In the National Science Education Standards, the term "active
process" implies physical and mental activity. Hands-on activities are not enough --
students also must have "minds-on" experiences. Science teaching must involve
students in inquiry-oriented investigations in which they interact with their teachers and
peers. Students establish connections between their current knowledge of science and the
scientific knowledge found in many sources; they apply science content to new questions;
they engage in problem solving, planning, decision making, and group discussions; and they
experience assessments that are consistent with an active approach to learning.
(From the National Research Council. National Science Education
Standards [Washington, DC, 1995], p. 20)
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The students in Ms. Chen's class simulate
feeding a population of wading birds to learn about natural selection. Keep in mind the
above description of active learning as you watch "Teaching Evolution Case Studies:
Bonnie Chen." |
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