Advocacy for innovation education in China through Intel Schools of Distinction project

1. Advocacy for innovation education in China through Intel Schools of Distinction project Enshan LIU Beijing Normal University May, 2011

2. Agenda • The Program Background • SODA program in China • Goals of SODA in China • Criteria for SODA School in China • Judge Procedure • Training & Exchange • Next steps

3. Background 1School Education Reform launched in 2001 • Nationwide science education reform focus on developing students’ scientific literacy. • To develop students' curiosity, interest and desire for science & engineering; • Refresh course content on science subjects • Develop & implement new teaching materials curriculum focus on inquiry activities. • PBLs (problem-based learning & project-based learning) as a part of curriculum in many schools.

4. Background 2CASTIC & Intel ISEF • CASTIC(China Adolescents Science & Technology Innovation Contest)is the highest level national science fair for students, which had been held from 1982 to 2010. • About 10 millions students take part into CASTIC related science fair every year. • CASTIC became affiliation of Intel IESF from 2001. • CASTIC Recognition just focused on students & teachers, not involving schools before 2010.

5. Innovation Country Capable Human Resource Education Innovation Education in China 350 thousand schools for elementary, junior & senior students 179 million students in elementary, junior & senior middle school 10 million teachers in elementary, junior & senior middle school

6. Intel Schools of Distinction (SODA) Background • US based program. • Recognizes schools for implementing innovative math and science programs in K-12 school: • USD 1 million in grants and awards to winning schools • 6 winning schools selected out of 18 finalists • Gala event in Washington, D.C. in October to recognizes top winning schools and honors the top winning school, the “Star Innovator”

7. Goals of SODA in China • Drive the development of nationwide innovation of science education focuses on school practice. • Recognition and encourage school science and technology education practice in PBLs. • Offer more opportunity for: • exchange ideas and experience on science teaching between SODA and other schools; • science teachers for professional development for SODA schools. • Other school principals & administrators to concern different way of improving science education;

8. Criteria for SODA School in China • All of criteria focus on: • Students’ performance on PBLs • The quality and variety of science and technology courses valuable to students • Inquiry and PBL Teaching strategy • Professional development for science teachers • Leadership • Infrastructure & investments for STEM.

9. Students Teaching strategy Infrastructure Investments Curricula Activities Teachers Principals Professional development Criteria for SODA School in China Performance Implementation Leadership

10. Judge Procedure step3 Top ten All criteria Final judge Visit the 1th to 10th school of the list, & also other candidates if necessary Visit checklist Interview outline step2 School visit Application material judge step1 Rubric for application materials candidates list involving 33 schools in order Province judge 144 schools from different provinces

11. Step 1：Application materials judge According to the rubric, science educators judge the application materials from the candidate schools. Priority give to: Students’ & teachers’ performances in PBLs and science fairs; STEM curriculum & teaching materials developed by school.

12. Step 1：Application materials judge We consider following: Awards earned by students and teachers; Curricula and activities implemented in the school; Curricula and activities beyond classroom are the most indispensable.

13. Step 2： School Visit • To see what is reality happened in the classroom, • Receive qualitative data about the school innovation education and its impacts on students, the learning outcomes. • During this step, experts give more priority to: • For each curriculum and lesson plans, how does the process of development, implementation, reflection, and revise keep going on? • Students’ reflection on science courses and their projects, • Is there a meaningful experience available for other schools.

14. Step 2： School Visit • Data collection mainly from: Students’ interview Curricula documents Teachers’ interview Policy/regulations documents Principle’ interview

15. Step 3： Final judge & Recognition Organize all the material & data collected Choose two stars school in top ten Summary characteristics & replicable well mechanism of each winning school & afford feedback to these schools.

16. Beyond the Recognition • 국가 지식정보 자원관리의 비전과 목표 Improvement and Inspiration Teacher, Principal Training & Development Exchange Program Case Study

17. Training Inquiry workshop for teachers from elementary and secondary schools Focus on : teaching science through inquiry and PBLs approaches

18. Exchange Communicate with U.S. SODA winning school Focus on : instruction mode for excellent students in innovation education.

19. Case Study • Share successful experiences among domestic winning schools • Focus on : how to guide students doing science and engineering projects.

20. CAST Study: Yuxin Elementary School

21. School Background • A Rural school with 110 years history. 1883 students and 98 teachers; • Innovate in technology · Dream the future • Conduct Science Education in 3 ways: • Effective classroom teaching  • Fruitful afterschool science and technology related activities; • Fostering scientific research talents

22. Effective Classroom Teaching  • Integrate the education of STEM with the Curriculum Reform; • integrate the four areas of work skills, social investigation and social practice, and research-oriented learning in integrated practical activity; • Integrate the science concept into other courses

23. After school Activity • “afterschool activities”: scientific inventions and papers that must be achieved through investigation, visit, research, experiment and creation out of class. • Integrated practical afterschool activities are the main source of innovation with the knowledge learnt from classroom

24. Fostering scientific Research Talents • Focus on the development for both teachers and students; • Solve the problem in real life through the scientific thinking;

25. CASE: High school Attached to RenminUNiversity

26. School Background • The tier 1 school in China; • 4750 students, 400 teachers; • Science education philosophy: Cultivating the student’s innovation consciousness and skills has to be prescient and of high quality from the start. Equip today’s students with tomorrow’s technologies and give them access to the leading-edge technologies during the years when they have the strongest desire for knowledge and enthusiasm for innovation.

27. STEM is • An important means to foster innovation awareness and special skills • An important part of curriculum reform and teaching quality improvement efforts • An important way to drive the growth of the school and its faculty

28. The STEM curriculum • Curriculums are used as the vehicle of science education ,offers nearly 90 national optional courses and over 210 school optional courses, 80 of which are science or technology-related. • Unique curriculums: invention and creation, popular science, scientific research, intelligent robots, astronomical observation and practice. • Leverage resource from the community, parents and alumni;

29. Through the STEM: • Self-motivated and exploring learning • Rationale and procedures • Communication skills

30. Looking forwards • Enhance the program awareness to more schools; • Influence other schools through the case studies and sharing from winning schools; • More exchanges with US SODA winning schools and other schools;

31. Questions & Answer.

32. Contact information • Enshan LIU: liues@bnu.edu.cn • Yubin ZE, Principal of Yuxin Elementary School: sy3xzyb@sohu.com; • Hailing WANG, Deputy Principal of High School Attached to Renmin University: wanghl@rdfz.cn

33. Thank you!