History of Science Teaching in Puerto Rico

Module 1: History of Science Teaching

• Focuses on the history of science education in Puerto Rico
• Details the evolution of the Science Program through the Department of Education.

Lesson 1: History of the Science Program

• The aim is to analyze science's role in lives and education in Puerto Rico, past and present.
• This lesson explores the history of science and the Department of Education's current curriculum.
• The module provides teaching materials for learning concepts and inclusion strategies.
• Information is geared towards the Department of Education of Puerto Rico (DEPR).

Content: Early Science Education

• Science education began in Puerto Rico under Spanish domination.
• Early educators were religious, emphasizing reading and memorization.
• Globally, science was becoming more logical, moving away from mythological explanations.
• Thales of Miletus was the first scientist to explain the world without relying on Greek mythology.
• Questioning how and why things happen is acting as a scientist.
• Scientists use data to answer questions, and empirical science involves hypotheses based on observable facts.
• Cultures worldwide have independently developed science.
• The Chinese invented paper, printing, gunpowder, and clocks.
• India had great mathematicians
• The Aztecs and Mayans were great astronomers.
• The Greeks were the first to explain the sciences systematically.

First Scientists in Puerto Rico

• Doctor Facundo Bueso was interested in popularizing scientific knowledge; he studied in Puerto Rico and was known for scientific publications.
• Doctor Agustín Stahl, born in Aguadilla and educated in Germany, was a doctor-surgeon who studied botany and zoology.
• Doctor Julio Díaz was the first to perform ovary removal on women in Puerto Rico.

19th and 20th Century Developments

• Secondary education started in Puerto Rico in the 19th century, supported by organizations like the Jesuits.
• After 1898, the education system expanded, shifting from Spanish to Americanized education.
• The Department of Public Instruction focused on teaching English and science from elementary levels.
• The use of English textbooks led to school abandonment from the third grade onwards.
• Even today, many in Puerto Rico struggle with English fluency.
• Subject supervisors were appointed to assist teachers.
• Needs studies, using various assessment tools, informed changes in teaching approaches.
• Families affected by natural disasters lacked understanding of these phenomena.
• From 1920 to 1957, science instruction involved reading about science more than discovering it.
• Memorization was key, and labs were mainly for confirmation.
• Philosopher John Dewey influenced the elementary curriculum, advocating for relevance to society.
• In 1931, a formal science program started, with a director overseeing science teaching.
• Nature and hygiene studies were replaced by elementary science curricula in the 1930s.
• Curricula were built around master units adaptable to local conditions.
• In the 1940s, science, health, and social studies were integrated around community problems, extending to the eighth grade.

Mid-20th Century Curriculum Changes.

• With elementary and secondary school organization, the curriculum was limited to the first six grades.
• General science was offered in grades seven through nine, aiming to show science's place in modern society.
• High schools offered biology, chemistry, physics, and physical science.
• Studies in the late 1950s indicated elementary science instruction needed improvement.
• The Science Program used draft guides for elementary science, following recommendations from Dr. J. Darrell Barnard's 1959 study.
• The 1960s brought significant science curriculum changes in Puerto Rico and the US.
• Elementary levels adopted a "Science: A Process Approach" to teach science as a process.
• At the intermediate level, general science was replaced by "Introduction to Science" courses.
• Biology was introduced in grade 7, chemistry in grade 8, and physics in grade 9.
• The upper-level curriculum was revised, introducing lab-focused courses like Biology:
• The Green Man, Chemistry: An Experimental Science, and Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC).
• Introductory Physical Science (IPS) and Earth Science Curriculum Project (ESCP) were also added.
• By 1974, new elementary materials balanced skills and science concepts.
• In 1976, through the Continuous School Calendar plan, secondary curricula were reorganized into 45-day units with prepared guides.
• These materials emphasized science concepts and processes across biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space sciences, and environmental science.
• In 1977, a Biology: Models and Processes course for learning-disabled biology students.
• In the 1980s, the Department of Public Instruction revised curricula, adapting new materials for all levels.
• Elementary-level revisions adapted the Investigamos en Ciencia series and created teachers' guides based on integrative principles and an exploration strategy.

1990s and Beyond

• At the start of the 1990-91 school year, the Science Program revised and reorganized upper-level curriculum options.
• Three core options (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics) were offered and high school students needed two to graduate.
• In 1996, a document establishing science curriculum standards and expectations across all levels was created.
• This reflects science curriculum's dynamic nature and the need for greater systematization.
• In 2003, the 1996 standards were revised by academic and grade level.
• Restructuring occurred in elementary levels to K-3 and 4-6, keeping the intermediate and higher levels the same.
• The goal was to promote a scientific culture that enables students to make informed decisions to protect their environment, person, and contribute to society.

