Science in the K to 12

Teopista Z. VillanabaSpecial Science Teacher IV (Retired)Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao CampusPEDAGOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN TEACHING AND LEARNINGPedagogy is the holistic science of education. It may be implemented in practice as a personal, and holistic approach of socializing and upbringing children and young people (Ellis Martin).. Pedagogy is also occasionally referred to as the correct use of instructive strategies . The word comes from the Greek paidagge; in which pas or paidos means "child" and g means "lead"; so it literally means "to lead the childTen Core Principles for Designing Effective Learning Environments by Judith V. Boettcher

Core Learning Principle #1:Every Structured Learning Experience Has Four Elements with the Learner at the Center

Core Learning Principle #2:Every Learning Experience Includes the Environment in which the Learner InteractsCore Learning Principle #3:We Shape Our Tools and Our Tools Shape Us

Core Learning Principle #4:Faculty are the Directors of the Learning ExperienceCore Learning Principle #5:Learners Bring Their Own Personalized Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes to the Learning ExperienceCore Learning Principle #6:Every Learner Has a Zone of Proximal Development That Defines the Space That a Learner is Ready to Develop into Useful Knowledge

Core Learning Principle #7:Concepts are Not Words; Concepts are Organized and Intricate Knowledge Clusters

Core Learning Principle #8:Learners Do Not Need to Learn All Course Content; They Need to Learn the Core Concepts

Core Learning Principle # 9:Different Instruction is Required for Different Learning Outcomes

Core Learning Principle # 10:Everything Else Being Equal, More Time-on-Task Equals More Learning

BEST PRACTICES IN TEACHING AND LEARNING (Adapted from lectures during National Conference on Best Practices in Teaching and Learning Science and Mathematics, February 5-7, 2004, UP NISMED, Diliman, Quezon City)

Motivating Techniques to Make Teaching and Learning FunPractical Work Approach (PWA) The Practical Work Approach is minds-on, hearts on, hands-on method of teaching and learning. It proceeds from concrete (experiments, activities) to abstract (concepts); from familiar to unfamiliarSome strategies used in PWA are: PROBEX, games, simulations, field study, laboratory, debate, panel discussion, role play, concept mapping, journal article writing, interactive multi media

Investigative or Inquiry Approach in Teaching/LearningInvolves Asking questions this is the most important work of a scientistDesigning activities to answer the questionsFinding new questions to askInvestigation Tips: planning, making hypotheses, collecting evidence, recording and presenting data, interpreting data

Thematic Approach to TeachingIt is based on the assumption that knowledge is a function of ones personal integration of experiences and therefore not fall into neatly separate categories or disciplines so it is interdisciplinary

Story telling once upon a timeStory telling makes the lesson interesting and excitingSome stories we can tell: biographies, discoveries, events, etc.Stories are more effective when presented with visual aids sucvh as pictures, tapes, videos

Teaching/Learning Through Videos/DrawingsWhen presenting videos, it must be from 3-5 minutes only. The rest of the period is used in discussing what was viewed.Teaching Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking is an art of systematically evaluating and reconstructing thinking to raise it constantly to a higher level qualityValue bases of CT are: accuracy and precision, consistency, intellectual humility, courage, integrity, fairness, sound judgment, wisdom, curiosity, enthusiasm and initiativeHow is Critical Thinking Taught?Motivation get their attention, let them focusEngage students in hands-on activities. During the activity, walk around, keep asking questions, check participation, discuss observationsHow is Critical Thinking Taught?3. Be sure the discussion is focused; when making conclusions, watch out for outliers (those whose answers are different from others)

How is Critical Thinking Taught?4. Ask challenging questions that are categorized as analysis, evaluation and synthesis like:Which among the procedural steps need to be changed? How will you improve this?What do you think is happening?How do you explain this observation?How did Eratosthenes measure the circumference of the earth?

How is Critical Thinking Taught?5. Practice asking how, how much, what, can you show me, what do you think, how would you explain this observation. Instead of asking WHY QUESTIONS . The foregoing questions mostly demand concrete reasoning strategies. Why questions are generally difficult to answer because they generally demand formal reasoning strategiesSubject

2004200520072008Science

36.8%39.49 %51.58 %57.90%Math46.2%

50.7 %60.29%63.89%Performance in the National Achievement TestsPerformance in International Assessment Studies (e.g., Trends in Math and Science Study-TIMSS)Science 199519992003 Grade 4Grade 7Grade 8 41st (42)36th (38)23rd (25)

42nd (45)Note: UP NISMED managed the TIMSS: cultural adaptation, test administration, checking of items, analysis of results, and writing the report Students who took the TIMSS test NOT familiar with the format of the test itemsHave NOT taken Biology, Chemistry, and PhysicsNOT exposed to inquiry-based instruction.Have NOT developed higher level thinkingHave NOT retained or mastered concepts and skills due to jumping sequence of topics in different grade levelsNOT exposed to questions that show connections across science topics or across disciplinesHave poor communication and comprehension skills; most constructed-response items were not answered. NOT familiar with literacy-based assessment

Reasons given for the poor performance in TIMSS** Based on interviews with teachers and principals and NISMED observations during school visits BECK to 12Recipe or confirmatory type of activities; Science investigations are not explicit, Not inquiry basedVaried inquiry-based activities; guided to semi-structured to open-ended investigationsReal-life applications of concepts are minimal Connections across science topics are NOT emphasizedMore real-life applications of concepts ; Connections across science topics are emphasizedMathematics skills needed for science are NOT provided at appropriate gradesMathematics skills needed to learn science are integratedICT integration is NOT explicit. Varied ICT tools are used; Appropriate and indigenous technology are utilizedApproaches to Teaching & Learning 31BECK to 12Mainly paper and pencil tests; more on selected- response type; constructed-response type rare

