Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences: Prologue, State of Facts, Consequences, Lifelong Learning

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) • Prologue • State of Facts • Consequences • Lifelong Learning • Niveaus • Competencies and commensenseideas • Epilogue: Visions juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) PrologueOfQuantaand Atoms What do welearnfrom this? 1. Quantaarepositivelyconnoted: thequantumleapmeans positive progress 2. Atoms arefearpossessed: atomic bomb, nuclear power plants 3. She and mostadults do noevenhave a minimumbasicunderstandingofnaturalsciences (particles, …) 4. Insteadesoteric: vaccination, red vs. greengeneticengineering juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) • State of Facts • Education in natural sciences is, just like music, literature etc., partofgeneraleducation: culturalassetsofhumanity! • Knowledge in naturalsciencesismore urgent thanever (climatechange, moleculargenetics) • However, knowlegde and competences in naturalsciences do onlyexistrudimentary • High numbersofstudents on thelowestlevelofnaturalsciences. • Swing fromscience: primaryschool high interest in naturalsciences, from 7th grade stronglydecreasing, studentsinterested in naturalsciencesareoutcasts. • Cognitiveoverload (based on a tooearlyabstraction) leadstoresignationwiththestudents. • Formorethan 30 years, attemptstoincreaseinterest and competences (e.g. Nuffield, PSSC, naturalsciences in context) showedlittleeffect. • Demand for transformative education (understanding, evaluationofnaturalscences) is not fulfilled. juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) Konsequenzen juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) • Consequences • Teaching is a relationshipprocessbetween • theinnerworldofthelearner • theinnerworldoftheteacher • theworldofnaturalsciences • theouterworld: humanity – nature – technology • J. Hattie: „Visible learning and teachingoccurs, whenteacherssee learning through the eyesofstudents and helpthembecometheir own teachers, constructingideas and developingconceptualunderstanding.“ juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) • Consequences: Change ofperspective! • Itis not enoughtoreducescientificfactsskilfully and didactically • Teaching must beadaptedtothecognitivestructures, personal experiences and everydayideasofthelearners. • The learners must begivenenough time tospeak and reflectabouttheirideas. • Abstract concepts and modelsshouldonlybeintroducedwhenlearnersarecapableofunderstanding. First comesgrasping, thentechnicalterms. • Gradual learning: experiencing a phenomenon, activehandling, understanding, modeling and mathematisation. • Enquiringattitudeoflearners and teachers: cultureofaskingquestions. juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) • Lifelong Learning • Key competence 3. [EU 2007] • Competence in science refers to the ability and willingness to use the body of knowledge and methodology employed to explain the natural world, in order to identify questions and to draw evidence-based conclusions. • For science and technology, essential knowledgecomprises the basicprinciplesof the natural world, fundamental scientific concepts, principles and methods, technology and technological products and processes, as well as an understanding of the impact of science and technology on the natural world . . . skills . . . attitude • However, basicprinciples / fundamental scientificconceptsare not applied. • The Common frameworkofreferencefor the natural sciencesfillsthisgap. juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) • Whicharethebasicprinciples / fundamental scientificconcepts? juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

