Potential of NML to Support Classroom Learning

Core Science Education Goals and Objectives

Potential Learning Affordances for

Science Classrooms

The long-term and ongoing access makes materials available for subsequent reflection and analysis.

• Exploration and emphasis on the historical nature of scientific discovery

• Investigations over extended periods of time

• Management of ideas and information

Long-term Engagement with Scientific Inquiry
Capitalizing on the archived nature of NML as a resource for long-term and ongoing conversations, explorations, investigations and construction of scientific understandings with the potential for reflection on the process of scientific discovery.

Participation encourages and enables the integration of varied resources (often web-based) which complexifies, in potentially valuable ways, the task of reflection & argumentation.

• Using evidence and strategies for developing or revising an explanation

• Science as argument and explanation

• Communicating science explanations

• Applying the results of experiments to scientific arguments and explanations

Supported Scientific Explanations Capitalizing on the multi-modal and multimedia format of NMLs to utilize both self-created data and information from the scientific community to construct, clarify and publish science explanations and arguments.

Participation offer a venue (an activity and a tool) to extend classroom discussions outside the classroom which has led to increased and different interaction between students.

• Groups of students often analyzing and synthesizing data and defending conclusions

• Doing more investigations in order to develop understanding, ability, values of inquiry and knowledge of science content

• Applying the results of experiments to scientific arguments and explanations

Varied Scientific Work

Capitalizing on the extended workspace, public nature, varied acceptable forms of discourse, and social networks available through the NML to enable additional and new opportunities for interactions around scientific work and the learning process.

Participation encourages (perhaps requires) learners to read and critique each other’s work and has been argued to lead to “deeper and more meaningful interaction.”

• Public communication of student ideas and work to classmates

• Using evidence and strategies for developing or revising an explanation

• Science as argument and explanation

Use of Peer Feedback in Developing Scientific Explanations
Development of a set of practices around science which has students inviting, utilizing and responding to critiques and suggestions through comments and further posts within their classroom community of practice.

Participation is often public, thus making learners’ work available for comment and critique by a much broader audience than a teacher.

• Public communication of student ideas and work to classmates, teachers and classroom "outsiders"

Engagement with Scientific Community
Discussions, defenses, and reflections of scientific understandings, investigations, and resulting claims are developed through awareness of and/or interactions with both local and distributed 'peers.'