I’m calling this blog Learning to Swim because I think it is an appropriate metaphor for the situation we find ourselves in as biology educators. Science is changing. Information and communication technologies are changing. The workplace is changing. Science education is changing (albeit slowly). In this blog I hope to focus on an important slice of this complex landscape – the use of scientific data in teaching and learning biology.
I would argue that adopting a data-centric focus to thinking about science education reform is important for three broad reasons. First, data is becoming more prevalent in all aspects of our lives. Second, data is at the center of understanding science as a way of knowing. Third, we – educators, students, curriculum specialists, publishers, administrators, and others – are entering uncharted waters when we think about data playing a central role in science education. The vast majority of our educational experiences have involved classrooms that approximate data deserts. The deluge of data that is emerging provides us with phenomenal opportunities to engage students in realistic biological inquiry. The deluge also poses vexing challenges as we try to figure out how to work effectively in this new environment.
I am not going to claim that I have answers to these challenges. However, I am committed to digging in to explore some of the hard problems we face when we try to take advantage of rich data to support deep biological understanding. I hope you will join me. The water may appear to be deep, cold, and choppy but I’m sure with a little effort we can learn to swim in it.
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Are you using data in your classroom? What kinds of resources would be most useful to help you reach your teaching goals?
Learning To Swim 