Promising practices in Science Education

1. Promising practices in Science Education Moyo, P. V. [PhD] Academic Consultant Riverton Academy

2. 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

3. 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).

4. 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

5. 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**

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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?)

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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”.

18. 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.

19. THANK YOU • TATENDA • SIYABONGA • For listening to me and for being such a good audience