Reflection & Planning Path to Lifelong Learning

Reflection & Planning Objective

Reflect on science knowledge and plan steps for continued learning beyond this course.

Lifelong Learning

Now that you have developed a science discovery “bucket list,” it is time to focus on the more everyday ways we encounter science.

We repeatedly encounter some science-related topics throughout our lives. Every few years we may battle the flu, every year we may plant a garden, every week we may try to predict the weather. Learning about these topics can enhance everyday experiences.

This video introduces the concept that some aspects of learning comes in cycles through a lifetime

Consider aspects of science and nature that you have already repeatedly encountered.

Think of your own experiences. Which science topics have you already encountered repeatedly? Do you remember what you have learned from one encounter to the next or do you repeatedly look up information?

Predicting and understanding repeatedly encountered topics can be a powerful start to lifelong learning.

Steps to Organizing Learning

One goal of learning is to be able to recall and build on information instead of continually starting from scratch. There are five steps that can make this process more organized and effective.

Step 1

Access and build on what you already know about science.

You have a lifetime of knowledge about nature to work with. Spend time reflecting on what you already know. For example, what do you know about desert organisms? Spend a few minutes recalling as many things as you can.

Step 2

Organize your science knowledge.

Think of it as designing exhibits in your personal mental museum. For example, if you have an exhibit on desert organisms, how would it be organized?

Step 3

Fill in gaps in your science knowledge.

What would you like to know more about? Add information and skills while challenging common misconceptions. Explore your environment for examples of science in action.

Step 4

Provide evidence for what you know.

Your journal in this course is a one way you can provide evidence for what you know and are thinking. Build a science portfolio of your work that you can use yourself and share with others.

Demonstrate mastery of science in a meaningful and usable way.

Step 5

Plan for future learning.

You already have your dream “bucket list” of science adventures. You may want to add on some projects that are closer to home. Design projects and excursions to discover more about the natural world. Explore, describe, and explain while sharing your continued science adventures.

Here is a summary of the five step learning process.

Start Journal Assignment #16 Here (due Friday)

Journal Page #16: Learning Process

Select a course topic and use the five steps to access what you know about the topic, organize what you know, identify gaps in your knowledge, state how you could provide evidence of what you know, and plan to learn more.

For example, if the concept is “conifers” you could start by listing (and/or sketching) everything you can recall about coniferous trees, and it can be more than just “science” information. Next, you state how you would organize that knowledge, like you are organizing your own conifer exhibit in a museum. It could be by type of tree, how the trees are used, by tree features, etc. Then you would list things you do not know or are not sure about conifers, identifying gaps in knowledge. The fourth step would be how you could provide evidence of your conifer knowledge, possibly sharing it in some way, like taking family on a forest tree walk or posting labeled tree photos online. And finally, you would list future ways of encountering and learning about conifers.

Popular course topics for this journal page assignment have included: tide pools, succulent plants, fruit, flowers, and beavers. You can select any of the topics in this course, it may help to scan through the webpages as a reminder of topics covered.

For your selected course topic, you are turning in:

a list of what you already know about the topic.
how you personally organize information about the topic.
gaps you have in your knowledge (concepts or skills) related to the topic.
how you could provide evidence of what you know, to yourself and/or to others.
how you can learn more about the topic in the future.

Compiled Journal (due Friday)

Compiled Journal

Once you have finished all 16 journal pages, you are compiling the pages into a finished journal. Include at the front of your journal your name and the date of completion. Your journal may be papers, digital, or a combination of media. You are submitting evidence that the journal is completed. It could be the journal itself, a series of photos, or a video tour of the journal. If it is a large file like a Powerpoint file, you may want to submit it in PDF format. A large video can be hosted on a website, and the address can be submitted on Canvas.