Overcoming the scientific divide - Aaron Reedy

跨越科學的鴻溝— Aaron Reedy

譯者: Ning Zhang 審譯者: Anny Chung

When I look at science education,

當今的科學教育裡

I see a divide.

有一條鴻溝

I see a divide between

這道鴻溝

doing science

存在於做科學研究

and learning science.

與學習科學知識之間

And now if you're a kid in that system of education,

如果你是教育體制之內的一個孩子

and you want to do science,

你想做科學研究

you want to do authentic research,

你想做真正的科學研究

you may have to wait a long time for that

你可能要為此等很長時間

because the first moment

因為在我們科學教育體制內

in our system of science education

最初普遍期望學生去做科學研究

where we universally expect students to do science

最初普遍期望學生去做科學研究

often doesn't come until graduate school.

要等到上了研究所才行

And this is what sets up the divide.

這就是鴻溝的來源

It sets up a divide between teachers and scientists,

它在教師和科學家之間製造隔閡

and it sets up a divide in general

也在將學習科學知識 和做科學研究

between learning science and doing science.

著實地分隔兩派

But I think we can overcome this divide

但我相信如果教師和科學家一起合作

if teachers and scientists work together.

我們能克服這道鴻溝

And I think teachers are uniquely positioned

我並認為教師具有獨特的條件

to reach out to scientists

能夠獲得科學家的支持

來促成這個願景

and make this happen.

In my own classroom,

在我的課堂上

I've had some success with this model.

我有利用這種模式小有成就

And so I'd like to use my own experiences

所以我希望以我個人的經驗

to kind of illustrate

來說明

how an individual teacher can reach out to scientists

一個老師如何能夠聯繫上科學家

and make more science happen in their classrooms.

讓他們的課堂上融入更多的科學研究

I had the opportunity to develop

我有一年夏天

my own professional development program

透過一個名為“教師基金”（Fund for Teachers）的組織

in the summer through an organization

提供我機會實現自己的職業發展計畫

called Fund for Teachers.

提供我機會實現自己的職業發展計畫

The way they work is they're kind of like

這個組織的運作方式

有點像是教育界的風險投資家

venture capitalists for educators.

You go to them with an idea and you say,

你帶著你的想法去找他們，說

'Hey, this is going to make me a better teacher.

「嘿，這會令我成為更好的老師。

This is going to help my students learn.'

這會幫助我的學生學習。」

And if they like your idea and they're able,

如果他們喜歡你的想法

they fund it, and they make that idea happen for you.

他們夠提供資金幫你實現那個想法

So, the idea that I pitched to them

所以，我向他們提出的想法

was an idea that would get me doing more science

是讓我有機會做更多的科學研究

because that was important to me.

因為這對我來說很重要

但是更重要的是

But it was also important to me

that I do it in such a way

我做的研究

that it would capture the imagination of my students.

要能夠捕捉我的學生們的想像力

So, the idea that I pitched to them

所以，我告訴他們我的想法

was a thousand-mile expedition on the Mississippi River

是在密西西比河上進行一千英里的探險

to gather data on nutrient pollution.

沿途搜集肥水污染的數據

And for 27 days that summer,

那年夏季中的 27 天

I was immersed in the process of doing science

我在世界最強大的一個河流之一上漂流

on one of the mightiest rivers on the planet.

沈浸於做科學研究的過程之中

When we would come ashore,

每天經過 6-10 小時的划行之後

after paddling six to ten hours a day,

我們靠岸

we would set up a temporary lab,

建立一個臨時實驗室

and we'd conduct water tests.

並做水質檢測

In prepping for this,

在為此做準備時

I quickly realized how poorly my own education

我很快意識到我自己的教育

had prepared me to do science

對於做這種性質的科學研究

of this nature and of this scope.

無法派上用場

So, what I did was I reached out to experts.

於是，我聯繫了專家

I just simply looked through journals,

我只是簡單地翻閱期刊

and I found who was the leading experts

找到主要河流肥水污染物方面的專家

in nutrient pollution in major rivers,

找到主要河流肥水污染物方面的專家

and I started firing off emails with questions.

並把我的問題用郵件發送給他們

And I was astounded at the responses I got.

我收到的回響使我大吃一驚

Scientists responded thoroughly,

科學家們回覆得很詳細

and they were genuinely interested

他們真的很感興趣

in helping me do better science.

幫助我完成更好的研究

So, I kind of put that information in my back pocket

所以，我腦海裡就記著

that professional scientists were a resource

專業的科學家們

that I could draw from.

