Using Discrepant Events in the Sciences

National reform efforts in teaching science at pre-college levels have emphasized over the last two decades that students should be actively engage in "doing" science instead of just learning about science. The shift in emphasis from content to process or methods of investigation requires that teachers shift their role from providing information to assisting students in pursuing "hands-on" inquiries.

Assisting teachers in using discrepant events to stimulate interest, prompt questions and focus an investigation is the purpose of this project. A discrepant event is an occurrence that is unexpected, counter-intuitive and paradoxical. For example, everyone expects water to run downhill, but if it is running uphill against the force of gravity, that's a discrepant event. Students who observe discrepant events generally experience a deep sense of wonder and are drawn into an investigation by their own need to know.