Education 260 Fall 2008

 Science and Technology in Elementary Education

Location and Time:                           Class: Monday, 9-11:50 HUEC 226

Instructor:                                            Dr. Paul J. Bischoff                           

                                                           Professor, Science Education

Office:                                                    224 Human Ecology                                                        

                                                                Email: bischopj@oneonta.edu

                                                                Phone: 607-436-2613

Course Description: The course will use an interactive laboratory/ discussion approach, which models the teaching-learning aspects of science. Emphasizes content according to New York State Standards, constructivist methodology, and diverse student learning needs. Students will develop skills in teaching, assessment, research, technology, reflective thinking, and self-evaluation. Includes field experience.

Rationale:

 This course continues to prepare future elementary teachers to be professional, reflective teachers who understand the many forms of diversity and can effectively use that understanding to improve the learning of science in the elementary classroom. Building on their arts and sciences backgrounds, particularly courses in science, math and technology, the students in this course will develop a positive learning environment that stresses the importance of science in the elementary curriculum and classrooms and utilizes the best teaching practices currently known.  Focusing on the national need for science education reform, there will be an emphasis in this course on science content, process and methodology. Both New York State and national standards will be addressed as students reflect on their own beliefs and science learning experiences as they construct ways to fully engage elementary students in the active learning of science content and process skills. This course will also focus on professionalism in science teaching.  Finally, students in this course will be encouraged to develop a sense of empowerment and confidence in their own ability to teach elementary level science.

Course Objective and Outcomes: 

Students will be developing skills in teaching, research, evaluation, reflective thinking and self-evaluation. They will look at the areas of biology, earth and physical sciences and examine how each of these disciplines can be viewed as an integrated discipline and active part of an elementary curriculum and classroom. They will develop a portfolio of hands-on, constructive instructional strategies and plans that will help create a meaningful, positive attitude toward science. The science instructional activities, strategies and plans will be designed to enable elementary students to reach national standards in these critical content areas.

The course is designed to enable students to:

(Conceptual Framework Themes in parentheses)

1.  Demonstrate knowledge of the nature of science and the instruction and the philosophy behind the current constructive approach integrated into the national standards.  (theme 1)

2.  Demonstrate knowledge of biology, earth, and physical sciences as integrated disciplines and familiarity with these areas in elementary curriculum. (theme 1, 2)

3.  Demonstrate the development of appropriate science teaching techniques, planning, and activities that use inductive and deductive strategies involving scientific investigation, and demonstrates the ability to interpret and communicate the results of those investigations. (theme 1, 2)

4. Demonstrate knowledge of sources of science teaching ideas and materials, including web sites and technology material, and the ability to effectively use that knowledge in lesson plans and unit plans that emphasize hands - on activities. (theme 1, 2)

5.  Demonstrate application of the knowledge of teaching science by participating in class activities, field experiences, service learning projects, developing unit plans, and giving presentation and reflective essay on an observed science lesson. (theme 1, 2, 3)

6.  Appropriately apply learning and child development theories to active, meaningful instructional designs in the science lessons and unit plans. (theme 1, 2)

7. Appropriately apply knowledge of diverse learners (including special needs) in the design of science projects and activities. (theme 3)

8.  Review appropriate assessment methods to be effectively used in the science area and demonstrate the knowledge in assessment plans and activities. (theme 1, 2, 3)

9.  Demonstrate knowledge of professional organizations related to science education. (theme 1)

Course Topics:

 Major topics are:

1.  Science instruction as related to the biological, earth, physical sciences, & engineering.

2.  Technology in the classroom and instruction.

3.  New York state and National Standards in Science.

4.  Learning and child development theories and science.

5.  Diversity issues related to science instruction. 

6.  Professionalism and life-long learning.

7. Collaboration and community/school involvement.

8. Nature and Process of science.

9. Social justice and science education.

10. Current science education literature.

Instructional Methods and Activities:

1.  Traditional Experience-short lecture (minimal)/discussion, demonstrations.

2.  Clinical Experiences - simulation, lab demonstration, student presentation, teaching simulation, guided discovery, hands-on inquiry.

3.  Field Experiences - Field trips focusing on outdoor environmental science teaching; 3-week participation experience in elementary classrooms; Science Discovery Center.

Textbooks: There is 1.

Peters, J. M; Gega, P. C  (2002). Concepts and Inquiries in Elementary School Science

Goals Each student is expected to demonstrate that he or she is: 

1. Developing the knowledge, skills, and nature of reflective practice, collaborative interaction, and lifelong inquiry into the teaching and learning of science.
2. Developing his or her science-teaching efficacy.
3. Expanding his or her understanding of learners (their experiences, abilities, and beliefs), learning theory, and approaches that diverse individuals use to construct knowledge.
4. Becoming competent in locating and evaluating resources appropriate for teaching science and adapting those materials for use by students with diverse abilities and needs in a variety of settings.
5. Developing skills in instruction, communication, management, assessment, and reconfiguration (redesign) in order to plan meaningful science lessons for elementary school students.
6. Developing skills in planning and teaching lessons that reflect the National Education Standards and appropriate State standards and guidelines.
7. Becoming proficient in selecting and integrating appropriate technological tools into instruction.

