Discovery is the act of detecting something new, or something previously unrecognized as meaningful. With reference to

sciences Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence ...

and academic disciplines, discovery is the

observation Observation is the active acquisition of information from a primary source. In living beings, observation employs the senses. In science, observation can also involve the perception and recording of data via the use of scientific instruments. The ...

of new

phenomena A phenomenon ( : phenomena) is an observable event. The term came into its modern philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which ''cannot'' be directly observed. Kant was heavily influenced by Gottfried ...

, new actions, or new events and providing new reasoning to explain the knowledge gathered through such observations with previously acquired knowledge from abstract thought and everyday experiences. A discovery may sometimes be based on earlier discoveries, collaborations, or ideas. Some discoveries represent a radical breakthrough in knowledge or technology. New discoveries are acquired through various

sense A sense is a biological system used by an organism for sensation, the process of gathering information about the world through the detection of stimuli. (For example, in the human body, the brain which is part of the central nervous system re ...

s and are usually assimilated, merging with pre-existing

knowledge Knowledge can be defined as awareness of facts or as practical skills, and may also refer to familiarity with objects or situations. Knowledge of facts, also called propositional knowledge, is often defined as true belief that is distin ...

and actions. Questioning is a major form of human thought and interpersonal communication, and plays a key role in discovery. Discoveries are often made due to

question A question is an utterance which serves as a request for information. Questions are sometimes distinguished from interrogatives, which are the grammatical forms typically used to express them. Rhetorical questions, for instance, are interroga ...

s. Some discoveries lead to the

invention An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an ...

of objects, processes, or techniques. A discovery may sometimes be based on earlier discoveries, collaborations or ideas, and the process of discovery requires at least the awareness that an existing concept or method can be modified or transformed. However, some discoveries also represent a radical breakthrough in knowledge.

In science

Within scientific disciplines, discovery is the observation of new

, actions, or events which helps explain knowledge gathered through previously acquired

scientific evidence Scientific evidence is evidence that serves to either support or counter a scientific theory or hypothesis, although scientists also use evidence in other ways, such as when applying theories to practical problems. "Discussions about empirical ev ...

. In science, exploration is one of three purposes of research, the other two being description and explanation. Discovery is made by providing observational evidence and attempts to develop an initial, rough understanding of some phenomenon. Discovery within the field of

particle physics Particle physics or high energy physics is the study of fundamental particles and forces that constitute matter and radiation. The fundamental particles in the universe are classified in the Standard Model as fermions (matter particles) an ...

has an accepted definition for what constitutes a discovery: a five-sigma level of certainty. Such a level defines

statistic A statistic (singular) or sample statistic is any quantity computed from values in a sample which is considered for a statistical purpose. Statistical purposes include estimating a population parameter, describing a sample, or evaluating a hypo ...

ally how unlikely it is that an

experiment An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...

al result is due to chance. The combination of a five-sigma level of certainty, and independent confirmation by other experiments, turns findings into accepted discoveries.

In education

Within the field of education, discovery occurs through observations. These observations are common and come in various forms. Observations can occur as observations of students done by the teacher or observations of teachers done by other professionals. Student observations help teachers to identify where the students are developmentally and cognitively in the realm of their studies. Teacher observations are used by administrators to hold teachers accountable as they stay on target with their learning goals and treat the students with respect. From these different types of observations we discover the best possible education practices.

Observations of students completed by teachers

Teachers observe students throughout the day in the classroom. These observations can be informal or formal. Teachers often use checklist, anecdotal notes, videos, interviews, written work or assessment, etc. In completing these observations, teachers can determine at which level the student is understanding the lessons. Using the information from observations, then allows teachers to make the necessary adaptations for the students in the classroom. These observations can also provide the foundation for strong relationships between teachers and students. When students have these relationships they feel safer and more comfortable in the classroom and are more willing and eager to learn. Through observations teachers discover the most developmentally appropriate practices to implement in their classrooms. These discoveries encourage and promote healthier learning styles and positive classroom atmospheres.

Observations of teachers completed by other professionals

Within the education system, there are a set of standards put in place by government officials. Teachers are responsible for following these academic standards as a guideline for developmentally appropriate instruction. Within following those academic goals, teachers are also observed by administrators to ensure positive classroom environments. One of the tools that teachers could be graded with is called the nationally recognized CLASS tool. After using this tool "over 150 research studies prove that students in classrooms with high CLASS scores have better academic and social outcomes." The tool itself is known for encouraging positive classroom environments, regard for the students perspectives, behavior management skills, quality of feedback, and language modeling. The administrators rate each of the ten categories with the number scale of one to seven. One being the lowest score and seven being the highest score that the teacher may receive. It is through tools such as this one that administrators are able to hold their teachers to high standards and ensure the best educational practices for the students.

In exploration

Western culture Leonardo da Vinci's ''Vitruvian Man''. Based on the correlations of ideal Body proportions">human proportions with geometry described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius in Book III of his treatise ''De architectura''. image:Plato Pio-Cle ...

has used the term "discovery" in their histories to lay claims over lands and people as "discovery" through discovery doctrines and subtly emphasize the importance of "

exploration Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...

" in the history of the world, such as in the "

Age of Discovery The Age of Discovery (or the Age of Exploration), also known as the early modern period, was a period largely overlapping with the Age of Sail, approximately from the 15th century to the 17th century in European history, during which seafa ...

", the

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...

and any frontierist endeavour even into space as the "

New Frontier The term ''New Frontier'' was used by Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy in his acceptance speech in the 1960 United States presidential election to the Democratic National Convention at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as the ...

". In the course of this discovery has been used to describe the first incursions of peoples from one culture into the geographical and cultural environment of others. However, calling it discovery has been rejected by

indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

from whose perspective, it was not a discovery but a first contact, and consider the term "discovery" to perpetuate

colonialism Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their reli ...

, as for the discovery doctrineFrichner, Tonya Gonnella. (2010)
“Preliminary Study of the Impact on Indigenous Peoples of the International Legal Construct Known as the Doctrine of Discovery.”
E/C.19/2010/13. Presented at the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Ninth Session, United Nations Economic and Social Council, New York, 27 Apr 2010. and frontierist concepts like terra nullius. Discovery and the age of discovery has been alternatively, particularly regionally, referred to through using the term contact, ''Age of Contact'' or ''Contact Period''.

References

Specific references

General references

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External links

from PBS.
TED-Education video

How simple ideas lead to scientific discoveries

from Infoplease. {{Authority control Learning Observation Cognition