When curiosity is sparked...

With many schools announcing that they will be embarking on various distance learning models this Fall, student engagement in the online learning space is extremely important. That being said, given the stress of curricular modification, and the barrage of training and tools being thrown at teachers daily, student engagement is often overlooked. 

Keeping the above in mind, click here for a toolkit I created a few years ago to assist fellow educators in understanding and implementing techniques for sparking student curiosity. Many of you already have this document, but I am hopeful that sharing it again provides a reminder as to how simple, and exciting, curating curiosity eliciting moments are for students. 

I am currently developing a unit on the structure and function of Hemoglobin in my Biochemistry class. Keeping this in mind, in the current online learning structure I have been slipping back into some old habits of teaching as they seem "easier", or more "efficient" in this structure. However,  they do not align with my personal philosophy regarding how to surface student curiosity, interest, and motivation.

For example, falling back on a traditional approach would embrace the following work flow: 

• Phase 1: Brief lecture on the structure and function of Hemoglobin.
• Phase 2: Analysis and discussion of the Hemoglobin-Oxygen dissociation curve. 
• Phase 3: Carbon Monoxide poisoning case study
• Phase 4: Analysis and discussion relating case study to Hemoglobin-Oxygen dissociation curve. 

Implementing an approach guided by student curiosity COULD could follow the below format: 

• Phase 1: Carbon Monoxide poisoning case study
• Phase 2: Analysis and discussion of student diagnosis. 
• Phase 3: Brief lecture on structure and function of Hemoglobin in response to case study.
• Phase 4: Analysis and discussion relating case study to Hemoglobin-Oxygen dissociation curve. 

In the later example, direct instruction is delayed, but delivered in a way that compliments an initial activity. Students have plenty of related prior knowledge, and more importantly, false confidence, around the case study, but lacked true understandings of the biochemical mechanisms. Essentially, this example is designed to "prime" students for a moment of direct instruction, and aligns well with current research on the relationships between curiosity and learning:

"It's very in vogue to talk about curiosity as a strategy to increase learning, but it's unclear how to engage people's curiosity...Our study suggests it's the uncertainty -- when you think you know something and discover you don't -- that leads to the most curiosity and learning." 

The above quote is a good reminder when designing this lesson, or those to follow, that it is not about HOW direct instruction is delivered by about WHEN. What can I do as an educator to provide enough information to not demotivate, but withhold enough to instill a sense of false confidence? Such a fun task...

It's the "Tip of the Tongue" effect, that Loewenstein discusses here, or in a more tangible way, the "Mystery Box" that Abrams shares here. 

I will share the complete lesson plan when done in the coming days. 

Engage Hero is Called

1. Watch video below. 
2. What are you curious about?

​Explore ​Hero is Challenged

1. Using the below materials,  design an experiment to find the optimal Alka-Seltzer water combination. 
2. Hypothesize a macroscope and microscope explanation for your optimal ratio. 

​Explain Hero is Mentored

1. Introduce "ICE" Stoichiometry (see related video below). 
2. Facilitate stoichiometry practice session. 

​Extend Hero is Transformed

1. Click here and here to learn  about the "Hindenburg disaster".  
2. Generate optimal H2 and O2 needed for a mini "Hindenburg" in a 2L bottle. See video and slides below. 

​Evaluate Hero is Judged

1. Present slides above. 
2. Formal assessment on limiting and excess reactant stoichometry. 

All lessons based on the 5E Learning Cycle/Hero's Journey overlap shown below: ​

I was honored to join Barbara Bray on episode #89 of her podcast RethinkingLearning. Click here to listen to the the entire episode where Barbara and I take a deep dive into the pedagogy and research behind sparking student curiosity.