Interactive Teaching of Interactive Teaching of Key Social Science Key Social Science ConceptsConcepts

Leanne C. PownerLeanne C. Powner

University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan

APSA TLC, 18-20 Feb 2006APSA TLC, 18-20 Feb 2006

Science in the Social Science in the Social Sciences: The Perils of Sciences: The Perils of UnobservablesUnobservables When we can’t observe our When we can’t observe our

variables directly, we must look variables directly, we must look for observable effects.for observable effects.– Power?Power?– Political culture?Political culture?– Globalization?Globalization?

Some have few directly Some have few directly observable effects.observable effects.

Simulating Simulating UnobservablesUnobservables Dollar-store objects in opaque Dollar-store objects in opaque

fabric bags can simulate fabric bags can simulate unobservables. unobservables. – Ask students to theorize about the Ask students to theorize about the

object without touching the bag.object without touching the bag.– Allow students to explore the object Allow students to explore the object

without opening the bagwithout opening the bag and ask them and ask them to characterize the object as much as to characterize the object as much as possible.possible.

What is it? What is it used for? What is it What is it? What is it used for? What is it made of? What does it look like?made of? What does it look like?

The Scientific MethodThe Scientific Method

In the process of characterizing their In the process of characterizing their objects, students will complete the objects, students will complete the major steps of the scientific process:major steps of the scientific process:– HypothesizeHypothesize– Collect dataCollect data– Test hypothesesTest hypotheses– Revise hypotheses in light of conclusionsRevise hypotheses in light of conclusions

Role of the group recorderRole of the group recorder

What Can Emerge?What Can Emerge?

Carefully selected objects can provoke Carefully selected objects can provoke discussions ofdiscussions of– FalsifiabilityFalsifiability– ParsimonyParsimony– The role of assumptionsThe role of assumptions

Support on CD:Support on CD:– Complete lesson planComplete lesson plan– Instructor guideInstructor guide– Student group handoutStudent group handout

The Scientific Method in The Scientific Method in Action: Shakespeare’s Action: Shakespeare’s HamletHamlet Hamlet tests his hypothesis about Hamlet tests his hypothesis about

the cause of his father’s death.the cause of his father’s death.– TheoryTheory– Hypothesis: Act II, end of scene 2Hypothesis: Act II, end of scene 2– Test and Data Collection: Act III, Test and Data Collection: Act III,

scene 2scene 2– AnalysisAnalysis– Evaluation: theory confirmedEvaluation: theory confirmed

Measurement: Measurement: Comparing Apples and Comparing Apples and OrangesOranges Ask students to compare several Ask students to compare several

pieces of fruit.pieces of fruit. Organize resulting dimensions Organize resulting dimensions

into types of scales:into types of scales:– NominalNominal– OrdinalOrdinal– IntervalInterval

From Measurement to From Measurement to CausalityCausality Select several fruit of the same color Select several fruit of the same color

(red, yellow, etc.).(red, yellow, etc.). Establish ‘measurements’ for these Establish ‘measurements’ for these

fruits on 3-4 dimensions (‘variables’).fruits on 3-4 dimensions (‘variables’).– Include color as a dimension.Include color as a dimension.

Basic principle: you can’t explain a Basic principle: you can’t explain a variable with a constant, and vice versa.variable with a constant, and vice versa.– Can ‘yellow’ cause medium levels of Can ‘yellow’ cause medium levels of

sweetness, or 3.4 oz, if yellow also causes sweetness, or 3.4 oz, if yellow also causes low sweetness and/or 2.6 oz?low sweetness and/or 2.6 oz?

Information Literacy: Information Literacy: Moving Beyond GoogleMoving Beyond Google American Library Association’s American Library Association’s

Association of College and Association of College and Research LibrariansResearch Librarians– Law and Political Science Section: Law and Political Science Section:

Information Literacy Research Information Literacy Research GuidelinesGuidelines

The ACRL’s StandardsThe ACRL’s Standards

The information literate PS student…The information literate PS student… Determines the nature and extent of Determines the nature and extent of

needed information.needed information. Accesses needed information Accesses needed information

effectively and efficiently.effectively and efficiently. Evaluates information and its sources Evaluates information and its sources

critically….critically…. Uses information effectively to Uses information effectively to

accomplish specific purposes.accomplish specific purposes. Understands ethical use of Understands ethical use of

information; legal and social issues information; legal and social issues related to information access and related to information access and retrieval.retrieval.

What Sources Do I What Sources Do I Need?Need? Students are presented with Students are presented with

hypothetical arguments and hypothetical arguments and asked what kind of source would asked what kind of source would provide useful information.provide useful information.– Encourages strategic searching: Encourages strategic searching:

what kind of information do I want? what kind of information do I want? Where is a likely place to find this?Where is a likely place to find this? Places to look other than a blanket Places to look other than a blanket

Google searchGoogle search

Research Library Research Library Scavenger HuntScavenger Hunt ““What’s available? Where do I get What’s available? Where do I get

it?”it?” Asks students to locate particular Asks students to locate particular

useful sourcesuseful sources– Electronic sources, including databasesElectronic sources, including databases– Primary sourcesPrimary sources– Secondary sourcesSecondary sources– CitationCitation– Introduction to library layout, call Introduction to library layout, call

numbersnumbers

Exploring Primary Exploring Primary SourcesSources ““What do I do with it?”What do I do with it?” Students rarely have experience with Students rarely have experience with

using primary sourcesusing primary sources Introduces a range of primary sources Introduces a range of primary sources

(memoirs, documents, etc.) and (memoirs, documents, etc.) and potential problems/biases in thempotential problems/biases in them

Asks students to examine primary Asks students to examine primary sources from the National Security sources from the National Security Archive and comment on source anglesArchive and comment on source angles

Facts and EvidenceFacts and Evidence

““What do I do with it?” part 2What do I do with it?” part 2– … …or, ‘why every piece of or, ‘why every piece of

information you gathered does information you gathered does notnot belong in your term paper.’belong in your term paper.’

Presents students with potential Presents students with potential paper arguments and asks them to paper arguments and asks them to select which piece of information is select which piece of information is not useful as not useful as evidenceevidence for that for that argumentargument

Support on CDSupport on CD

Instructor SupportInstructor Support– ACRL/LPSS GuidelinesACRL/LPSS Guidelines– Instructor GuideInstructor Guide

Classroom-Ready WorksheetsClassroom-Ready Worksheets– Research Library Scavenger HuntResearch Library Scavenger Hunt– What Source Do I Need?What Source Do I Need?– Exploring Primary SourcesExploring Primary Sources– Facts and EvidenceFacts and Evidence