Why and How to Teach Science

Why Teach Science?

• Science education allows students to ask questions about the natural world and provides tools to answer said questions
• Science sparks curiosity and wonder
• Science prepares students for careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), which are high paying
• Science allows appreciation of the natural world
• Learning to pay attention to detail through science education reveals a larger, more beautiful world
• When teachers are passionate about science, they can inspire excitement in their students
• Science teaches critical thinking
• Science offers methodical ways to answer questions and resolve disputes
• Science is a great driver of progress
• Science has led to advances in health and longevity
• Destabilizing climates and ecosystems is the price of scientific progress
• Science gives people agency and understanding of its power and downsides

Goals of Science Teaching

• Develop scientific attitudes and values
• Enhance skills in employing a systematic and scientific methodology
• Gain an understanding of functional knowledge
• Arouse further interests in Science-based pursuits
• Develop desirable social attitudes

Goals and Objectives

• Well-written instructional goals and objectives identify course content and structure
• Stating clear goals and objectives helps students understand what they should learn
• Once course goals are written, measurable learning objectives can be developed
• Learning objectives are narrow and discrete intentions of student performance, which can be measured and observed
• Goals articulate a global statement of intent

Important Verbs for Learning Objectives

• Calculate
• Read
• Identify
• Match
• Explain
• Translate
• Prepare

General Goals of Science (Instruction)

• According to Albert Einstein, education should produce independently thinking and acting individuals
• The eventual goal of science education is to produce individuals capable of understanding and evaluating scientific information
• Science education should produce skilled and motivated future scientists, engineers, and other science-based professionals

Nurturing Scientific Attitude

• Attitude is a feeling or emotion toward a fact or state
• Attitude is a feeling or opinion about something or someone
• Feelings, beliefs, and values held about science, school science, the impact of science and technology, or scientists define attitudes towards science
• Scientific attitude is the desire to know and understand, questioning statements, searching for data, and considering consequences
• Students develop more negative attitudes toward studying science the longer they study typical school science
• Gender is probably the most significant variable correlated to student attitudes toward science.
• The first "draw a scientist" test came about in 1957, it was developed by Margaret Mead.

Characteristics of a Good Scientist

• Curious
• Persistent
• Patient
• Courageous
• Communicative
• Open-minded and free of bias
• Critical thinkers and problem-solvers

Gamification

• Gamification introduces game principles in a learning environment to promote participation and increase motivation
• Gamification intervenes in three main areas of the individual: cognitive, emotional, and social

Inquiry-Based Science Teaching

• An inquiry-based science teaching approach encourages active student investigation of scientific ideas through experiments and problem-solving exercises
• Students participate in the inquiry process, which involves:
  • Asking questions
  • Formulating hypotheses
  • Designing experiments
  • Gathering data
  • Drawing conclusions based on supporting evidence
• Student-centered methods promote a more profound comprehension of scientific ideas and helps critical thinking skills
• The origins of inquiry-based learning come from philosophers e.g. John Dewey
• Scientists e.g. Jerome Bruner promoted discovery learning in the classroom
• Scientific attitudes grow through experiences that students discover on their own during the learning process
• Inquiry makes students believe something based on fact or empirical evidence
• Through inquiry, students can learn to respect the opinions of other students
• Students are trained to listen and respect the opinions of others as part of a social process

Formative Assessment in Inquiry-Based Teaching

• The use of formative assessment strategies is essential to inquiry-based science education
• Inquiry-based scientific instruction uses formative assessment strategies such as concept maps, diary entries, peer evaluations, and exit tickets
• These resources support learners' metacognition and reflection while assisting teachers in assessing their comprehension