FOAM DISCUSSION
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Below is
an ongoing discussion of the Foam Activity with the most recent
comments on top. Scroll down to read older comments.
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your thoughts about this activity by clicking below. If you
have taught this activity, please describe how it went, and
any innovations you made. (Please note: your comments will
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I don't like foam unless it's in root beer
blah
blah
Rome, NY USA - Thursday, August 05, 1999 at 05:14:06 (PDT)
We have tried
this foam activity in a secondary science methods course and an
elementary science methods course. Check out the Electronic Journal
Science Education for our results. It is inquiry in progress!
Kathy Foley
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL USA - Friday, December 04, 1998 at 06:50:21
(PST)
We've done
the Foam Activity several times at the Science Discovery Museum
in Acton, MA. Many of the teachers like the Guided and Challenge
activities, probably because these activities are familiar. The
teachers tell us that they experience the anxiety their students
probably feel about getting "the right answer," "failing the challenge," and "getting
done in time." For most teachers, the Inquiry activity is much
more challenging. They are uncomfortable ''messing about" with
science, perhaps because they haven't done so in a long time. Also,
many of them don't have time during the activity to go beyond "messing
about." So, even if they experience the satisfaction and benefits
of self-directed exploration, they may have no idea of how to go
the next step with their students. As facilitators, should we encourage
long explorations or try to expedite them so that the teachers
begin investigations and experience more of the Inquiry process?
Will this send the wrong message about how the process should be
done with their students? When the Foam activity is introduced,
should more emphasis be placed on the teacher-directed and self-directed
nature of the activities rather that on the fact that they are
all hands-on? We will be doing the Foam Activity again soon and
would like your thoughts.
Denise
LeBlanc
Acton, MA USA - Monday, November 17, 1997 at 18:27:01 (PST)
I am doing
a project for one of my undergraduate studies education courses
and I found the foam project. This will greatly add my project
research but I was curious to if anyone can email me with other
information on inquiry learning It will be most appreciated and
beneficial. Just my word on inquiry learning: I like it very much.
As I become a classroom teacher, I do not wish to be the traditional
teacher, in order to keep the students interested in learning (any
subject) and feel that the inquiry learning approach will benefit
me in the classroom. I pray that others will do research on this
learning method and apply it actively in their classroom. Remember
we are looking at our future leaders, heros, and role models when
we look into the classroom.
Rebekah
Cooke
Plainveiw, TX USA - Saturday, October 25, 1997 at 11:47:58 (PDT)
We've tried
the foam activity in Buffalo and have had great success with it.
What mystifies me, though, is that teachers like the structured
investigation most and the open inquiry least. What is that telling
us???
Peter Dow
Buffalo, NY USA - Thursday, October 02, 1997 at 18:40:05 (PDT)
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