Organizing Knowledge around Core Concepts

Performance Objectives:

• The teacher candidate will explain the importance of constructivism in the science classroom.
• The teacher candidate will explain the Karplus 3-stage learning cycle.
• The teacher candidate will identify the learning cycle as the approximate approach that scientists use to "do" science.
• The teacher candidate will identify, characterize, and explain one or more learning theories that the student believes is pertinent to science teaching and consistent with his/her understanding of how students learn science.
• The teacher candidate will distinguish between transmissionist and constructional forms of knowledge, teaching, and learning.

Constructivism (PowerPoint)

If I teach this way, am I doing my job? A 1999 article about constructivism by Debra Sprague and Christopher Dede

Learning Theories (some of which are pertinent to the Theory-into-Practice Project)

Learning Cycles and Lesson Plans

Be among the first to read a chapter (Understanding Scientific Inquiry) which will appear in Carl's upcoming textbook, Teaching High School Physics. NOTE: This is a password protected PDF. Contact Carl for the password.