是我可以依靠的資源

When I went back to my classroom in the fall,

那個秋季，當我回到課堂

my students were able to use the same methods

我的學生就用我在那年夏天相同的方法

that I had learned in the summer

我的學生就用我在那年夏天相同的方法

on a river in their own back yard, the Chicago River,

在他們臨近的芝加哥河

to do real science.

做真正的科學研究

And I could see this breakdown of the barrier

在我眼中，這打破了

between doing science and learning science,

在做研究和學習科學之間的屏障

and it was happening in my classroom,

並且這就發生在我的教室裡

and I wanted more of it.

於是我想要實現更多

So, the next summer, I reached out to scientists again.

所以隔年夏天，我又聯繫了ㄧ些科學家

And I pretty quickly came across

並很快遇見了

an evolutionary ecology lab at Iowa State.

一個在愛荷華州的演化生態實驗室

And they shared my philosophy

他們和我有相同的理念

that there should be no separation

那就是在做科學實驗 和學習科學知識之間

between doing science and learning science.

不應該有任何區別

They worked on turtle reproduction,

他們研究烏龜的繁殖

specifically how climate change

特別是氣候變遷

affects the evolution of turtle reproductive behavior,

如何影響烏龜繁殖行為的演化

and they worked on an island in the Mississippi River.

並且他們在密西西比河的島上進行研究

So, I was thrilled again to be out

所以，我很高興在另一個夏天

on the river for another summer.

又回到到這裡

But, because they shared my believes on education,

因為他們與我在教育方面理念相同

we were able to bring high school students out there

所以我能夠把高中學生帶到那裡

for two weeks at a time

待了兩週

and turn them loose

然後放手讓他們

on their own authentic research projects

做他們自己真正的科學研究計畫

on the biology of turtles,

針對烏龜、

snakes,

蛇、

lizards.

蜥蜴的生態研究

And, in that experience,

這個經驗

working side by side with people

讓許多來自不同的學術階段的人

at all different stages of their academic career,

一同工作學習

we had the high school students working beside undergrads,

我的高中生與大學生、

working beside graduate students,

研究生、

與專家們一同工作

working beside professionals.

I left that experience absolutely convinced

這經歷讓我完全確信

that this is the right way to teach science,

這才是教授科學的正確的方法

with no separation between doing science

在做科學研究與學習科學知識之間

and learning science.

不應該有區分

I continued to keep up my relationships

我一直都和這些科學家們

with these scientists,

保持著聯繫

and I got to the point where I wanted to try something new,

我後來達到能夠嘗試全新想法的地步

something that hadn't been done before.

一個從來沒有人做過的計畫

I wanted to bring those kinds of science experiences

我想將親手做研究的經驗

that we were having with kids out at the river,

像是我帶學生在河流上的經驗

and I wanted to put those into our classroom.

帶到我們的課堂上

And it was important to me

對我而言重要的是

that it wasn't simply a one-off

這不是個一次結束的經驗

or a one-day special field trip.

或一天的戶外教學

I wanted this kind of science

我想讓這種科學研究

to be a part of the everyday science curriculum

成為我們整個學年的

for an entire school year.

普通科學課程的一部分

So, as we were thinking of this,

所以，考慮到這一點

in planning for how we could make this happen realistically,

在計劃我們如何能讓它變成現實的時候

we reached out to the National Science Foundation,

我們聯繫了國科會 （National Science Foundation）,

向「教師研究經驗計畫」申請經費 (Research Experience for Teachers)

and we applied to a Research Experience for Teachers grant,

or the RET.

或者稱為 RET

And now, teachers have to partner

教師們必須和一位 已有國科會經費的研究者合作

with a researcher who is already supported by the NSF

教師們必須和一位 已有國科會經費的研究者合作

to apply for this grant,

才能申請這個計畫

but I think that just gives you one more great excuse

這對我而言是和科學家合作的好藉口

這對我而言是和科學家合作的好藉口

to partner with a scientist.

And what we did is we used our NSF funding

我們利用國科會經費

to travel down to Florida,

到了佛羅里達州

with the permission of the state Florida

經過佛羅里達州的同意

catch a bunch of lizards,

抓了一些蜥蜴

and FedEx them back to my classroom in Chicago

然後將牠運回到我在芝加哥的教室

where we had set-up a functioning, live animal lab.

並在那裡建了一個 完整的活體動物實驗室

So, when my students came to school

所以，當我的學生

for the first day in September,

在 9 月開學的第一天來到學校

they immediately began work on a scientific experiment

他們立刻就開始了科學實驗

that would answer a very specific question.

