HR: 1340h
AN: ED33A-0761    [Abstracts]
TI: Impact of Inquiry-Based Science Instruction on Middle School Student Understanding of Seismological Concepts
AU: * Barnett, M
EM: barnetge@bc.edu
AF: Lynch School of Education, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
AU: Kafka, A
EM: kafka@bc.edu
AF: Weston Observatory, Boston College, 381 Concord Rd., Weston, MA 02493
AU: Bellegarde, H
EM: belleghe@bc.edu
AF: Weston Observatory, Boston College, 381 Concord Rd., Weston, MA 02493
AU: Pfitzner, A
EM: pfitzner@bc.edu
AF: Lynch School of Education, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
AB: This study is part of an on-going and larger research initiative in which we are examining student understanding of the concepts underlying the science of seismology. We developed an inquiry-based curriculum that consisted of a series of projects that were designed to engage middle school students in reflecting on their own understanding of seismological concepts and processes, and to engage them in authentic inquiry practices similar to those of practicing seismologists. The students recorded earthquakes on an AS1 seismograph operating in their classroom, and they worked on various inquiry-based projects including: a "build your own seismograph" exercise, a global earthquake tracking exercise, and a laboratory simulation of earthquakes exercise using a sliding block apparatus. We assessed student understanding of seismological concepts with a mixed method research approach, including pre-post tests, interviews, and classroom observations. In general, we found that student understanding of seismological concepts improved after experiencing our inquiry-based curriculum. In spite of this general improvement, however, many of the students struggled to express a scientifically accurate description of how earthquake energy is created and propagated. Very few of the students were able to grasp the concept that energy is stored in strained rock and that stored elastic energy is released as seismic waves when a fault breaks in an earthquake.
UR: http://www2.bc.edu/$\sim$kafka/SeismoEd/BC\_ESP\_Home.html
DE: 0820 Curriculum and laboratory design
DE: 0840 Evaluation and assessment
DE: 0850 Geoscience education research
SC: Education and Human Resourcese [ED]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting