Science is our understanding of the world, the people, and the universe around us. To me, there is no greater passion than educating others on how the world works. Cognos was born out of my passion for science education, but it is nurtured by research.
Cognos aims to solve the issue of scientific literacy among students using their online platforms.
Cognos' name comes from the Latin word Cognosco, which means to learn through observation. The Cognos mark and pattern are all inspired by the visual overlap between neurons, the building blocks of knowledge, and molecular bonds.
The United States needs to catch up in scientific literacy compared to other parts of the world. Cognos looks to solve this issue by creating excitement and interest around scientific topics for students.
Insights through interviews
- Students are only studying science in what is required to pass exams.
- Technologies such as Smart Boards have untapped potential.
- People care about seeing how science affects them and its relevance.
- Students are trained to memorize science, not to understand it.
Based on interviewing both students and teachers, it was clear it is essential to show the connection to the real world and, most notably, the students. For example, photosynthesis links Earth Science and Biology through the Carbon Cycle, Food Pyramid, and Fossil Fuels.
- It is interactive! to draw students in, engage them, and use emerging technologies.
- Continued advancement to allow teachers to cater to different levels of understanding.
Our research was comprised of 20 interviews with both students and teachers, seven surveys with a cumulative total of 288 responses, sit-ins on high school science lectures, and published articles.
Key insights from students
- Students will not seek out visuals to do better in science class.
- Students like the things they learn to tie into their lives; how is this relevant to them?
- Most find visuals as a preferable method to learn about any subject, science included.
- Students have different levels of scientific understanding.
The original assumption was wrong. Successful students are already looking for online resources while struggling students will not. Trying to reach struggling students in the classroom rather than at home is more effective. Something more interactive that takes advantage of emerging technologies and something that will connect each idea and lesson to the student directly.
-"Students are not conditioned to understand." We drill kids to memorize. They do not comprehend the knowledge they learn. Students require help to understand what they memorize.
- Some teachers combat memorization by having as many labs as possible to help students understand the connection to their world. "
- Many teachers have access to Smart Boards; however, only a few take advantage of the technology.
- Teachers have an easy time gathering images for their presentations.
"Science is interconnected. Photosynthesis is part of chemistry, part carbon cycle. We often see science as different subjects that a student takes one year and forgets the next. However, science is built on itself." understanding each piece is required to see the bigger picture.
Positives: The infographic does an excellent job of tying the reader to the material. However, it needs to do more to help overall scientific understanding.
Next steps:
Use these exciting facts as leverage for Larger ideas. For example, tie this information into a graphic about genetics, something that teaches the student more about the genetic process.
Photosynthesis is a great place to start as an aspect of science with real-world connections.
Carbohydrates/food pyramid
food, everything ever eaten, started as a carbohydrate from photosynthesis, at least, hopefully.
Carbon
Carbon is a spare part of photosynthesis that results in the building block of the plant, the trunk, and the stem. These are the parts of the tree that gives us wood, under pressure, give us coal for energy, and the diamonds we wear.
One of the issues students face is varying levels of understanding; however, this has the added benefit of allowing a progression from understanding the fundamental principles to the more complex ones. While also engaging Students with very little understanding of the topic and those ready for a deeper dive while offering a bridge between the two.
There are some foreseeable issues, like how these graphics can be applied. Many graphics use a smart board. Students will not see these out on their own, so the ability of teachers to adapt this into their lesson plan is a huge question mark. This particular graphic still needs to go through user testing in a classroom.
Data issues:
The schools were all located on Long Island. Long Island has more funding than most schools in America; therefore more likely to have Smart Boards than most schools. We need a broader range of data.
The solution might be better templates or something more customization per teacher. We need more testing to know for sure.