Observations and Interpretations

Week of November 2, 2009; Brielle Stark

Project: Brain and Behavior II [senses]

Observations

Overview

Observations and Interpretations

Week of October 26, Brielle Stark

Project: Writing Workshop

Observations

Projects

• The subjects could either opt to write a scary halloween story or story based on the world series (their two main interests of the week).
• Previous to this observation day, the subjects had had time to prepare their topics by doing some free writing (rough drafts).
• This day, some chose to keep writing on paper, others worked on the computer and some chose to use the time to read more chapters in their respective fiction/nonfiction books about brain and behavior.

Discussion

Observations and Interpretations

Week of October 19, 2009 --- Brielle Stark

Observations

Project Name: Brain and Behavior I

Initiating the Project

Observations & Interpretations

Week of October 5, 2009; Brielle Stark

Project: Bubbleology II

Interpretations

Overview:

Observations and Interpretations

Week of September 28, 2009; Brielle Stark

Observations

Project: Gardening

Note: Different aged subject group (younger).  This was purely observational, no questions asked of subjects.

Initial thoughts with Instructor

Observations and Interpretations

Week of September 21, 2009; Brielle Stark

Observations

Project: Bubbleology I

Bubbleology I

Observations & Interpretations

Brie Stark, Praxis III Independent Research

September 16, 2009: Initial Observations

Note: today was my first time visiting the Praxis location, a nearby school, and the first time meeting the participants of the study, as well as the teacher [in the setting of the Praxis; I had previously known the teacher from a summer institute].

Observations

Project:  Oobleck

Research Questions

Students

Engagement:

• Describe how you felt about the activity
• Describe this lesson to an incoming student/a student who missed the lesson.  What could they expect from this lesson?
• Do you wish you had more time to do this lesson?  Why?
• Would you do the lesson again?  Why?

Transfer:

Brain and Inquiry: Praxis III Independent Study

Researcher: Brielle Stark, Bryn Mawr College '12

Research Questions:

• Are open-ended activities engaging to students?
• Do open-ended activities transfer knowledge to students?
• Is there a difference between teacher and student perceptions of open-ended activities?

Goals:

This summer, I participated in the summer institutes with K-12 teachers, sponsored by Howard Hughes Medical Institute.  The goal of my summer research activities was to participate in and facilitate discussion, form relationships and develop new ideas in relation to the brain, education, mental health and inquiry with K-12 teachers in both the Brain and Behavior Institute, lead by Paul Grobstein, and the Inquiry Institute, lead by Wilfred Franklin.  I will summarize these institutes and offer conclusions and further points of discussion for the future.