A major focus of the current mathematics and science education reforms is on developing "literacy;" that is, helping students to understand and use the languages and ideas of mathematics and science in reasoning, communicating, and solving problems. In many ways, these standards documents are far more voluminous and complex than any scope and sequence in place in school systems today. But these documents are meant to be used as frameworks which provide guidance in education reform - they are not the definitive sources articulating to teachers how education reform must occur in their classrooms.
Our plan in this discussion is to lay out the components of mathematics and science literacy as set down in the major reform documents and then, using selected how-to articles, to show how strategies and activities tried by math and science teachers have been used, or can be used, to promote math and science literacy among students. For pragmatic reasons only, our discussions often focus either on mathematics or science reform recommendations and examples. In doing this, we do not mean to imply that the elements of literacy in these disciplines are somehow separate or different. In fact, the separate discussions show how both the mathematics and science education communities, coming from different directions at different points in time, independently arrived at similar positions and many of the same recommendations regarding the ideas of literacy.
In support of this discussion of the components of literacy, we also provide samples of resources, materials, and services that teachers might find useful in promoting mathematics and science literacy in their classrooms. The how-to articles are meant to be quick-reads that can be applied or adapted to classrooms directly. These articles are included to make it easier to decide which ones might be of special interest. Other articles and documents are intended as sources of a more general background. These documents provide some of the research bases and rationales behind some of the reform recommendations. Finally, we have included other references and information on databases which are not directly cited in the discussion but might prove valuable as additional sources of classroom ideas.
During the last decade, the mathematics education community appeared to lack clear focus and a sense of direction. Although many conferences were held, papers written, and reports produced, there was not a general consensus regarding which direction mathematics education should head.
The Standards offer an organization of important mathematical topics and abilities by grade-level groups (Kindergarten - grade 4, grades 5 - 8, and grades 9 - 12). Throughout the Standards the emphasis is: "knowing" mathematics is "doing" mathematics.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/monitoring-the-status-of-students-journey-towards-science-and-mathematics-literacy/
The Idea Of A Coherent Curriculum For Mathematics And Sciencenoblex1
Today we are awash in reports and recommendations, commissions and boards, standards and frameworks all striving to improve American education across the curriculum, and especially in science, mathematics, and technology. From those various sources, several common themes emerge: a belief in the importance of powerful ideas that provide all students with true scientific and mathematical literacy, ideas that enable them to use, not merely possess, knowledge; an emphasis on significant, ambitious content embedded in contexts that are meaningful to the students; and a recognition of the connections that permeate the disciplines and that link them one to another.
When it comes to mathematics and science, virtually no one contests the assertion that the fields are closely related. Statements like "mathematics is the language of science" and "science provides real-life applications of mathematics" have become educational cliches. Yet what we say and what we implement in our educational programs frequently bear little resemblance to one another.
Yet we have perpetuated an educational system in which mathematics and science are as separated from each other as they are from history, literature, the arts, or any other part of the curriculum. It is from this milieu that the cries for reform arise, cries that include a crescendo of voices calling for connection, integration, application, unification, alignment, and a litany of similar "innovations." The mathematics and the science education communities are, more often than not, closely allied in this quest for literacy, although they may express their goals in slightly different terms.
Throughout history, science and mathematics have long enjoyed a symbiotic relationship: mathematics provides the analytic tools and theoretical models upon which science depends while science brings forth interesting problems and applications that contribute to an understanding and appreciation of mathematics. The intrinsic relationship between mathematics and science needs to be made explicit in our educational programs, or we shall fail to achieve our goals in either field. Our challenge becomes one of shaping learning experiences that reflect the spirit and value of science and mathematics and that respect the subject matter of both science and mathematics while at the same time building a common core of understanding that strengthens students' knowledge, appreciation, and power to do science and mathematics.
To achieve the outcomes put forth in the current vision of educational reform will require an environment for learning science and mathematics that redefines our expectations for students and teachers, the ways in which we teach the subjects, and the means by which we evaluate success. It also requires that we clarify what it is that we mean by "integration."
Source: https://ebookscheaper.com/2022/04/12/the-idea-of-a-coherent-curriculum-for-mathematics-and-science/
Research In Science Education Utilizes The Full Range Of Investigative Methodsnoblex1
While our understanding of the process of teaching, learning, and schooling has improved recently, more must be accomplished. Rapid societal changes are necessitating that we construct a new image of the process of schooling in general, and the process of teaching and learning science in particular.
An interdisciplinary cadre of researchers and educators is building an infrastructure from which new themes for research in science education are emerging.
Our research agenda must embrace collaboration and relevancy around a vision that celebrates not what is, but what can be!
A new image of the role of the teacher is emerging as well. In addition to possessing discipline specific knowledge and knowledge about effective pedagogy, teachers must be afforded the time to share ideas with colleagues, participate in professional development, and inquire about teaching and learning. Teachers must be active, reflective practitioners who engage in constructing a curriculum to enhance the development of all students. Similarly, science education research ought to be relevant and should inform the practice of science teaching. Research on teaching and learning should contribute new insights for both practice and future research.
Fundamentally, we believe that research should guide and inform policy formation and decision-making regarding science teaching, preschool through college. We wish to clarify the breadth of research and to identify key issues. Moreover, we wish to warn against policies and decisions governed by marketing concerns rather than by systematic study or reasoned analysis or information important to teachers.
A realistic view of the scientific enterprise is paramount both to the success of research on science teaching and as a goal for students studying science. For example, traditional science experiences often result in students constructing a distorted view of the scientific enterprise. Students believe that: (a) science is a collection of facts to be memorized, (b) all the information in the science textbook is true, (c) the sum total of scientific knowledge is known, (d) science is a quantitative, value-free, empirical discipline. Moreover, students often fail to understand that: (a) science proceeds by fits and starts, (b) ideas based on evidence are still fallible, (c) scientific ideas are enhanced through a process of sharing, negotiation, and consensus building, and (d) continual inquiry is a fundamental attribute of the scientific enterprise. Today's science is more accurately portrayed as a value-laden discipline in which there are moral and ethical dimensions. The changing nature and ethos of science has led to the acceptance of more diverse investigative methods.
Research in science education utilizes the full range of investigative methods, embracing quantitative research.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/research-in-science-education-utilizes-the-full-range-of-investigative-methods/
The concept of a cognitive apprenticeship can be successfully applied to early childhood instruction. An ongoing priority for American education is the systemic reform of urban schools to better meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. One general recommendation from policymakers is that school reform efforts target the early education of young children through the design and implementation of effective, responsive curricula.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/an-ongoing-priority-for-american-education/
All Students Can Learn And Should Be Presented The Opportunity To Learnnoblex1
The current reform movement in the United States began in the 1990s and has manifested itself as a standards movement. It is a movement to establish state and national frameworks, to which local school districts are encouraged to link their efforts to implement local standards. The linchpin that holds together the standards framework is that they are rigorous; voluntary, in that states and localities decide whether or not to use them; and flexible, in that states and localities can decide which strategies are best for their own schools.
