Subject: Is this a causal loop?

Posted by Richard Turnock on 2/27/2004
In Reply To:Is this a causal loop? Posted by Della Robertson on 1/27/2004

Message:

Della,

Step back from the details and make sure you have a documented process for improving causal loops and your teaching of causal loops.
Here is an incomplete, simple example:
Step
1. Student creates hypothesis in the form of a causal loop.
2. Student explains hypothesis to another student. The other student is limited to asking questions, no statements about right or wrong and nothing said about good or bad. Then they switch places.
3. Students revise their causal loops and repeat step 2 above. Repeat as needed.
4. Students write plan to test their causal loop. If their causal loop can not be physically tested then write a plan for a thought experiment.
........and keep going to improve on the causal loop.

Have student turn in a paper with their causal loop and a list of questions about it.
I would grade them on the quality of the questions they develop no matter what the causal loop.
Then you can improve your teaching next time by documenting the process, introducing the process to the students then having them implement it, then revising your process based on what worked and what didn't work.

Richard