Using instructional video to improve awareness of scientific approach in science classroom http://www.ied.edu.hk/apfslt/v17

Scientific Approach in Science Classroom Identified

Pre-service teachers described the implementation of scientific approach in chemistry classroom using inquiry-based teaching as in Table I. It can be inferred from Table I that pre-service teachers noticed all elements of scientific approach at each phase of inquiry-based teaching. Observing stage appeared at phase presenting inquiry problem (phase 2), questioning showed at phase formulating hypothesis (phase 3), and collecting data staged at phase collecting data for testing hypothesis (phase 4). Analyzing data appeared at phase 5 when students formulated explanations, while communicating data and creating were demonstrated both in phase 5 and phase 6. Slightly low achievement at phase 3 (75%) indicated that not all pre-service teachers was aware of questioning stage.

Table I. Application of scientific approach in inquiry-based teaching which was noticed by the pre-service teachers

Phase of inquiry-based teaching	Scientific approach (as in worksheet answers)	Percentage of pre-service teachers’ correct answers (%)
Phase 1: Gain students’ attention and explain the inquiry process	Not appear	Not appear
Phase 2: Present the inquiry problem or discrepant event	Students observed the inquiry problem about catalyst effect on the chemical reaction rate in the worksheet	100
Phase 3: Have the students to formulate hypothesis to explain the problem or event	Teachers guided the students to synthesize research question according to the phenomena	75
Phase 4: Encourage students to collect data in order to test hypothesis	Students collected data by defining hypothesis and variables of their experiments Students collected data and information based on their experiment adding catalyst MnSO4 into solution of H2C2O4, KMnO4 and H2SO4	100
Phase 5: Formulate explanations and/or conclusion	Students analysed the data by comparing and contrasting experiment result with the analysis question in the worksheet Students communicated their experiment result Teacher asked the students to create project about catalyst effect in everyday life	100
Phase 6: Reflect on the problem situation and the thinking process used to inquire into it	Teacher asked the students to communicate whether their hypothesis fitted the experiment result in order to reflect on the thinking process Students showed their created product which indicated how catalyst worked, i.e. yeast-fermented cassava, ethylene-ripen banana, auxin treatment on germination in light and dark places, and poster about enzyme.	100

*italic sentences indicate scientific approach elements

Table II described the implementation of scientific approach in using cooperative learning model noticed by biology pre-service teachers. Similar to the application in chemistry classroom, the application of instructional video in biology classroom indicated that all elements of scientific approach at each phase of cooperative learning can be noticed well. Observing and questioning stage appeared at the same initial phase of cooperative learning as model teacher presented information (phase 2). This was followed by collecting data (experimenting) and analysing at phase assisting teamwork and study (phase 4). Communicating data and creating was demonstrated at phase testing on materials (phase 5). Compared to the chemistry classroom which showed low awareness in questioning stage, pre-service biology teachers was weak (70%) in noticing collecting data (experimenting) stage.

Table II. Application of scientific approach in cooperative learning which was noticed by the pre-service teachers

Phase of cooperative learning model	Scientific approach (as in worksheet answers)	Percentage of pre-service teachers’ correct answers (%)
Phase 1: Clarify goals and establish set	Not appear	Not appear
Phase 2: Present information	Students observed phenomena of acid rain and its ecological effects through documentary movies and interactive videoTeacher encouraged students to give comments and ask questions about acid rain phenomena which they had observed Students synthesized research question and hypothesis concerning effect of acid rain to plant growth and development	100
Phase 3: Organize students into learning teams	Not appear	Not appear
Phase 4: Assist teamwork and study	Students conducted experiment to investigate the effect of pH to plant germination Students collected and analysed data, including number of germinated seeds and length of plants Teacher asked the students to create a poster about the effect of acid rain to environment	70
Phase 5: Test on materials	Teacher have the students to communicate the experiment result in the presentation and classical discussion format Students created posters concerning acid rain prevention campaign Teachers asked students to communicate their posters	100
Phase 6: Provide recognition	Not appear	Not appear

*italic sentences indicate scientific approach elements

Despite slightly low scored awareness in noticing questioning stage and collecting data stage, both of the instructional video successfully enabled pre-service teachers to understand good teaching practices concerning application of scientific approach in science classroom as they regard each phase of specific model of teaching. This is in line with research from Wong et al. (2006) describing that teacher can perceive good science teaching from the instructional video by broadening their awareness of alternative teaching methods and approaches even they are not experience it on their own. Exemplary teaching in instructional video has been reported applicable to prepare teachers to perform and practice teaching skills in situation-specific classroom that closely match with targeted-performance (Star & Strickland, 2008; Yung et al., 2007). Sherin and van Es (2005) also argues that instructional video-based professional development provides opportunities for teachers to develop good techniques or teaching strategies that are in line with learning objectives and education reform efforts.

