Keynote Speakers

Clark A. Chinn

Rutgers University, USA

Dr. Clark A. Chinn is currently a Professor and Associate Dean for Research, Faculty Development, and Research Outreach in Rutgers, Graduate School of Education. His research teams are current working on two interconnected lines of research: The Epistemic education project and PRACCIS project (Promoting Reasoning and Conceptual Change In Science).

Keynote summary : Developing a Grasp of Evidence in Science Classes. In the contemporary digital world, citizens must be able to reason aptly with scientific evidence; this requires that people reason competently using the very diverse forms of real evidence encountered in the world. This evidence varies very widely in quality, quantity, strength, scope, comprehensiveness, technical complexity, and so on. Most current education has not yet addressed the challenges of preparing students to deal with these diverse forms of real evidence. To address these challenges, my colleagues Ravit Duncan, Sarit Barzilai, and I have developed the “Grasp of Evidence” framework, which specifies what students need to learn about real evidence and what kinds of instruction are needed. After explaining this framework, I will discuss how science educators can develop and implement instruction that enables students to reason aptly with the evidence that they will encounter in the world. Examples from our research projects will illustrate key instructional principles.

Christine Cunningham

The Pennsylvania State University, USA

Dr. Christine Cunningham is a Professor of Education and Engineering in the College of Education whose work aims to make engineering and science more relevant and accessible, especially for populations underrepresented and underserved in engineering and science. Previously, Cunningham was the Founding Director of Engineering is Elementary (EiE).

Keynote summary : Everyone Can Engineer: Why All Children Should Study Engineering Before They Can Even Spell It. The human-made world we live in has been designed by engineers, but traditionally only science, not engineering, has not been taught to young children. Education of the next generation should include both engineering and science. This presentation focuses on why it is important to teach engineering to young learners and how to do so in ways that engage all learners. Engineering concepts and practices build on children’s natural proclivities to problem solve and shape their world. Engineering also provides contexts that help students experience the interdisciplinarity of engineering, science, and mathematics. This presentation unpacks core engineering concepts and practices. Using examples and research from preschool, primary grades, and upper elementary grades, it explores how children can develop increased facility with, knowledge of, and interest in engineering and science as they engage in engineering challenges and activities.

Jan van Driel

University of Melbourne, Australia

Dr. Jan van Driel is the inaugural professor of science education in Melbourne Graduate School of Education and Associate Dean (Research) in the University of Melbourne. Before moving to Australia in 2016, he was the director of ICLON at the Leiden University in the Netherlands. He is one of the leading scholars in research on science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge.

Keynote summary : Delivering STEM Education through School-Industry Partnerships: A Focus on Research and Design. This presentation describes an approach to STEM education that focuses on connecting research and design as core practices across the STEM disciplines. In this approach, school-industry partnerships provide students with opportunities to acquire real world STEM experiences. Collaboration between teachers, within and across schools, and with STEM professionals working in local industries are an essential element in the implementation of this innovation. Consequently, schools and teachers are empowered to develop and implement a version of STEM education that fits their local context, student population and resources. Research is needed to investigate the impact of this approach on the attitudes and behaviours of students, teachers and STEM professionals.

Gregory J. Kelly

The Pennsylvania State University, USA

Dr. Gregory J. Kelly is a distinguished professor of science education and Senior Associate Dean for Research, Outreach, Technology in the College of Education. His research explores issues of knowledge and discourse in science education settings. Recent research includes development of theories of epistemic cognition and analysis of engineering classrooms.

Keynote summary : Epistemic Practices in Science and Engineering Education. Elementary engineering education provides opportunities for students to learn science and engineering through active learning of design and analysis of technologies. These educational experiences can be designed to engage students in the disciplinary practices of science and engineering. Given the value of evidence in science and engineering, such practices are epistemic in nature—that is, they entail proposing, justifying, assessing, and legitimizing knowledge claims. In this talk I demonstrate ways that engineering design and analysis draw from and apply science concepts, engage students in epistemic practices of engineering, and build student identity and affiliation with disciplinary communities. Through ethnographic research and discourse analysis, I present results from a set of studies focused on elementary students working in social contexts on engineering designs. Generalizable implications for science and engineering curriculum, instruction, and assessment stemming from this work include the importance of student engagement in multimodal forms of discourse and the use of authentic accountability structures that are grounded in the work of science and engineering.

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