Shark Teeth and 3-D Technologies: Learning Science Using the Authentic Practices of Paleontologists

• In Event: Supporting Learning of Science and Technology Through Novel Applications of Technology

Abstract

Recognizing that education within the individual STEM disciplines has great value, educational researchers and practitioners are working to expand our understanding of integrated STEM learning (Roehrig et al., 2011). Our research project argues that effective integration of STEM can be achieved using 3D scanning and printing in the classroom within the context of a highly relevant but unexplored educational pathway to STEM in K-12 education – paleontology. Rather than being a specialized field, paleontology is truly a multidisciplinary science that organically integrates concepts and content from diverse disciplines including biology, environmental science, geology, oceanography, and anthropology.

In this study, we followed a 6th grade science teacher who designed and implemented a science learning activity focusing on the structure and function of shark teeth integrating 3D scanning and printing practices that are used by paleontologists to identify and study fossils. The NGSS-aligned lesson was designed using the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study 5E model spanned five 50-minute class periods and addressed the following guiding question: “What biotic and abiotic factors have changed shark’s teeth over time?” The lesson included 3 main activities: (a) sorting shark teeth to bring out students’ initial conceptions and discover that shark teeth vary, (b) sorting shark teeth like paleontologists to discover that their structure differs greatly based on their function, and (c) scanning and printing teeth of Otodus, Mako, Hastalis, Megalodon, Great White, and determining when these sharks lived using he geological time scale and what they ate.

Qualitative and quantitative measures were used to obtain a comprehensive view of how students and the teacher perceived the integrative STEM activity and the effects on their learning, self-efficacy, development of 21st century skills, and career interest. The data sources included student and teacher interviews, classroom observations using the Practices of Science Observation Protocol (Forbes, Zangori, & Biggers, 2013) and the ISTE Classroom Observation Tool (Elmendorf & Song, 2015), student and teacher artifacts, and the S-STEM survey (Unfired, Faber, Stanhope, & Wiebe, 2015).

Qualitatively, we found that while only half of the interviewees were interested in science careers, all students showed increased interest in 3D scanning and printing and the careers that used these practices. All students spent much longer on 3D scanning than 3D printing. Half of the students were able to recall 90% of the relevant science concepts from prior units. Quantitatively, we showed that the scores obtained using the S-STEM measure were reliable, and that students exhibited significantly better attitudes and self-efficacy toward science learning (t93 = -2.37, p < .02) and competency in 21st century skills (t93 = -2.23, p < .03). Females demonstrated significantly higher Science Attitude scores than males on the posttest (F = 7.64, p = .007, 2 = .08). Additionally, students improved in their interest towards three STEM careers: Biology (t92 = -6.28, p < .001), Computer Science (t92 = -2.48, p < .02), and Medical Science (t93 = -2.10, p < .04). More activity examples, data, analyses, and interpretations will be provided during the presentation.

Authors

• Pasha Antonenko, University of Florida

• Mayra L. Cordero, P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School

• Claudia Grant

• Wenjing Luo, University of Florida

• Bruce MacFadden, University of Florida

• Victor Perez, University of Florida

• Jeanette Pirlo

• Min-Chuan Tsai, University of Florida

• Tugba Kamali Arslantas, Aksaray University