BEST PRACTICES IN SCIENCE EDUCATION

By Susan Truly

September 19, 2014

Presented to Dr. Wendell Wellman

Northwestern State University

EDCI 5030 Instructional Improvement and Assessment

I. RESEARCH THAT SUPPORTS BEST PRACTICES

Project 2061 Science for All Americans ( 1989)

National Science Education Standards (1996)

A Framework for K-12 Science Education ( NRC 2011)

Louisiana Comprehensive Curriculum

New Generation Science Standards (2013)

Project 2061 Science for All Americans Instructional Strategies Start With Questions About Nature

Engage Students Actively

Concentrate on the Collection and Use of Evidence

Provide Historical Perspectives

Insist on Clear Expression

Effective oral and written communication

Use a Team Approach

The collaborative reinforced by frequent group activity in the classroom

Do Not Separate Knowing From Finding Out

"the scientific method”

National Science Education Standards- Teaching Standard B Teachers of science guide and facilitate learning. In doing this, teachers

Focus and support inquiries while interacting with students

Orchestrate discourse among students about scientific ideas

Challenge students to accept and share responsibility for their own learning

Recognize and respond to student diversity and encourage all students to participate in science learning

Encourage and model the skills of scientific inquiry

National science education standards, (1996). Washington DC

A Framework for K-12 Science Education ( NRC 2011) 3 DIMENSIONS

DIMENSION 1 SCIENTIFIC AND ENGINEERING PRACTICES

** Students engage in “doing science” to fully understand how scientific investigate, model, and explain the world

DIMENSION 2 Cross-cutting Scientific Concepts and Processes

** Connect knowledge from various disciplines to understand the scientific world based on NRC 1996 and AAAS 1993 benchmarks

DIMENSION 3 Disciplinary Core Ideas in Four Domains ( Physical , Life, Earth and Space Science)

** focus on core ideas with guided questions and grade level band endpoints

LOUISIANA COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM**Louisiana science standards and instructional strategies are

based on the Comprehensive Curriculum.

***Constructed by Louisiana Educators using Benchmarks for Science Literary (AAAS 1993) guidelines

***Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs), the essential content for each grade level that include instructional strategies based on best practice teaching

www.doe.state.la.us./lde/uploads/4179.pdf

Suggestions for implementing NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (2013)

5 Easy Steps to Balance Science Program is a process that provides a model for immediate and on-going improvement in Grade K-12 science education Howard ( 2013)

1) Establish an Effective Science Environment

2) Problem Solving –inquiry based on STEM literacy

3) Conceptual Understanding and Literacy –Big Ideas, Essential Questioning, Instructional Strategies, and Assessments

4) Mastery of Science Information– using Weekly Science Review , writing and vocabulary strategies and nonlinguistic representations

5) Common Formative Assessments– constructive response and performance tasks

II. QUALITIES OF BEST PRACTICES A) Hands-on Investigations and analysis of science questions by guiding

students on active and extended scientific inquiry and discussion

B) Emphasis on underlying concepts that explain natural phenomena and how to relate to personal and social experiences

C) Increase Student self-reliance and metacognition

D) Evaluation that focuses on authentic tasks and attention to varied learning styles

E) Concepts within units should incorporate focus, exploration, reflection, and application

F) Teachers should integrate science and engineering

Zemelman (2012)

A) Hands-On Investigations a) Guiding students in active and extended scientific inquiry

and discussion

b) Students work cooperatively, assuming responsibility and taking roles in decision-making process

c) Students work on tasks that follow the scientific method. Students investigate own real questions, pose a hypothesis based on own questions, test their hypothesis, analyze and use their data to answer questions , support their hypothesis

d) Reflect on concepts and processes learned

e) Report findings and ideas in oral or written forms

B)Emphasis on Underlying Concepts

a) Utilize scientific experiments to reinforce big concepts

b) Demonstrate how science applies to real life situations

c) Connect topics to other subject areas

C)Meaningful evaluationsAssessment should test students

knowledge as well as their ability to thinking and investigate processes.

EXAMPLES : Constructed Response Essays, Teacher checklist for laboratory skills, Self-assessment, Performance Tasks, Rubrics

D)Evaluate and Generate Scientific Evidence and Explanations

a) build and refine models and explanations

b) design and analyze what to measure; using measurement tools; collecting data; interpreting and evaluating data

c) construct , defend, and critique arguments with empirical evidence

E)Integrate Engineering and Science “Technological design”

http://www.gk12.org/resources/stem-activities-and-resources-for-k-12-teachers-and-students/

https://www.ck12.org/auth/signup/student

6 Best Practice Strategies in Science

1) GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS 2) COLLABORATIVE GROUPING 3) LEARNING LOGS 4) SOCRATIC SEMINARS 5) HANDS-ON INVESTIGATIONS 6) CHOICE BOARDS 7) DEVELOPING AND INTERPRETATING

MODELS

GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

Applications:

Advance organizers help students use what they already know about a topic to enhance further learning. Research shows that these tools should be highly analytical, should focus on what is important, and are most effective when presented before a learning experience Marzano (2001)

Best Practice Principle: Constructing Ideas

www.biologycorner.com/lesson-plans

Student-centered Collaborative Inquiry Group Work Students work together to interact and collaborate to solve problems

Best Practice Principles: Developmental, Interactive, and Social

Example:

Students dissect a calf kidney identifying the structures. They then build a model of a functioning nephron and make a presentation to the class describing how the kidney functions (Alsop, Beneze, Pedrietti, 2005).