Use of rubrics not common, giving rise to inconsistent and subjective evaluationVaried assessment formats used: selected- response (SR) and constructed-response (CR) types; rubrics provided for CR questionsMany competencies are not aligned with assessment; Some competencies are high level but assessments are mainly recallSuggested assessment aligned with competencies Focus on summative assessment rather than formative assessment (A4L) Results of formative test are used to improve instruction; suggestions on how to do these are in the TGClassroom Assessment Core Science Standard (for the entire K to 12)

The learner demonstrates understanding of basic science concepts, applies science process skills, and exhibits scientific attitudes and values to solve problems critically, innovate beneficial products, protect the environment and conserve resources for sustainability, enhance the integrity and wellness of people, and make informed and unbiased decisions about social issues that involve science and technology.

This understanding will lead to learners manifestation of respect for life and the environment, bearing in mind that Earth is our ONLY HOME.

Component 1: Inquiry Skills

Asking questions about the natural world (materials, events, phenomena, and experiences)Designing and conducting investigations using appropriate procedure, materials, tools, and equipmentEmploying different strategies to obtain information from different sourcesCommunicating results of investigations using appropriate presentation tools

Curriculum ComponentsBasic Science ProcessesIntegratedSkillsHigher Order Thinking SkillsObservingAsking questions MeasuringClassifyingInferringFinding patternsPredictingCommunicating

Critical thinkingCreative thinkingProblem solvingDecision making

(Real-life context) Formulating hypothesisFair testing - Identifying variables - Controlling variables Collecting and organizing dataInterpreting data Making conclusionsSTE Literacy Skills

Scientific Inquiry Skills35Living Things & Their EnvironmentCharacteristics Structure and Function Processes InteractionsMatterDiversity of materials Properties and StructureChangesInteractionsForce, Motion and EnergyMovementEffects of ForceForms of Energy and TransformationEarth and SpaceSurroundings: Land, Water, Air, Weather and Climate Solar system Science Content(G1-10)Sequence may vary from grade to grade. Ensure horizontal integration of topics across grading periods. Component 2: Content and Connections36Intellectual honestyObjectivity Perseverance Active listeningAssuming responsibility Taking initiativeIndependent learningAnalyzing and evaluating information, procedures, and claims.Making decisions based on sound judgment and logical reasoning.

Component 3: Scientific Attitudes and Values The Approach:Spiral ProgressionThe scope and sequence of the content are developed carefully from one grade level to the next. Concepts and skills are revisited at each grade level with increasing depth.

New concepts are built on pupils prior knowledge and skills to allow gradual mastery from one grade level to the next.

WHY SPIRAL PROGRESSION? * Australia (2 states) Brunei, England, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, USA (3 states) SCIENCE CURRICULUM OF DEVELOPED OR HIGH PERFORMING COUNTRIES Basic education cycle: min 12 years, max 14 years (compulsory up to G9, for some G10) Inquiry-based and learner-centredSpiral progression; emphasis on depth rather than breadthEmphasis on connections across topics and disciplines; developing literacyIntegrated rather than discipline-based, at least up to Grade 9International tests have integrated questions Summary: The Spiral Progression and Integrated Science in K to 12 Avoids the major disjunctions between stages of schooling; provides the basis for continuity and consistency; Compartmentalization inhibit transfer of learning across topics; students who exit school early do not have the basic functioning skills across requisite areas of science (University of Melbourne, Curriculum Comparison Study, 2011) Allows learners to learn Science topics and skills appropriate to their developmental/cognitive stages;Shows the interrelatedness of Science topics with each other and their connections across topics;Strengthens retention and mastery of topics and skills;Enables DepED to benchmark Filipino students with their counterparts in other countries.

Science in theK to 12 Curriculum shows the place of science and technology in everyday activitiesthe link between science and technology, including indigenous technologyintegration/connections within science and across disciplineshow science content and processes are intertwined

spiral progression

is

learner-centeredinquiry-basedresearch-baseddecongested Documents ReviewedBEC- DepEd, 2002 & 2006, BSE,2010)Curriculum Comparison Report, SEAMEO INNOTECH Curriculum Comparison Report, Univ. of MelbourneCurrent Challenges in Basic Education (2010) UNESCO ParisPolicy Issues in SME (2007), ICASE-UNESCOScience and Mathematics Curriculum Framework of Australia, Brunei , England, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, and USADESD DocumentsCVIF Manual (Bernidos )Teach Less, Learn More (2010) Science Curriculum Framework for Basic Education. DOST SEI, UP NISMED, DepED, Professional Teachers AssociationRaising the Bar for Science Teachers (2010) Curriculum Framework for Science Teacher Education. DOST SEI, UP NISMED, DepED, Professional Teachers Associations TIMSS Report: 1999 & 2003; Math Advanced, 2008Scientific, Technological, and Environmental Literacy Study (2005), UP NISMEDAnd many moreThe great aim of education is not knowledge but actionHerbert SpencerEducation is NOT the filling of a bucket, but rather, it is the lighting of a fireWilliam YeatsIn everything you do, put God first and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success Proverbs 3:6Thank you & God bless us all