Professor Arnoldo Ventura

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by
UNDERSTANDING SCIENCE TO IMPROVE TEACHING
LEARNING

• Professor Arnoldo Ventura
• The Institute of Technological and Educational
  Research Seminar Series
• The Mico University College
• Kingston, Jamaica
• e-mail akhaleelventura_at_gmail.com
• Prepared for
• Jamaica Teachers Association
• Best Practices Conference
• International Conference
• Montego Bay

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A Definition of Science

• Science is a way of thinking that seeks to
  understand nature by deploying logical means that
  can be verified.
• It denotes the formulation of the laws of nature
  and the description of substances, events, and
  behaviors in terms sufficiently broad and
  abstract to encompass as large a set of
  situations as possible.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH

• Originates with well defined questions
• Requires a clear articulated goal
• Divides the principal problem into more
  manageable sub problems
• Guided by a specific hypothesis (questions or
  insights)

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CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCHcontd

• Accepts certain critical assumptions
• Follows a specific plan of procedure
• Requires collection, organization, analysis and
  interpretation of data
• Is helical
• Needs reporting and feedback

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FACTS ABOUT KNOWLEDGE

• Knowledge is not
• Authoritatively given
• Steadfastly right or wrong
• Obtained by rote and repetition
• Independent of context
• Easily given, bought or transferred without
  readiness of the receiver

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FACTS ABOUT KNOWLEDGE CONTD

• Knowledge is
• Deeply personal
• Relative and provisional
• Expanded mainly by the scientific method
• Not immutable, interpret according to context
• Works best in professional practice from evidence
  and not mere competence

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WHAT IS NOT RESEARCH

• 1) THE MERE GATHERING OF INFORMATION
• 2) TRANSPORTATION OF FACTS FROM ONE LOCATION TO
  ANOTHER
• 3) RUMMAGING FOR INFORMATION
• 4) FINDING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SETS OF DATA

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THE EXPERIMENTAL METHOD

• Possible influences that one factor has on
  another cause and effect
• Does so by controlling for all factors except
  those being investigated
• At beginning Experimental Group Control Group
• Experimental Group exposed/Control Group not
  exposed
• Compare Experimental Group with Control Group
• Differences due to exposure

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Qualitative Research Methods With Examples

• - Focus is on phenomena in natural settings in
  all their complexity often with
  multi-perspectives.
• All inquiries in initial stages start out in this
  way when variables are unknown, theory inadequate
  or missing, to identify whats needed to be
  studied
• case study individual, program, event studied
  in detail.
• Ethnography - detail study of an entire cultural
  group.
• Phenomenological study persons perception and
  understanding of situations
• Grounded theory study begins with data to
  develop theory.

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USEFULNESS OF THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH

• Inculcate higher thinking skills to-
• Distinguish evidence from propaganda
• Probability from certainty
• Rational belief from superstition
• Data from assertion
• Science from folklore
• Theory from dogma

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To Get Students To Enjoy Science

• Subject matter must be connected to students
  lives, innate curiosity, interests and culture.
• They must be involved in solving or designing
  solutions to multi-dimensional real world
  problems.
• Provide multi-dimensional opportunities to
  succeed.
• Values driven by knowledge and skills, more than
  grades or scores.
• Celebrated and rewarded, when learning and skills
  achieved.
• Science for all students not organized only for
  the gifted

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Aims of Science Education

• Develop citizens able to participate fully in
  economic, political and social choices in
  technology led environments.
• Provide appropriate preparations for modern work,
  innovation and competition.
• Stimulate intellectual and moral growth to help
  students develop into rational autonomous
  individuals.
• Train specialists in science, research and
  technology development.
• (Modified from the Science Council of Canada
  1989)

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FACTORS AFFECTING SCIENCE TEACHING LEARNING

• Opposing imperatives of science teaching
• Science deserves focused attention
• Idiosyncrasies affecting science
• Low levels of appreciation and support
• Academic freedom a motivator
• Poor communication
• Vertical arrangements
• Links with needs of society
• Self correction
• Outdated curricula
• Appreciation of philosophy, history,
  pervasiveness, limitations and social importance

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Reasons for Teaching Science

• 1. Personal Needs
• Utilize sciences for improving lives and for
• coping with an increasingly technological
• world.
• 2. Societal Issues
• Produce informed citizens prepared to deal with
  science related social and environmental issues.
• 3. Academic preparation
• Allow students to pursue critical thinking.
• 4. Career awareness
• Provide the nature and scope of related
  careers and jobs.