Learning logs Learning Logs are used for students' reflections on the material they

are learning.    Record the process they go through in learning something new, and any questions they may need to have clarified.  This allows students to make connections to what they have learned, set goals, and reflect upon their learning process. The act of writing about thinking helps students become deeper thinkers.

Best Practice Principle: Reflective Thinking, Authentic

Websites on Learning Logs

Instructional Strategies Online: What Are Learning Logs?http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/logs/

Socratic seminars

Students are given opportunities to "examine" a common piece of text. After "reading" the common text , open-ended questions are posed and debated.

Open-ended questions allow students to think critically, analyze multiple meanings in text, and express ideas with clarity and confidence

Best Practice Principle: Challenging, Interactive, Authentic, Social

Example: Are new biotechnology techniques benefiting or harming society?

Give students several articles on tissue engineering, DNA fingerprinting, genetic technology and set of groups that make their own questions for the debate session.

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2010/11/higher-order-comprehension-power-socratic-seminar

Hands-on “exploration” investigations

There are many benefits that teachers and curriculum developers adduce to hands-on learning to justify the approach in science. Benefits for students are believed to include increased learning; increased motivation to learn; increased enjoyment of learning; increased skill proficiency, including communication skills; increased independent thinking and decision making based on direct evidence and experiences Haury (1994).

Best Practice Principles: Holistic, Experimental, Interactive,

Choice boards

 ***Differentiated instruction is a teaching theory based on the premise that

instructional approaches should vary and be adapted in relation to

individual and diverse students in classrooms (Tomlinson, 2001).

****Choice boards empower students through CHOICE

while ensuring adherence to Learning Goals.

Students select choices that appeal to their learning style.

Best Practice Principles: Student-Centered, Expression of Ideas, Democratic

Examples can be found at link below:

http://pps-pajaro-ca.schoolloop.com/file/1303568322190/1312697332954/373058493333685035.pdf

Developing and interpreting models

***Students develop or analyze models to help understand a scientific concept or process

by making learning concrete to help relate to science concepts.

****Designing and explaining a physical replica, interpreting a diagram, computer simulations

Best Practice Principle: Cognitive

Example: make a 3-D model of a carbohydrate and a nucleic acid to represent an organic molecule. Compare and contrast their molecular arrangement of atoms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_organisms

http://www.bom.gov.au/lam/Students_Teachers/learnact.htm#hpe

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/waldron/

EXEMPLARY INSTRUCTION EXAMPLE The Role of Heat Transfer in Understanding Plate Tectonics 1)MODELING/ INTERACTIVE/SOCIAL/EXPERIMENTAL

Students worked in groups to make “gluep” of household materials to the semi-solid portion of the Earth surface that moves under tectonic plates that cause earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building

http://www.thesciencehouse.org/k-12-educators/countertop-chemistry/gluep-experiment-19.php

2) ENGAGEMENT

Students were asked to evaluate various methods of heat transfer in everyday lives. Teacher showed a glass of tea and added ice

3) EXPLORATION

Students did a hands-on investigation of convection, conduction, and radiation using a candle and nail

4) EXPLANATION

Students used Graphic Organizers to define concepts and examples

5) ELABORATION

Students conducted an experiment using the scientific method by developing own procedure and data tables. Formed conclusions and presented to class. Connect “gluep” to heat transfer to understand movement of Earth mantle

6) EVALUATION

After the teacher demonstrated how heat was transferred by using a Pyrex pan, heat , and Styrofoam blocks, students illustrated what they saw and then wrote a summary .

Continued

HOW TEACHERS GET MEMBERS OF THE LEARNING COMMUNITY INVOLVED PARENTS/CAREGIVERS

1) Encourage parents to get their students interested in science

ex: participation in summer programs; trips to parks, museums, zoos, nature centers, etc.

2)Parent / Child Projects or Experiments : send home experiments that involve parent cooperation with household items. Ex: Egg osmosis

3) Seek out opportunities to introduce your children to individuals in your community whose work relates to science or technology

4) Send home brochures on science standards and how they can help their students learn with graphic organizers.

PRINCIPALS

1) Invite administrators to observe students in active in your classroom doing inquiry activities

2) Ask principals to seek financial support for your classroom projects for science and technology (STEM)

COMMUNITY

1) Ask professional in science to be guest speakers in your class

2) Encourage businesses and colleges to enable your children to meet scientists, or visit a worksite or local university where science and technology are prevalent. 

continued

REFERENCES

Alsop, S., Bencze, L. , Pedretti, E. (Eds). (2005) Analysing Exemplary Science Teaching. London: Bell and Bain Ltd.

Bunyi, A. (2010). Higher Order Comprehension: The Power of Socratic Seminar. Retrived September 9, 2014 from http:www.scholastic.com/teachers/top.

Colburn, A. (2003). The Lingo of Learning: Educational Terms Every Science Teacher Should Know. Arlington, VA : NSTA Press.

Haury, D. L.& Rillero, P. (1994). Perspectives of Hands-On Science Teaching. Retrived September 11, 2014 from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/science/eric/eri c/eric-toc.htm

Marzano, R.J. Pickering, D,J, & Pollack, J.E.( 2001) Instructions That Work. Alexandria, VA : ASCD.

Tomlinson, C.A., & McTighe, J. (2009). Integrating differentiated instruction &

understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision

and Curriculum Development. ISBN 1-4166-0284-4

Zemelman, S., Daniels, H., and Hyde, A. (2012). Best practice: Bringing Standards to life  in America’s classrooms. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.