Emili Lopez

Video Analysis

My Interaction Pattern

My interaction pattern while teaching, was mostly extended-

answer questions, short-answer questions, and acknowledging student
comments. For example a question that I asked was, "What are some
of the effects on the soil from the rain?" I coded that question as a 3c
because it starts with "what", not "do", "can", or "will" . I believe this
type of question generates higher-level thinking and requires students
to show more of their thinking.
After watching my video, I noticed I was using student ideas to
move forward their thinking and to guide my instruction. I only coded
two direct 12's (SATIC code), and I want to explicitly ask more 12's in
order to be an effective teacher. I repeated student comments in my
lesson and I coded those as an 8 (SATIC code). I also asked one yes/no
question. For example, a student provided an answer to something we
weren't talking about. He said, "We could build a clubhouse..." I
stopped him and asked, "Okay are you talking about what we could do
to prevent?" This was a yes/no question, which I already knew the
answer to. I now understand that was not the best response to his
comment. I could have said, I like how you brought up a solution, what
can you tell me about how chemicals are causing pollution? in order to
bring him back to the question I asked.
Overall, I think my pattern is including more student ideas,
although they are not as direct as they should be. I observed myself
asking thought-provoking short-answer questions (SATIC code 3c's)
throughout my entire lesson, which I am proud of. I would like to get to
extended-answer questions (SATIC code 4's) in order to facilitate
learning and deepen student understanding.

Q1: Two weeks ago, what did we talk about? 3c

Q2: So what happens to farmlands when it rains? 3c
Q3: So what happens when the soil gets too wet? 3c
Q4: Tell me more about the chemicals. Where are they coming from?
11
Q5: What are some of the effects on the soil? 3c
Q6: What ideas do we have from the effects on the soil from the rain?
3c
Q7: Ok are you talking about what we could do to prevent? 3a
Reform: This was a clarification question. I would instead, ask
"I like how you brought up a solution, what can you tell me
about how chemicals are causing pollution?
Q8: What happens when too much soil leaves the farming area? 3c
Q9: Why could that be bad if farmers don't have soil? 3c
Q10: What kind of pollution are we looking at? 3b
Reform: How would rivers and lakes be affected?

Desired State of Teaching

Our desired state of teaching depends on our goals for students.

The goals we created for class are well articulated and what our
lessons have centered around. Some of the goals we need to be
promoting are: collaboration, demonstrating problem-solving skills,
demonstrating critical thinking, demonstrating a deep understanding of
content and apply it elsewhere, and demonstrating creativity and
curiosity.
Furthermore, in order to promote our goals, we need to choose
the best way to teach our content to students. In order to make the
right choice in how to teach content to students, teachers need to
know how people learn. We know from the Developmental Learning
Theory that:
Concrete representations are easier to understand than more abstract
representations.
Some representations are too abstract for learners.
Some concepts are too abstract for learners, no matter what representations
are employed. (Olson, J.K. (----))
As teachers, we must consider our student's developmental levels and
appropriateness of content. We must match our reasoning demands of
instruction to the learners' level of mental development. (Champagne
and Hornig, 1987). For example, if the learner is in 5th grade and you
are teaching a unit on forces and motion, the formula F=ma wouldn't
be important and would be too abstract. However, teaching the
concrete idea of mass and acceleration related to force would be
appropriate. Simply put, if a student is not developmentally ready to
understand content, teaching that content would not be appropriate.
(Kruse, J., 2009).
Also, we should be providing students with concrete examples of
objects, moving to abstract, and finishing back to concrete. Real
objects are the most concrete representation type. Research-based
science teaching models such as the learning cycle or 5E model
(Lawson 2002; Moyer, Hackett, and Everett 2007) begin instruction
toward the left side of the spectrum by having students experience or
use a hands-on activity that closely models an aspect of the concept.
(Olson, J. 2008) This strategy fosters the Developmental Learning
Theory by allowing students to investigate the concrete experience
while inquiring, moving with guidance to think abstractly, and then
solidifying their new thinking with that concrete experience again.
Students connect what they learn to what they already know,
interpreting incoming information, and even sensory perception,
through the lens of their existing knowledge, beliefs, and assumptions
(Vygotsky, 1978; National Research Council, 2000). Also, there is
research to support students must connect new knowledge to previous
knowledge in order to learn. However, the extent to which students are
able to draw on prior knowledge to effectively construct new ideas
depends on their prior knowledge, as well as the instructor's ability to
harness it. (Ambrose, S.A., 2010).
We know from Constructivist Learning Theory, students learn
from their prior knowledge. However, as teachers, we cannot expect all
students are equipped with accurate prior knowledge, or if they all
have had similar background experiences. Effective teachers know that
students have different prior knowledge and they work to guide them
through their misconceptions while building off their prior knowledge.
Effective teachers equally provide students with hands-on and heads-
on experiences that promote active thinking while slowly building new
ideas.
Correspondingly, we know from Social Learning Theory that
language mediates learning. Students' new knowledge and ideas are
constructed through their social interactions. Providing students with
multiple opportunities to have small group discussions, partner work,
and collaborative learning promotes Social Learning Theory.
Additionally, asking higher level questions has been shown to
facilitate student learning (Clough, M.P., 2007). Asking extended-
answer questions raises the intellectual climate and requires students
to show their thinking. This then provides the teachers with a chance
to formatively assess their students while discussing content.
Independently, science activities will not result in desired
understanding of science concepts. How teachers interact with
students during activities makes the most significant difference in
achieving desired goals. Questioning is an essential tool that effective
teacher use for understanding student's thinking and promoting a deep
and robust understanding of science. (Clough, M.P., 2007)

