ICT: Issues, Challenges and Implications

In 2005, Valdez enumerated concerns relevant to the challenges of technology use in the classroom. These concerns are (1) some technology may become distraction for students , (2) technology is just one variable while many others also need to be addressed, (3) teacher competency is problematic, and (4) students and teachers have unclear, often inconsistent, expectations of technology use. Furthermore, Valdez emphasized that to achieve statistically significant effect sizes, schools must make certain that (1) that there is appropriate software, sufficient technology support and maintenance, (2) technology use is aligned with learning expectations, and most important of all (3) teachers are equipped with the competencies to effectively model and teach exemplary use of technology. On the contrary, Clark, Yates, Early and Moulton (2009) presented “direct, evidence-based argument that, while media provided economic benefits for training organizations, they have not and will not influence learning, motivation, or work performance. This conclusion challenges the relevance of ICT as an educational tool. Bingimlas (2009) clarifies this contradicting views and the answer is that despite the numerous advantages, there are barriers that hinder the effective integration of ICT into education. The major barriers were lack of confidence, lack of competence, and lack of access to resources. These three barriers are critical components of technology integration; therefore, teachers must be provided with software and hardware ICT resources, professional development program, sufficient time and technical support.

UNESCO declares that ICT is instrumental for the realization of “universal access to education, equity in education, the delivery of quality learning and teaching, teachers’ professional development and more efficient education management, governance and administration”. Furthermore, the UNESCO website claims that its approach in promoting ICT in education is holistic and comprehensive. It is quite imperative that any ICT program associated with education must be assessed in view of these attributes. The challenges – barriers, difficulties, weaknesses are related to access to ICT, competency of teachers, efficiency of ICT management and administration for educative purposes and the over-all monitoring and evaluation system of ICT use. According also to UNESCO, the quality of teachers and their professional education is the key to the achievement of quality education. Yet, the quality of teacher education and the status of their continuous professional education remains one of the most pressing challenges across the globe, which UNESCO believes must be addressed to cope with the world need for 9.1 million new teachers to reach internationally agreed target by 2015.

As proof of its commitment for the upliftment of education, UNESCO includes the “Open Educational Resources (OER)” feature in their website where teachers can access educational materials for teaching and for their own professional advancement. In addition, the UNESCO Competency Framework for Teachers is a very good document that can be used in formulating a long term plan for ICT training of teachers, implementation, monitoring and evaluation particularly on investigating the role of ICT as a contributing factor to teacher effectiveness and student learning. The competencies for teachers would actually complement the need to develop the 21^st century skills among the learners because the UNESCO framework stipulates the need to (1)  build workforces which have ICT skills to handle information and are reflective, creative and adept at

problem-solving in order to generate knowledge, (2) enable citizens to be knowledgeable and resourceful so they are able to manage their own lives effectively, and are able to lead full and satisfying lives, (3) encourage all citizens to participate fully in society and influence the decisions which affect their lives, and (4) foster cross-cultural understanding and the peaceful resolution of conflict. Furthermore, it emphasizes the balance between teachers’ ICT competencies and their ability to cascade these to their students. In accordance with the 21^st century life skills, the framework aims that ICT can provide opportunities for teachers to help the students become collaborative, problem solvers, creative learners using ICT so that they become effective citizens and members of the workforce.   The framework is summarized in the table below:

 In using the UNESCO framework for creating a master plan for teacher training and ICT program implementation in schools, it is important to consider Gilbert’s recommendations regarding quality assurance of learning in science and mathematics. According to Gilbert (2005), effective use of instructional technology calls for sufficient attention to (1) curriculum uses, (20 instructional pedagogy used, (3) assessment used, (4) sufficiency of technology and access to the Internet, and (4) ICT abilities of the teacher, especially in modeling uses of technology. Hence, UNESCO framework hopes to respond to the challenges and barriers that confront ICT use in education.

 I would like to highlight that in designing teacher training for ICT, it is very important to focus on integrating ICT in curriculum design in order to justify its use. What must be avoided is too much emphasis on teacher’s personal use of technology and Internet. The primary purpose of ICT is to reinforce learning, use technology and Internet as tools for learning. The challenge therefore for teachers is how to incorporate ICT in instruction to train students to become independent learners and responsible digital citizens. The academic supervisors must also model how to use technology and on-line sources to complement teaching and encourage a more active discussion among learners. ICT are not intended to replace the human teacher but rather present the 21^st century teacher as adaptive, creative and updated learner.

