Rethink Science Education

Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 4, Issue 2, Foreword (Dec., 2003)
Jack HOLBROOK
Rethink Science Education

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Implications for Teaching

The teaching approach is based on the following criteria:

a.
The stipulated educational goals

Outcomes are specified in achievable terms for a theme or particular set of lessons, which interrelate to a scenario. At least one outcome is put forward for each educational goal area. Care is required that both social factors and conceptual science learning are included.

b.
Beginning from a societal perspective

Based on constructivist ideas and in an attempt to maximise interest, the teaching of topics begins from an issue or concern in society relevant to the student. Preferably the students' identify the issue or concern. At first glance it can be taken as encompassing everything. The crucial guideline is that the teaching covers an area of study from an issue or concern perspective that is seen by students as having relevance, or students can be persuaded to appreciate its relevance.

c.
Promoting science learning

Students are NOT expected to have acquired the science concepts prior to the teaching. If the concept is complex, the number of teaching lessons will increase to reflect the learning. Students can be expected to carry out a number of appropriate activities from interpretations, to textbook reading, to undertaking practice through feedback exercises.

d. Enhances Student participation
If constructivism is to be put into practice, it is essential for students to be involved. This is achieved by student involvement in the thinking, doing and expressing of the learning. Students are thus expected to be involved:

(i) Individually, in written work, making presentations and taking part in brainstorming sessions.

(ii) in small group work - for problem solving, investigations, experimental explorations and discussions on findings, or exploratory ideas or making decisions that involve multiple factors or in preparing for class presentations

(iii) as a whole class - for brainstorming and making commentary on group presentations, or arriving at a class consensus decision making position.

e.
Relating student activities/tasks to the outcomes

The activities put forward for students need to be clearly related to the learning, thus promoting the achievement of the specific outcomes set out for the teaching of the topic. As the outcomes cover all educational goal areas, the tasks also relate to these (not necessarily on a one-to-one correspondence, because activities may cover more than one outcome, or activities may only partly relate to any one outcome to be achieved). The link between the outcomes and the activities is crucial.

f.
Engaging in scientific Problem Solving and socio-scientific Decision Making Activities

This is very dependent on student involvement. If the learning begins from an issue or concern, there needs to be a scientific component that ensures the study is an integral part of the curriculum (without that it is not science education !!) Scientific questions arise from the issue/concern (a problem), which can be investigated scientifically to arrive at a 'solution to the problem', once the students have acquired the relevant conceptual understanding. If in the real world, the scientific solution cannot be taken in isolation, or if the Problem Solving (PS) investigation leads to more than one plausible solution, then a socio-scientific Decision Making (DM) activity is needed to determine the 'best' or 'appropriate' choice. For this it is essential to consider all the factors involved, then decide on the relative importance in arriving at a decision, based on careful deliberations. One of the factors involved in the decision-making process will derive from the science conceptual learning, whereas others are likely to be economic, social, environmental, political or ethical/moral factors. Decision-Making is based on factors that are not always stable and the decision can shift with time, circumstances and public opinion. This does not detract, however, from the important learning process for students in going through the Decision- Making process and learning to justify their stance.

g.
Assessment linked to achievement of the objectives

It is essential that assessment measures student achievement in terms of the outcomes put forward and not merely record students' involvement in activities. Thus, recording that students took part in a discussion (an activity) says nothing, whereas stating that students were able to put forward a decision with appropriate justifications shows students achieving the outcome set in this area.

The assessment of students will be both during and after the teaching. An advantage of assessing during the teaching process is that multiple measures can be obtained over time, leading to a more relevant measure of the skill measured. Thus observation by the teacher is likely to be an important assessment tool alongside interactive oral work and student written records.

Copyright (C) 2003 HKIEd APFSLT. Volume 4, Issue 2, Foreword (Dec., 2003). All Rights Reserved.

a.	The stipulated educational goals	Outcomes are specified in achievable terms for a theme or particular set of lessons, which interrelate to a scenario. At least one outcome is put forward for each educational goal area. Care is required that both social factors and conceptual science learning are included.
b.	Beginning from a societal perspective	Based on constructivist ideas and in an attempt to maximise interest, the teaching of topics begins from an issue or concern in society relevant to the student. Preferably the students' identify the issue or concern. At first glance it can be taken as encompassing everything. The crucial guideline is that the teaching covers an area of study from an issue or concern perspective that is seen by students as having relevance, or students can be persuaded to appreciate its relevance.
c.	*Promoting science learning*	Students are NOT expected to have acquired the science concepts prior to the teaching. If the concept is complex, the number of teaching lessons will increase to reflect the learning. Students can be expected to carry out a number of appropriate activities from interpretations, to textbook reading, to undertaking practice through feedback exercises.
d.	*Enhances Student participation*	If constructivism is to be put into practice, it is essential for students to be involved. This is achieved by student involvement in the thinking, doing and expressing of the learning. Students are thus expected to be involved: (i) Individually, in written work, making presentations and taking part in brainstorming sessions. (ii) in small group work - for problem solving, investigations, experimental explorations and discussions on findings, or exploratory ideas or making decisions that involve multiple factors or in preparing for class presentations (iii) as a whole class - for brainstorming and making commentary on group presentations, or arriving at a class consensus decision making position.
e.	*Relating student activities/tasks to the outcomes*	The activities put forward for students need to be clearly related to the learning, thus promoting the achievement of the specific outcomes set out for the teaching of the topic. As the outcomes cover all educational goal areas, the tasks also relate to these (not necessarily on a one-to-one correspondence, because activities may cover more than one outcome, or activities may only partly relate to any one outcome to be achieved). The link between the outcomes and the activities is crucial.
f.	*Engaging in scientific Problem Solving and socio-scientific Decision Making Activities*	This is very dependent on student involvement. If the learning begins from an issue or concern, there needs to be a scientific component that ensures the study is an integral part of the curriculum (without that it is not science education !!) Scientific questions arise from the issue/concern (a problem), which can be investigated scientifically to arrive at a 'solution to the problem', once the students have acquired the relevant conceptual understanding. If in the real world, the scientific solution cannot be taken in isolation, or if the Problem Solving (PS) investigation leads to more than one plausible solution, then a socio-scientific Decision Making (DM) activity is needed to determine the 'best' or 'appropriate' choice. For this it is essential to consider all the factors involved, then decide on the relative importance in arriving at a decision, based on careful deliberations. One of the factors involved in the decision-making process will derive from the science conceptual learning, whereas others are likely to be economic, social, environmental, political or ethical/moral factors. Decision-Making is based on factors that are not always stable and the decision can shift with time, circumstances and public opinion. This does not detract, however, from the important learning process for students in going through the Decision- Making process and learning to justify their stance.
g.	*Assessment linked to achievement of the objectives*	It is essential that assessment measures student achievement in terms of the outcomes put forward and not merely record students' involvement in activities. Thus, recording that students took part in a discussion (an activity) says nothing, whereas stating that students were able to put forward a decision with appropriate justifications shows students achieving the outcome set in this area. The assessment of students will be both during and after the teaching. An advantage of assessing during the teaching process is that multiple measures can be obtained over time, leading to a more relevant measure of the skill measured. Thus observation by the teacher is likely to be an important assessment tool alongside interactive oral work and student written records.