Today, virtually every state in the nation has gone about the business of articulating standards, revising curricular offerings, and developing assessments to measure whether the standards are being met. At the national level, initiatives by the federal government and national organizations have been joined in an effort to produce a comprehensive and coherent standards movement. Currently, many national professional organizations have developed or are in the process of developing national standards for their particular subject areas. States have connected to these efforts on numerous fronts.
The current movement has focused primarily on three types of standards: 1) content or curriculum standards; 2) performance or accountability standards; and 3) capacity or delivery standards (also referred to as opportunity-to-learn standards). The three types of standards are linked - one will not succeed without the other two.
The purpose of this paper is four-fold: First, we define "students of diverse needs and cultures" and the "standards movement." Second, we address specific initiatives of current reform efforts in progress in mathematics and science education. Third, we discuss critical issues related to the successful implementation of mathematics and science standards (i.e., teachers professional development, technological advancements, opportunity-to-learn standards, school organization, and assessments.) Fourth, we suggest references to be used as curriculum materials, how-to articles of use to teachers in the classroom, and seminal research and philosophical literature related to mathematics and science reform initiatives.
Who Are Students of Diverse Needs and Cultures?
American society has haltingly come to understand itself as being culturally diverse and pluralistic. Schools, public schools in particular, mirror what our society will look like in the 21st Century. The culture of schools and the capacity of teachers to implement standards and other initiatives are indispensable elements in the effort to reform mathematics and science education.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/all-students-can-learn-and-should-be-presented-the-opportunity-to-learn/
The Idea Of A Coherent Curriculum For Mathematics And Sciencenoblex1
Today we are awash in reports and recommendations, commissions and boards, standards and frameworks all striving to improve American education across the curriculum, and especially in science, mathematics, and technology. From those various sources, several common themes emerge: a belief in the importance of powerful ideas that provide all students with true scientific and mathematical literacy, ideas that enable them to use, not merely possess, knowledge; an emphasis on significant, ambitious content embedded in contexts that are meaningful to the students; and a recognition of the connections that permeate the disciplines and that link them one to another.
When it comes to mathematics and science, virtually no one contests the assertion that the fields are closely related. Statements like "mathematics is the language of science" and "science provides real-life applications of mathematics" have become educational cliches. Yet what we say and what we implement in our educational programs frequently bear little resemblance to one another.
Yet we have perpetuated an educational system in which mathematics and science are as separated from each other as they are from history, literature, the arts, or any other part of the curriculum. It is from this milieu that the cries for reform arise, cries that include a crescendo of voices calling for connection, integration, application, unification, alignment, and a litany of similar "innovations." The mathematics and the science education communities are, more often than not, closely allied in this quest for literacy, although they may express their goals in slightly different terms.
Throughout history, science and mathematics have long enjoyed a symbiotic relationship: mathematics provides the analytic tools and theoretical models upon which science depends while science brings forth interesting problems and applications that contribute to an understanding and appreciation of mathematics. The intrinsic relationship between mathematics and science needs to be made explicit in our educational programs, or we shall fail to achieve our goals in either field. Our challenge becomes one of shaping learning experiences that reflect the spirit and value of science and mathematics and that respect the subject matter of both science and mathematics while at the same time building a common core of understanding that strengthens students' knowledge, appreciation, and power to do science and mathematics.
To achieve the outcomes put forth in the current vision of educational reform will require an environment for learning science and mathematics that redefines our expectations for students and teachers, the ways in which we teach the subjects, and the means by which we evaluate success. It also requires that we clarify what it is that we mean by "integration."
Source: https://ebookscheaper.com/2022/04/12/the-idea-of-a-coherent-curriculum-for-mathematics-and-science/
Research In Science Education Utilizes The Full Range Of Investigative Methodsnoblex1
While our understanding of the process of teaching, learning, and schooling has improved recently, more must be accomplished. Rapid societal changes are necessitating that we construct a new image of the process of schooling in general, and the process of teaching and learning science in particular.
An interdisciplinary cadre of researchers and educators is building an infrastructure from which new themes for research in science education are emerging.
Our research agenda must embrace collaboration and relevancy around a vision that celebrates not what is, but what can be!
A new image of the role of the teacher is emerging as well. In addition to possessing discipline specific knowledge and knowledge about effective pedagogy, teachers must be afforded the time to share ideas with colleagues, participate in professional development, and inquire about teaching and learning. Teachers must be active, reflective practitioners who engage in constructing a curriculum to enhance the development of all students. Similarly, science education research ought to be relevant and should inform the practice of science teaching. Research on teaching and learning should contribute new insights for both practice and future research.
Fundamentally, we believe that research should guide and inform policy formation and decision-making regarding science teaching, preschool through college. We wish to clarify the breadth of research and to identify key issues. Moreover, we wish to warn against policies and decisions governed by marketing concerns rather than by systematic study or reasoned analysis or information important to teachers.
A realistic view of the scientific enterprise is paramount both to the success of research on science teaching and as a goal for students studying science. For example, traditional science experiences often result in students constructing a distorted view of the scientific enterprise. Students believe that: (a) science is a collection of facts to be memorized, (b) all the information in the science textbook is true, (c) the sum total of scientific knowledge is known, (d) science is a quantitative, value-free, empirical discipline. Moreover, students often fail to understand that: (a) science proceeds by fits and starts, (b) ideas based on evidence are still fallible, (c) scientific ideas are enhanced through a process of sharing, negotiation, and consensus building, and (d) continual inquiry is a fundamental attribute of the scientific enterprise. Today's science is more accurately portrayed as a value-laden discipline in which there are moral and ethical dimensions. The changing nature and ethos of science has led to the acceptance of more diverse investigative methods.
Research in science education utilizes the full range of investigative methods, embracing quantitative research.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/research-in-science-education-utilizes-the-full-range-of-investigative-methods/
The concept of a cognitive apprenticeship can be successfully applied to early childhood instruction. An ongoing priority for American education is the systemic reform of urban schools to better meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. One general recommendation from policymakers is that school reform efforts target the early education of young children through the design and implementation of effective, responsive curricula.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/an-ongoing-priority-for-american-education/
All Students Can Learn And Should Be Presented The Opportunity To Learnnoblex1
The current reform movement in the United States began in the 1990s and has manifested itself as a standards movement. It is a movement to establish state and national frameworks, to which local school districts are encouraged to link their efforts to implement local standards. The linchpin that holds together the standards framework is that they are rigorous; voluntary, in that states and localities decide whether or not to use them; and flexible, in that states and localities can decide which strategies are best for their own schools.