The supply of electrical energy in everyday life Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) • Livelong Learning • Process-relatedcompetences • Content-relatedcompetences: interdisciplinary • Nature ofscience: culturalmeaning • Nature, humanity, technology: climateproblems • Senses: perception and measurement • Biology • Evolution: toexplainhistoryofnature on thebasisofnaturalsciences • Organisam: Whathealth and diseasemean • Relationshipof human beings and nature: to form and preservetheenvironment • Chemistry • Matter: Howproperties, structure and useofsubstancesareconnected • Chemical reactions: Whatthestatementmeans „a newsubstanceiscreated“ • Physics • Matter: Fromtheverybig and verysmall • Theory: Make Nature predictable • Energy: The supplyofelectricalenergy in everydaylife juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) Niveaus juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) Nature ofscience: culturalmeaning - common sense ideas - A1 Technical progress is always good. Technical progress destroys the environment. A2 Technical advances are purely random discoveries. B1 Scientific statements are always true. Natural science and technology are the same. Natural science describes reality as it is. B1+ Natural science is independent of historical and social conditions. Natural science statements are timeless. B2 Scientific findings affect technical progress, but not vice versa. Scientific theories represent secured knowledge. The natural sciences provide the only source of knowledge. Researchers work like hermits. Today's ideas about the natural sciences will not need to be revised in the future. Natural sciences are an achievement of the Western world. juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) Nature ofscience: culturalmeaning A1 - can give examples from the world around him/her of changes from the past to today, which are due to natural science and technology. Technical progress is always good. Technical progress destroys the environment. - can imaginatively outline possible changes in the future. A2 Technical advances are purely random discoveries. - can illustrate examples of technical developments in a proper, age-appropriate everyday language. B1 Scientific statements are always true. - can show simple examples of how scientific knowledge has been historically developed. Natural science and technology are the same. - can describe examples of technical applications which are based on scientific findings. - can outline the lives of selected researchers in a historical context. Natural science describes reality as it is. - can present an example showing that scientific descriptions often oversimplify. juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) B1+ - can describe examples of technical applications which are based on technological use of scientific findings Natural science is independent of historical and social conditions. - can put the lives and achievements of selected researchers into a historical context. Natural science statements are timeless. - can explain how scientific descriptions, models and laws have been changed. B2 - can present selected examples of how scientific theories were historically developed. Scientific findings affect technical progress, but not vice versa. - can describe examples of how scientific and technical knowledge influence each other. Scientific theories represent secured knowledge. The natural sciences provide the only source of knowledge. - can describe ways of gaining knowledge in the natural sciences, their hypothetical character and their limits. Researchers work like hermits. - can outline social structures that exist within historical and current scientific research. Today's ideas about the natural sciences will not need to be revised in the future. - can explain that scientific knowledge is provisional. Natural sciences are an achievement of the Western world. - can classify and evaluate science as a cross-cultural achievement. juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) Teaching withcommonsenseideas Linking: An aspectofcommonsenseideaistracked down whichcorrespondswith a technicalaspect and thereforeprovides a startingpointfromwhichitis possible to arrive at technicallyappropriateideas Supplement by a different angle (changeofperspective): The pointofview on which the commonsenseideaisbasedissupplementedby a newperspectivewhichrevises the commonsenseidea (letsitappear in a new light) Contrast: The scientificconceptisclearlycontrastedwith the commonsenseideaas an alternative. This procedurecanlead to a cognitiveconflict. Bridge: Occasionally, preconceptionsevenoffer the chance to arrive at technicallymoreappropriatesolutions, sometimesevenrecognizetechnicaldefects. This type ofeducation in the areaof natural sciences requires time. Itthereforedemands the focus on fundamental examples on the basisofwhich the learnersrecognizeelementaryrelationships and principles and achieveinsights. juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) • Evolution: to explain history of nature on the basis of natural sciences • Common sense ideas – • A2Humans and dinosaurslived at the same time. • Inheritanceofbodyparts and theirproperties. • B1 Today livingspeciesareancestorsof the evolvedspecies. Monkeys areancestorsofhumans. • Kinshipmeanssimilarity. • Living thingsadaptintentionally / purposefully to the environment. Evolution meanshigherdevelopment. • Environment unilaterallydetermines the livingbeings. • Living thingsarepassivelyadapted to theirenvironment. • B1+Mutationsarealwaysharmful. • Adaptation isdeliberate and purposeful. • Living thingsareperfectlyadapted. • B2 Evolution is „only“ a theory. • Speciesis a uniform type oflivingthings: All individualsare the same. Specieschange like an individual: All speciesmemberschange at the same time and similarly. • In a constantenvironmentthereisnoevolution. • „Theories“ are non-bindingwaysofthinking. • Evolution and religious beliefs contradiceeachother. • Thereare human races. Human racesare different in theirnature. juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) Evolution: to explain history of nature on the basis of natural science A1 - can namelivingthingsfrom the history of the earth. - cannameanimals in theirhabitat and describe the relationshipwiththeir way of life. A2 - canexplainthatlivingthingshaveemergedone after the other. Humans and dinosaurslived at the same time. - canexplaininheritanceusing simple examples. Inheritanceofbodyparts and theirproperties. B1 - candescribe the relationshipof the livingthingsasancestryofcommonancestors. Today livingspeciesareancestorsof the evolvedspecies. Monkeys areancestorsofhumans. - candescribe the history and relationshipoflivingsthings. Kinshipmeanssimilarity. -canexplain the change and the adaptabilityofpopulations to different livingconditions. Living thingsadaptintentionally / purposefully to the environment. Evolution meanshigherdevelopment. - canexplain: Living thingsinfluence and shapetheirenvironment and areconverselyinfluencedby it. Environment unilaterallydetermines the livingbeings. Living thingsarepassivelyadapted to theirenvironment. juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) Evolution: to explain history of nature on the basis of natural sciences B1 - candescribehow the Eartchhasbeentransformedbylivingthingsthroughoutits history. Living thingsarepassivelyadapted to theirenvironment. B1+ - cannamemutations and recombinationascausesofvariability. Mutationsarealwaysharmful. - canexplainadaptationasresultofmutation, recombination and selection. Adaptation isdeliberate and purposeful. - canstatethatadaptationisneverperfect. Living thingsareperfectlyadapted. - cancitegeneticargumentsagainstracism. B2 - canexplainevolutionasscientificallyexplainedphenomenon. Evolution is „only“ a theory. - canweigh different speciesconceptsagainsteachother and definespeciationbased on geneticisolationofpopulations. Speciesis a uniform type oflivingthings: All individualsare the same. Specieschange like an individual: All speciesmemberschange at the same time and similarly. juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) Evolution: to explain history of nature on the basis of natural science B2 - canexplain to whatextentco-evolution is a source ofongoingevolution. In a constantenvironmentthereisnoevolution. - canapplyevolutionarytheory to different areasofbiology. - canexplain the roleoftheories in the natural sciences usingevolutionarytheory. „Theories“ are non-bindingwaysofthinking. - cancompare different evolutionarytheories, distinguishthemfrom non-scientificconcepts, and reflect the different statements. Evolution and religious beliefs contradiceeachother. - canjustifythat the conceptofrace in humansisoutdated. Thereare human races. Human racesare different in theirnature. juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) • Epilogue: Visions • Itcannot be acceptedthat in a countrywithhardlyany natural ressourcesscientificeducationremains on such a modestlevel! • Analogy: The Common European Framework of Reference forLanguageshasclearlyhad a positive influence on theculture and theresultsoflanguageacquisition in school. The Common Framework of Reference forthe Natural Sciences is a comparable initiative. • More educationbymeansofless but well-chosen contents! • Changingtheattitudesofteachersthroughtraining • Curricula reforms: minimumstandardsbased on common sense ideas • Certificatesoftraining in naturalscienceswiththehelpoftasks • Europeanizationofthe Common Framework of Reference • Common Framework of Reference also forcomputer sciences, technology, geography, all MINT/STEM-subjects juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences (Minimum Standards) Thankyouverymuchforyourattention! juergen.langlet@t-online.de German Associationfor the Promotion ofMathematical and Scientific Teaching

Common Framework of Reference for the Natural Sciences: Prologue, State of Facts, Consequences, Lifelong Learning