The simple graph below is useful for considering the nature of the laboratory work done in school. A teacher or science department might use it to initiate a discussion on the nature of the laboratory activities they do.
This framework came to my attention from friend and colleague Herb Brunkhorst.
Most lab activities follow a set procedure to arrive at a known conclusion. If all perfectly scored labs look essentially identical to one another, then chances are quite good they fit this category. It seems clear that these kinds of activities have a place in the school laboratory, but it also seems clear that such activities should not be the only lab activities completed by students.
Consider the labs you teach in a year. Imagine plotting them on the graph (or actually plot them). Can some of the labs be revised so that students create their own procedures? Can some be replaced where students investigate genuine unknowns?
It is also worth considering the duration of lab activities completed. How much meaningful science is completed in a 45 minute or 90 minute block of time? If you are a New York State Regents science teacher, your students are required to complete a minimum of 1200 minutes of satisfactory laboratory work in a given year. This is sometimes thought of as needing to complete 30 lab reports. Is it worth considering trying some longer term investigations? What might they look like? What are your colleagues doing?
This little graph and a few paragraphs is intended to feed productive conversations about the nature of school laboratory work. Is it helpful?