Today, virtually every state in the nation has gone about the business of articulating standards, revising curricular offerings, and developing assessments to measure whether the standards are being met. At the national level, initiatives by the federal government and national organizations have been joined in an effort to produce a comprehensive and coherent standards movement. Currently, many national professional organizations have developed or are in the process of developing national standards for their particular subject areas. States have connected to these efforts on numerous fronts.
The current movement has focused primarily on three types of standards: 1) content or curriculum standards; 2) performance or accountability standards; and 3) capacity or delivery standards (also referred to as opportunity-to-learn standards). The three types of standards are linked - one will not succeed without the other two.
The purpose of this paper is four-fold: First, we define "students of diverse needs and cultures" and the "standards movement." Second, we address specific initiatives of current reform efforts in progress in mathematics and science education. Third, we discuss critical issues related to the successful implementation of mathematics and science standards (i.e., teachers professional development, technological advancements, opportunity-to-learn standards, school organization, and assessments.) Fourth, we suggest references to be used as curriculum materials, how-to articles of use to teachers in the classroom, and seminal research and philosophical literature related to mathematics and science reform initiatives.
Who Are Students of Diverse Needs and Cultures?
American society has haltingly come to understand itself as being culturally diverse and pluralistic. Schools, public schools in particular, mirror what our society will look like in the 21st Century. The culture of schools and the capacity of teachers to implement standards and other initiatives are indispensable elements in the effort to reform mathematics and science education.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/all-students-can-learn-and-should-be-presented-the-opportunity-to-learn/
This course is designed to introduce both traditional and innovative approaches/strategies in teaching science for Master students engaging in the field of teaching developing a scientific literacy through learning the strategies in reading and writing as one of the component for students in learning science as they organized each thoughts in a scientific ways, communicate ideas, and share information with fidelity and clarity, to read and listen with understanding. Integration of STEM – infusing through teaching approach as a model integrating all content areas in the way that provides rich meaningful experience for students. Explore the practical implications of cognitive science for classroom assessments, motivating student effort and designing learner – centered circular units.
College Essay Examples - 9+ in PDF | Examples. College Essay: Example essay about education. 001 Philosophy Of Education Essay Example On L ~ Thatsnotus. School essay: Essay on role of education. Argumentative Essay | PDF | Higher Education | Government. 010 Essay Example On Free Education Essays College Importance Of Should ....
Schools Essay | Essay on Schools for Students and Children in English .... High School Essay - 10+ Examples, Format, Pdf | Examples. Definition Essay: School life essay. 005 High School Essay Samples Example ~ Thatsnotus. Essay for high school - College Homework Help and Online Tutoring.. 002 Essay Example Sample High School Admission Essays Writing Prompts .... 022 Community Essay Sample Service Learning Example Ta Student Essays .... 007 My School Essay Example ~ Thatsnotus. School Uniform Persuasive Essay – Telegraph. School essay help. Middle School Essay Writing Help for Your Homeschool. College Essay: High school essays samples.
Running head Research Implementation Plan7October 28In.docxjoellemurphey
Running head: Research Implementation Plan
7
October 28
In 1-2 paragraphs, describe your current research question or thesis statement, and how it is relevant to your educational setting.
My current research question involves motivation of students through technology. I want to know if technology 1) increases the motivation for math students in their desire to learn and 2) if they perform better academically with technology integrated into the curriculum. It seems that the first part of my research will be subjective and the second part objective. In my head they blend together nicely as proof-through-research of the advantages (or not) of utilizing technology in teaching mathematics. I have reasons for wanting to gain data on this. Primarily, I believe that the lives of our 21st century students will be inundated with technology for practical use. No longer will technology be used for social networking or game playing. Instead, I anticipate that the future holds uses for technology in business which we currently cannot imagine. The students in my classroom already think in terms of how to use technology not only for simple research, but also in presentations and demonstrations of their knowledge. I know that even at the kindergarten level, the use of computers is becoming more and more popular since set-up time is immediate, colors and shapes are perfect and educational games can be played by two (for a nice interpersonal approach).
A concern about measuring the improved academic performance is that we are using new world technology up against old school testing. I am going to be looking for situations where technology is being used above and beyond arithmetic answers to see how it is being perceived as assisting in the theory and application of mathematics, rather than just doing the mechanics. I am well aware of the standardized tests that my students will face, and that they are not designed for technology assistance. Perhaps I am looking at the next wave of educational improvement. The pendulum swings slowly in education. Preparing my students for their 21st century lives and at the same time preparing them to pass a standardized test from my 20th century life is the challenge I face in my classroom. Through research (with positive results), I like to think that I will be a step ahead when the day comes and technology is properly insinuated into the math curriculum.
November 1
My topic of research is: Are students better motivated and do they perform better academically when allowed to learn mathematics through the use of technology.
1. Developing and Validating a Reliable TPACK Instrument for Secondary Mathematics Preservice Teachers
J. Zelkowski, J. Gleason, D. C. Cox, & S. Bismarck
Vocabulary:
TPACK - The specialized knowledge that teachers require to effectively integrate technology into teaching practices is currently referred to as technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK)
PSTs’ - preservice teachers’ (P ...
Running Head New Curriculum2New Curriculum 2.docxjeanettehully
Running Head: New Curriculum 2
New Curriculum 2
Curriculum Foundations
Student’s Name:
Anthony Tyler
Instructor:
Professor Brian Stark
Date:
February 16, 2020
Introduction
Curriculum proposal planning is entailing the making of several choices. There are three basics of curriculum, which is knowledge, learner, as well as society and should be put into consideration. Each of the three factors should be equally considered when coming up with a proposal of a curriculum. The foundations of the curriculum are plating a crucial role in the planning of the curriculum alongside shaping and influencing the mind of individuals developing a curriculum (McNeil & Thompson, n.d., p. 66). The curriculum is categorized under three categories which psychology, philosophy, as well as sociology, which affect the way developers, do plan curriculum and the curriculum development process. This paper is a proposal that is to be used for a newly established curriculum that is outlined on various curriculum foundation areas towards meeting the new state of standards that are created alongside coming up with an improvement to the school that is selected. Gold Elementary school will be the school chosen for this assignment, whereby the proposed new curriculum will be developed. The paper will begin by summarizing aspects that are submitted from the task that is describing a specific curriculum area regarding the pilot project as well as the core instructional goals to be used for the curriculum. The paper will also be describing various curriculum development approaches which are used alongside the theoretical methods as well as psychological strategies that are in line with the essential instructional goals of the planned curriculum. Similar, cultural influences that are significantly impacting the selected school alongside the effective ways of integrating my planned curriculum with the cultural influences. The paper will summarize by outlining the strategies I have developed to have critical thinking skills incorporated into my proposed plan by the use of “Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives” not forgetting their rationales that are corresponding (AHN, 2017, p. 107).