Comparing My Interaction Pattern with Desired State of

Teaching

As I reviewed my video, I noticed I need to refine my questioning

pattern so I am more consistent. For example, I want to produce a
pattern of 3c, 4, 6, 11, and 12 (SATIC code) in order to consistently
promote my goals for students. Right now, I am not confident in this
pattern as it is difficult to reply in the spur of the moment to student's
responses. In order to grow from this, I will pause and think about my
reply before I respond to students. If I am not sure of how to respond
effectively, I will ask students, "What do you think about what he just
said, talk in your groups." Then I will gather my thoughts and prepare
for what I am going to say. As a preservice teacher, it is nerve-racking
to be put on the spot, but this practice is only helping me become
more confident.
Additionally, I noticed I repeat student comments. In order to be
an effective teacher, I want to use non-verbal gestures or facial
expressions to acknowledge student comments. There is no need for
me to repeat their comments as it takes away from class time and is
not promoting my goals for students.
I am promoting the Developmental, Constructivist, and Social
Learning Theories well. I am providing students with concrete
examples to investigate at their appropriate development levels,
connecting experiences to their prior knowledge and allowing them
time to collaborate. From watching my videos, I would like to deepen
my use of Constructivist Learning Theory. I think if I were to use a KWL
graphic organizer, this could help me to understand what students
know and misunderstand when starting a lesson. However this could
be time consuming, so I could also activate their prior knowledge by
brainstorming some ideas on a topic like I did at the beginning of last
week's lesson. I started with a student-led list of characteristics of
scientists. This helped me to understand where they were at before we
even started our historical short story. After the lesson, we created a
new list and discussed our lists. This helped us see where the students
started with their misconceptions and how they changed.
In conclusion, I think I have a strong foundation of the types of
questions to ask in order to promote a deep and robust understanding
of science. However, I need to pause and reflect on student responses
before responding in order to help them achieve a desired
understanding of science concepts. Finally, I want to refine my
questioning pattern to explicitly promote my student goals. Through
practice I plan to directly create 3c, 4, 6, 11, and 12 in my lessons.
 References

Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C., & Norman, M.
K. (2010). Chapter 1: How Does Students Prior Knowledge Affect Their
Learning? In How learning works: Seven research-based principles for
smart teaching. John Wiley & Sons.

Champagne, A. & Hornig, L.E. (1987). Practical applications of theories

about learning.

Clough, M.P. (2007). What is so Important about Asking Questions?

Iowa Science Teachers Journal, 34(1), 2-4.

Kruse, J.W. (2009). Learning Theories: Pillars of Teacher Decision-

making. Iowa Science Teachers Journal, 36(2), 2-7.

Lawson, A.E., 2002. The learning cycle. In A love of discovery: Science

education-the second career of Robert Karplus, ed. R.G. Fuller, 51-62.
New York: Kluwer Academic Press/Plenum.

Moyer, R.H., J.K. Hackett, and S.A. Everett. 2007. Teaching science as
investigations, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

National Research Council, (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind,

experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

Olson, J. (2008). The Science Representation Continuum. Science &

Children, 46(1), 52-55
Olson, J. (----). Learning Module 1. Understand Representations in
Science and any subject. Iowa State University.

Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of the higher

psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: The Harvard University Press
(Originally published 1930, New York: Oxford University Press.)

Standards I've Met

ElSci 12
Accurately evaluates their own teaching based on learning theory and
goals for students.

ElSci 13
Demonstrates interaction patterns accurately tied to learning theory
and goals for students.