Analysis and Review of the Professional Development Program for Science Teachers - Research Paper Example

?Literature Review Program Overview Science Teacher Professional Development Program is an educational program that aims to incorporate the 5E educational model in teaching students in Science related topics. This program will include workshops for educators in aiding them to be trained for a more effective teaching method in their respective schools. The program also aims to sustain teachers in aiding their students for a more optimized learning while working hand in hand with textbooks. The proprietor of the program sets a 5-week training course for teachers that are modeled after the 5E’s of learning namely; Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation. By defining a structure to the program, teachers are engaged into a learning experience that they, themselves, will be reverberate in their respective schools and classrooms. The program also integrates the concept of continuing this learning process in the case of the students. The challenge is to inspire them to continually update their learning with the 5E’s of learning model after it has been imparted by the educator. The program provides a structure that extends to the classroom after the program for teacher-aimed workshops. Students are provided with a more in depth encounter with text books. Text books are then articulated by students in a personal manner which increases possibility of the comprehension of topics in textbooks. This conceptually ends in the students Science exhibit where an application of what has been learned. Literature Reference Overview The following references in this literature review include certain researches and studies that deal with learning theories and dissertations. It also includes certain resources that expound the concept of the 5E learning method which includes early development of the program, its effectiveness and applications. Other learning theories are also taken into consideration by including their principles in creating a better understanding for the Science Educational Program that is intended to be created. Learning methods are also taken into account as minor references for the literature review of the program. Articles that talk about the need for teachers to improve in their engagement with certain methods of teaching are referred in the writing of this paper. Literature Review Proper As the main point for this review, certain references regarding in depth view for the 5E Learning Model is discussed in Bybee, Taylor et. al.’s Origin, Effectiveness and Application paper of the 5E’s in learning (2006). The 5E’s stand for; Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration and Evaluation. According to Bybee (1997), the Engagement part involves how educators are to facilitate discussions for certain academic cases and lessons. This is where educators engage the students to a learning topic by asking questions that have something to do with the students’ previous knowledge of a situation. Knowledge are scanned by teacher so that previous knowledge may be reviewed and assessed by the learners and the educators alike. The Initial knowledge of a topic is discussed to identify certain cliches and information that are known by the learners beforehand. Springboard questions that would be leading the class to relating practical events that deal with the learners’ lives are highly recommended to be an effective learning experience to learners. These recommendations include activities that are indoor and outdoor in nature which leads to the second E of the learning method. Needham, et. Al (1994) also talks about the 5E method wherein The Exploration stage of the learning method invites the learners and the educators alike to embark on hands-on activities that would require beforehand preparation. These aimed to improve the comprehension of a certain Science topic that is due to be discussed. For example, if a topic that will be explored would deal with gravity and motion, an activity that would engage the students into throwing or jumping games can be prepared. This is also the stage where learners may collect new data other than prior knowledge that they have acquired. After students have researched additional information with a certain topic, they are now bound to Explain or clarify these possibilities and generate newer assumptions. The can be expressed through various mediums such as writing, art, audio-visual compilation and the like. The teacher continues to post questions for the students and retain feedback on certain discoveries of the students while also suggesting more additional ideas that are in relation to the main topic. As mentioned, this additional topics lead to Expanding of the learner’s prior knowledge. The new information caught by the students are exhibited by performing newer task descriptions. The learners now solve problems with the use of the generalizations and concepts that they have gathered in the span of the process. They may still use more creative ways in presenting these ideas by engaging in more demonstrations that require interesting activities. One of the references that was considered was Arthur Eisenkraft’s page in the book Coordinated Science. It was described how a certain lesson plan example was modeled from the 5E Learning Method in the case of designing a racecar seatbelt. The first step was to have the class converse into partners and discuss prior knowledge about seatbelts, they would report it to class as the teacher would post active questions regarding the topic. This covers the Engagement stage of the process. The class is the engaged to watch how a clay model of a racer is smashed onto the wall without the use of a seatbelt which covers the Explore part. The class is then invited to participate in creating clay figures of their own now with wires securing them. The experiment is again repeated, this time making the clay figure secured. The experiment continues with improvisations discussed as to how to make the belts more secure and durable. What has been discussed is an example of what may be expected from classes with engaged teachers who are dedicated to the 5E’s Method. In Bransford, Brown and Cocking’s writing (2000), certain renditions of this learning