PARSEL Workshop on sharing existing ideas and T-L materials

1. (For more popular and relevant science teaching). Jack Holbrook PARSEL Workshop on sharing existing ideas and T-L materials

2. PARSEL objectives specific to T-L Materials Review styles of teaching approaches, materials or resources focussing on relevance of science education (with specific focus on context-oriented approaches and school-industry cooperation) as seen as promoting the objectives of the programme towards scientifically literate citizens, the popularity of science and enhancing students’ choice of career.

3. What we are trying to do? • We are trying to add to the richness of science education material within a country. • Possibly we stimulate the creation of T-L materials, based on our exemplars styles (within the country in the future). • We are NOT trying to change the curriculum – although we may help the implementation of science teaching to better match the curriculum intentions).

4. ICASE • ICASE has been involved in developments towards scientific and technological literacy (STL) for a number of years, initially under the heading of Project 2000+. It has developed T-L materials linked to this. • I try to expand on the ideas impacting on the materials from STL and the nature of the T-L materials themselves. In so doing, I suggest criteria for collecting T-L Materials.

5. Science v Science Education • The Teaching of Science in school/university is not science, but science education (we badly name lessons in school as ‘science’). • Science Education is part of Education (i.e. a social science). • As such, science education is governed by all competences put forward for education e.g. nature of the subject, personal attributes (cognitive, attitudinal, developmental, communicative) and social (co-operational, social values).

6. Science Education This is perceived as • Education through science Not • Education in Science, or • Science through Education

7. Meaning • The ICASE definition of STL • “developing the ability to creatively utilise sound science knowledge in everyday life, or in a career, to solve problems, make decisions and hence improve the quality of life”.

8. Meaning • Popularity seen as interesting, useful, meaningful, attainable, ideas transferable (i.e. applicable). • Relevance seen as related to present/future life, student experiences, related to the society. (not really relevance to the curriculum)

9. ICASE and Trends with respect to Education

10. Innovative material related to the trends in science education and to modern views of scientific literacy. Supplementary materials related to the teaching of one lesson, or a number of lessons. Materials which guide the teaching direction and give emphasis to key teaching components. The materials to be used by the teacher directly, or modified to suit the specific situation.

11. Suggested Types of Teaching-Learning Materials • The materials are designed to target and support the teacher (suggestions given to the teacher thus allowing room for teacher ownership and adaptation). * PREFERRED • The material is course material for the student and as such gives the teacher the possibility to use as is (limited ownership). • Resources which support the teaching to the extend seen appropriate by the teacher.

12. Materials excluded • The Curriculum no matter how detailed. • A textbook. • Ministry of Education guidelines (which relate to a specific curriculum). • Individual worksheets, Experimental instructions, or Examination papers. • Non-innovative materials. • Academic papers

13. Suggested Key Components of the T-L Materials targetting the teacher The materials can be expected to: • Indicate the part of the curriculum covered. • State the intended targets of learning (learning outcomes to be gained by students). • Include a Teaching Approach (in as much detail as appropriate). • Give Student Activities (which are designed to help the student achieve the learning intended). • Include an assessment of whether the intentions have been achieved by some, or all the students.

14. Possible Features of a PARSEL T-L Materials Model(a) Relate to the Curriculum This may be through an introduction which specifies the topic, the skill(s) being taught and the type of activity.For example: SUBJECT Science for All Section or Chapter Motion and our lives Competence Written Communication Activity Homework Anticipated time 20 minutes

15. (b) State Learning Outcome(s) for lessons (competences for a topic) At the completion of this activity, students are expected to be able to: write an account on how motion influences our daily lives by: organizing the thematic ideas using correct and appropriate terms and concepts

16. (c) Suggest a Teaching Approach The approach indicates the manner in which the material is structured * It is worth seeing the John Gilbert article in IJSE on 4 different meanings attached to context The PARSEL objectives (see description of work) indicate a focus for innovative T-L material on: Context-oriented approaches* School-industry or school-society cooperation

17. (d) Give Student Activities Teaching–Learning Materials are expected to introduce a variety of student activities related to the intended learning (for an individual lesson within a module, there may be only one activity that is assessed). The activities may be designed to be undertaken by students, individually, or in small groups. • The activities (for example) may be : • Inquiry-based cognitive activities. • Experimental activities utilising process skills. • Simulation/visualisation activities. • Creative, initiative stimulating activities. • Cooperative learning activities. • Activities promoting communicative abilities. • Decision making, socio-scientific discussions.

