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Systematic observation is the core of the scientific method and, as such, must be covered in a wide variety of disciplines, including the social, behavioral, biological and physical sciences. To make a systematic observation, one must understand the concepts of precision in measurement, operational definitions, sampling techniques, and reliability and validity. In order to form a research hypothesis and interpret data, the basic concepts of probability and statistics must be mastered. COR addresses these issues using carefully selected high-quality digital video movies to teach scientific methods of systematic observation across a number of species and environments, e.g., college students leaving class or sitting in their dorm rooms watching TV, flamingos in a zoo, and gorillas feeding. Students can watch a variety of digital movies that can be coded on paper, on-line, or by the computer in real time. The program has several benefits over more traditional methods of science education. COR highlights topics such as "children at play" that apply scientific and numerical concepts in an educationally authentic and inherently interesting experience. Although COR was developed for undergraduate students, we anticipate that the software will be useful for a range of age groups, from 8th grade to college level, because it can be used at different levels of detail. The program covers basic concepts relevant to many disciplines, and therefore, has broad appeal, but it can also be used more specifically as a training module for those that need to conduct observations. |
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