 The World Bank also enumerated several key issues on ICT in education. Here are some excerpts from the WB website. (Source: Knowledge Maps: ICTs in Education, InfoDev)

 (1) Impact on learning and achievement. It is generally believed that ICTs can empower teachers and learners, making significant contributions to learning and achievement. … However, current research on the impacts of ICTs on student achievement yields few conclusive statements, pro or con, about the use of ICTs in education.

 (2) Monitoring and evaluation .Many of the issues and challenges associated with ICTs in education initiatives are known by policymakers, donor staff, and educators. However, data on the nature and complexity of these issues remains limited because of the lack of good monitoring and evaluation tools and processes. If ICTs are to become effective and integral tools in education, and if accountability is to be demonstrated to donors and stakeholders, monitoring and evaluation must be a priority area of focus.

(3) Equity. There is a real danger that uses of ICTs can further marginalize groups already excluded or on the edge of educational practices and innovations. On the other hand, with supportive policies and careful planning and monitoring, ICTs hold out the promise of facilitating greater inclusion of such groups.

 (4) Costs Given current budgetary and resource constraints, a widespread investment in ICTs in education is probably not possible in most developing countries.

 (5) Best practices Where ICTs are used for learning, evidence suggests that they are chiefly used to present and disseminate information, as tools for presentation rather than the often cited promotion of “21st century skills.” It is clear that much more information is needed on the ICT components of donor-supported projects, including how ICTs are actually being used to support educational objectives. In addition, this information needs to be better incorporated into the planning and delivery of new ICT projects.

(6) Tools new technologies are introduced, it is critical that their cost and impact in various educational situations is thoroughly examined. While evidence shows that it is the actual application of the ICT tool that is the most important determinant of its effectiveness for educational purposes, the choice of tools is quite large, and each tool has its own advantages and disadvantages.

 (7) Teachers and teaching While traditional teacher leadership skills and practices are still important, teachers must also have access to relevant, timely, and on-going professional development. They must have the time and resources to explore this new knowledge base and develop new skills. Shifting pedagogies, redesigning curriculum and assessment tools, and providing more autonomy to local schools all contribute to the optimal use of ICTs in education.

 (8) Content and curriculum. Experience shows that unless electronic educational resources are directly related to the curriculum, and to the assessment methods used to evaluate educational outcomes (especially standardized testing), ICT interventions may not have positive educational impacts.

 (9) Policy. Some of the key policy questions revolve around access, equity, finance, and best practices in scaling-up. This issue of timing is an important one as educators and policymakers operate with an eye to longer-term educational goals.

Despite the many challenges and issues that prevent the full and successful implementation of ICT, Sipin, Espiritu and Malabanan (n.d.) still provide several points for promising future of ICT in the Philippines. According to their paper, the Philippines has been identified in 2004 by AT Kearney as among the world’s 25 most attractive destinations for ICT and has the potential to be a major global service provider. This potential is actually a reality. The Information Technology and Electronic Commerce Council of the Philippines (ITECC) categorizes ICT-based services into (1) “ICT services”—tasks requiring in‐depth knowledge of computer programming and programming languages, networks, and software programs—and (2) “ICT‐enabled services,” or services delivered over telecommunication networks or the Internet to a range of business areas. In the latter group, technology is used as a tool or an enabler, and the functions tend to be labor - intensive. Sipin, et.al concludes that for the Philippine context, the promising areas are software development, animation, call-centers, medical and legal transcription, and business processing outsourcing.  These areas are no longer promising but flourishing already considering that a media giant already put up an animation production facility in the country, that the call-center and outsourcing industries are big contributor to the economy and that some medical institutions are already envisioning the Philippines to be at par with other Asian countries in terms of medical tourism.

 So what are the implications of these challenges? For the administration of teacher training institutions and centers for continuous professional education, it is important to think about how to cope with the fast pace of ICT advancement and how to balance it with reinventing pedagogy. For the basic education institutions, the STEM strand of the senior high school will definitely need a very good ICT program. Another concern would be how to make informed decisions regarding ICT investments. Every educational institution must conduct a needs assessment before procuring technology. ICT must be a tool for curriculum delivery rather than becoming the curriculum itself. For a simple classroom teacher who competes with technology and internet for student attention, then the challenge is model its educational uses and to motivate the students to use them responsibly. One of the 21^st century skills is that of being a life-long learner. Science is an ever expanding body of knowledge, as well as, a process that keeps on evolving. Hence, a science teacher must reflect how ICT will transform his/her role in the classroom.

