“vocabulary shift” shift 110816 upload.pdfaug 16, 2011 · vocabulary usage shifts from common...

“Vocabulary Shift”

Presenter Avery AustinNorthern Virginia Community College

2016 STEMTech ConferenceTuesday November 8th, 2016

“Once students understand HOW things are

said, they can better understand WHAT is being

said, and ONLY THEN do they have a change to

know WHY it is said.”

-Robert E. Jamison, Clemson University

11/8/2016 STEMTech 2016 Philadelphia Conference 2

Agenda

• Objectives

• “Shift” Story

• Description

• Group Activity

• Discussion/Feedback

• Close Out


Objectives

1. Introduce the “Shift”

2. Increase awareness of the “Shift”

3. Share tips about the “Shift”

4. Discuss STEM relevance and impacts

5. Get feedback


“Shift” Story

• Trouble making the vocabulary shift • Challenges tutoring & teaching• Few talk switching vocabulary modes (common to literal)• Trouble, challenges, and discussing the switch led to better

vocabulary management.

Lesson Learned: Physics (STEM) discipline forced me into accuracy, definitiveness, specificity, “literalism,” ….

Example “Shift” Terms: Gravity, real, precise, negative, normal, power, intensity, etc.


Example Vocab - GRAVITY

Source: http://easyscienceforkids.com/kids-gravity/


Example Vocab - GRAVITY

GRAVITY commonly references any or all these physical quantities

Weight

Acceleration

Gravitational force

Note: Gravity is NOT physical quantity. Therefore, has no units of measurement.


Gravity

Gravity

Weight

Accel.FG


GRAVITY Example

In Physics context

GRAVITY is definitively a phenomenon with no units of measurement where

Weight is a force due to gravity (W = mg)

g is acceleration due to gravity (9.8 𝑚

𝑠2)

Gravitation Force (𝐹𝐺 =𝐺𝑚1𝑚2

𝑟2)


Resistance to the “Shift”

• 2 months into a Physics course while helping students make the “shift,” a student asked me, “Why am I making it so complicated?”

• What did the student mean? Why did they have to use a different way to express their specific thoughts in Physics (i.e. like gravity)


Books for Dummies


Vocabulary Shift Types

COMMON

Figurative

Colloquial

Vague

Precision

DEFINITIVE

Literal

Formal

Specific

Accurate


“Shift” In STEM

Most Prevalent in STEM Disciplines

Vocabulary usage shifts from common → definitive communication in STEM disciplines.

Vocabulary usage includes definitions, instructions, concepts, descriptions, etc. Usage means everything to an appropriate interpretation.


Math “Shift” Usage

Use of Language in Mathematics differs in 3 ways

1. Nontemporal - there is not past, present, or future in Mathematics

2. Devoid of Emotional Content

3. Precision

Source: http://wac.colostate.edu/llad/v4n1/jamison.pdf


http://wac.colostate.edu/llad/v4n1/jamison.pdf

Driving Force(s) CHANGE!!!!

• Technology Advances

• Access to Information

• Social media communication

• EMOrationale

• CHANGE!!!!


Moore’s Law – Exponential Increase of the Number of Transistors on

Integrated Circuits


Access of Information

Idk


Relevant Impact Areas

I. Questions

II. Taking Lecture Notes

III. Instructions/Directives

IV. Procedures/Processes

V. Feeds asking questions fears


Impact Area I - QUESTIONS

• “Thinking Is Driven by Questions”

• In/Out of Class participation

• Word Problems

• Google Research

• Figuring out what information is important

• Fear of Being Wrong


Power “Shift”

• Increases communication elasticity

• Improve comprehension

• Empowers instructors

• Manages tweet truncation

• Reveals Importance


Group Activity

ACTIVITY: Distinguish Accuracy from Precision

• Come up with a way to help your students make the distinction between the accuracyand precision in a common and definitive(technical) way.


“Shift” Activity Discussion

1. How did you feel during this exercise?

2. What did you learn from this brief exercise?

3. How might your institution benefit from the “shift?”

General feedback, suggestions, & comments


Closing Thoughts

• Does this make sense to you?

• Would you like to continue dialogue on this topic?


Contact Information

Avery Austin

703-244-8429

[email protected]

[email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

“vocabulary shift” shift 110816 upload.pdfaug 16, 2011 · vocabulary usage shifts from common...

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