The curious case of Margaret (and Lisa)

Today (06/29) Rachel and Mac had the (great) vision to set a camera on Table 6 , and observe/listen to what Margaret and Lisa were discussing. This was sort of initiated by Margaret's observation regarding "Phase Energy" and whether or not we should use it in the "Real World" (See Rachel's post from 06/28, titled 'We'll make something up').

What I find striking, and very interesting, is Margaret's attitude to what's happening in the UE2 classroom and her differentiating between being a real scientist and 'pretending' to be one in this special setting. Quoting Mac's post:

(...) these teachers seem to feel that they are acting and making stuff up and that this is not the real world. The questions at the end of some of the teachers' statements may even suggest a lack of confidence and a deference to authority.

(here's the full post: We'll make something up)

So, Margaret seems to fall under the type of teachers Mac is describing above when she seems to question this idea of "making up" terms, since the real scientists have already told what to call phenomenon X, even if the made up term helps her understand X better.

However, there are several instances throughout the day in which Margaret seems to forget how she feels about not using canonical knowledge. All of a sudden she seems to gain confidence in herself, and starts asking really sharp questions, and she won't quit until she feels like she has a pretty good sense of what's really happening.

Here are some examples: (taken from field notes; will make clips and post when vids are ready)

1) Margaret: If a supernova explodes in space does it make a sound? It seems like it would, but does it really?

Joe: There's no air to vibrate

Margaret: But crystal can transmit sound

Joe: But there needs to be molecules

Margaret: So what HAPPENS to the sound in space?! "The space shuttle must have a horn!!" Does the horn create a vibration?

2) Margaret: I didn't realize force played a role in transferring energy.

Lisa: how did we think all these units of energy had been moving around? We could say: these units go from here to there. But we hadn't thought about how they get there?

Margaret: so, what's force?

Lisa: I thought energy were these little balls there.

Margaret: i thought of them as magnetism. But, apart from gravity, what's a force?

(...)

Margaret: acceleration - force is mass times accelration

Lisa: any influence that makes a free body change speed, direction, shape. (reading from the internet)

Margaret: so, looking at those books together --

Lisa: gaining or loosing weight is not a force.

3) Margaret: the heat is causing the free body - water - to change its shape. so, is heat a force? or is it a catalyst for a force? and the force is just the thermal energy?

4) Margaret: Is a single molecule, a solid?

5) Making up "Potential Rotational Energy" when talking about what happens with the pulleys present in the elevator system. (great catch, Krishna!)

And like these examples, many others that I didn't quote or are not on tape. It has to be recognized that Lisa plays a very significant role in these moments, or at least I think so, since she seems to indulge Margaret's intense questioning, and even participates. So, I find it fascinating that the same teacher who was reluctant to use a made up term, and implicitly question scientific knowledge authority, completely switched and began firing these incredible questions about things that most just take for granted. At this point I'm not sure on whether this is the new Margaret, after reflecting on "Phase Energy" and realizing that she does have the power to question whatever she wants, or if it's under certain special circumstances that she feels comfortable to doubt the canon. I guess following her closely in the next couple of days will help me figure this out. Actually, I should go back to her participations from UE1 (Sum '10) and look for a similar pattern. Hmmm...