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Activity 1: Orienting toward curiosity
Welcome to our first activity! Let's dive right in!
First of all, I'm curious about a few things:
Why did you decide to enroll in this mini-course? Were you curious? We'll discuss the why's behind curiosity by starting with a common definition, the benefits of curiosity and how to recognize curiosity in our students!
Which models can help us design for curiosity? We'll explore three different ways to think about designing technology-rich student work! Then let's apply our new knowledge to some existing student work we have designed and to consider our role as STEMx educators in a classroom of curious learners.
At the end of this activity, participants will:
Understand the role curiosity plays in deep learning and its importance to STEMx education.
Understand and use several models to scaffold planning for and reflecting upon technology-integrated STEMx student work.
From the days of Aristotle and Plato, those interested in education have understood the importance of curiosity. Let's start with a definition of curiosity and the thinkers who have come to this definition!
Definition of Curiosity:
An emotional and motivational state associated with actively acquiring information to create, maintain, and/or resolve meaningful perceptual conflicts or gaps in knowledge.
How did the definition of curiosity change over time? Check out these curious thinkers to find out!
(See also the References page to dig into each thinker's definition of curiosity!)
Educational benefits of curious learners:
Strong connection to knowledge and higher order thinking
Strong connection to motivation and persistence
More goal oriented student behavior
Reciprocal nature of curiosity
Antitheses of boredom and anxiety
Student behaviors that indicate curiosity-fueled learning:
Exploration
Persistence, even when the work is challenging
Resilience, even when the unexpected happens
Open to challenges
Self-evaluation/self-assessment
Making connections
Trial and error
Thinking beyond the assignment
Playing
Deep thinking
Initiating behaviors (goal setting)
Accepting ownership of learning
As STEMx educators, we know the importance of models! We use models with our students all the time to help them conceptualize their understanding. From creating the solar system out of styrofoam balls to using Base 10 blocks, models help us make sense of our world and our content. We are going to apply that same pedagogy here!
We know powerful technology-rich learning when we see it, but sometimes designing learning that leverages technology in ways that create something very different in the learning environment can elude us. Is there some magic formula? It turns out that there are models that can help us with designing technology-rich learning environments! Many scholars have proposed different models for technology integration. Many of these models are good. We will not focus on how many models or evaluating all the models that are available. Instead, we will focus on a few models that I have found useful in working with teachers.
If you are currently using a different model to think about the design of technology rich student work, you don't have to stop or switch! These models will just give you an alternative to compare and contrast with your current model.
Models for planning technology-rich student work:
Model for reflecting on technology-rich student work:
Consider:
Apply your new knowledge of the TPACK and SAMR models. Consider some student work that you designed and fit it into the TPACK and SAMR models. How could it have been improved based on what you have learned this week? Also reflect on your role as a STEMx educator in a classroom that honors curiosity. What is your vision for fostering curiosity in your STEMx classroom?
Consider your best student work that you have designed. Was that work targeting procedural knowledge, conceptual knowledge or problem solving knowledge? Did it spark curiosity for your students? Based on what you have learned this week, why do you think it did or did not?
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