Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course

How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service Science Content Course

How People Learn and How People Teach: Combining the Two in an Integrated Pre-service

Science Content Course

Dr Brad Hoge and Dr Scott

Slough

Constructivism informs our view of how people learn, which in turn informs our view of how we teach science to pre-

service teachers This paper discusses the conflict, and hopefully some

resolutions, between implementing

constructivitic teaching methodologies while attempting to integrate physical science and earth science content into

a single course for pre-service

Science education has been moving

towards an inquiry based

constructivism since the early 90’s,

due to the goals and guidelines of The National Science Teachers Association (1992), The American Association for the Advancement of Science (1993), and the National Research Council

The National Science Education

Standards call for a shift in emphasis from “focusing on student acquisition

of information to focusing on student understanding and use of scientific

knowledge, ideas, and inquiry

processes” (NRC, 1996)

NSF Standards for Inquiry

Students should understand that in science:

► Investigations involve asking a question and comparing the answer to what is known

► Explanations emphasize evidence

► Explanations have logically consistent

arguments

► Investigations are repeatable by others

Constructivist views of learning provide

a theoretical framework to teachers in helping students reconstruct their own understanding through a process of

interacting with objects in the

environment and engaging in

higher-level thinking and problem solving

(Driver, Asoko, Leach, Mortimer, &

Constructivism provides the theoretical

framework for all forms of project-based

learning (Grant, 2002)

PBS pedagogy (Schneider, Krajcik, Marx, &

Soloway, 2002) assumes that students

constantly ask and refine questions; design and conduct multiple investigations; gather, analyze, interpret, and draw conclusions from data; and report findings

Scientists explore the physical world for reproducible patterns which they

represent by models and organize into theories according to laws (Hestenes, 2004)

Constructivism posits that individuals build their own knowledge and

understanding by assimilating their prior knowledge with the new

experience with which they are

confronted (Richardson, 1997)

Individuals do not obtain knowledge by internalizing it from the outside but by constructing it from within, in

interaction with the environment

(Kamii, Manning, & Manning, 1991;

Perkins, 1992; Piaget, 1969; Vygotsky, 1978)

Thus, constructivism is based on the

premise that, by reflecting on our

experiences, we construct our own

understanding of the world we live in

Learning is a process of modifying our mental models to accommodate new experiences

Research shows that students learn

science best by engaging in hands-on minds-on lessons through a inquiry

based curriculum (Abell and Bryan,

1997; Stepans, et al., 1995: Metz,

1995; Glasson, 1989)

What is often overlooked, is how

important it is to incorporate this

constructivist strategy into pre-service teacher education (Bodzin and Cates, 2003; Kelly, 2000)

Inquiry is a fundamental component of

effective science teaching and learning (Lunetta, 1997; Roth, 1995)

Inquiry-based instruction allows students

to make connections between the

classroom experience and their

personal lives

Without preparing teachers with this

learning strategy, the benefits of

inquiry-based science does not trickle down to students (Slater, et al., 1996; Stepans, et al., 1995; Michelsohn and Hawkins, 1994; Fullan and Stiege,

1991; Doyle and Ponder, 1977)

Restructuring science content courses for teachers is the logical place for

these skills to be taught, since this is where teachers learn to connect

science content to their own “special knowledge” (Marek et.al., 2003: Kelly, 2000; Shulman, 1986)

The ever-expanding knowledge base in science, new technologies for teaching and learning, high-stakes testing and increased accountability have

produced an overburdened local

curriculum in science and

mathematics (NRC, 1996)

This has led, in many instances, to an

increase in the number of courses service teachers must complete, or, an integration of content across

pre-disciplines

In particular, high stakes testing has

been widely blamed for curricula that

Therefore, science education of

pre-service teachers should utilize more

appropriate metacognitive psychology

We teach our content courses for

pre-service teachers through hands-on

research-based projects within a

constructivist ideology, as a model of

how we would like them to teach in their own classrooms

This teaching method already puts a lot of pressure on content coverage, how then

We have developed a new paradigm for teaching science, a more metacognitive constructivism

Our paradigm draws on the research into how

learning takes place as well as how it can best

be taught.

It calls for a hierarchical metacognition which

cascades through ranks and generations,

rather than just being passed on.

A more whole brain, whole body approach will

Our metacognitive approach to teaching science requires knowledge of the

history of the science, current science knowledge and practice, and theories

of explanation

E.O Wilson stated, the benefits of metaphor over analogy in teaching science is rooted

in our evolutionary past We use

metaphor to make sense of our world

Integrated science provides metaphors by relating knowledge from one field as

examples for lessons in another, such as the application of physics to earth science.

Three categories of metacognition:

► person variables – knowledge about how human beings learn and process

information (also self-knowledge of

personal strengths and weaknesses)

► task variables – knowledge about

nature of task and type of thinking skills needed to meet it

► strategy variables – knowledge of

Cognitive strategies are used to help an individual achieve a particular goal

Metacognitive strategies are used to

ensure that the goal has been

reached

Metacognitive experiences precede and

Simply providing knowledge without

experience or vice versa does not

seem to be sufficient for the

development of metacognitive control (Livingston, 1996)

The scientific process (historically and in

a philosophical perspective) is the

ultimate metacognitive strategy for

problem solving

Teach the Content Philosophically (for literacy)

Give the Teach the lesson

Constructively

Normal and Reverse

Faults

The only Conservation of

Momentum

Plate Tectonics

The only Difference Buoyancy

Heat Transfer Experiments

In the Laboratory

Heat Transfer

In the Atmosphere

Bowen’s Reaction

Series

The Rock Distillation

Careful observation means being prepared (making

predictions)

strategies into integrated science lessons (teaching for literacy)?

to integrate the earth and physical

sciences?

needs?