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What to do.
What can you blog about: Ask a question that shows that you are thinking critically about a concept or idea. Make a response to a post in a way that expands on the idea and show you are thinking thoughtfully about it. Write a review of a website you have visited. Reflect on its reliability. What does it offer science students? What are its strengths and weaknesses? How does it expand what we know? Post a review of the book, textbook, article from a newspaper or magazine Embed a video, podcast and write a review of it. Some podcasts worth looking at are: Science Times – from The New York Times Science Section, Discovery News Bulletin – from Discovery Channel, 60 Second Science – from Scientific American, NASACast – one of the many podcasts from NASA, The Naked Scientist – podcast from The U.K, Quirks and Quarks – from CBC Canada and ScienceFriday – podcast from NPR US. Not to be missed are TED Talks. Recommend an animation, or a piece of software. Respond to the TOK questions posed in your IB Chemistry textbook or in TOK class. Reflect on the nature of Science: The methods of gaining knowledge –u0026hellip;
Reflect on the nature of design, technology u0026#038; science:
The methods of gaining knowledge – the “scientific method” The kinds of explanations scientists offer and the similarities and differences with your other subjects. How science makes predictions o How science helps us understand our world. How science demands evidence in the form of data/observations (empirical evidence) and the strengths and limitations of data. How scientists use formal logic / reasoning as a way of knowing. The role of theoretical and mathematical models. The role of emotions as a way of knowing The importance of open-mindedness, freedom of thought, creativity and imagination in the creation of knowledge. The people who have shaped what we know in science. How scientific knowledge progress/grows with time and is subject to change. The connections between science and other areas of knowledge like sport or psychology. The extent and limits of scientific knowledge o How paradigm shifts (new ways of thinking) lead to new theories. Possible biases and limitations in the way scientific knowledge is produced. Recognition that many of societies problems like climate change and AIDS are international in nature and require a global multidisciplinary approach. Science alone cannot provide the answers to all questions facing society. How new knowledge is verified and justified.u0026hellip;
Expectations for posts and replies
Give the readers some idea why the topic interests you. A blog post is more than just factual information, it is more like telling a story, readers what to know about your personal interest and engagement in this topic. All posts and replies should be expressed clearly and concisely. Text should be spell checked and correct grammar conventions used – sentence construction, paragraphing, structure and so on. All sources (primary and secondary) should have high credibility. At least two credible sources should be used. Reputable news or academic sources are preferred to personal blogs and websites. For internet sources, cite through linking. For other sources use MLA conventions. Don’t directly copy large sections of text from another source. If it is from a website, make links to direct the reader to the site, so they can read it for themselves. All claims made, including opinions should have good justification. Avoid making hasty generalisations. Avoid the over use of rhetorical questions – questions used for impact and not intended to be answered. They should use images (chosen from creative commons or public domain), titles, formatting to attract and hold the readers attention. They should demonstrate an openness to different perspectives, andu0026hellip;
Guidelines for Communication
Since this is not a face-to-face setting, with visual clues, the following guidelines will help you communicate effectively. Be careful with humour and tone in your postings. Emoticons icons (smileys smile ) can help to lighten the tone, but remember that readers come from different age groups and cultural backgrounds. Do not make comments about participants personalities or abilities. Acknowledge before differing. Differences of opinion are an opportunity to learn. Be concise. Long posts are usually not read. If you have a lot to say, structure your message with titles and paragraphs. Avoid acronyms. If you must use them, explain them clearly. Avoid putting words into capital letters – they are the equivalent of shouting. Don’t post ‘I agree’ or ‘I disagree’. Instead give your reasons. To show support for one each others ideas, ensure that every post gets at least one reply. Refer to people you know (friends, family members) by their first name only. Don’t post photos of people with their name alongside.
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