18. (e) Including Assessment (feedback) • This is expected to be a crucial part of Teaching-Learning Materials assessing across the educational goals. Emphasis is expected on formative assessmentmethods to maximise teaching time, assess non cognitive attributes and to provide diagnostic support. • Methods may include: • Oral questioning/presentations • Observational (related to an individual or group) • Written records, plans, reports, etc.

19. A Simple Assessment Technique • Any method used for assessment of students in the class, during the teaching, must be simple and not time-consuming (preference for being part of the teaching-learning situation). • In the examples of Teaching-Learning materials, a 3 point system is shown. This covers assessment based on: (all assessments are determined by the teacher, based on the teacher’s own standards) - achieved the learning for the lesson (√√) - partially achieved the learning (√) - has not achieved the learning (x)

20. INNOVATIVE TEACHING/LEARNING MATERIAL What to look for ? Innovative material which enhances the popularity and relevance of science teaching for scientific literacy (what PARSEL is about !) through its : • Design of Material • Underlying Philosophy • Relevance of context (content) • Teaching Approach • We should only include materials meeting our standards related to these criteria

21. The ICASE approach used to identify exemplary STL Materials(covering a series of lessons) Does the material : • Start from a concern, or issue in society ? • Clearly promote learning within the intended curriculum ? • Include strong student participatory components? • Present an interesting and relevant challenge to students ? • Clearly identify the learning to be promoted; how student tasks are related to this; and how to determine whether the learning has been achieved ?

22. Suitability of the Concern or Issue Stage 1a. Is the issue or concern perceived to be relevant to the students (as perceived by the student and which relates to the curriculum) ? Stage 1b. Is the concern/issue presented through an interesting scenario (case study) to introduce the situation, and from this, does it derive a range of student tasks to investigate the issue/concern (over a number of lessons) ?

23. Stage 2 Identifying Learning Outcomes enhancing scientific literacy in a sufficiently wide sense e.g. At least one learning outcome related to Social Values Education (probably through socio-scientific decision making) At least one learning outcome for Science Conceptual learning (preferably higher order) At least one learning outcome for Science Process Skills(aspects of problem solving i.e. planning, experimenting, predicting ) At least one learning outcome for Personal/interpersonal skills(communication, initiative, safe working, cooperation, leadership)?

24. Stage 3 Does the material: • Suggest teaching strategies to promote student participation and to achieve the learning outcomes ? • Develop student tasks that relate to the learning outcomes (covering all outcomes)? • Indicate how each of the outcomes are to be assessed to show the learning being achieved?

25. Stage 4 Does the material: • add extra information that could be useful for the teacher e.g. • Background notes • Student worksheets/handouts • Internet references ?

26. Examples • Some possible examples of T-L materials suitable for PARSEL

27. A Unit under the Title Can we get rid of Malaria ?

28. The Scenario given • Mangalore city, in particular, and South Canara district of Karnataka in general, is one of the most literate, well-informed and resourceful regions of India. The prosperity of the region is closely linked with the health of the population. Unless people continue to enjoy good health, this prosperity cannot be maintained. • Over the last 7-8 years, malaria has made major inroads in the region. Numerous reasons are attributed to this, e.g. construction work, migrant labour, etc. The city will face serious problems in the future if malaria is not brought under control immediately. Perhaps students can play a significant role in the process of eliminating malaria.But how ?