Area of Target and Type of Curriculum Education
The pilot curriculum that is proposed is planning to incorporate STEAM Education in all the grade students to grade five students in Gold Elementary School. STEAM education is consisting of disciplines like science, technology, engineering, art as well as mathematics. STEAM knowledge is crucial in keeping the students with technology alongside ensuring that they are engaged in the process of active learning. The STEAM knowledge is also useful in transforming ideas that are new into the best innovation and inventions as well as making the students more innovative. The proposed curriculum is using the concepts as well as approaches that entail enhancing the curiosity, exploration, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration of the ...
Running Head New Curriculum2New Curriculum 2.docxglendar3
Running Head: New Curriculum 2
New Curriculum 2
Curriculum Foundations
Student’s Name:
Anthony Tyler
Instructor:
Professor Brian Stark
Date:
February 16, 2020
Introduction
Curriculum proposal planning is entailing the making of several choices. There are three basics of curriculum, which is knowledge, learner, as well as society and should be put into consideration. Each of the three factors should be equally considered when coming up with a proposal of a curriculum. The foundations of the curriculum are plating a crucial role in the planning of the curriculum alongside shaping and influencing the mind of individuals developing a curriculum (McNeil & Thompson, n.d., p. 66). The curriculum is categorized under three categories which psychology, philosophy, as well as sociology, which affect the way developers, do plan curriculum and the curriculum development process. This paper is a proposal that is to be used for a newly established curriculum that is outlined on various curriculum foundation areas towards meeting the new state of standards that are created alongside coming up with an improvement to the school that is selected. Gold Elementary school will be the school chosen for this assignment, whereby the proposed new curriculum will be developed. The paper will begin by summarizing aspects that are submitted from the task that is describing a specific curriculum area regarding the pilot project as well as the core instructional goals to be used for the curriculum. The paper will also be describing various curriculum development approaches which are used alongside the theoretical methods as well as psychological strategies that are in line with the essential instructional goals of the planned curriculum. Similar, cultural influences that are significantly impacting the selected school alongside the effective ways of integrating my planned curriculum with the cultural influences. The paper will summarize by outlining the strategies I have developed to have critical thinking skills incorporated into my proposed plan by the use of “Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives” not forgetting their rationales that are corresponding (AHN, 2017, p. 107).
Area of Target and Type of Curriculum Education
The pilot curriculum that is proposed is planning to incorporate STEAM Education in all the grade students to grade five students in Gold Elementary School. STEAM education is consisting of disciplines like science, technology, engineering, art as well as mathematics. STEAM knowledge is crucial in keeping the students with technology alongside ensuring that they are engaged in the process of active learning. The STEAM knowledge is also useful in transforming ideas that are new into the best innovation and inventions as well as making the students more innovative. The proposed curriculum is using the concepts as well as approaches that entail enhancing the curiosity, exploration, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration of the.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
This course is designed to introduce both traditional and innovative approaches/strategies in teaching science for Master students engaging in the field of teaching developing a scientific literacy through learning the strategies in reading and writing as one of the component for students in learning science as they organized each thoughts in a scientific ways, communicate ideas, and share information with fidelity and clarity, to read and listen with understanding. Integration of STEM – infusing through teaching approach as a model integrating all content areas in the way that provides rich meaningful experience for students. Explore the practical implications of cognitive science for classroom assessments, motivating student effort and designing learner – centered circular units.
College Essay Examples - 9+ in PDF | Examples. College Essay: Example essay about education. 001 Philosophy Of Education Essay Example On L ~ Thatsnotus. School essay: Essay on role of education. Argumentative Essay | PDF | Higher Education | Government. 010 Essay Example On Free Education Essays College Importance Of Should ....
Schools Essay | Essay on Schools for Students and Children in English .... High School Essay - 10+ Examples, Format, Pdf | Examples. Definition Essay: School life essay. 005 High School Essay Samples Example ~ Thatsnotus. Essay for high school - College Homework Help and Online Tutoring.. 002 Essay Example Sample High School Admission Essays Writing Prompts .... 022 Community Essay Sample Service Learning Example Ta Student Essays .... 007 My School Essay Example ~ Thatsnotus. School Uniform Persuasive Essay – Telegraph. School essay help. Middle School Essay Writing Help for Your Homeschool. College Essay: High school essays samples.
Running head Research Implementation Plan7October 28In.docxjoellemurphey
Running head: Research Implementation Plan
7
October 28
In 1-2 paragraphs, describe your current research question or thesis statement, and how it is relevant to your educational setting.
My current research question involves motivation of students through technology. I want to know if technology 1) increases the motivation for math students in their desire to learn and 2) if they perform better academically with technology integrated into the curriculum. It seems that the first part of my research will be subjective and the second part objective. In my head they blend together nicely as proof-through-research of the advantages (or not) of utilizing technology in teaching mathematics. I have reasons for wanting to gain data on this. Primarily, I believe that the lives of our 21st century students will be inundated with technology for practical use. No longer will technology be used for social networking or game playing. Instead, I anticipate that the future holds uses for technology in business which we currently cannot imagine. The students in my classroom already think in terms of how to use technology not only for simple research, but also in presentations and demonstrations of their knowledge. I know that even at the kindergarten level, the use of computers is becoming more and more popular since set-up time is immediate, colors and shapes are perfect and educational games can be played by two (for a nice interpersonal approach).
A concern about measuring the improved academic performance is that we are using new world technology up against old school testing. I am going to be looking for situations where technology is being used above and beyond arithmetic answers to see how it is being perceived as assisting in the theory and application of mathematics, rather than just doing the mechanics. I am well aware of the standardized tests that my students will face, and that they are not designed for technology assistance. Perhaps I am looking at the next wave of educational improvement. The pendulum swings slowly in education. Preparing my students for their 21st century lives and at the same time preparing them to pass a standardized test from my 20th century life is the challenge I face in my classroom. Through research (with positive results), I like to think that I will be a step ahead when the day comes and technology is properly insinuated into the math curriculum.