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A SHORT LIST OF INESCAPABLE GLOBAL PROBLEMS

• Global warming and coping with its effects
• Use of nuclear and other forms of energy
• Wholesomeness of genetically modified foods and
  nanotechnologies
• Bioethics of
• cloning, stem cell research
• reproductive technologies
• use of natural resources
• Effects of Religion
• Homosexuality cause and future
• Capitalism and a new economy
• Poverty, human rights and democracy
• Global security rise of intolerance

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From- UNESCO 1972 Report

• Lack of understanding of technological methods
• Makes one more and more dependent on others in
  daily life
• Narrows employment possibilities
• Increases the dangers of unrestrained uses of
  technology, e.g. in the environment and daily
  living.

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Teaching Shortfalls in the Caribbean

• Not enough quality teachers
• - with experience in research
• - knowledge of the area
• - confidence of context and history
• - ability to drawn on cultural examples
• Graduate science programs divorce from science
  teaching at primary and secondary levels.
• Flexibility to match science with student
  requirements
• Low cognizance of unfolding ST information.
• Outdated fixed curricula

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COMMON IDEAS OF SCIENCE

• IDEA OF ORDER
• Non identical things in groups
• Factors in common
• IDEA OF CAUSES
• The present influence the future
• Cause and effect
• IDEA OF CHANCE
• Chance never ruled out
• Principle of uncertainty
• Not inevitable effect but probable trend

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Responding to the Nature of Science

• Students must embrace the values and attributes
  of science honesty, probity and trust worthiness
• Reduce excessive competitiveness so students
  enjoy science
• Critical analysis more important than tests
• Patience dedication to truth
• Cooperation to present and solve problems
• Innovativeness to improve situations

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Contemporary Learning Requirements

• Simple learning by doing or copying
  insufficient
• Instead learning by
• searching
• modifying
• experimenting
• testing
• questioning
• Learning to learn
• Learning interactively and independently

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LESSONS FROM SCIENCE FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

• Centrality of science to address inter alia,
  food, water, energy, environment and behavioural
  problems by creation and innovation
• Science to respond to the needs of society
• Has active as well as passive components not a
  memory marathon
• Taught to many but practiced by a few
• No absolute immutable answers
• But self correcting limitation of human senses.

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LESSONS FROM SCIENCE FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
contd

• Short fall in preparation of teachers and
  curricula
• must be made interesting and exciting
• examples of order, discipline and respect
• academic freedom- a motivator.
• increase networking and communication
• requires a new mindset and focused attention.
• higher levels of support from leaders.

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Justifications for Teaching Science to Everyone

• Science brings news for us
• unexpected things about ourselves, the world and
  the universe.
• provides knowledge for everyday actions, for
  example, to cure and prevent diseases, keep
  order, shop wisely etc.
• confirms as fact what appears counter intuitive
  to common sense. Has to be taught not routinely
  acquired.
• Allow an intellectual base for communication.

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What To Teach In Science

• The big picture should not be compromised to
  accommodate testable details
• Taught as a social enterprise with philosophical,
  logical, cultural and geographical relevance.
• A series of life stories to inform real life
  impacts
• Practical work provides good context for learning
  
• Examples should fit culture
• A clear distinction made between science and
  technology but relationships emphasized.

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New Knowledge Economy Demands

• Skills of a practical and intellectual
  (cognitive)
• nature
• Problem solving Language
• Literacy Interactivity
• Numeracy Cooperation
• Creativity Patience
• Critical thinking Proper values and attitudes
• Analyzing Personal motivation
• Estimating Honesty
• Computing Respect
• Evaluating Ethics

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Science Is A Continuing Success Story

• There are limits to science but science works
• helps to judge between expert advice and
  misinformation.
• science affect lives no middle ground.
• scientific knowledge although universal has to
  have local components and renewed.
• Every person and country has responsibility and
  must be given opportunity
• Success must be followed and applied.

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