Best Practicech5

July 6, 2009 Chapter 5 Best Practices in Science Best Practice: Today’s Standards for Teaching & Learning in America’s Schools (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde 2005) Christie L. Esparza Carmen Ortega

Standard Documents American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS) – 1985 initiative to reform K-12 science education - Project 2061 - Science for All Americans: A Project 2061 Report on Literacy Goals in Science, Mathematics, and Technology (1989) . *”calling for students to experience science” (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde, 2005, p. 143)

Two other documents created by AAAS ,[object Object],- a list of ideas and skills ,[object Object],- Interconnected ideas to be developed over time. ,[object Object],- National Science Education Standards (1996) - Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards: A Guide for Teaching and Learning (2000) Standard Documents Cont’d

Qualities of Best Practice ,[object Object], -no more rote memorization -more hands on approach -Inquiry is key * Understand inquiry * Learner centered Learners attempt to answer questions, communicate and justify explanations, evaluate explanations, extend their own understanding, and review and assess what they have learned. (NRC 200) as cited by (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde, 2005, p. 146)

Qualities Cont’d ,[object Object],- students must be able to evaluate evidence and data ,[object Object], * Trial and Error * Documenting * Prediction Testing * Product Testing * Experimenting * Reflecting * Generating Models * Inventing (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde 2005, p. 147)

Qualities Cont’d ,[object Object], - Five different approaches to Hands-On 1.) Demonstration – topic is taught and an activity is then carried out to demonstrate the topic. 2.) Discovery – Students are given materials with little direction. Guided discovery is usually conducted with smaller Children. 3.) Exploration – Goal is to make students comfortable with topic. 4.) Process Skills – attempts to teach individual processes 5.) Inquiry – expects students to learn concepts and develop capacity to carry out inquires on their own.

Qualities Cont’d ,[object Object],- Attainment of initial threshold of knowledge in necessary - Students need to continuously make connections ,[object Object],- Teachers must work hard to battle students’ beliefs of concepts. - Students hold many misconceptions that need to be addressed so that learning may occur. - The best way to address these matters is to have them become dissatisfied with their own explanations having to adopt what is being taught. ,[object Object],- “Research indicates that learners benefit from opportunities to express their ideas to others, challenge other’s ideas, and in doing so , reconstruct their own ideas” (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde 2005, p. 153).

Qualities Cont’d ,[object Object],- Aid students to think for themselves and depend less on teacher explanations. - Recognize what they do not understand and seek information. - Student – self Assessment ,[object Object], - must be appropriate for grade level ,[object Object], - Make it easy to follow - Give examples to broad concepts ,[object Object], - Test the “doing” of science not just all the facts and details.

Why Best Practice? Using these mentioned qualities mention in Zemelman et al. (2005) book Best Practices can contribute greatly to educator performance in teaching science as well as open up a world of exploration, providing a risk free learning environment for the most important stake holder, the student.

Questions to Consider What is the difference between inquiry and hands-on science? Is direct instruction the best method for teaching science? Why or why not? Should schools cover many topics over a period of time or should they focus on the more broad and fundamental concepts to build on?

Learning by Doing http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=learning+science+videos&qs=n&docid=1051930198492&mid=3CD532CC52C28B8AD9853CD532CC52C28B8AD985&FORM=VIVR26 Music In Science http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=8298659

More Links Virtual Labs (experimentation) http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2007/0809-virtual_lab.htm

Best Practicech5

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (11)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Best Practicech5