Hypothetico-deductive method of science

The hypothetico-deductive method of science.

It goes like this. I have a hypothesis or model that predicts that X will occur under certain experimental conditions. Experimentally, X does not occur under those conditions. I can deduce, therefore, that the theory is flawed (assuming, of course, we trust the experimental conditions that produced not-X).

Under these conditions, I have proved that my hypothesis or model is incorrect (or at least incomplete). I reasoned deductively to do so.

But if X does occur, that does not mean I am correct, it just means that the experiment did not show my idea to be false. I now have increased confidence that I am correct, but I can’t be sure.

If one day experimental evidence that was beyond doubt was to go against Einstein’s predictions, we could deductively prove, through the hypothetico-deductive method, that his theories are incorrect or incomplete. But no number of confirming instances can prove he is right.

From the article in The Conversation Sept. 17th 2016  see link

What exactly is the scientific method and why do so many people get it wrong?

Creative thinking and Problem finding in science

What if, together with the content, the intent of the task was to develop students who think, work and process like scientists and….… and identify insightful problems to address

In designing your task a technique you might apply

• Give students a set of real data to find problems

For example:
Here is a set of data from a wearable device that measures your sleep pattern and efficiency. Can you find any problems?

• What do you notice?
• Do you have enough background information to understand this data?
• What are the different categories of data? Is the data valid?
• Is there missing information? Is there extra, unnecessary data?
• What trends are visible in the data?
• Are there values for which there are no data?
• Are there data points that have unusual values?
• How might this data change if...?
• How might this data be used?
• For what other data sample might you use a similar graph? What would happen if you represented the data in a different way?
• What is the relationship between the data sets?
• Why do you think there is a relationship?
• What questions do you have?

How confident are you with the wearable device claims? What problems did you find?

Through problem finding or identifying problems, students develop their creative thinking skills, and it provokes self-efficacy - the belief that you can change the world around you, that you can make a difference.

Here’s a story on a problem finder.
Another problem was solved more recently. A first-grade girl named Suzanna Goodin hated one of her chores at home. She hated feeding the cat! Now, Suzanna liked her cat and she wanted the cat to have food. There was only one thing wrong. She hated washing the cat food spoon. Every time she fed the cat, the spoon ending up covered with squishy, smelly cat food. It was disgusting to wash. Luckily, Suzanna was a good problem finder, much like Chester Greenwood. Instead of just complaining about the smelly cat food, she thought, “Aha! This is a problem I can solve.” And she did. Suzanna invented an edible pet food spoon. The spoon is made of hard pet food, like a spoon-shaped dog biscuit. After you scoop the pet food out of the can, you can throw the spoon right in the bowl with the food. The cat or dog can eat it right up! For her invention, Suzanna won grand prize in that year’s Weekly Reader invention contest.
What made Suzanna a good problem finder?

Suzanna Story from: https://creativiteach.me/…/problem-finding-lesson-one-peop…/

#transformingtasks #science #AUSCIBABE #BITL

Driven by curiosity to pose scientific questions, in order to make sense of your observations

What if, together with the content, the intent of the task was to develop students who think, work and process like scientists and….
…are driven by their curiosity to pose scientific questions, in order to make sense of their observations
In designing your task a technique you might try:
Provide an intriguing phenomena, cartoon, provocation letter, or perplexing video and ask, “What questions do you have?”
"What if..."
For example:
Cool animation of making the moon : Lots of STEM applications (16 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8LRxIANzQs

This memo was never sent. What does it make you think? What questions do you have?
http://www.lettersofnote.com/…/in-event-of-moon-disaster.ht…

The time machine (2002) : The moon breaking down scene (2 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSs6eKmTCDY

What do you see in this cartoon? What questions do you have?
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/shoot_moon
"What if we could breathe air on the moon, how might that change our lives?"

Through providing compelling and perplexing science phenomena we stimulate curiosity and imagination. Using scientific inquiry, students pose the questions; they are doing the thinking and come up with ideas to investigate. Through using an inquiry approach we provide opportunities for students to make decisions, be innovative and apply their ideas. Students construct their own understanding between what they notice and make meaning of their prior knowledge.
#transformingtasks #science #AUSCIBABE #BITL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8LRxIANzQs

Critical thinking skills How are they the same? How are they different?

