Promising practices in Science Education

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Promising practices in Science Education

• Moyo, P. V. PhD
• Academic Consultant
• Riverton Academy

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The structure of the presentation

• The four crises in Science Education in Zimbabwe
• The four possible causes of the crises
• Promising practices in Science Education
• The potential and challenges of these promising
  practices

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The crises in Science Education in Zimbabwe

• Students poor performance in Science
  examinations. (Supporting statistics).
• Shortage of properly trained, qualified and
  experienced Science teacher (Supporting
  statistics).
• A decline in the number of students taking up
  Science subjects at higher levels (Evidence?)
• A decline in the number of people taking up
  careers in Science
• Why are these crises worrying/worrisome? (Two
  reasons).

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Possible causes of the crises

• Poor, unexciting, non-motivating, dull and
  unproductive teaching and learning practices
• Poor teaching and learning environments at school
  (Such as?)
• Financially and educationally challenged families
  (non supportive home environments)
• De-motivated teachers

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Promising practices in Science Education

• Good teaching in general
• Active learning experiences
• Cooperative/collaborative learning
• Variety in the learning experiences
• Using instructional objectives as learning
  objectives
• Setting high standards for students
• Immediate and positive feedback
• Engaging students in authentic activities
• Using ICT in teaching and learning
• Borrowing a leaf from the Japanese lesson study

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Good teaching in general

• Good teaching instruction that leads to
  effective learning
• Effective learning thorough and lasting
  acquisition of knowledge, skills and values
  (Felder Brent, 1999)
• Good teaching and effective teaching
• Anchored in pedagogies of engagement and girded
  by tenets of constructivism. (meaning of each of
  these?)
• Facilitating content (Knowledge, skills and
  values) acquisition and learning how to learn

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Active learning strategies

• Learning by doing, constructing knowledge the
  learner as a knowledge producer and not just a
  knowledge consumer (e.g. deriving formula instead
  of just using the rote learned formulae to make
  calculations)
• Teacher facilitator of learning and not a
  source of information
• Importance of active learning
• Students cannot remain focussed for long
• The Chinese saying inert knowledge
• A sense of ownership of the learnt material and
  taking responsibilities for the learning process.

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Active learning strategies

• Some examples of such strategies
• Revision of previous lesson
• Experimental work hands on, minds on
• Making models to illustrate scientific processes
• Explaining concepts in jargon free terms
  (examples?)
• Finding the logical flaw in an argument
  (Example?)
• Choosing from alternative answers and justifying
  the choice made (example?)

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Using instructional objectives as learning
objectives

• Meaning, source and importance of instructional
  objectives and how to state them
• Learners must take the responsibility to achieve
  stated objectives
• The more explicit the objectives, the better
• Using the stated objectives learners must
• Evaluate their learning progress and problems
• Seek assistance where it is required.
• Revise for their tests and examinations

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Using authentic tasks

• Authentic task is an instructional activity
• Related to real world experiences and
  applications connecting classroom learning to
  the personal lives of the students
• Has value and meaning beyond the classroom
• Requires students to apply a broad range of
  knowledge and skills
• Requires students to integrate different subject
  areas of the curriculum

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Authentic tasks

• Some examples in science
• Using learners prior, community, indigenous
  knowledge
• Using a context such as a school garden to teach
  science concepts and concepts in other subject
  areas

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The Japanese lesson study

• The Japanese lesson study is a professional
  development process that Japanese teachers engage
  in to systematically examine their practices with
  the goal of becoming more effective.
• This strategy has been borrowed from the Japanese
  by many nations because of its success in two
  major areas.

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The Japanese lesson study

• Small groups of teachers work collaboratively.
• They jointly draw up a lesson plan which one of
  the teachers uses to teach in the presence of the
  other teachers.
• After the lesson, the group comes together to
  discuss their observations during the lesson.

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The Japanese lesson study

• Often the group revises the lesson plan in light
  of their observations.
• Another teacher implements the new lesson plan to
  a comparable group of pupils again in the
  presence of the other teachers.
• Further discussions take place after the second
  lesson presentation.
• The major useful ideas learnt from this exercise
  are noted for future implementation.

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Using ICT

• Computer aided instruction makes concepts that
  are far removed from the experiences of the
  students or that are difficult or inaccessible to
  the students accessible to them.
• Packaged and tailor made computer software can be
  used.

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Using ICT

• Software exist that allow students to interact
  with learning materials.
• The computer allows formulae, tables of numbers
  and graphs to be linked readily and the effects
  of changing variables on other variables can
  easily be demonstrated.

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Using ICT

• The Cambridge International Examinations Board
  has come up with software they call the gcsepod
  which they claim is like carrying a huge pile of
  textbooks and revision guides around with you.

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Conclusion

• The promising practices that were discussed in
  this paper anchor on the active involvement of
  students in a variety of learning activities.
  This is thought to be exciting and productive,
  resulting in concept development and
  understanding and in academic achievement.
• The benefits of using these strategies outweigh
  the challenges that are often associated with
  student active learning.

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THANK YOU

• TATENDA
• SIYABONGA
• For listening to me and for being such a good
  audience