enhancing science teaching and student learning: a …

ENHANCING SCIENCE TEACHING AND STUDENT

LEARNING: A BSCS PERSPECTIVE

RODGER W. BYBEEBiological Sciences Curriculum Study

(BSCS)15 August 2006

USA

• How can curricula enhance science teaching and student learning?

• What is the form and function of effective curriculum materials?

BSCS: A BRIEF HISTORY• American Institute of Biological

Sciences (AIBS) established BSCS in 1958.

• BSCS published three innovative biology textbooks in 1963.

The Web of Life an Australian adaptation of the BSCS Green Version

BSCS: A CONTEMPORARY VIEW

• Center for Curriculum Development

• Center for Professional Development

• Center for Research and Evaluation

HOW STUDENTS LEARN SCIENCE

1. Students come to the classroom with preconceptions about how the world works.


2. To develop competence in an area of inquiry, students must (a) have a deep foundation of factual knowledge, (b) understand facts and ideas in the context o a conceptual framework, and (c) organize knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application.


3. A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning. (Donovan & Bransford, 2005, pp 1-2).

GENERAL IMPLICATIONS FOR SCIENCE CURRICULA

• Finding #1 Requires conceptual change.

• Finding #2 Requires making the structure of science disciplines explicit.

• Finding #3 Requires curricula that introduces metacognitive strategies.

DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS FOR TEACHING AND CURRICULUM MATERIALS

Key Findings from HowStudents Learn

Implications for ScienceTeaching

Requirements forCurriculum Materials

Students come toeducational experienceswith preconceptions.

Teachers should recognizepreconceptions, engage thelearner, facilitateconceptual change, andemploy strategies thatrespond to students’ priorknowledge.

o Incorporation of information about common preconceptions in the process of conceptual change, and the means by which the curriculum can bring about conceptual change.

o Inclusion of structured sequences of experiences that will elicit challenge and provide opportunities to change preconceptions.


Key Findings from How Students Learn

Implications for Science Teaching

Requirements for Curriculum Materials

Students should develop a factual knowledge based on a conceptual framework.

Teachers should have a conceptual understanding of science and the appropriate factual knowledge aligned with the concepts.

o Base the curriculum on major concepts of science.o Connect facts to the organizing concepts.o Provide relevant experiences to illustrate the concepts and opportunities to transfer concepts to new situations.


Key Findings from How Students Learn

Implications for Science Teaching

Requirements for Curriculum Materials

Students can take control of their learning through metacognitive strategies.

o Teachers should make goals explicit and provide class time and opportunities to analyze progress toward those goals.o Teachers should model metacognitive “think aloud” strategies.

o Make goals explicit in materials.o Integrate metacognitive skills development into activities.o Use small group activities as part of instructional units.

INTEGRATED INSTRUCTIONAL UNITS

Integrated instructional units interweave laboratory experiences with other types of science learning activities, including lectures, reading, and discussion.

National Research Council (2006) America’s Lab Report

BSCS 5E INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL

Phase Summary

Engagement The teacher or a curriculum task accesses the learners’ prior knowledge and helps them become engaged in a new concept throughthe use of short activities that promote curiosity and elicit prior knowledge. The activity should make connections between past andpresent learning experiences, expose prior conceptions, and organize students’ thinking toward the learning outcomes of current activities.

Exploration Exploration experiences provide students with a common base of activities within which current concepts (i.e., misconceptions),processes, and skills are identified and conceptual change is facilitated. Learners may complete lab activities that help them use prior knowledge to generate new ideas, explore questions and possibilities, and design and conduct a preliminary investigation.

BSCS 5E INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL

Phase SummaryExplanation The explanation phase focuses students’ attention on a particular

aspect of their engagement and exploration experiences and provides opportunities to demonstrate their conceptual understanding, process skills, or behaviors. This phase also provides opportunities for teachers to directly introduce a concept, process, or skill. Learners explain their understanding of the concept. An explanation from the teacher or the curriculum may guide them toward a deeper understanding, which is a critical part of this phase.

Elaboration Teachers challenge and extend students’ conceptual understanding and skills. Through new experiences, the students develop deeper andbroader understanding, more information, and adequate skills. Students apply their understanding of the concept by conducting additional activities.

Evaluation The evaluation phase encourages students to assess their understanding and abilities and provides opportunities for teachers to evaluate student progress toward achieving the educational objectives.