Interestingly, this study emphasize that writing notes about the scene, in terms by answering the video-analysis worksheet and discussing the instructional video in group, helped pre-service teachers to easily identify and analyse what elements of scientific approach activities appeared in each phase of model of teaching. Alsawaie and Alghazo (2010) indicated that video lesson analysis improved pre-service teachers’ ability to pay attention to noteworthy events classroom interactions. Higher scores on the video analysis task were associated with better instructional quality (Kersting, Givvin, Thompson, Santagata, & Stigler, 2012). In addition to these, Fadde and Sullivan (2013) reported that pre-service teachers who wrote their own observations when observing video clips showed better classroom awareness. Kourieos (2016) also added that peer dialogue during the use of video indicated great potential to heighten teacher’s awareness about their own teaching practice, supporting the idea that the discussion with peers takes parts in pre-service teachers’ learning process with the instructional video.

Pre-service Teachers’ Response about the Instructional Video

Pre-service teachers showed positive response to the instructional video in which they had observed (Table III). In consistency with Table II, pre-service biology teachers also showed low positive response in collecting data.

Table III. Pre-service teachers’ response about the instructional video

Criteria	Percentage who answered positive in chemistry classroom (%)	Percentage who answered positive in biology classroom (%)
Scene of the instructional video was clear	100	100
Sound of the instructional video was clear	100	91.7
Caption of the instructional video was clear	100	91.7
Language used in the instructional video was easily understood	100	100
Learning activities in the instructional video was systematically arranged	100	100
Content of the instructional video was appropriate with concepts in subject content	100	100
Learning objectives in the instructional video could be used as exemplary	100	100
Lab materials and instruments could be provided easily	100	91.7
Learning activities could help to describe teaching steps with scientific approach:
Observing	100	83.3
Questioning	93.8	91.7
Collecting data (experimenting)	100	66.7
Analyzing/associating	93.8	83.3
Communicating	100	100
Creating	87.5	91.7

Pre-service teachers found that video-analysis worksheet helped them to figure out how to integrate scientific approach at each phase of model of teaching. As one of them asserted:

“Learning to teach from an instructional video was really helpful to figure out what really happened in the classroom between teacher and students during cooperative learning model. Video-analysis worksheet also made me easily observe noteworthy scene in scientific approach.” (Biology pre-service teacher A)

“Prior to the instructional video observation, I had no idea about how to apply scientific approach in inquiry-based teaching. Observing [that] instructional video inspired me to design an inquiry-based student worksheet to help me structuring the whole idea of student’s experiment in chemistry laboratory.” (Chemistry pre-service teacher A)

According to those comments, pre-service teachers perceived that the instructional video was helpful in helping them to learn how to apply scientific approach in science classroom with any models of teaching. This was in line with studies from Akerson, Abd-El-Khalick, and Lederman (2000) and Akerson, Morrison, and McDuffie (2006) that indicated positive views of scientific approach perceived by the teachers who received reflective course in nature of science.

Pre-service teachers also showed reflective behaviour after they were asked to write what parts of the instructional video should be improved or conducted in different ways. They evaluated learning activity conducted by the model teacher in the instructional video and provide constructive advice. As several students asserted:

“I learned a lot about classroom teaching through the instructional video and I was trying to look closely about the essential points of scientific approach by rewinding the scene at home and evaluated what could I do better in my future classroom.” (Biology pre-service teacher C)

“It is nice to know that implementing scientific approach makes students can construct their own knowledge rather than listening to teacher’s explanation, but then I wonder that whole learning process really needs two meeting to complete the material – it is really time-consuming. We suggest that the teacher make the project of creating acid rain poster as homework.” (Biology pre-service teachers F 1)

“I did not think that showing lab-based catalyst like MnSO4 was the best discrepant event to start inquiry-based teaching with scientific approach. It would be more interesting if the teachers initiate the lesson by demonstrating well-known or daily life phenomena in order to gain more attention and stimulate questions from the students.” (Chemistry pre-service teachers D)

“The scientific approach teaching in the instructional video was nice and neat, but I thought it would be better if the teacher strengthen collecting data stage, such as more focusing to show how the students measure the growth using ruler and count germinated seeds or number of leaves of the plants in the different acidity.” (Biology pre-service teacher B)

Based on those views, reflective behaviours in terms of developmentalist perspective showed pre-service teacher’s analysis and evaluation towards the instructional video. They ended up suggesting ‘good’ teaching practice, including selecting familiar discrepant events to initiate inquiry process and reinforce questioning stage, strengthening collecting data stage, taking the project to home for better time management. This indicates that teacher learn meaningful teaching strategies and pedagogical knowledge by observing the instructional video. In line with this result, Slavin (2009) confirms that learning can be done by observing others, supporting the idea that that teachers can learn how to teach in accordance to the observations from the model teacher’s and students behaviour in the instructional video. Kucuk (2008) also reported the same finding that reflective approach, in this case through instructional video which followed by teaching practice, improved pre-service teachers’ views about implementation of scientific approach in science teaching. The result of this study is also supported by study from Wong et al. (2006) arguing that instructional video (1) stimulates teachers to communicate their conception about teaching and learning, (2) encourages teachers to explore their ideas to respond similar problematic conditions, (3) presents teachers’ alternative views beyond their own experiences, (4) supports teachers in developing their ideas to accommodate complexity of science classroom.