Resources/reflection - science videos

As I was searching this week for information in the Webster library catalog for my wkikbook chapter on learning communities, I discovered an online professional development video on inquiry learning in science. When I accessed it I realized that most teachers in the St. Louis area also have access to this Annenberg Media website (learning.org) through MOREnet. In order to access these professional development videos through Webster you do need to create an account. I watched the 1 hour video "Setting the Stage: Creating a Learning Community" which is the second workshop in the series Learning Science Through Inquiry. This series consists of 8 -1 hour videos for K-8 science teachers. "Setting the Stage: Creating a Learning Community" presented segments of science lessons showing strategies that teachers use to establish a learning culture in an inquiry classroom. It was interesting to see actual lessons and how students responded to these strategies and activities. I also enjoyed watching how the teachers interacted with the students and established interpersonal relationships. One statement in the video that really stood out was that before starting an inquiry activity the teacher must consider the amount of experience each child has previously had working independently. You can't just expect every child to be ready for this approach.

Private Universe Project in Science is another series availabe through Annenberg Media and includes 9 -90 minute video workshops for K-12 science teachers. The first workshop includes an introduction to constructivism and the final workshop is "Constructivism: A Vision for the Future".


Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. (1995). Private universe project in science. Retrieved February 16, 2009 from http://www.learner.org/resources/series29.html

Thirteen/WNET New York. (2000). Learning science through inquiry. Retrieved February 16, 2009 from http://www.learner.org/resources/series129.html