BSCS SCIENCE: AN INQUIRY APPROACH FRAMEWORK FOR GRADES 9-11Major Concepts Addressed at Each Grade LevelUnits

9 10 11

Abilities necessary to do and understandings about scientific inquiry with a focus on:Science As Inquiry

•Questions and concepts that guide scientific investigations

•Design of scientific investigations•Communicating scientific results

•Evidence as the basis for explanations and models•Alternative explanations and models

Physical Science

•Structure and properties of matter•Structure of atoms•Integrating chapter

•Motions and forces•Chemical reactions•Integrating chapter

•Interactions of energy and matter•Conservation of energy and increase in disorder•Integrating chapter

Life Science •The cell•Behavior of organisms•Integrating chapter

•Biological evolution•Molecular basis of heredity•Integrating chapter

•Matter, energy, and organization in living systems•Interdependence of organisms•Integrating chapter

•Origin and evolution of the universe

•Geochemical cycles

•Origin and evolution of the Earth system•Integrating chapter

•Integrating chapter

Science in a Personal and

Social Perspective, Science and Technology

•Personal and community health•Natural and human-induced hazards•Abilities of technological design

•Population growth•Natural resources•Environmental quality

•Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges•Understandings about science and technology

The following standards are addressed throughout grade levels and units•Science as a human endeavor Nature of science History of science

•Energy in the Earth system•Integrating chapter

Earth-Space Science

THE BACKWARD DESIGN PROCESS AND THE BSCS 5E MODEL

IDENTIFY DESIREDRESUTLSNational Standards

DETERMINE ACCEPTABLEEVIDENCE OF LEARNING

DESIGN EVALUATE ACTIVITIES

DEVELOP LEARNING EXPERIENCESAND ACTIVITIES

ENGAGE, EXPLORE, EXPLAIN,ELABORATE

EVIDENCE OF BOOSTING STUDENT LEARNING

• Field test of BSCS Science: An Inquiry Approach was conducted from January through June 2002.

• Test comprised grade levels 9 and 10, urban, suburban, and rural classrooms across 10 states, 31 teachers, 64 classes, and nearly 1600 students.

• Results from pre- and post-tests were tracked per student. The results demonstrated strong and statistically significant gains in student achievement.

9th Grade Test Score Means by Ability Level

Ninth Grade Test Gains by Ability Level

0

20

40

60

80

100

General (N=385) Mixed (N=181) Honors (N=93)

Pre TestPost Test

Ability Level

Test

Mea

ns

Source: PS International

FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION

• Results indicate that both 9th and 10th

grade students learned more from teachers who taught the materials with medium and high fidelity than from teachers who taught the materials with significantly less fidelity (Coulson, 2002).

2.16

0.84

1.8

0.6

1.46

2.54

2.04

1.31

2.562.43

0.9

1.94

0.68

1.8

2.76

2.071.75

2.16

2.95

1.97

4.15

2.16

2.61

4.55

3.48

2.89

3.9

3.12

2.12

4.36

2.672.96

4.58

3.34

2.85

3.89

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter11

Chapter13

Chapter14

Chapter15

Chapter16

Mea

n N

umbe

r Cor

rect

Pretest Free Lunch Pretest No Free LunchPosttest Free Lunch Posttest No Free Lunch

2.27

0.78

1.66

0.65

1.63

2.57

2.081.77

2.072.46

0.99

2.14

0.65

1.73

2.76

2.04

1.49

2.57

3.09

2.07

4.1

2.42.79

4.47

3.322.92

3.97

3.04

2.03

4.52

2.682.87

4.62

3.43

2.8

3.81

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter11

Chapter13

Chapter14

Chapter15

Chapter16

Mea

n N

umbe

r Cor

rect

Pretest Female Pretest MalePosttest Female Posttest Male

HOW TEACHERS LEARN• Teachers must understand the science

content of the curriculum, understand the importance of the instructional sequences, make use of different teaching strategies, as well as appreciate the subtleties of responding to students’ preconceptions in order to facilitate conceptual change.

HOW TEACHERS LEARN

• Promoting teacher learning through instructional materials has been referred to as educative curriculum materials

HOW TEACHERS LEARN• Beyond the components designed

for students, curricular materials can be designed so they contribute to science teachers’ development of pedagogical content knowledge of science topics and inquiry.(Schneider & Krajcik, 2002; Davis & Krajcik, 2005).

CONCLUSION

How can curriculum materials enhance science teaching and student learning?

• Attend to the criteria for student learning and the appropriate translation of those requirements to curriculum materials.


• Use an instructional model that provides opportunities and time for conceptual change and development of cognitive abilities.


• Use “backward design” for the process of designing and developing materials.


• Incorporate means to enhance teachers’ knowledge base, including subject matter, pedagogical content knowledge and teaching strategies.

CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS

THANK YOU!

WWW.BSCS.ORG

http://www.bscs.org/

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