Just like science, learning is messy!

     I really enjoyed reading the Learning is Messy! edublog post "Close Reading? Ok, how about Close Doing?" Student engagement is key to student learning, especially in science. STEM education, however, is notorious for having many opportunities for students to observe scientific phenomena, but not necessarily having activities where they are effectively describing and communicating what they observe. In other words, there is little emphasis on scientific literacy in STEM education, which puts students at a severe disadvantage.
    How can this trend be reversed? The blogger for this post expresses concern about traditional science field trips and other hands-on activities that students participate in, because there are very little opportunities for student learning to be enhanced by these "stand-alone" activities; rarely are connections made that improve learning. Students are not often encouraged to take notes or ask questions, and they also may not be given the opportunity to tie in their experiences on the field trips to units that they are studying in the classroom. Furthermore, technology is not effectively utilized to bridge this gap.
    I particularly liked and appreciated the blogger providing ways to address this issue. In particular, I appreciated the suggestion of having students not only take notes and ask questions, but also creating digital photos and video clips that they could use free sites, such as Flickr, to archive for future discussion and use. Computers, tablets, and/or cell phones could be used in the classroom to share this data and generate meaningful discussions and inquiry-based learning opportunities. This could help improve science field trips, activities, and student involvement in them.