model included the 7E’s of learning that expands the Engage list into Elicit and Engage instead of only just having the Engage part in the list. It also adds an Extend part to the last E in the Learning process. Earlier renditions of this from the K-9 Science Program (1970) only included Exploration, Invention and Discovery stages. The Elicit stage was added before the Engaging stage since according to Bransford, et. Al (2000), people learn by first removing prior erroneous knowledge in their way of thinking before substituting it with something new. Meanwhile, to Expand the topic at the end may suggest the students to explore related topics to a discussed topic. For example, if the subject gravity was taken into surface, related topics that may deal with gravitational pull of other planets can be an extended lesson. The 5E Learning model is an example of a Linear Instructional Model wherein there are certain benchmarks that are needed to be passed from one stage unto the next. According to Bybee et. al, the origins of this educational model were inspired by the pioneer influentials such as Herbart (1901) where he writes of the importance of the coherence of ideas that organisms need to grasp a certain idea. He formulated the Herbart instructional model that proposes two main concepts in teaching. This included interest and conceptual understanding. According to him, to catch a learner’s interest is a crucial part of identifying the need of a learner to information. The social interaction with students leads a more effective way to the second idea which is formation of concepts. Another very influential proprietor of this idea is John Dewey (1910). He wrote of “How We Think” wherein he discussed the indispensible scientific traits that is widely used today. This include (1) Identifying the problem, (2) Noting conditions associated with the problem, (3) Formulating hypothesis, (4) Elaborating various solutions, (5) Testing ideas. This makes his methods based on learners’ experience the concepts that are set as he challenges reflective thinking for the students. As we can see, the pattern for the 5E Learning Method has been defined early on in the Scientific Academic field which has been improved over the years. Other learning theories that relate directly with the 5E Learning method is constructed from the Theory of Constructivism wherein sets the argument that humans are individual learners (Jean Piaget, 1967). The experiences that run even from childhood are co-related to ideas that individuals inhibit. It states how learner actively participates and come to a concept thus, including it in their personal view as a whole. This is done with their interaction in the physical world in a collaborative sense as social constructs are taken into consideration. Meanwhile, the focus that is highlighted in the previous paragraphs has been heavily focused on the history and the content of the 5E Learning Method. Minor references that talk about learning experiences also include the need of the present day educational system for quality teachers. In an article by Yarcia (2006), the educational system has been constantly challenged by the need to improve its quality. One of the factors that have greatly affected this construct is in the part of finding competitive teachers in schools. The challenge is to have teachers bring the best potential they can bring out from their students. Various countries have been reportedly suffering from deteriorating educational systems (EDCOM 1991, Philippines) with this issue of hiring competitive teachers. Thus, having engaging workshops that will include teachers to participate in programs such as these, increase their skills as educators. The program aimed for their betterment proposes an environment to advance their learning potential as well as their harnessing of the potential in their students. This may mean activities that may require outdoor exposure to the students will need to be considered in making lesson plans for models that require experience such as the proposed program for the 5E Educational Model. Doing field trips for a certain topic must be planned to optimize experiences for lessons. Other outdoor activities may also include near the school trips or just outside the classroom sessions. This integration in lessons may add to the experiential goal of the educational model as well. Teachers’ engagement with their student in hands-on activities that are related to topics bound to be discussed constructs a very effective way of imparting and improving prior knowledge in the classroom. This complements the use of already existing resources such as conventional boring textbooks. Basically, the method of having the 5E’s of learning namely; Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation aims to maximize learning experiences to students. By educating and training teachers with the same method, the concept is caught in the process. This creates an effective way of communicating lessons to students as percieved. The challenges that may be faced are the amount of engagement of the teachers, their dedication to lessons, and also their patience to deal with students personally as they closely define each of the students’ prior knowledge. This stored knowledge, if wrong must also be corrected in individual levels if the real goal of fixing erroneous stored knowledge. In conclusion, to pursue such improvements in educational methods for it to be more effective will require effort and dedication. This will require committed people to be affiliated in the whole procurement of the program. References Bransford J.D., A.L. Brown, and R.R. Cocking eds. 2000. How People Learn. Washington DC.: National Academy Press Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Enhancing Education. 2002. 6 November 2011 . Eisenkraft, Arthur. "Expanding the 5E." The Science Teacher (n.d.): 56-59. Needham, R. A., Powell, D. & Bentley, M. L. “Using Big Books in Science and Social Studies”. Paper. Toronto, Canada: Annual Meeting of the International Reading Association, 1994. Rodger W. Bybee, Joseph A. Taylor, April Gardner, Pamela Van Scotter, Janet Carlson Powell, Anne Westbrook, Nancy Landes. BSCS 5E Instructional Model: Origins, Effectiveness, and Applications. Colorado Springs: BSCS, 2006. Read More