November 1
My topic of research is: Are students better motivated and do they perform better academically when allowed to learn mathematics through the use of technology.
1. Developing and Validating a Reliable TPACK Instrument for Secondary Mathematics Preservice Teachers
J. Zelkowski, J. Gleason, D. C. Cox, & S. Bismarck
Vocabulary:
TPACK - The specialized knowledge that teachers require to effectively integrate technology into teaching practices is currently referred to as technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK)
PSTs’ - preservice teachers’ (P ...
Running Head New Curriculum2New Curriculum 2.docxjeanettehully
Running Head: New Curriculum 2
New Curriculum 2
Curriculum Foundations
Student’s Name:
Anthony Tyler
Instructor:
Professor Brian Stark
Date:
February 16, 2020
Introduction
Curriculum proposal planning is entailing the making of several choices. There are three basics of curriculum, which is knowledge, learner, as well as society and should be put into consideration. Each of the three factors should be equally considered when coming up with a proposal of a curriculum. The foundations of the curriculum are plating a crucial role in the planning of the curriculum alongside shaping and influencing the mind of individuals developing a curriculum (McNeil & Thompson, n.d., p. 66). The curriculum is categorized under three categories which psychology, philosophy, as well as sociology, which affect the way developers, do plan curriculum and the curriculum development process. This paper is a proposal that is to be used for a newly established curriculum that is outlined on various curriculum foundation areas towards meeting the new state of standards that are created alongside coming up with an improvement to the school that is selected. Gold Elementary school will be the school chosen for this assignment, whereby the proposed new curriculum will be developed. The paper will begin by summarizing aspects that are submitted from the task that is describing a specific curriculum area regarding the pilot project as well as the core instructional goals to be used for the curriculum. The paper will also be describing various curriculum development approaches which are used alongside the theoretical methods as well as psychological strategies that are in line with the essential instructional goals of the planned curriculum. Similar, cultural influences that are significantly impacting the selected school alongside the effective ways of integrating my planned curriculum with the cultural influences. The paper will summarize by outlining the strategies I have developed to have critical thinking skills incorporated into my proposed plan by the use of “Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives” not forgetting their rationales that are corresponding (AHN, 2017, p. 107).
Area of Target and Type of Curriculum Education
The pilot curriculum that is proposed is planning to incorporate STEAM Education in all the grade students to grade five students in Gold Elementary School. STEAM education is consisting of disciplines like science, technology, engineering, art as well as mathematics. STEAM knowledge is crucial in keeping the students with technology alongside ensuring that they are engaged in the process of active learning. The STEAM knowledge is also useful in transforming ideas that are new into the best innovation and inventions as well as making the students more innovative. The proposed curriculum is using the concepts as well as approaches that entail enhancing the curiosity, exploration, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration of the ...
Running Head New Curriculum2New Curriculum 2.docxglendar3
Running Head: New Curriculum 2
New Curriculum 2
Curriculum Foundations
Student’s Name:
Anthony Tyler
Instructor:
Professor Brian Stark
Date:
February 16, 2020
Introduction
Curriculum proposal planning is entailing the making of several choices. There are three basics of curriculum, which is knowledge, learner, as well as society and should be put into consideration. Each of the three factors should be equally considered when coming up with a proposal of a curriculum. The foundations of the curriculum are plating a crucial role in the planning of the curriculum alongside shaping and influencing the mind of individuals developing a curriculum (McNeil & Thompson, n.d., p. 66). The curriculum is categorized under three categories which psychology, philosophy, as well as sociology, which affect the way developers, do plan curriculum and the curriculum development process. This paper is a proposal that is to be used for a newly established curriculum that is outlined on various curriculum foundation areas towards meeting the new state of standards that are created alongside coming up with an improvement to the school that is selected. Gold Elementary school will be the school chosen for this assignment, whereby the proposed new curriculum will be developed. The paper will begin by summarizing aspects that are submitted from the task that is describing a specific curriculum area regarding the pilot project as well as the core instructional goals to be used for the curriculum. The paper will also be describing various curriculum development approaches which are used alongside the theoretical methods as well as psychological strategies that are in line with the essential instructional goals of the planned curriculum. Similar, cultural influences that are significantly impacting the selected school alongside the effective ways of integrating my planned curriculum with the cultural influences. The paper will summarize by outlining the strategies I have developed to have critical thinking skills incorporated into my proposed plan by the use of “Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives” not forgetting their rationales that are corresponding (AHN, 2017, p. 107).
Area of Target and Type of Curriculum Education
The pilot curriculum that is proposed is planning to incorporate STEAM Education in all the grade students to grade five students in Gold Elementary School. STEAM education is consisting of disciplines like science, technology, engineering, art as well as mathematics. STEAM knowledge is crucial in keeping the students with technology alongside ensuring that they are engaged in the process of active learning. The STEAM knowledge is also useful in transforming ideas that are new into the best innovation and inventions as well as making the students more innovative. The proposed curriculum is using the concepts as well as approaches that entail enhancing the curiosity, exploration, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration of the.
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Monitoring The Status Of Students' Journey Towards Science And Mathematics Literacy
1. Monitoring The Status Of Students' Journey Towards
Science And Mathematics Literacy
A major focus of the current mathematics and science education reforms is on
developing "literacy;" that is, helping students to understand and use the
languages and ideas of mathematics and science in reasoning, communicating,
and solving problems. In many ways, these standards documents are far more
voluminous and complex than any scope and sequence in place in school systems
today. But these documents are meant to be used as frameworks which provide
guidance in education reform - they are not the definitive sources articulating to
teachers how education reform must occur in their classrooms.
Our plan in this discussion is to lay out the components of mathematics and
science literacy as set down in the major reform documents and then, using
selected how-to articles, to show how strategies and activities tried by math and
science teachers have been used, or can be used, to promote math and science
literacy among students. For pragmatic reasons only, our discussions often focus
either on mathematics or science reform recommendations and examples. In
doing this, we do not mean to imply that the elements of literacy in these
2. disciplines are somehow separate or different. In fact, the separate discussions
show how both the mathematics and science education communities, coming
from different directions at different points in time, independently arrived at
similar positions and many of the same recommendations regarding the ideas of
literacy.
In support of this discussion of the components of literacy, we also provide
samples of resources, materials, and services that teachers might find useful in
promoting mathematics and science literacy in their classrooms. The how-to
articles are meant to be quick-reads that can be applied or adapted to classrooms
directly. These articles are included to make it easier to decide which ones might
be of special interest. Other articles and documents are intended as sources of a
more general background. These documents provide some of the research bases
and rationales behind some of the reform recommendations. Finally, we have
included other references and information on databases which are not directly
cited in the discussion but might prove valuable as additional sources of
classroom ideas.