2010s and 2020s Curriculum Review

• In the 2010-2011 school year, a curriculum review began, resulting in new documents such as curriculum maps and sequencing calendars.
• These documents were implemented in 2012 to deepen conceptual understanding, align work with standards, and identify appropriate activities.
• During 2013-2014, the review established curriculum maps and Content Standards & Grade Level Expectations document 2014 (Puerto Rico Core Standards, PKCS 2014).
• The Puerto Rico Core Standards 2022 (PRCS 2022) marked a new stage in curriculum review in 2021.
• It reviewed former standards with new circumstances still under the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
• This included a new standard of Environmental Science, integrated from elementary to secondary levels.
• Standards are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) academic disciplines.
• The Engineering Design standard was replaced by Engineering and Technology and science and engineering practices from elementary to secondary levels were added.
• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education was integrated.

Goals

• The main focus of the Science Program is the development of technologically progressing societies.
• The curriculum redesign promotes innovation, interdisciplinary education, research, and active learning.
• Its intended for students to develop thinking, become active knowledge sharers, and solve real-world problems.
• Emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics has become a priority.
• This promotes systemic change centered on the student and oriented to innovation, creativity, and critical thinking.
• The student is considered the center of the educational system
• The teacher is considered a facilitator of learning.
• Changes in education must respond to studies of the needs of the school population and these changes have reduced school dropouts and create better parental involvement.
• The Secretary of Education sets and directs educational policy.
• The Secretary of Education communicates policy updates through Circular Letters, which have force of law.
• This lesson covers the history of science, and spans from the arrival of the Spanish and religious educators to the present.

Lesson 2: Catalog and Curriculum

• The lesson explores the Department of Education catalog and curriculum framework.
• The aim is to be able to recognize the purpose and importance of the Curricular Framework, integration, goals, standards and horizontal and vertical alignment.
• To be able to classify curricula and identify the Integrating Principles of the Curriculum.
• The official Science Program curriculum is in Grade Level Standards and Expectations, Curriculum Maps, and the Curriculum Framework.
• Additional legal and policy documents influence curriculum implementation.
• A summary of this lesson offers links to the official Department of Education online documents.

Department of Education Catalog

• The Department of Education's General Course Catalog 2023-2027 serves as a reference for all primary and secondary schools.
• It consists of General Information, Offerings, and Review or Amendment Procedure.
• "General Information" details document structure.
• "Offerings" specifies secretariats/academic and occupational programs.
• "Review or Amendment Procedure" describes how to review/amend the catalog.

Science Curriculum in Puerto Rico

• The curriculum is based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
• The Next Generation Science Standards is framework used across several U.S. territories to advance science education.
• The curriculum focuses on developing scientific competencies via STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics).
• The Puerto Rico Department of Education (DEPR) aims to develop students with sensitivity, competence, creativity, and the ability to manage themselves.
• The Puerto Rico Department of Education (DEPR) prepares student for collective challenges.
• The Curricular Framework aims to ensure student knowledge, safety, inspiration, challenges, and empowerment, guided by the Strategic Plan 2021-2026.
• Student learning in multiple facets: "a student and graduate who knows, knows how to do, knows how to be, and knows how to live together; thus being a systemic thinker, global citizen, lifelong learner, effective communicator, entrepreneur, ethical, and active member of diverse communities"
• The Curricular Framework provides reference parameters and aligns curriculum with content standards and educational changes from the Department of Education.
• The official science curriculum is in the 2022 Grade Level Standards and Expectations, Curriculum Maps, and the Curriculum Framework.
• Additional policies influence curriculum implementation.

Alignment

• Alignment is how well curriculum components work together.
• Horizontal alignment ensures similar curriculum objectives, instruction, and assessment across the same grade throughout the system.
• Horizontal alignment in science ensures that teachers at the same grade level follow a similar timeline for specific content.
• With horizontal alignment, what’s learned in a ninth-grade science course mirrors what’s being learned at any school at the same school.
• Vertical alignment makes curriculum objectives specific, builds upon each other, ensures mastery, and increases rigor across subjects.
• When a program is vertically aligned, what is learned in one lesson prepares them for the next.
• Vertical alignment promotes structured teaching that progressively develops student knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
• It allows them to proficiently perform more complex tasks and function in a globalized society.
• The vertical alignment of the Science Program curriculum ensures that students progress through one grade and into the next, knowledge is added and increased, and new ideas are introduced.
• Horizontal and vertical science curriculum alignment eliminates unnecessary repetition, addressing learning gaps and maintains skills across grades.
• It reinforces the essential skills allowing for a clearer and more integrated subject which allows for more holistic education.
• It allows for the knowledge, skills and attitudes to build incrementally.
• Alignment allows the curriculum to build upon prior knowledge for more fluid transitions between grades, primary and secondary levels, and school, post-secondary, or work.