29. Another Example of T-L Material as a Unit ARE WE OVERUSING PLASTICS?

30. The Scenario given • It is almost as if plastics have become an integral part of our lives. They have been put to every possible and conceivable use from house doors to car parts, from clothes to various types of containers and bags. They have slowly replaced materials like metals, glass, wood, etc. This is especially true of packaging of materials used in our daily life, in which various types of plastics are used extensively. But what happens to all the plastic materials once they have outlived their usefulness? How do we dispose of them in the home, or in school? What happens to plastics after they are thrown on rubbish dumps along with household garbage, or simply thrown out on the streets by people who don't care? SHOULD WE CUT DOWN ON THE USE OF PLASTICS ?

31. OPTICAL ILLUSIONS :IS WHAT WE SEE WHAT WE GET? The Last Example of a Unit

32. Say aloud the ink colour of each word. How quickly can you do it? Did you manage to complete the task without slowing down ? Is the red dot above on the near or the far corner? Stare at it for a while – what happens? Nine people are hidden in the image on the left. Can you see them?

33. One Example of T-L material at the Level of a Single Lesson

34. Unit SOLIDS, LIQUIDS AND GASESTopic Basic structure of matter, concept of atom Learning skills Intellectual Types of Activity Description of experiments and homeworkTime 1 period for classwork Activity Learning Outcomes At the end of this activity, involving one lesson and follow-up homework, the students are expected to be able to : (from the lesson) (a) explain, with reference to inter particle space, that solids have a definite shape and volume, whereas liquid have definite volume, but take up the shape of the container and that the volume of a gas depends on the pressure and temperature (gases having no definite shape); (b) explain that increasing or decreasing the energy associated with particles, by raising/ lowering the temperature, gives rise to changes in state from solids to liquids, liquids to gases, or vice versa; (c) state that compounds are made up of molecules; (for homework) (d) give examples of 2 solid compounds and 2 gaseous elements; (e) associate the particles in compounds and elements with the terms atoms and/or molecules.

35. Suggested Teaching Approach Before the class, the teacher can: check, by asking questions orally, students are familiar with elements and compounds and can explain differences between them; ask student, per group, to bring to the class a rubber ball, marble, plastic syringe and a rubber band. During the activity, the teacher can: begin with a set induction using common and practical experience of the learners to initiate the debate over evidence for the existence of particles in matter; supply a small piece of chalk to each group of student to add to the materials brought by the students and guide the students to undertake the classwork given in the worksheet.

36. Student Worksheet Carry out the experiments given below. Describe the experiments and include answers to the questions given. • Observe what happens when you put pressure to the rubber ball and then release the pressure. Observe what happens if you try this with a marble. • Draw some water or oil into a syringe. Put your left thumb over the opening where we fit the needle. Now gently press the piston of the syringe until it is not possible to push it further. Observe how far the piston moves. • Take some air into the syringe in place of the water/oil and repeat the experiment. • Pull on the rubber band (don’t break it) and then release the pressure (don’t let go of the band). Observe what happens to the rubber band. • Break a piece of chalk continuously (for ever !!) and observe the result.

37. Suggested Homework Record the following in your workbook : • Give 2 examples of compounds which are solids. • Give 2 examples of elements which are gases. • Use your examples to explain what happens when each of the chosen compounds are heated for some time. • Use your examples to explain what happens when each of the chosen elements are extensively cooled. (In answering items 3 and 4, make sure you include the word molecule or element in each explanation and be careful that you use these words correctly)

38. Assessment based on Learning Outcomes. Assessment for intellectual skills in the classwork can be from the written work based on the following : Relationship between physical states and inter-particle space; Explanation of melting and boiling; Chalk is made up of molecules. √√ Can (a) explain/draw a diagram showing inter particle space; (b) explain melting and boiling in terms of particle energy. Recognises (c) that chalk cannot be broken indefinitely. √ Can (a) partially explain/draw a diagram showing inter particle space; (b) explain partially melting and boiling. Recognises (c) chalk cannot be broken indefinitely but cannot express this well in writing. X Cannot (a) explain/draw a diagram; (b) explain melting/ boiling. Unsure (c) whether chalk can be broken indefinitely.