During the last decade, the mathematics education community appeared to lack
clear focus and a sense of direction. Although many conferences were held,
papers written, and reports produced, there was not a general consensus
regarding which direction mathematics education should head.
The Standards offer an organization of important mathematical topics and
abilities by grade-level groups (Kindergarten - grade 4, grades 5 - 8, and grades 9 -
12). Throughout the Standards the emphasis is: "knowing" mathematics is "doing"
mathematics. Knowledge should emerge from problem situations so that
students have a strong conceptual basis for reconstructing their knowledge at a
later time. Furthermore, problem solving situations develop mathematical literacy
by: (a) providing motivation for developing concepts by establishing a "need to
know;" (b) providing opportunities to read, write, discuss, and explore
mathematical ideas; and (c) providing opportunities to make conjectures, test,
and build arguments about a conjecture's validity. In short, the Standards
describes a new curriculum for school mathematics in which students learn more,
and often different, mathematics and in which methods of mathematics
instruction are significantly different.
3. This notion of what a mathematics-literate American learner might be is parallel
to that of a science-literate student. Similarly to the mathematics education
community, science educators and scientists also began to grapple with the
lackluster performance of our students relative to students world-wide.
Both the science education and mathematics education communities have in
common the image of what discipline literacy requires for this century. Both have
pushed the concept of literacy beyond that used in the reading literature.
Whereas in reading it is common to find literacy defined by functional grade level
performance, in science and mathematics the essence of literacy is increasing
sophistication over the course of schooling. This represents a fundamental shift
from literacy as a status notion to one of literacy as relative to the context of
knowing - that is, the real world, the domains of the discipline, and specific
applications. For teachers, this non-static notion of literacy presents considerable
challenge and opportunity. And, when presented with standards documents that
are not linear, not sequential, and not hierarchical in their recommendations, the
teacher or teacher-advocate has the responsibility of translating the image
statements into instructional materials, textbooks, learning activities, and
pedagogical practices.
A major premise of both the mathematics and science standards is that what a
student thinks, knows, and can do is greatly dependent upon how the student
learned it. Research across a variety of disciplines indicates that students may
learn best when they construct their own understanding of the material. This
implies that teachers do not, and cannot, pass understanding to their students;
instead, teachers can only engage students in activities from which students
construct their own meaning. In short, learning is an individual activity fostered
within the social context of teaching. This does not imply, however, that students
must always "reinvent the wheel." For example, basic computation and
algorithms were invented precisely so that people would not have to count on
their fingers and toes to solve each problem. Formulas in science serve similar
practical purposes. However, such activities should not dominate the
mathematics or the science curriculum. Furthermore, computational procedures
should be developed in contexts so that students perceive them as tools for
solving problems not as problems to be solved.
4. In the mathematics and science reform literature, meaningful learning is
promoted when students actively inquire. Inquiry in the reformed mathematics
and science classrooms is more than just doing activities; it involves interacting
with peers, teachers, people outside of the classroom and the school, and all
kinds of resources. In the inquiry classroom prescribed in the reform literature,
students work collaboratively on problems that are engaging and relevant; they
ask questions; they access and use information from a variety of resources; and
they challenge the ideas of others. Teachers, in turn, challenge their students
about their observations, hypotheses, explanations, procedures, and evidence.
We refer to this interactive kind of inquiry as "Inquiry" (i.e., inquiry with a capital I
and in italics) to emphasize the importance of interacting orally and in writing as
recommended in the reform movements. Inquiry is not restricted by student age,
content, or context. Students at the earliest grade levels can use and develop the
skills of mathematical and scientific Inquiry.
There should be a lot of investigation and debate going on in the science
classroom. Inquiry in science is characterized by its demand for evidence, reliance
on a blend of logic and imagination, expectation that scientists try to identify and
avoid bias, rejection of authoritarianism, and recognition that science is a
complex social activity. These characteristics of scientific inquiry are translated
into instructional goals and standards in the reform literature. Similarly in
mathematics, the theme of Inquiry is manifested in the standards and in the
instructional activities. Whole-class discussions can provide students
opportunities to synthesize, evaluate, and summarize strategies, ideas, and/or
hypotheses. Small group discussions can provide opportunities to discuss and
exchange ideas with peers, and individual work can help students to develop
confidence in their own mathematical abilities. Different instructional
approaches and activities such as those which develop students' Inquiry abilities
will be discussed in the following sections.
In both mathematics and science, Inquiry can be "issues-based." This approach
heightens the interest level, and therefore, the engagement of students.
Throughout the Standards the importance of connecting mathematics to real-
world problems (and hence utilizing an issues-based approach in teaching) is
emphasized. Real-world problems with 'messy' numbers or too much or not
5. enough information or that have multiple solutions, each with different
consequences, will better prepare students to solve problems they are likely to
encounter in their daily lives. The key to the effectiveness of the issues-based
approach is to use a learning prompt which is appropriate and interesting to the
learners. Teachers must also take care to use open-ended tasks for which there
are multiple correct solutions. These open-ended tasks will then promote
experimentation and exploration on the part of each student and will avoid the
recall of particular facts, algorithms, or procedures.
An example of a series of issues-based lessons is Mathematics in Baseball in
which students work in small groups investigating baseball statistics as well as
other aspects of the game. Stimuli for small group discussions are provided in the
article, which encourage students to exchange ideas, offer and receive
constructive criticism, develop and test hypotheses, and make and correct
mistakes in their small groups. Another example of a teaching module utilizing the
issues-based approach is Involve the Community which confronts misconceptions
students may have about the usefulness of mathematics and science in their own
lives outside of school. Students go into the local community and interview
someone to find out how that person uses mathematics on the job. Students are
then responsible for developing mathematical problems described during their
interviews, scheduling the person to speak to class, and writing a term paper
concerning what they learned during their interview.
In science, the unity of perspective is not as evident. There are those who
interpret science literacy to mean that life skills and citizenship are the key
elements, not the rigorous scholarship or mastery of any specific science content
or processes. This is countered by those who advocate for a focus on conceptual
learning in the context of real-world problem solving.
Those who advocate for a life-skills and citizenship approach to science
instruction are exemplified by Hurd's statement, "Modern science is driven more
by societal needs than by theory." This societal perspective with its emphasis on
life learning and citizenship places greater value on "knowing how" than on
"knowing that" in defining science literacy.
