Tania Pinto, Learning science In the 21st century (T43)
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LEARNING SCIENCE IN THE 21 ST CENTURY A SHARED EXPERIENCE BETWEEN SCHOOLS Fátima Ruas [email protected] Rosa Soares [email protected] Tânia Pinto [email protected] Brussels, Belgium 25 th October 2014 2 ND SCIENTIX CONFERENCE
Transcript of Tania Pinto, Learning science In the 21st century (T43)
LEARNING SCIENCE IN THE
21ST
CENTURY
A SHARED EXPERIENCE
BETWEEN SCHOOLS
Fátima Ruas [email protected]
Rosa Soares [email protected]
Tânia Pinto [email protected]
Brussels, Belgium
25th October 2014
2ND SCIENTIX CONFERENCE
Background
ROSE
PISA
EuropeanComission
ScienceEducation
in Portugal
The teaching has (in
particular in the more
wealthy countries) to be
motivating, meaningful
and engaging.Sjøberg & Schreiner (2010)
Students need to be able
to find the information that
they want, critically
evaluate its reliability and
relevance, and integrate
and apply this information
to solve their information
needs.OECD (2010)
Low interest about
science in
developed countries
In international
exams, the
portuguese
students’ perform in
science is lower,
comparing with
other countries.
Facts Implications
In most of European
countries, science
teaching
methods are
essentially
deductive.A reversal of school
science-teaching
pedagogy from mainly
deductive to inquiry-
based methods provides
the means to increase
interest in science. EC (2007)
Students are choosing
less scientific and
technology courses in
higher education.
The more efficient way to raise
curiosity about science, in children
and young people, is providing
them experimental activities at the
earliest age.Fiolhais (2011)
Schools’ location
Objective
To disseminate
a teaching
experience
between 3
classes in 3
different
schools,
located in th
north of
Portugal.
Problem BasedLearning(PBL) as
methodology
Use ofdigital
software
Laboratorial experiments
GrouppresentationsAssessement
through a final questionnaire
Common denominators between the lessons
7th grade
students
ICT itself can and will not replace
hands-on activities, scientifically driven
experiments, vivid discussions about
explanations and many other actions(Welzel-Breuer et al., 2010)
PBL can be defined as an inquiry process that resolves questions,
curiosities, doubts, and uncertainties about complex phenomena in life
(Barell, 2007)
http://www.ceebl.manchester.ac.uk/ebl/
EBL
ProblemBased
Learning
Exploration ofscenario driven
learning experience
Small scaleinvestigations
Field work or case study adapted to
disciplinary contexts
Projects andResearch
Encouragement ofresearch-based
approach to projectsand processess
Students
are presented with an ill-structured problem
work in small groups
actively construct their own knowledge
Teacher
acts like a tutor
does not convey expert knowledge
stimulates and monitors the group process and discussions
(Lambros, 2004; Ronis, 2008)
PBL – Main characteristics
(Dolmans & Shmidt, 2010)
Scenario
Problemquestion
Facts
Hipothesis
Research
Evidences
Solution
Argumentation
ApplicationNew Problem-Questions
(Adapted from Vasconcelos & Almeida, 2012)
PBL cycle
To develop 21st Century Skills
Collaboration
Knowledge construction
Self-regulation
Real-world problem-solving and innovation
The use of ICT for learning
Skilled communication
Leading aim of the Lessons
(21CLD Learning Activity Rubrics)
Participants (sample)
-75 students
- 42 girls and 33 boys
- 12 to 14 years old
Data CollectionMethods
Directobservation
Research journal
Questionnaire
Based on Pols, Roger (undated) apudAltrichter, H., Feldman, A., Posch, P., Somekh, B. (2008)
Mo
on
Cra
ters • You bought a
telescope and
decide to observe
the Moon today.
You have an old
magazine from
your parents that
shows a picture
taken in the 70s to
the moon surface.
They both look
similar
• How can you
explain this?
Vo
lcan
icA
ctiv
ity
• You cannot take a
plane to London
because a
volcanic eruption
in Iceland stopped
plane traffic
around the world.
• What are the
consequences of
a volcanic
eruption and how
can they be
prevented?
Seis
mo
logy • An earthquake
ocurred in
Azores and you
are watching
the TV news.
You switch
between
channels to get
more
information.
However the
earthquake
evaluations do
not match. Have
the journalists
been mistaken?
Themes and Scenarios
Mo
on
Cra
ters
• Recognize the
moon surface
evolution
through time
• Comprehend the
craters formation
• Determine the
craters
dimension
• Make a report
using Gowin’s
Vee diagram
Vo
lcan
icA
ctiv
ity • Relate the
litosphere ‘s mobility
with the volcanoes
distribution
• Distiguish the types
of products expelled
during volcanic
activity
• Discuss the hazards
and benefits from
volcanic activity
• Elaborate a flyer that
allerts to volcanic
hazards
Seis
mo
logy
• Relate
earthquakes with
Earth’s energy
release
• Distinguish the
Mercalli and
Richter Scalles
• Discuss the
hazards from the
seismic activity
• Construct
concept maps
using images
about
earthquakes
Lesson Goals – Students should be able to:
Lesson structureIn group, students had to:
Discussthe
problem
Listthe
facts
List theproblem
questions
Do a research
Make anexperimentand do the
digital simulation
Presentthe final
product to the class
Fill a questionaire
about theeducational
methodologyused
Mo
on
Cra
ters
• Why is the
moon surface
inhaltered from
1970?