39. Assessment of Intellectual Ability from the Homework Give examples of compounds and elements. Explain change of state in compounds and elements. √√ Can (d) give 2 examples of solid compounds and 2 examples of gaseous elements. Can (e) explain the predicted observations for each compound and element given √ Can (d) give some examples, but not 2, examples of each meeting the criteria. Can (e) explain partially the predicted observations X Unable (d) to give examples for solid compounds or gaseous elements. Cannot (e) explain or show the relationship between temperature change and state of matter.

40. Overall Learning Record for Intellectual Skill (kept by the teacher) Should the teacher wish to record an overall mark for intellectual skill in the record book for each student, based on the lesson and homework assessments (a-e), then the following can be taken as a guide: If the number of ticks (√) is 8 or 10 then the teacher records √√ 4 or 7 then the teacher records √ less than 4 then the teacher records x.

41. Notes for the Teacher • The expected answers to the questions in the student worksheet • The rubber ball has significant inter particle space and this space can be compressed by the use of an external force. However the marble possesses little inter particle space and as particles cannot be compressed, the marble retains its shape. • Inter particle space can be compressed. However the inter-particle space is only large in the case of gases. The piston can be pushed down when there is air in the syringe because air is gaseous, but the piston cannot be moved in the case of water or oil. • This experiment can be explained based on the particle idea of matter. When the rubber band is stretched the inter-particle space is increased. This can occur because the external force applied. When the pressure is released the particle attraction brings the particles closer together and the rubber band retains it original shape. • No, a piece of chalk cannot be broken forever. While it can be broken further than in the class with the aid of cutting instruments and the use of a microscope, there will always come a time when the smallest particle cannot be broken and the substance can be called chalk.

42. Examples of T-L Materials Displayed As a module Can we get rid of malaria? Optical Illusions: is what you see, what you get? Shampoo – is there truth behind the advertising? As a single lesson Solids, liquids and gases Forces and motion Theory, theory – who’s got the theory ? Other material (not seen as having sufficiently diverse goals) Forensics in the classroom Environment, Ethics and Action Shampoo, Soy Sauce and the Prince’s Pendant

43. Classifying Materials Where on the spectrum does the material fit? • To what degree is it felt there is potential for teachers to take ownership of the material and hence the teacher is able to ‘use’ the material as if it were their own ? Potential for | | | | | Potential for Teacher 1 2 3 4 5 Teacher ownership low ownership high At what level will we accept the material for PARSEL ?

44. Additional classification Material Material single 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10* multi- lesson lessons Number refers to number of lessons covered * can be more than 10, but translation could then become a problem

45. Criteria check • Design • Has adequate descriptor Yes/No • Has suitable competences/LOs Yes/No • Has suggested teaching guide Yes/No • Has suggested student activities Yes/No • Has suitable assessment strategy Yes/No All need to be checked as YES

46. Criteria check • Philosophy SL geared to | | | | | | | | | | SL geared to responsible understanding 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 citizenry science/technology Scientific in terms | | | | | | | | | | Educational in terms of knowledge, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 PS, creative thinking, theories, laws reasoning, DM Suggested cut-off score 5/10 for each criteria(partner decision)

47. Criteria check • Philosophy continued Scientific patterns and | | | | | | | | | | Educational in ‘big ideas’ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 in terms of cognitive, personal/social Science seen as | | | | | | | | | | Stressing NOS Informational truths, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Society independent, Fact leading to theories leading to laws

48. Criteria check • Relevance Curriculum content| | | | | | | | | | Socially relevant Relevance 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 reason for gaining (fundamental to complex) conceptual science Content sequenced | | | | | | | | | | Context initiated 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (content on ‘need to know’)

49. Criteria check • Teaching Approach Experimentation as | | | | | | | | | | Experimentation as verification of theories/ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 part of inquiry Student learning ‘to the | | | | | | | | | | Student ownership test’ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 910 thru participation Title put forward as | | | | | | | | | | Title societal Scientific (concept map) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 with scenario and teaching/learning map

50. How many materials ? • Obviously the more we have for the classification stage, the merrier !! • The target is 50 i.e. 6 per partner. • These materials need to be in English (plus the actual language). • The materials can come from any source (e.g. the internet) and any country.