Trials at the Ateneo de Manila High School

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Trials at the Ateneo de Manila
High School   Ester Estrella M. Abito,
M.Sc. Faculty, Ateneo de Manila High
School Loyola Heights, Quezon City Philippines
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• I.                   Introduction
• The inclusion of Bioethics issues in the Biology
  classes of the Ateneo de Manila High School has
  started years back.
• With the participation of the school in the
  Bioethics Education Project in July 2003, entire
  Biology classes were eventually devoted to
  Bioethics concerns using appropriate Bioethics
  chapters/ modules.
• The suitability of the Bioethics chapters used in
  the classes is based mainly on their relevance to
  the Biology curriculum currently implemented in
  the school.

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• The Ateneo de Manila High School
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• The Ateneo de Manila High School is a Filipino,
  Catholic, Jesuit, college preparatory school.
• As one of the Philippines premier Jesuit
  Schools, and as a college preparatory school of
  the Ateneo de Manila University, the Ateneo de
  Manila High School is inspired and guided by the
  philosophy behind Jesuit Education.

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• The Ateneo de Manila High School
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• The Ateneo believes that a training in liberal
  education is the means to achieve this purpose.
• An Atenean is exposed to the rich literary
  heritage of different cultures, developing habits
  of orderly thought, critical reflection,
  imaginative, clear, and persuasive communication,
  together with the rigorous mental discipline of
  mathematics and the sciences.

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IIII. Trial Classes on Bioethics Chapters
1/5 o To appreciate the facility with which the
Ateneo de Manila High School welcomed the
Bioethics project of Dr. Darryl Macer, and the
vigor of its facultys participation in the
project, it is useful to understand the schools
motto, Lux in Domino, or "Light in the
Lord. T Taken from the Holy Bible in the letter
of St. Paul to the Ephesians (58), the words
Light in the Lord capture the spirit of a way
of life which the Ateneo holds up to her sons,
as their best contribution to the work by which
God transformed the world. T Thus, the Ateneo
calls on its youth to BE that light of the Lord
in the world.
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III. Trial Classes on Bioethics Chapters
2/5   In the same vein, the Biology
faculty of the Ateneo de Manila High School,
inspired and guided by the philosophy behind
Jesuit education, embrace and implement the
Bioethics education project as a means to --
relate scientific knowledge with the students
ability to reason -- address students concerns
about ethical or social impacts of biotechnology
- present a balanced picture of risks and
benefits of alternative technologies and
develop more informed debate (Macer, 2003).
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III. Trial Classes on Bioethics Chapters
4/5 As shown on Table 1, 48 classes were
trial-tested on ten different chapters and two
integrated bioethics sessions. The Biology
faculty of the Science and Technology Department
of the Ateneo de Manila High School conducted the
Bioethics trial classes. The Bioethics
chapters that were used in the trial classes were
selected according to their relevance and
application to the current Biology curriculum.
In most cases, entire sessions of the trial
classes were devoted to the Bioethics
chapter/module.
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III. Trial Classes on Bioethics Chapters
5/5 However, despite the openness and modern
character of the Jesuit education, some topics
are considered controversial, from the
perspective of the Catholic Church, like
euthanasia and assisted reproductive
technology. For these topics, Jesuits who are
into Bioethics are willing to conduct talks to
the Biology teachers on how these topics should
be handled in class. 
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 IV.                         Classroom Strategies
1/4   Generally, entire sessions
are devoted to the contents of the Bioethics
chapter/module. Additional time for Bioethics
are in the form of extended homework and research
outside the regular class, film viewing in
previous sessions, and outbound education or
field visit, in particular, for the Ecotourism
chapter. The teachers use video material (e.g.
the movie Gattacca) as take-off point for
bioethics issues. The students view the film then
write a journal or reflection paper about the
film viewed. Additionally, current events,
like the uprooting and balling of old hardwood
trees along a major thoroughfare near the Ateneo
campus, provide good context and greater
awareness of Bioethics concerns.
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 IV.                  Classroom Strategies
2/4 Another class strategy used by the
teachers is the combination lecture - question
and answer discussion of the Bioethics chapter,
using and following the flow of information and
questions contained in the chapter. In most of
these classes, the students were given the
Bioethics chapter previously for their advanced
reading. In classes where so much interest in
a topic (e.g. assisted reproductive technology)
has been generated, an impromptu, informal debate
would ensue in class.
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 IV.            Classroom Strategies
3/4   In one instance, in the Advanced Biology
class, with some members of the schools debating
club in the class, the students asked for a
formal debate on the Bioethics topic (Genetic
Engineering). After some preparation and
further research on the topic, group reporting
was done, followed by the formal debate.
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 IV.                         Classroom Strategies
4/4   In other classes, the
students were given the Bioethics chapter in
class to be worked on in dyads, or in groups of
threes or fours as a form of cooperative
learning. Then the students respond in
written form to the questions in the chapter,
individually, or in groups. This strategy
allows greater student participation and
involvement in the discussions. Except for
some activities which entail extended time and
greater effort on the students, the teachers
generally implement the various class activities
suggested in the Bioethics chapters.
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V.    Evaluation
1/3   As evaluation for most
Bioethics sessions, the students are asked to
submit written responses and reflection pieces on
the Bioethics materials they took up in class.
The written responses, whether as homework
(done at home) or seatwork (done in class), are
graded for compliance with requirements (e.g.
list of risks and benefits), and noted for the
students stand on the various bioethics topics.

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V.    Evaluation
2/3   The views or position made
by a student on a bioethics topic is not graded
for the stance he takes, whether for or against.
Rather, the position a student takes is graded
on how well he justifies and explains his views
on the matter, and on how well he integrates
learned ethical principles into his stand.
Also, the teacher does not penalize the
student who takes an opposing stand that is
contrary to tradition or to accepted norms.
However, the teacher will try to clarify the
controversial matter with the student.
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V.    Evaluation
3/3   Another form of evaluation is when the
teachers would adopt situations and topics in the
Bioethics chapters for inclusion and use as
examination questions. (Ex. in Long Tests 50
points or more, and Periodical Examinations at
the end of the term)
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  VI.             
Insights 1/2   As a rule
and in practice, the teachers relate the Biology
lessons to actual and real-life situations in
order to make the technical and scientific
aspects of Biology more student-friendly.
Thus, the teachers find the Bioethics chapters
very helpful and useful with their true-to-life,
relevant and interesting situations and
experiences. While the teachers appreciate the
Bioethics chapters for their relevance and
true-to-life character, the teachers are also
grateful for the current and up-dated Biology
information contained in the Bioethics chapters.
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VI.               Insights
2/2   On the part
of the students, they have verbalized their
appreciation of Bioethics classes which have made
Biology more alive, personal, relevant,
enlightening and thought-provoking. The
students relate well to the real-life situations
presented to them. Some students also experience
a little of soul-searching, inward-looking, and
more in-depth analysis of issues.  
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VII.       Recommendation  In
appreciation of the relevance of the Bioethics
project, the usefulness of its materials, and in
recognition of the importance and value of
tackling Bioethics concerns in Biology classes,
the teaching of Bioethics can be mandated as an
integral and formal part of the Biology
curriculum of the Ateneo de Manila High School.
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• Thank You and Good Day!