Scope and Use of the Curriculum Framework

• The Curriculum Framework provides core concepts, teaching strategies and assessment strategies to meet standards of the DEPR.
• As part of the teacher's role, he or she must know understand and use skills and competencies relevant to each subject.
• How it is taught needs to be considered and address individual differences in order to promote relevant and effective learning.
• The challenges of the 21st century are best met when professionals demonstrate the necessary skills to meet the needs of a global economy.
• The actions of the DEPR are aimed at developing youth that can compete with other people in the world with oral and written communication skills.
• The goal is to prepare people who can adapt, collaborate, have resilience and curiosity and can think critically and solve problems.

Integration

• Achieving the goals of the Science Program comes from facilitating development in the learning of students throughout the different grades.
• To promote the development of critical and creative thinking, the best curriculum will include content standards, mapping, and a framework.
• This should provide mechanisms to be reached throughout the educational process and promote high-quality education.
• Curricular integration is promoted to address subgroups and that students will be able to research, question and develop their own skills.
• Any connections that are made can exist between different subjects, topics, skills, abilites and values.
• In a precise sense the unificiation of all subjects is the goal.
• General approaches to curricular integration: Multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary.

Three Approaches to Interdisciplinary Integration

• Multidisciplinary: Focuses on the disciplines- when teachers organize by subject and themes.
• Interdisciplinary: When teachers organize around common teachings.
• Transdisciplinary: When teachers organize around student questions with "Project-based learning" or "Curriculum negotiation".

Vision

• Scientific and ecological awareness in students.
• Ethical and scientific thinking in problem solving.
• Promoting environment of peace, social justice and collaboration.
• Promoting technological competence.

Department of Education Science Program Levels and Standards

• UNESCO notes educational policies must be solid and coherent to build the basis of sustainable educational systems for reaching learning. Educational policy must be framed within an existing relationship.
• To see sustainable change in educational policy, it needs to be built by the government and be manifested in actions by teachers.
• It is explained that education policies transforms authority into decision making that displays transformations in the action.

Curriculum Classification

• The curriculum can be classified according to many aspects that we will detail.

Different Types of Curriculum

• Official Curriculum: Formalized by educational authorities that establishes the content, goals and standards to follow within educational institutions.
• Programmatic Curriculum: Detailed planning with strategies, methodologies and specific materials for implementation of the official curriculum.
• Instructional Curriculum: What is actually put into practice in the classroom with implementation of activities and tasks geared to fufilling objectives.
• Emerging Curriculum: Interest of te students that can modify or complement the planned curriculum.
• Hidden Curriculum: Values, attitudes and norms that students learn directly through school practices.

Integrating Principles of the Curriculum

• Interdisciplinarity: The integration of different disciplines is promoted to foster more holistic learning.
• Flexibility: The curriculum must be adaptable to the diverse realities and needs of students.
• Social Relevance: The curriculum must be connected to the current problems and challenges of society.

Curriculum Fundamentals

• Philosophical Aspects: Answers the question of what type of education and purpose education should fullfill in a given society through philosophical foundations.
• Psychological aspects: How people learn through theories like behaviorism and conductivism.
• Sociological aspects: The curriculum must take into account the social and cultural context.
• In this lesson, we have studied key aspects of the curriculum from the Puerto Rico Department of Education.

Module 2: Study of Science

• Examines epistemology and science theories.
• Recognizes attributes of science, conceptual structure, instructional theories with integration in Science Program.
• Aim is to apply theories in the development of learning activities.
• Studies how science is a curriculum and the theories used in teaching it.
• Find teaching materials containing elements to allow to include things necessary for learning in the regular course.

Content: Epistemology

• Deals with the generation, validation, and structuring of knowledge in sciences like physics, biology, chemistry, and geology.
• It looks at methods, observation experimentation and more.
• Interdisciplinary perspective refers to integrating knowledge an methods from different disciplines addressing a problem.
• Understanding how other disciplines interact such as social sciences and philosophy is useful.

Attributes of Science

• Fundamental characteristics that define scientific work such as objectivity.
• Precision, ability to make predictions, replicability of experiments, and the construction of falsifiable theories.
• In the natural sciences, these contribute to knowledge reliability.
• Scientific conceptual structure is the processes and attributes found in each discipline.
• It includes attitude toward knowledge and openness to ideas like paradigm shifts.
• The conceptual structure helps guide research.

