SEP 3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Goal: As a group, help incorporate more autonomy support in a learning sequence that involves planning and carrying out investigations.

In your SEP group, follow the instructions below:

STEP 1: Decide in your group how you want to divide up learning about each principle of the Autonomy MDP.

STEP 2: Learn about the Autonomy principles by exploring the resources in the pages linked below. Organize your thinking about the principle with this modified Frayer model.

Go to Principle 1

Allow student to make choices that are meaningful to them and consequential for their science learning.

Go to Principle 2

Provide opportunities for students to direct their own learning

Go to Principle 3

Provide rationales and support instead of using controlling language/actions

Go to Principle 4

Acknowledge students’ perspectives

STEP 3: Come back together as an SEP group and share out what you learned about the Autonomy principles.

STEP 4: Read this vignette describing a science classroom engaged in planning and carrying out investigations. Discuss how to make the original vignette more autonomy supportive using the principles you learned about. The resources linked below may help you as your re-frame your vignette. Come up with at least two (2) specific suggestions.

Autonomy Activities

Autonomy Talk Moves

Autonomy SEP 3 Strategies

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations Video Examples

For each video, consider:

Where do you see evidence of the Autonomy principles in the way the teacher supports students in developing and using models?
How does this video compare with the vignette?
Does the video give you any ideas for how you could incorporate more autonomy support into the vignette?

Video 1: Lab Responsibilities (2:21) - The teacher reviews lab procedures and roles with her students (also listed in Principle 1 videos).

Video 2: Brainstorming Lab Procedures (2:08) - The teacher poses a lab procedure as a "problem" for the students to help him solve (also listed in Principle 2 videos).

Video 3: Investigating Chalk (1:16) - A student questions whether mass really stays the same regardless of size (also listed in Principle 2 videos).

Video 4: Aluminum Foil Investigation (2:35) - The teacher asks questions in service of her students taking the lead during an investigation (also listed in Principle 2 videos).