Student Research Projects: Inquiry Learning

1. One path to Intel ISEF by using inquiry learning to promote student research Russ Fisher-Ives Inquiry Facilitators, Inc. New Mexico, USA Student Research Projects: Inquiry Learning

2. My Story • Geologist • A HS instructor for 23 years • A new high school = A new beginning • Intel ISEF & Intel’s Educator Academy • Rio Rancho HS: Student Research EXPO • 2007 Intel ISEF • Puzzling Data: An inquiry activity

3. My Teaching Culture • 1984- 97: HS physics & math instructor, Albuquerque PS ZERO experience with research projects “Students can’t…” “Students don’t want to…” “Not enough time or resources to…” • 1997- 07: Director & Instructor, Science Academy Rio Rancho Public School “Learn by doing” - quoted on TV (1997-99: 2600 students; research projects: 1 student)

4. 1999: Intel Educator’s Academy 1999: 2nd Annual Intel Educator’s Academy • Changed my life forever • “Kids like ours”; Interest driven; Excitement; New opportunities; Motivated teachers Back at Rio Rancho HS • Summer workshop: 24 interested teachers • Intel ISEF rules & guidelines • Use inquiry process; Product: research projects • Open for all students, any content

5. Steps Guiding Initial Program From the summer workshop: • Start: beginning of the school year • Project content: student interest >> course • Time management: divide the course into 1/3’s • Grading: on-going during each 1/3 section • Finish: research project = 10% of final exam

6. 2001- 04: Years 1,2,3,4 And we continued to grow: • 2000-01 – 20 teachers, 150 students, 100 projects • 2001-02 – Scientific Review Committee started • 2002-03 – 1st project qualifies for Intel ISEF • 2003-04 – 2nd project qualifies for Intel ISEF Success bred success Formed my company, Inquiry Facilitators, Inc. in 2002

7. Insanity Sets In How to promote the success? Need: A plan to showcase the success Plan: Bid for 2007 Intel ISEF in New Mexico RESULT: New Mexico is picked to host 2007 Intel ISEF Inquiry Facilitators served as host committee Why do this? Validate importance & diversity of HS student research @ Local, National, International levels

8. But How Can I Teach Research? YOU HOLD THE KEY! and YOUR CLASSROOM is where it starts Because INQUIRY LEARNING Is a research PROCESS to teach ANY content

9. Inquiry Skills = Research Skills • Questions – testable • Investigations – data collection • Connections – relevance • Discussions – public • Reflections – change in me Your role: Making students aware how & when skills are used (Transparency)

10. Vision, Desire, Motivation, Belief Where do I start? – Identify how you use these skills now: Questions, Investigations, Connections, Discussions, andReflections Your role: Post the words prominently in the classroom (Reminding YOU & students)

11. Vision, Desire, Motivation, Belief How much do I change? One lesson every 10 days (a 10% change) Record successes & mistakes; use to improve Your role: Speak honestly; This change is new for you, too! (Connections)

12. Vision, Desire, Motivation, Belief What will I encounter as I change my teaching style? Resistance – It’s change; People, young and old, DON’T LIKE CHANGE Your role: Developing student researchers for any content (Process and Content)

13. Measure Their Progress Ultimate goal is when students can: • Identify a problem, • Form a testable question, • Collect and analyze relevant data, • Present their findings Your role: Facilitating process use plus teaching facts (Guidance)

14. Puzzling Data: An inquiry activity Connecting Jigsaw Puzzles Who does NOT know what a jigsaw puzzle is? Who has NEVER worked on a jigsaw puzzle?

15. Puzzling Data: A question Questioning & Discussing A question: What percentage of a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle do you need to see to make a ‘reasonable drawing’ of the picture? Discuss with 3-4 people; then write down your prediction.

16. Puzzling Data: Collecting Data Investigating & Discussing Collecting data: What data is relevant to the question? What data would NOT be relevant to the question?

17. Puzzling Data: Relevant Data Discussing

18. Puzzling Data: Trial #1 Investigating & Reflecting Trial #1: Examine your pieces - • Record your data • Make a conclusion using the data, “What is the picture?” How CONFIDENT are you about your CONCLUSION?

19. Puzzling Data: Trial #2 Investigating, Discussing, & Reflecting Trial #2: How can you increase your confidence? More data! • Combine your pieces with 2 or 3 other investigators • Record your new data RESTATE your conclusion about the picture

20. Puzzling Data: Trial #3 Investigating, Discussing, & Reflecting Confidence now? • Increased? Same? Decreased? Trial #3: • Get 6 to 8 people in a group • Share and record the new data from each other Then RESTATE your conclusion about the picture

21. Puzzling Data: Conclusion Reflecting Confidence now? • Increased? Same? Decreased? Now ALONE… Look at the following three pictures and choose the one that best fits your DATA.

22. Puzzling Data – PUZZLE #1 ?

23. Puzzling Data – PUZZLE #2 ?

24. Puzzling Data – PUZZLE #3 ?

25. The ANSWER: ????? #1 #2 #3

26. The ANSWER: I’m NOT going to tell you!

27. The ANSWER: PUZZLE #2

28. The Percentage Used? For a group of 10 people, about 2 % Research: Learning how to make conclusions for a question based on limited relevant data

29. Connection to Teaching Reflecting Throughout teaching… • Pieces build pictures in student’s minds • Same data, different pictures • Can never teach all the pieces But, the process of inquiry is ALWAYS present

30. Connection to Teaching Discussing & Connecting Throughout teaching… • Facts alone are like pieces without the picture • Facts alone supports disconnected thinking RESEARCH provides REAL EXPERIENCE building REAL PICTURES

31. Now You hold the key… How will you use it? Open doors? For change. OR keep doors closed? and be safe.

32. The End? No…the Beginning… 謝謝 Russ@gotoif.org Russ Fisher-Ives Inquiry Facilitators, Inc.