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

Did you guess which thing was not like the others?
Did you guess which thing just doesn't belong?

How are these animals the same?
How are they different?

Can you name each of the animals?

Which is the odd one out? What makes you think that?
What questions do you have?

How can you investigate?
Who could you ask?

If you guessed this one is not like the others,
Then you might have the solution.

Ok I have finished the song: How are your critical thinking skills?
If you know the answers then post in the comments.

Sesame Street - One Of These Things (is Not Like The Others) Lyrics | MetroLyrics
One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

Did you guess which thing was not like the others?
Did you guess which thing just doesn't belong?
If you guessed this one is not like the others,
Then you're absolutely right!

#Science #animals #BITL #Australiancurriulum

Uncertainty in Science

Jelly Belly Bean Boozled Challenge

How certain are you that the flavour of the jellybean can be determined by what you see or smell?
These jellybeans look the same? They are the same colour.
They smell the same. 
What happens when you taste them? 
What do you notice?
Do they taste the same or do they taste different?
Can you describe their flavours?
Are you willing to have another go with these jellybeans?

What are the chances that they will taste the same? What are the chances that they will taste different? How certain are you that they are the same?
Are there other ways we could find out whether they taste the same without tasting them?

Uncertainty is a normal part of scientific research. Research goes on because we don’t know everything. Researchers then have to estimate how much of the picture is known and how confident we can all be that their findings tell us what’s happening or what’s going to happen. Scientific understanding is dynamic and can change as we discover new things about a scientific phenomena.

However, society often thinks that scientific uncertainty is a deficiency of scientific research. We often expect certainty in our lives because it makes us feel safe and we that know that something works well.

While scientists feel comfortable with dealing with uncertainty, everyday people see it as a reason to be cynical about scientific research, such as climate change or the prediction of natural disasters.

Uncertainty does not mean we know nothing, and that evidence cannot be trusted, that anything could turn out to be correct or that decisions can not be made.

Are we helping to develop a positive disposition with uncertainty in our students, to think and act like a scientist, to take risks and try something new or different?

Driven by curiosity to pose scientific questions, in order to make sense of observations

What if, together with the content, the intent of the task was to develop students who think, work and process like scientists and….
…are driven by their curiosity to pose scientific questions, in order to make sense of their observations

In designing your task a technique you might try:
Provide an intriguing phenomena, object or perplexing video and ask, “What questions do you have?”

For example:
Windmill disaster
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YJuFvjtM0s

Through providing perplexing science phenomena we stimulate curiosity and support our students to be open to new ideas. Students make connections between what they notice and make meaning to what they already know. They are learning how to pose questions that can be investigated using scientific inquiry.

Other ideas
Rapid Bay Primary School in South Australia. The students talking about the Starfish Hill Wind Farm next to their school.
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4256702.htm

Today is Global Wind Day: a worldwide event that occurs annually on 15 June. It is a day for discovering wind, its power and the possibilities it holds to reshape our energy systems, decarbonise our economies and boost jobs and growth.
‪#‎globalwindday‬ 

Wind Tunnel Testing: "Demonstration of Typical Free Flight Tests" 1946 NACA Langley Research Centre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGmigdhxMRw

What happens when you put a hummingbird in a wind tunnel?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyqY64ovjfY

‪#‎transformingtasks‬ ‪#‎science‬ ‪#‎AUSCIBABE‬ ‪#‎BITL‬

‪#‎globalwindday‬ image is from this hashtag

Evaluate your own scientific thinking and apply metacognition

What if, together with the content, the intent of the task was to develop students who think, work and process like scientists and….
…evaluate their own scientific thinking and apply metacognition

In designing your task a technique you might apply

• Reverse the question. Give the answer and ask “What was the question?”

For example:
• A rotten egg gas is detected. How might this gas of been produced? How might you produce this gas?

Through generating or identifying different options we can develop divergent and flexible thinkers.

‪#‎transformingtasks‬ ‪#‎science‬ ‪#‎AUSCIBABE‬ ‪#‎BITL‬