Wk 4 Argument Reflections

Generate an Argument, the model by Sampson and Grooms, is an idea and process that fits just about any grade level from Middle School on. I can see using this assignment with non-majors and majors in all of our courses. Non-majors could investigate evolution, climate change, animal behavior (they could create their own data sets here), and many ecological issues. In my microbiology classes they could evaluate disease statistics and trends (this is what I hope to do as my assignment, though I'm not finding the data sets I want yet), drug resistance, and even genomic databases (though that will take some work on my part to get up to speed). In our Cancer biology class they could look at trends, causation, survival rates and more. In our environmental and organismal classes they could do similar projects to the ones that have been posted and mentioned by others with data from our area--bird watching, changes in population due to possible environmental changes. In our molecular and genetics classes they could even look at gene regulation, genetic diseases, etc.

The challenge for me so far, is finding data sets. It seems that most of the easily found data are related to physical and earth science. So instead of designing an activity around an idea I have, I may have to generate my assignment based on whatever data I can find. Since time is of the essence (and it always is) I may not find exactly what I want to fit into my course, exactly where I want it to fit.

I would also like to use student generated data. I do have an idea to use at some future date. There are a few of our micro labs that generate data, if I save that over a few semesters, I will be able to use the compiled data as an extension of the lab. This idea I love, and may actually use to design my assignment (if we compiled all info from the 5 sections in one semester, we might be able to). We also have swallows that return to our campus each spring* (sounds romantic, but it's really, really messy). I know that some classes have taken data in the past on factors surrounding their return, and on their behavior. This assignment would be perfect for them.

Finally, I will share this article and model to my department. I think it's a great way to help students participate in the fundamental aspects of science-data collection (or review of data), analysis and evaluation, prediction, investigation, discernment, review, collaboration, revision, and documentation. I would also like to share it with a group of HS science teachers we collaborate with (for curriculum alignment)--if they aren't familiar with it--and give them examples of projects from our class. Back to searching....

*I heard that the swallows did not return to Capistrano this spring, settled in at a nearby country club. The mission, San Juan Capistrano is trying to figure out how to woo them back. So, messy....