Can we investigate something we cannot see? Stimulating critical thinking about knowledge in the history and science class

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CAN WE INVESTIGATE SOMETHING WE CANNOT SEE?
STIMULATING CRITICAL THINKING ABOUT KNOWLEDGE IN THE
HISTORY AND SCIENCE CLASS
Laura Van den Broeck1, Broos Delanote1,2, Laura Vervacke1, Veerle
Verschoren1, Jelle De Schrijver1,2
1Odisee University of Applied Sciences – Research Center ExploRatio (BELGIUM)
2Antwerp University – Research Center Didactica (BELGIUM)
Abstract
 
     

 !
 "#   
$

%
    
          &     '
 ()
   *+'+,-
              *.'+  -            
/ )'
                         
0!1
&!
*-
/!!
!

2          % 3    4  5  
4
1 INTRODUCTION
46
             7                  
76116
            

, 89 :;      1 
  !      :;                  
6  
<"=
        4     
                  % 

$):>;
!11:,;/
 
869?&@:A;

Author Accepted Manuscript
 *& -&  
logical thinking, 6879&!

   "  =6     
    thinking about knowledge 6 879&
!
             
 judging and acting, * -
.    68   *-79 &! 
          
     =      1   self-
reflection  68 79   
&!
 
66
Figure 1. The four dimensions of critical thinking.
           1           '   
=
                          
                   
A'B'"
   =             <"  !     
:B; !
<
":C; !
!
 6
DD:E; F869F
          6            '  
   
4   6        *-
65  D
    
:E.;                   

        '          4        
       
:+;46!
       6              
34:;%
                           

Author Accepted Manuscript
                )     '
!6


2 METHODOLOGY
2.1 Research questions
       6& )   
      "     
  *@0-  4   )      !           
                      
*@0-"
*@0>-
2.2 Education-design research
&  '  (
      )       :;          
*+'+,-*.'
+-
2.2.1 Current stage of the research
#        

<" +. +
        
='

!''
'
6
6*@0-
   !       
*@0-
2.2.2 Subsequent stages of the research
!)+'+>
   *          -              
 
!
*'-
        "                   
       *@0-                         
3!
 11 
!*@0>-
3 RESULTS
3.1 Design criteria of the teaching method (RQ 1)
?'!

&!think about knowledge

Author Accepted Manuscript
4dialogical teaching methods
6!*<7"-
    !    *<7"-            
*>-6
   variation of concrete exercises *  &  - and abstract exercises *  &  >- 
?6G<
 7" < 79G 
%
1'!
   "          
          !           *&-H
!      !        *          
       -  /  
6
 "*-
& contexts   !   trigger the thinking process      
!!=
!!
1          

&  !   make the thinking visible     &  !  1  
   '       
  *<Dwhoever agrees with this statement goes to the left corner of the class room, whoever
disagrees goes to the right corner9-
4! link with thinking about knowledge    explicit       
              
I 
!6
!6*&,!-
J              !        
66$
     6    ?  teaching the teacher
6"'
    "   
!
3.1.1 Example of the teaching materials

 !!
  6
 *&-      
  7  *  !        3  J"      <  
"-

Author Accepted Manuscript


the 1st phase

!



"
the 2nd phase


#
!$



%

$

the 3rd phase 
$
%




&%



Figure 2. Example of learning material: ‘the palaeontologist’.
K!6
          *  &  >-    !              
!='
6

Author Accepted Manuscript
"big questions 
!science class
'%
&


((
&
!history class
&
&
!
&
!

((
Figure 3. Big questions underlying the exercise ‘the palaeontologist’.
3.2 Teachers’ and students’ attitudes (RQ2)
4 !    8 Now [during the workshop]
you think about it [the subject matter], that's how you truly remember it.9 
=
)8where we talk in class9
      !              
&!8 doubt is inherent to history, but has no place in
science9          6      
              =     !
8Students often seem to think "what we learn in science class is the right thingL ?
++MD79
"                &
!           *
- =  !8I want them to think critically, but I don't want them to
doubt!9  '!8It is not easy to adopt the Socratic attitude,
you really want to participate and think along, you want to explain what is right 9
*-
         
          H                 
66  
"
      !                      
 about  *N34-     of  * N)  -  /    
       8But when do you focus upon knowledge?9
*)-3
OO!*>-
H
!%   6

3.3 Some thoughts on students provoked thinking (RQ3)
=  6   !     )
*-!
*& ,-      !        !    1
)
 &  ,                   .       '    
 ! *&  -  ! 
6&!

Author Accepted Manuscript
        )     
      6 !   

  
                            
       
  ''  !     ! 
!*>-
!
)dialogue  *
 
[1st phase of the excavations is projected]
+ 
,- %
+ !
,- !
+ 
,- .
+ (
,/ 01
[2nd phase of the excavations is showed]
,2 134
+ 
,2 
,5 1
,6 "
+ !
,7 +"8
8
[3rd phase of the excavations is showed]
,9 !%
+ 
,9 :
,; !('<
$

,= !
+ $
,9 1
reection
+ &
,6 ("<!
"
,/ :"("(
+ #
,; "
,7 
+ 
, / "(
Figure 4. Transcribed dialogue as observed during a try-out in a class (9th grade).
4 CONCLUSIONS
#   6          
&
 )
"

Author Accepted Manuscript
 !  5 
6
:+;=6
         ' !    
=!

/!
6'4
*'-
       
  
1
!  %   
7   6    '   
          !                
 
$
'!
REFERENCES
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$3@=KIII'II.,''''''
,'''''''+A
:;4Q'J   (Fostering Students' Creativity and Critical Thinking: What It Means in
School. Educational Research and InnovationH$5=5&'CACCA5
!B&+.
:>;5=&L/L(Insight assessment(++C'>+
$2(Education for thinking%K5++A
:,;2)8!5# ,L44L
?DAJ2 5
3J59A,G>B+A
:A;@<2" Filosofie op
school: Handboek vakdidactiek filosofie$?3225
&@BCG.=?+
:B;41L=@JK%L(History
Education Research Journal(A+>'C+C
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4+A
:E;#J(Thinking in education++>
:.;JJL5=
L(Analytic Teaching(>++>
=  @1  L            J    
L(Thinking: The Journal of Philosophy for Children(C,,'>++A
:+;/5/L
6=D!L(Childhood and Philosophy(A+.
:;  J  $    S    4) L@    3    4    5
$L(Nature of Science in Science Instruction4>'>C++

Author Accepted Manuscript
S  $  4)  $  5 S      =  @ 5 4     
5$&4 7 $ &R
#@@J*-Family resemblances. Current trends in philosophy with children*>.'
A-=+E
:;    5    T  3  3  3  =            31
++C