Theories

• Should be used in other subjects can also be applied to science teaching at the K-12 level.
• Some that are recommended are: behaviorist, cognitive, constructivist, and humanistic theories.

Principles of Learning and Development

• Teaching and learning framed in student of the learning theory that each teacher creates.
• The teaching materials and strategies depend on learning theory.
• Theories address physical, psychological and social world of each student.
• Education trends are based on trends that are allegedly based on research that in reality aren't that reflective.

Behaviorism

• Is the school founded by John B. Watson to study observable behaviour in different ways.
• Launching a revolution in the way of psychology in North America in the year 1913.
• Psychology can make what individuals can achieve what they set their mind out to be.

Learning Theory

• Defined as a change in behavior that can be observed.
• Learning occurs as a result of external stimuli.
• Behavior that an individual exhibits it occurs in a result of stimuli from the environment.
• Learning is the set of behaviours reinforced by stimuli and rewards- the educator's role is to create associations.

Piaget and Vygotsky

• Their work as sparked a revolution towards North America when it comes to cognitive psychology.
• Piaget studied children and their conceptual errors promoting people who learn as blank slates.
• Vygotsky and Piaget had extraordinary influence over their development of children for the last half of the century.
• Proposes social reconstruction of knowledge as culture and social construct.

Cognitive and Constructivist Theories

• Helps individuals learn and construct scientific knowledge.
• Cognitivism focuses on internal mental processes while construnctivism is an active process that construct's personal experiences.
• Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky argue that students construct their meaning, must integrate with content of scientific ideas and social context.
• They must participate in experiments, discussing experiments and build scientific principles.
• Both have had current influence of current pedagogical methods.

Cognitive Strategy

• Adopt information such as concept maps while on the other hand cognitive structure focus on problem solving.
• May involve action learning and group discussions.
• Inquiry-based learning by designing experiments is also good.
• During this lesson one should make a concept map for the best overall learning.

Lesson 2: Normative Documents

• Studying the normative documents related to planning and teaching-learning processes of Sciences of the Department of Education of Puerto Rico, cross-cutting themes and strategies.
• Learning includes being able to relate official documents from the Puerto Rico Department of Education.
• Learning includes listing all legislation that supports the legal basis of this science program.
• The students should know cross-cutting strategies that can be implemented into their planning.

Legal Basis

• Law 85-2018, as amended, known as the "Puerto Rico Education Reform Law," allows validates teacher's teaching autonomy.
• They can adapt course skills to sociocultural and geographic profile
• Provide for special attention to students with disabilities or high academic or special abilities.
• Organize groups of students to carry out projects related to their courses.
• Article 9.01 outlines the Rights of all students who have schooling at the primary and school level.
• Including to not be discriminated in color, sex, birth or origin or religious aspects, high-quality education and fosters success.
• The student is evaluated on objective and reasonable limits established by the Department
• The student has a right to transport and other services.
• " The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Seeks to ensure the obtain all have to attain that education and have academic levels.
• Laws and more recent legislation such as to what all students should be like in public education.
• Law 51-1996 talks about the rights with people with an official disability and how to better their development.

Vision

• The vision is training a science being in a new manner.
• To train a human bring in better life and promote life values to better the life of each person.

Goals

• Focus is STEM and STREAM.
• Promoting problem solving in the scientific method.
• Next Generation Science Standards helps students and staff know the education that can be provided to help students.
• New standards are put for the current year of 2022 and those are included to each academic level.
• See the curriculum map to all areas to all levels and learning.

Cross Cutting Themes

• Equity for students and what needs to be learnt for the future.
• Project based learning helps provide a method to grow and a new method.
• There is a number of resources to get a better understanding.

Evidence Based Models

• Implementing methods to better the current education of students.
• Providing teamwork and motivation to see greater development.

Project Based Learning

• Pedagogical strategy in which students better their skills over all to respond in a number of new questions.
• This methodology helps people create project to address a new world.
• Provides better 21st century skills and promotes critical thinking in school and beyond.
• Help promote these skills provides ways for the next gen of students to achieve that much more.
• Better interpersonal and time management skills.

Cooperative learning

• Cooperative and collaborative learning is based on the idea that students learn best to achieve common goals.
• The curriculm of the new age with new ways for students to achieve and learn.
• Recent research suggest to better adapt and promote new tools effectively.

Inquiry Learning

• Approach in what students use to explore a new set of thoughts in different areas.
• Helping achieve new means for new information.

Curriculum Framework

• It is a way to transform methodologies in ways to better improve students current progress.

Key Points

• The curriculum can aim at a number of new scientific competencies in students.
• Elements of scientific culture, to help better the new area of science.