Dear colleague

I would like to announce a new electronic forum
for teachers of science who have a strong
interest in the mechanisms of student learning,
and invite colleagues to consider joining.

This is a discussion-cum-action-research group
with a limited focus - diagnosing conceptual
learning difficulties in science, and overcoming
them.

The group is not is intended to rival any of the
broader discussion lists which invite
consideration of wide-ranging issues. This group
is specifically intended for exploring the
particular theme of obstacles to conceptual
learning in science, and - in particular - as a
forum for teachers to discuss their own
experiences of identifying and responding to
student's ideas. The starting point for the forum
is a model of the main types of 'learning
impediments' that can impede the teaching of
scientific ideas.

Any science teachers who feel they may be
interested in becoming involved in this community
are invited to read onŠ

Keith



The Science Learning Doctors group is an
inter-net discussion forum for exploring and
exchanging ideas about specific student learning
difficulties in science and how to overcome them.
The idea derives from a project sponsored by the
Royal Society of Chemistry to support teachers in
overcoming student misconceptions. This led to
the production of a simple tool to help teacher
diagnose learning difficulties: a model of the
different types of 'impediments' that can prevent
motivated students learning from otherwise
competent and concerned teachers. This 'typology'
of learning impediments is meant to help teachers
identify the cause of learning difficulties, and
so address them
(http://people.pwf.cam.ac.uk/kst24/ScienceLearningDoctors.html).

The Science Learning Doctors discussion group has
now been established as a 'virtual
action-research group' to allow science teachers
to implement, discuss, comment on, critique,
feedback on (etc.) the classroom application of
this model of the learning bugs which can prevent
student learning the science we try to teach.

This model, the typology of learning impediments,
is a tool for analysing what has gone wrong when
students fail to learn what we wish, or develop
understandings inconsistent with the versions of
science presented in the curriculum.

The purpose of the project is to help teachers
develop their diagnostic skills in the classroom,
and see students' comments (both in class, and in
written work) as signs that can help us get to
the bottom of learning bugs that lead to students
failing to learn, misunderstanding and developing
misconceptions about science concepts.

The project is intended to work at four levels:
helping individual teachers identify learning
bugs in case of individual learners;
and through that, developing greater diagnostic
sensitivity, and deeper insights into student
learning, that will support teaching of other
students and classes;
and supporting other teachers through discussion
of these ideas using the email list;
and through the discussion of these 'cases' on
the list, to help critique and develop the model
for the future benefit of teachers and students.

This is an action-research project, in which all
contributing to the discussion are part of an
extended 'virtual' research team. It is hoped
that (a) teachers will find the model helps them
in their teaching, and that (b) the discussion
group will provide evidence of the strengths and
weaknesses of the model, and contribute to its
development. However, it is in the nature of such
an 'experimental' project that only time will
tell if is successful in these aims.

The Science Learning Doctors discussion group is
open to those who are interested in learning
about the 'science learning doctor' approach, and
trying it out in their teaching.

The criteria for membership will be:
being a classroom teacher of science (any science, any level)
an interest in discussions about science learning
- and overcoming learning bugs in science teaching
being open to being part of a 'research and
development' project (as it is intended that
discussion on the group will help test and refine
the model/approach).

Anyone wishing to join this discussion group
should email me (kst24@...), briefly
outlining their teaching role.



--
Dr. Keith S. Taber
http://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/staff/taber.html
http://people.pwf.cam.ac.uk/kst24/
University Senior Lecturer in Science Education
Convener, Science Education Academic Group
Programme Manager, Part-time Ph.D. in Education
University of Cambridge Faculty of Education
184 Hills Road
Cambridge CB2 2PQ
United Kingdom


to join an electronic discussion list on
learning in science
please visit
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/learning-science-concepts

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