6. The issues-based, societal perspective is the basis of the Science-Technology-
Society approach. With its learn the science you need to know when you have a
need to know it philosophy, there is no such thing as a fixed science curriculum or
mandatory content or set of process skills. Students in an classroom identify
personal, school, or community problems and issues and work collaboratively on
a solution, learning and using appropriate science content and skills in the process
of solving the problem or resolving the issue. Proponents claim that the approach
develops science literacy more effectively than a content-driven curriculum
because the problems are real and the learning is relevant to the students. The
"medium is the message;" concepts and principles of science, however well-
learned outside the context of a societal or personal issue, are not science at all,
or at least not the kind of science worth learning. Teachers have reported
numerous issues-based instructional activities across a range of issues.
Advocates of conceptual change learning view the elements of understandings
and habits of mind in the definition of science literacy as key and argue for Inquiry
that promotes meaningful learning of critical content and process knowledge in
science. Teachers emphasize the importance of both the students and the teacher
knowing what the student already knows and uses in everyday life situations and
applications to engage students and provide context for learning science
concepts and processes.
The major difference between the issues-based Inquiry and Inquiry for conceptual
change is that specific ideas are targeted for instruction. For example, in science,
playground equipment and amusement park rides are used to explore basic laws
of force and motion. The properties of liquids and gases are investigated when
students make their own carbonated soft drinks; or the life cycle of a common
house fly is learned by studying the droppings of the classroom guinea pig.
Teachers have used state-of-the-art technologies such as high-speed trains,
entrepreneurial interests of students, "who-dunnit" detective scenarios and The
Great Tape Robbery, and even current hit movies to capture student interest and
to teach for conceptual change with regard to basic science concepts.
Similarly, important mathematics content is described throughout the Standards.
For example, all three grade-level divisions include probability and/or statistics
standard(s) as well as a geometry standard; and two grade-level divisions include
7. measurement, estimation, algebra, and functions standards. As in science, Inquiry
is a central theme in classroom instruction: throughout the Standards, verbs such
as explore, justify, represent, solve, construct, discuss, investigate, describe,
develop, and predict are used to convey this active physical and mental
involvement of children in learning the content of the curriculum.
As in conceptual change learning in science, specific ideas, skills, and/or
mathematical concepts can be targeted for instruction. For example, teachers
have used common materials such as popcorn for developing data analysis skills,
calculators to discover number patterns and hone estimation skills. Teachers have
integrated math and art to develop geometric concepts, and math and science to
develop geometric concepts and measurement and estimation skills.
In another lesson, students learn to apply probability models as well as use
simulations to estimate probabilities concerning boy/girl birth ratios and the
average number of children in a family. And student development of spatial
imagery is targeted in the lesson Promoting Visual Imagery in Young Pupils. The
magazines are useful resources for Inquiry for conceptual change-type
instructional activities.
The challenge of managing Inquiry learning environments without sacrificing
intellectual vigor is not insignificant. Student-centered learning is grounded in
moderating the Inquiry-based classroom, which is prompted with exploration and
stimulated with manipulatives in a way that is connected to the students' real
world. By reflecting on students' growth in the disciplines, teachers will
understand what pedagogical techniques work well to move students along on
their learning journey.
Because the standards themselves represent the possibilities for instructional
focus rather than the requirements for instructional focus, the teacher is placed in
the important leadership role of selecting the optimal content to engage each
particular group of students in the work of the discipline. The selection process
must take into account local content goals, learning goals that ensure that the
"habits of mind" of the disciplines are reinforced, resource availability, and the
interest levels and developmental characteristics of the students. In short,
optimizing learning in mathematics and science is not an algorithmic process.
8. The role of teacher as facilitator of learning begins to take on real meaning as the
standards are implemented. And teachers seeking a cookbook for effective
mathematics and science teaching will be sorely disappointed.
In clear and unequivocal ways, the role of the teacher as implementer of either
the science or mathematics standards becomes more important in defining the
learning journey for students than ever before. Because the standards documents
are to be used as frameworks to guide mathematics and science education
reform, teachers' professional judgment becomes more and more powerful as a
force in defining the schooling experience for students. For this reason, those
teachers who choose to or are chosen to teach mathematics and science must
have an in-depth understanding of that which they are teaching.
In order for teachers to make decisions about what, when, and how to teach
science and mathematics, they must have a rich understanding of the content and
appreciate how knowledge in a content area is created, organized, linked to other
disciplines and applied to real-world settings.
Teachers who effectively use the standards documents to guide daily instructional
decisions must have specialized knowledge of how to teach the content (i.e.,
content-pedagogy), and they must recognize misconceptions and background
knowledge that may make growing sophistication problematic. They must, of
course, also be able to modify and reorganize to meet the needs of all learners.
The emphasis in the critical response skills is on argument and evidence. We
contend that some or all of these "symptoms" should be used more or less as
"ground rules" for Inquiry in (and out of) the classroom. For example, making
activities such as checking that statements (both oral and written) do not
intermingle fact and opinion or that celebrities aren't used as authorities in
arguments part of what routinely happens in science class will develop the "habits
of mind" so valued by reform proponents and reinforce the use of these same
habits of mind beyond the classroom walls and school years.
Teachers who use an issues-based approach usually have little trouble creating an
Inquiry environment. Personal and societal issues (e.g., landfills, toxic waste, AIDS,
pollution) are readily controversial and lend themselves to investigation and
argument. It is generally not difficult to find students who will take opposite sides
9. of an issue or classrooms of students to find public groups with opposing
positions. Teachers have used a variety of issues-based topics with great success,
for example, investigations of ecological problems; Integrating Science,
Mathematics, and Environmental Education Resource and Guidelines; The
Curriculum File; Computerized Simulation as an Inquiry Tool, or problems dealing
with death and aging; Debates: Verbal Encounters in the Science Classroom. What
is challenging for the teacher who utilizes an issues-based approach is to keep
students focused on those aspects of the argument that can be resolved with
scientific and/or mathematical evidence, and/or which utilize scientific and/or
mathematical reasoning, and to minimize those aspects of the argument that are
strictly emotional, political, and/or personal. One must also keep in mind that just
because an activity is issues-based does not imply that students will use or
develop Inquiry skills. Students must generate and evaluate arguments on the
basis of the scientific and/or mathematical evidence they gather and evaluate
their conjectures using the rigorous standards of mathematical and scientific
inquiry.
In classrooms where the emphasis is on understanding specified content and
process outcomes, controversies are not at all obvious to students (or to most
teachers) and any disagreements that arise are usually not as sensational as they
are in an issues-based classroom activities. But the potential for argument and for
debate nonetheless exists. Facilitating Inquiry when there is no "hot" social issue
requires that the focus shift to the controversy embedded in science and
mathematical ideas themselves. The alternative conceptions and/or
misconceptions that students hold in a given topic or area are excellent sources of
controversial ideas that can be investigated. For example, controversies from the
history of science such as the phlogiston theory of heat or the geo-centric model
of our solar system - can be used to stimulate Inquiry for conceptual change.
