What is the Nature of science?
How can forms of reasoning and critical thinking in science offer leverage in understanding the world in which we live?
What cognitive challenges do we need to overcome in order to develop deep and scientific views of the world?
At The Walden School, these and related questions have motivated us to design a science curriculum based on Science of Learning.
Creative and Critical Thinking
This involves coming up with new ideas, thinking outside the box, connecting imagination with logic, and then communicating these ideas to others. Many times these ideas go against the prevailing belief system.
Documentation
Students keep detailed notebooks, drawings and correspondence of comments, suggestions, and revisions of their ideas, lectures and experiments. Documentation is a means of helping them to download thinking onto paper and of helping them to see patterns that otherwise might go unnoticed.
Synthesis of Information and Strong Collaboration
Students often support ideas by looking across work in the field and synthesising it. They work in collaboration, are open to ideas of others, and communicate extensively with peers.
Taking Advantage of Serendipity
Many discoveries happened while scientists were looking for something else, sometimes they were by accident, and sometimes after specific experiments provided surprising findings. Not all science is explored solely by controlled experiments.
Technology and Resources
Students use the technology and resources available and envision what may come. Creating an environment that fosters experimentation and research are extremely crucial.