programs/ribs/
Summary tips • You must be very dedicated to helping students through this process for it to be successful. • Do not expect that by giving students a manual or guidelines, they will be able to complete a project well on their own. • Get other people on board to help you. • Encourage students and value their hard work. • Require students to stick to deadlines, or postpone their project until next year. Rushing doesn’t work. • Communication with students is key • Google docs • E-mail • Website • Google Calendar