來回答一個非常具體的問題

Our question was,

我們的問題是

"How do females make choices when they lay eggs?

雌蜥蜴產卵時如何作選擇？

How do they choose a nest site?

牠們如何選擇巢穴？

And what effect does that choice have on their offspring?"

以及這個選擇對牠們的後代有何影響？

And, by the end of the year,

在那一年年底

they had generated data

學生們已經收集了數據

and performed science that answered that question.

並科學地回答了這個問題

And I was extremely happy

我非常高興

when our work was recently published

我們的研究最近於

in the January edition of <em>Behavioral Ecology</em>.

《行為生物學》一月期發表了

And, to my knowledge, this is the first time

據我所知

that work conducted as part

這是第一次

of a normal high school curriculum

普通高中課程的中的研究

resulted in a peer-reviewed paper.

發表於具審查制度的期刊

So, I have three pieces of advice

所以，我有三點建議想給

for teachers who want to make these connections

那些想和科學家們建立聯繫

with scientists and want to blur the line

和打破科學研究和學習科學之間的界限

between doing science and learning science.

的老師們

Number 1,

第一點

look out for those great resources that are out there.

向外界尋找資源

申請一個RET計畫

Apply for an RET grant,

apply for a Fund for Teachers fellowship.

申請教室基金會的獎金

I know what a difference those resources can make.

那些資源能帶來很大幫助

And there's more resources available locally,

並且在當地可能還有更好的資源

and you should look for those, too

你也應該去找找看

因為它們能影響

because they can influence the amount

that you are able to accomplish. I know that.

你所能夠完成的事情。這我了解。

However, my number 2 piece of advice is

但是，我的第二點建議是

don't let a lack of resources stop you

不要讓資源的短缺阻止你

from making those connections with professional science.

與那些專業科學工作者建立聯繫

Reach out to a scientist today,

今天就和科學家們聯繫吧

no matter what your resource level is.

無論你有多少資源

You can start small.

你可以從小開始

Invite a scientist in for a talk.

邀請一個科學家來演講

Set up a Skype chat between a scientist and their lab.

和科學家以及他們的實驗室 Skype 聊天

Then, maybe you can move up to

那樣，你有可能進一步去做

more large-scale project-based learning.

更大規模的計畫性學習

But, whatever you do,

但無論你做什麼

make sure that you're forming these partnerships

確保你是和

with people who do science for a living.

以科學為主業的人合作

And my third point acknowledges

我的第三點建議是

some of the realities that teachers are facing today.

我承認如今教師們面臨的現實

I know that the pressure of high-stakes testing

我知道高風險考試的壓力

and the climate that creates

以及由那而來的氣氛

can make it feel almost a little bit subversive

會讓人感覺偏離標準課程

to deviate from the standard curriculum.

幾乎有點不應該

So, my final piece of advice is

所以，我的最後一點建議是

be a bit subversive if you have to.

如果你不得不顛覆傳統，那就放手去做吧

Make sure, though, that you are doing science.

但是，確定你真的是在做科學研究

And I don't mean be confrontational when I say this

我的意思並不是要對抗現況

because that's not productive.

因為那並無用處

But take the steps you need to

但當你一步一步地

to blur those lines between doing science

為你的學生們模糊那些

and learning science for your students.

做科學研究和學習科學知識之間的界限

And I think you'll find that when people see

你會發現當人們看到

how engaged in learning your students are,

你的學生們是多麼愛學習

and you're getting good results,

而且你得到了好的效果

all your opposition is just going to kind of

那時所有反對的聲音

melt away from that,

都會因此而瓦解

and you're going to turn people into supporters.

而且你將使大家變成支持者

So, I think that this is the right way to teach science

所以，我認為這是教授科學的正確方法

where we're teaching the doing of science.

是教授做科學研究的方法

並且，我認為這麼做很重要

And I think it's important to do this also

because this is the way

因為這大概是

that you would have wanted to learn science as a kid,

當你還是學生時想學習科學的方法

and, more importantly, I think this is the way

更重要的是，我認為

that you would want your kids to be taught science.

你也希望你的孩子是如此學習科學知識

And this is the highest standard

這是作為一位科學教育者

你能夠保有的最高的標準

that you can hold yourself to as a science educator.

So, good luck making those connections,

所以，祝各位在聯繫科學家時好運

and go do some science!

去做一些科學研究吧！

Thank you.

謝謝