• What it is
possible to
observe in the
moon surface?
• Why are there so
many craters in
the moon
surface?
• Where is the
biggest crater
located?
• What size are the
moon craters?
Vo
lcan
icA
ctiv
ity • Why does Iceland
have volcanoes?
• What is released
during a volcanic
eruption?
• How is possible
to prevent the
effects from a
volcanic
eruption?
• When is a
volcano
considered
extinct?
Seis
mo
logy • What is an
earthquake?
• What causes an
earthquake?
• How can an
earthquake be
measured?
• Can an
earthquake be
predicted?
• How can be
prevented the
effects from an
earthquake?
Direct observation - Questions made by the Students
Mo
on
Cra
ters • Salsa J
• Stellarium
• Impact simulation
Digital resources and experiments
Vo
lcan
icA
ctiv
ity
• Erupt3
• Volcanic eruption experiment
Digital resources and experiments
Digital resources and experiments
Seis
mo
logy
• Make-a-Quake
• VirtualQuake
• Earthquake simulation
Mo
on
Cra
ters • Gowin’s vee
about mooncraters
Vo
lcan
icA
ctiv
ity • Flyer that
allerts to volcanichazards
Seis
mo
logy • Concept
map on preventive measures of earthquakes
Final products presented to the class
Assessement
Final product
presentedto the class
Teacher’sevaluation
andfeedback
Self evaluationand peersfeedback
Final questionnaire
Assessement – common strategies
Questionnaire - Results
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Total (average)
Moon craters
Volcanic activity
Seismology
How much do you think you have learnt?
All of it
Some of it
None
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Total (average)
Moon craters
Volcanic activity
Seismology
How much did you enjoy the lesson?
All of it
Some of it
None
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total (average) Moon craters Volcanic activity Seismology
Did your partner help you in the task?
Not at all
A little
A lot
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total (average) Moon craters Volcanic activity Seismology
How much did you understand?
None
Some of it
All of it
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Total (average)
Moon craters
Volcanic activity
Seismology
Did the teacher facilitated your task?
A lot
A little
Not at all
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Total (average)
Moon craters
Volcanic activity
Seismology
What was your favourite part of the class?
Try to solve the problem question
To use the software
To do the experiment
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Total (average)
Moon craters
Volcanic activity
Seismology
How did you find this work?
Easy
Hard
Just about right
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Total (average)
Moon craters
Volcanic activity
Seismology
Difficulties you have had during the lesson
To list the facts and problem questions
To solve the problem question
To do the experiment
To use the software
16 28 38 10 8
15 25 35
17
8
21
22
502
5
11
38
29
12 10
To learn newthings
To use thesoftware
To do theexperiment
To discuss theproblem
Everything
Pe
rce
nta
ge (
%)
Positive aspects of the lesson
Seismology
Volcanic activity
Moon craters
Total (average)
Conclusions- Most of the students (about 80% total average) enjoyed all part of the lessons and think they learned all that was discussed during the lessons;
- The favorite part of the lesson to students is to “manipulate objects” (i. e., doing experiments and using the software – 40% to 50%), only 10% say “to solve the problem question”;
- The teacher still holds a key role in students’ perception about learning: > 90% (total average) indicates that teacher facilitated their task;
- The majority of pupils understood all of the lesson;
- 60-70 % of students considered the work done as suitable (nor too difficult or too easy);
- Most students (70%) stated that their peers helped them in the task
- The major difficulties experienced by pupils were related to list questions (25-40%) and to solve the problem (20-30%)
- The most positive aspects varied among the different themes: - To learn new things – volcanic activity (21%)- To use the software - seismology (38%)- To do the experiment – volcanic activity (50%)- To discuss the problem – Moon craters (17%)
Conclusions
What 21st Century Skills were developed?
Collaboration → Group work
Knowledge construction → Students’ Research
Self-regulation → Peers and teacher feedback and self-evaluation
Real-world problem-solving and innovation → Problem Based Learning
The use of ICT for learning → Software (Salsa J, Erupt3, Make-a-Quake…)
Skilled communication → Final product presented to the class
Implications
- The lessons had a significant impact on students and the use of software and making
the experiment was relevant, as well as the collaborative working;
- With this study, performed with a reduced sample, it was not our purpose to
accomplish result generalization, but to reflect about the strengths and weaknesses of
PBL’s application, using the same educational strategies, in science learning in 7th
grade students;
- It would be necessary to develop further investigation with this kind of educational
methodology, to a greater variety of themes, with a student larger sample, that would
allow to study its effects in students’ learning in a long term.
Bibliography
European Commission (2007) Science Education NOW: A renewed Pedagogy for the Future of Europe, http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/document_library/pdf_06/report-rocard-on-science-education_en.pdf
Fiolhais, C. (2011). A Ciência em Portugal. Lisboa: Relógio D’Água Editores.
OECD (2010), PISA 2009 Results: What Students Know and Can Do – Student Performance in Reading, Mathematics and Science (Volume I) http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264091450-en
Ronis, D. (2008). Problem-Based Learning for Math & Science – Integrating Inquiry and the Internet. California: Corwin Press.
Sjøberg , S. & Schreiner , C. (2010) The ROSE project - An overview and key findingshttp://roseproject.no/network/countries/norway/eng/nor-Sjoberg-Schreiner-overview-2010.pdf
Welzel-Breuer, M. et al. (2010). The Effective Use of Computer Aided Teaching and Learning Material in Science Teaching – Handbook for a teacher training course. Bulgaria: Plovdiv University Press