As a part of your development as an educator, I encourage you to become familiar with professional publications for educators in your field.  You may find these journals/resources useful for assignments in this course: Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Science and Children, Journal of Elementary Science Education, as well as content specific education journals. In addition, you may wish to find out more about professional organizations in your field and consider becoming a member (for example, National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) student chapter).

Requirements and Points and Due Dates

1. Mini-Teaching Assignments: We will engage in peer teaching/demonstration activities to practice and critique various teaching strategies. The first lesson is due on September 17. The second lesson is due on October 8th.

2. Understanding and Assessment of "Inquiry in Elementary Science Education". 200 points.

3. Participation requirement: Details provided below. Complete during October 29 through November 16th. These will be evaluated by a rubric that is available on the class website. DUE the week of 12/1. 200 points.

 Rationale: To teach well you need to know what you know and what the children know. This project is systematically designed to help you plan to teach by analyzing the depth of your own background knowledge and how that knowledge changes through teaching and simultaneously analyzing how the thinking of children changes as a result of instruction. The task in sequence:

·  Identify and study the content coming up in the science class you are working.

·  Develop some material that will be useful in stimulating thinking on the part of the student. Think of a model of a digestive system, a solar model, a bone, a heart diagram, a decomposing log as a model of an ecosystem, a glass jar with pond or terrestrial plants or animals. Pay particular attention to how you can incorporate the local knowledge that students bring to the classroom in your lesson plan.

·  Try it on your self--conduct a self-interview. Look at it yourself and speak out loud as you explain all you know about this model. You are required to tape record yourself. Then play and transcribe the interview. Read it, study it, analyze it and write a short piece describing the depth of the topic, your readiness t teach the topic, and what you need to do to be more prepared to teach the topic. Feel free to describe anything else that came across as interesting to you as you conducted and analyzed the self-interview. You may borrow tape recorders.

·  Interview 2 students--just like you interviewed yourself. Try to choose different ability levels. Ask them to speak out loud as they tell you "all they know about the model". See if they can identify the parts and describe how the parts work together. If it is a living model, the same notions apply, see if they can describe the roles of the organisms and how they interact.

·  Briefly summarize what you learned about these 2 students as science learners from the interview. How connected or sophisticated is their thinking? Are their cognitive structures well developed or weakly developed? What are their strengths and weaknesses? Were there any similarities or differences in the interview data?

·  Teach 1-3 lessons which can be justified by what you learned from the interviews.

·  Towards the end of the experience, re-interview the same two students. Analyze the data for changes in conceptual understanding. Has your instruction been effective? How do you know that you have effectively taught them? Is there any evidence (be specific) that one or all 3 of the students learned?

·  Again interview yourself following the same procedure as in step 3 above. Write a summary comparing the changes in your understanding of the concept or topic and also address what you learned about teaching the topic. Reflect on the earlier research projects we did in class on how the science education literature relates to teaching and the experiences you had in your science teaching during this participation experience.

Submit your Project Like this: (page numbers will vary as needed--do maintain the sequence however):

Page 1: A picture and description of the model you used to stimulate discussion/thinking while conducting the interview. You may borrow the science education digital cameras.

Page 2: From the 1st self-interview, submit the actual transcript, and the self analysis as described in number 3 above.

Pages 3, 4 and 5: Submit the actual transcriptions from the 3 student interviews. Also submit your responses of what you learned about the students' understandings of this topic. (Refer back to number 5 above).

Pages 5-10: Lesson plans for the science lessons you're teaching. Remember to begin them with a justification: I am teaching this content because I learned (fill in) when interviewing the 3 students.

Pages 11-13: Post instructional interviews with the same 3 students. Again, submit the complete transcriptions of the interviews and your response as described in number 7 above.

Page 14: Finally, submit your post teaching self-interview. This is the teacher interview. This again needs to be transcribed exactly as recorded. Attach to this a summary as described in number 8 above.

4. Midterm and Final Exams on pure Science and Science Education content. 50 Points each exam.

5. Professionalism/Active Participation: Professionalism is demonstrated by actively participating in class discussions and activities, collaborating in group projects,  completing assignments on time, attending all classes, completing reading assignments, and participating in discussions in class.. Professionalism will affect your grade.

Evaluation: The following is the distributed value of the semester work that is expected of you. You will be expected to hand in work on or before the assigned date. All work will be typed. You should hand in your class copy and keep one for yourself. NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED AND THERE WILL BE NO MAKE UP WORK. Feel free to ask me any questions regarding your assignments or if you have any questions or concerns.

 Grading scale:

A    95-100                  C    73-76

A-   90-94                    C-   70-72

B+  87-89                    D+  67-69

B    83-86                    D    63-66

B-   80-82                    D-   60-62

C+  77-79                    F    Below 60