Scaffolds to Support Students' Efforts
List of areas where students are likely to have difficulty
Students are likely to have difficulty in the following areas -
-- Knowing how to listen to and question subject matter experts
-- Knowing where to start researching the material needed for the project
-- Knowing how to discern if content found on a website is suitable for use in their project
-- Knowing how to document the information found about the five overall areas defined in the project objectives
-- Knowing how to build a 3-dimensional model
-- Knowing how to talk with community members about concerns / issues that they would have about a biomass conversion plant being built in the community
-- Knowing how to listen to and question subject matter experts
-- Knowing where to start researching the material needed for the project
-- Knowing how to discern if content found on a website is suitable for use in their project
-- Knowing how to document the information found about the five overall areas defined in the project objectives
-- Knowing how to build a 3-dimensional model
-- Knowing how to talk with community members about concerns / issues that they would have about a biomass conversion plant being built in the community
Explicit plans and materials for scaffolds in these areas
-- Prepare a survey sheet for students to use for talking with community members so that they have a common starting point and work with them so that they understand how to talk with them about the issue
-- Before the first presentation work with the students to help them understand how to listen to subject matter experts by reading articles aloud to them and having them talk through what is important in the article with relationship to this project
-- Before the students start to work on researching on the internet have read an article or two and then have them discuss the article to hlep them understand how to determine the validity of the information. Example questions to ask could include what kind of data is in the article or is it just someone's opinion, is the information complete or is there information missing, and what is the bias of the author.
-- To help the students understand how to document the information that they find in articles and websits, the teacher should work through documenting an example article. For example this could include helping them understand what questions to ask of the content, how to use it in the report and how to reference it in a bibliography.
-- To help the students know where to start their internet searches for information, a sheet with 10 or more potential website sources ould be prepared and given to them. Example websites that could be included in the listing include http://www.doe.gov and http://www.scientificamerican.com .
-- Showing the students examples of what has been done in the past by students who have taken the class previously or making an example model will help those that are not sure of how to build a 3-D model. Good instructions will be given as well in order for the students to know what they are supposed to do.
-- Before the first presentation work with the students to help them understand how to listen to subject matter experts by reading articles aloud to them and having them talk through what is important in the article with relationship to this project
-- Before the students start to work on researching on the internet have read an article or two and then have them discuss the article to hlep them understand how to determine the validity of the information. Example questions to ask could include what kind of data is in the article or is it just someone's opinion, is the information complete or is there information missing, and what is the bias of the author.
-- To help the students understand how to document the information that they find in articles and websits, the teacher should work through documenting an example article. For example this could include helping them understand what questions to ask of the content, how to use it in the report and how to reference it in a bibliography.
-- To help the students know where to start their internet searches for information, a sheet with 10 or more potential website sources ould be prepared and given to them. Example websites that could be included in the listing include http://www.doe.gov and http://www.scientificamerican.com .
-- Showing the students examples of what has been done in the past by students who have taken the class previously or making an example model will help those that are not sure of how to build a 3-D model. Good instructions will be given as well in order for the students to know what they are supposed to do.
List of areas where students are likely to have misconceptions
-- Content found on the internet is always valid no matter what website it is found on and no matter the bias of the material that is found
-- All types of biofuel can be stored in any type of material
-- All types of biofuel can be stored in any type of material
Specific examples of how to address misconceptions
-- Work with the students before they start searching for information on project topics to help them understand how they can tell what is valid information by giving them examples (good and bad) and then discussing the examples with them. This will lead to the students better understanding what to be aware when they are searching the internet.
-- The following website gives some good ideas that can be used when evaluating website content
http://www.studygs.net/evaluate.htm Evaluating Website Content
-- Biomass/biofuel mythbuster game to teach students that biodiesel requires careful storage in materials that do not rust and other issues related to construction of a biomass conversion plant.
-- The following website gives some good ideas that can be used when evaluating website content
http://www.studygs.net/evaluate.htm Evaluating Website Content
-- Biomass/biofuel mythbuster game to teach students that biodiesel requires careful storage in materials that do not rust and other issues related to construction of a biomass conversion plant.