Common misconceptions of mathematical concepts can be also confronted and
explored, as can common student mathematical errors.
The strategy of simply suspending judgment or withholding the correct answer is
very effective at stimulating discussion. Challenging students who hold different
ideas to produce evidence of their respective positions is one way to stimulate
debate, discussion, and investigation and turn routine lessons into Inquiry
10. sessions. Simple modifications of cookbook activities (e.g., adding an open-ended
question or posing an extra-credit question) or project work that requires
students to work collaboratively is another effective way of facilitating Inquiry.
Inquiry can also be facilitated directly by using variations of the "student-
teaching-students" idea. A strategy that has been around for centuries but still is
effective today is "cross-age tutoring." But tutoring must be done in a hands-on
rich environment so that legitimate Inquiry can take place. When older students
inquire with younger students, both benefit from the experience.
As it does in any language, the ability to communicate well requires more than
the knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical rules - one must also be fluent in
using the language in both speaking and writing. Both the mathematics and
science standards identify learning to communicate mathematically as an
important goal for all students. As students communicate their ideas, they learn
to clarify, refine, and consolidate their thinking. In other words, communication
helps students to enhance their understanding of mathematics.
Learning the language of mathematics or science is not a simple task. For young
children, representing is an important way of communicating mathematical ideas.
Physical models can be used to represent and develop mathematical concepts.
Furthermore, with young children the connections between thought and spoken
word are usually stronger than those between thoughts and written symbols.
Thus, children should be encouraged to relate their everyday language to
mathematical language and symbols and to verbalize their thoughts and thinking
processes.
As students progress in school, their mathematics communications should
become increasingly sophisticated, that is, become more formal and symbolic.
The introduction and use of technical symbolism should, however, evolve as a
natural extension and refinement on the students' own language. Moreover,
great care must be taken to ensure that students are aware of the connections
between mathematical concepts and symbols, otherwise students are likely to
view symbols as disparate, empty objects which are to be memorized and/or
manipulated. All students should be provided opportunities to listen to, read
about, write about, speak about, and reflect upon their mathematical ideas. It is
11. not enough for students to merely write a response to an exercise or to "show all
their work" on a problem. It is equally important that students be able to explain
how they arrived at their responses as well as describe the difficulties they
encountered during problem-solving processes. Students must constantly be
encouraged to clarify, paraphrase, or elaborate on their mathematical ideas and
relationships. These are means by which students enhance their mathematical
understanding and teachers monitor their students' mathematical progress and
understanding.
In reformed mathematics and science classrooms, literacy means being able to
express oneself, defend one's ideas, and critically analyze claims both orally and in
writing. Journaling, logging, and keeping a portfolio are as much a part of the
reformed science and mathematics classroom regimen as they are of any arts or
humanities classroom. Portfolio assessment strategies are especially effective in
promoting Inquiry. When students have to explain, argue, and reflect on their
work rather than simply to select responses, answer questions, and complete
standard form assignments, both their writing and Inquiry skills are enhanced.
Portfolio scoring rubrics based on evidence and logic of argument communicate
to students the value and importance of Inquiry skills.
Student problems and misunderstanding can be revealed and corrected. Teachers
can use student writing to identify which instructional techniques did/did not
work and modify their techniques accordingly. Furthermore, through student
writing teachers can examine what students have learned versus what those
students think they have learned and use this information in assisting students in
developing their metacognitive skills ("knowing how to learn"). However, it
should be noted that the utilization of information gained from student writing is
dependent upon the quality of both the writing prompts and the teachers.
Teachers must collect, read, and give feedback to students frequently. And
teachers must be ready to receive and use constructive (and perhaps not-so-
constructive) criticism.
The move to emphasize patterns of argument and thought in the language of
mathematics and science Inquiry has payoff potential across the curriculum. For
example, there is strong evidence that analyzing the language and layout of good
expository material enhances the general reading, comprehension, and critical
12. thinking skills of younger students. High school science and mathematics teachers
report great improvement in creative writing skills, critical thinking, student
attitudes toward the subjects, and conceptual understanding when students keep
journals and are encouraged to compose creative writing reports (e.g., case
histories and resumes) in place of standard laboratory reports or other
conventional tasks. However, it should be noted that attempts by teachers to
translate results of alternate assessments, journal writings, and other creative
writing into letter grades can be difficult and that racial differences may affect
students' performance on open-ended items on standardized tests as compared
to multiple-choice items was found.
The current reform agenda has the potential to dramatically alter the experiences
that children have in science and mathematics classrooms in America. The
standards documents themselves set the tone for a new understanding of science
and mathematics literacy for all Americans. They present an image of the
classroom that is Inquiry-oriented, activity-based, and engaging. The role of the
teacher changes from that of disseminator of information to one of a mentor-
scholar as children present ideas, challenge ideas, and reconceptualize these
ideas.
This shift in the image of what a learning environment should look like calls upon
teachers to take risks and to incorporate new instructional strategies into
established pedagogical practices. The standards themselves, as a replacement
for a scope and sequence or hierarchical curriculum, challenge the teacher to
make professional judgments about what the appropriate content and context
vehicles are for each group of students to maximize their learning. Teachers must
take on instructional leadership roles. To do this, they must have both content
and content-pedagogical knowledge. Background in the disciplines of
mathematics and science is essential to support an effective Inquiry-oriented,
student-centered classroom consistent with the standards documents. This
expertise is also essential to the appropriate and reasonable assessment of
whether or not students are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their
understanding of important science and mathematics. This view of what quality
work is in mathematics or science does not come from the standards. This
understanding can and should come only from the expert professional classroom
13. teacher. Thus, the ultimate challenge of the reform goals for classroom practice is
for teachers to increase in their understanding of mathematics and science so
that they have the appropriate frame of reference for identifying appropriate
learning goals, selecting instructional resources to support students' construction
of meaning, sequencing and pacing the activities in the learning environment to
support learning, and monitoring the status of students' journey towards science
and mathematics literacy.
Jeff C. Palmer is a teacher, success coach, trainer, Certified Master of Web
Copywriting and founder of https://Ebookschoice.com. Jeff is a prolific writer,
Senior Research Associate and Infopreneur having written many eBooks, articles
and special reports.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/monitoring-the-status-of-students-journey-
towards-science-and-mathematics-literacy/