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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 17, Issue 2, Article 9 (Dec., 2016) |
As a conclusion, the developed teaching model, based on the ideas of constructionism and neurocognitive science, was found to be beneficial to students learning science. It should be clear that Thailand is currently engaged in teacher quality policies that have been influenced by effective research into teacher training, but with the absence of much of the research knowledge that would help the training development of teachers.
The current era of information and communication technology influences the growing pressure to reform, and to differentiate higher accountability of educational programmes that ensure students acquire skills rather than memorize content (Wannapiroon, 2014; Wilkin, 2014). As a result, science teachers should consider neurocognitive and constructionism learning theories when they design their lesson plans to enhance better outcomes in science education. Since this constructionism and neurocognitive teaching model was to promote science learning outcomes, including nanotechnology content knowledge, science process skills and scientific attitudes, as well as creative thinking, science teachers are encouraged to use this teaching model. Moreover, the results of this study also indicated that science learning outcomes and creative thinking are important in enhancing students to embed knowledge in their long-term memory. On this line of reasoning, science teachers should provide sufficient opportunities to conduct student-centred learning to develop these domains.
Recent international surveys such as the OECD’s PISA showed a discouraging result in students’ achievement scores, and offered support for the translation of an innovative teaching model such as constructionism and the neurocognitive-based teaching model. Indeed, what may now finally emerge is a ‘learning level’ paradigm that has numerous possibilities for improving Thai educational processes and outcomes through focusing on teaching. Finally, results of this study provide further evidence in support of the need to develop science teachers’ abilities to deliver and guide students using the constructionism approach, as well as how to apply neurocognitive science with educational practice as a new concept for Thai teachers. An effective training programme that is related to constructionism and neurocognitive-based teaching, including open inquiry teaching, is suggested to the Thailand Ministry of Education.
However, there are some limitations to this study. This study was held in the school’s own supplementary science class, not in the basic science class that is required to be the same in all schools. As a supplementary course, its time is not fixed. The teachers were not anxious as they feel they will not have time to finish all of the content required in curriculum. This study showed that there is a real effect from using the teaching method, but how to implement this in a basic science class is still to be discovered. It is recommended that future studies of how to implement this model of teaching in basic science courses should be carried out for further benefit of its application.
This work was supported by the Higher Education Research Promotion and National Research University Project of Thailand, Office of the Higher Education Commission, through the Cluster of Research to Enhance the Quality of Basic Education.