 References

 Bingimlas, Khalid Abdullah. (2009). Barriers to the Successful Integration of ICT in Teaching and Learning Environments: A Review of the Literature. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education. 2009, 5(3), 235-245.  Retrieved Nov. 25, 2014 from http://www.ejmste.com/v5n3/eurasia_v5n3_bingimlas.pdf

 Clark, R. E., Yates, K., Early, S. & Moulton, K. (2009). An Analysis of the Failure of Electronic Media and Discovery-based learning:  Evidence for the performance benefits of Guided Training Methods.  In Silber, K. H. & Foshay, R. (Eds.). Handbook of Training and Improving Workplace Performance, Volume I: Instructional Design and Training Delivery. New York: John Wiley and Sons. 263-297. Retrieved Nov. 25, 2014 from http://www.cogtech.usc.edu/publications/clark_etal_2009_analysis_of_the_failure_of_electronic_media.pdf

 Sipin, Glenn L., Espiritu, Jose Lloyd D, and Malabanan, Oliver A. (n.d.) Issues on the Philippines’ Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Competitiveness

Retrieved Nov. 25, 2014 from http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/research/centers/aki/_pdf/_concludedProjects/_volumeI/Sipinetal.pdf

 UNESCO. (2014). ICT in Education. Retreived Nov. 24, 2014 from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/themes/icts/

 UNESCO (2013) ICT Competency Framework for Teachers Retrieved Nov. 25, 2014 from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002134/213475e.pdf

 Valdez, Gilbert (2005). Critical Issue: Technology, A Catalyst for Teaching and Learning in the Classroom. Retrieved Nov. 24, 2014 from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te600.pdf

 World Bank. (2013). ICT and Education – Key Issues. Retrieved Nov. 25, 2014 from http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTEDUCATION/0,,contentMDK:20533883~menuPK:617610~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:282386~isCURL:Y,00.html

Web-based Courses for Science Educators

Coursera is a very good resource for teaching materials, as well as, for professional development of teachers and the best thing about it is that it is free with certificate of completion given for those who successfully passed. Different professors from esteemed universities all over the world organize their video lectures in such a way that they are engaging, updated and loaded with relevant examples. Although these on-line courses are especially designed for adult learners, the courser staff actually considered the fact that many high school and college students enroll in the courses. Before enrolling at UPOU, I took several classes on Genetics, Evolution, Psychology, Research and Critical Thinking and such experience really prepared me for the modality of UPOU’s modality. Not only that, many of the web resources, figures, and readings used in coursera can be used for high school classes and so I got to use many of these materials in my own classes. For those who are interested, the courser website is www.coursera.org. Khan Academy is another popular site for on-line courses but I have not yet tried it. The website is www.khanacademy.org. For me the advantages of exploring these kind of web resource is not only to gain additional instructional materials but participating in the on-line courses, as a teacher myself, gives me a comprehensive perspective of how education should be delivered in the 21^st century. For instance, in the on-line courses that I’ve participated, I got tremendous ideas as to how instruction, lecture, and assessment are designed in other universities and so I get to experience and understand what it means to be global. Another advantage, particularly for science content which is updated at a very fast rate, on-line courses is a very good platform to look at disciplinary traditions at a different perspective, be clarified on new discoveries as well as being able to enrich my repertoire as a classroom teacher. Furthermore, the diversity of courses offered in coursera include mentoring, science teaching, organizational development and many others that educators would find very useful. In fact, I was able to get new materials for the NGSS, 21^st century skills and assessment through the e-links that are incorporated in the coursea video-lectures. Probably the most useful course that I participated in was two courses on climate change. The only challenge is the reliability of internet access because although these on-line courses are free, if one would really want to learn then the due dates for submission of assignments and completion of on-line quiz must be taken seriously.

Television Programs and other Websites for Science Teachers

Aside from the usual youtube videos that are linked to educational channels, I personally recommend the following as very good source of instructional materials.   Most of the time, when I come across an educational video on youtube, I either search for the website of origin or institution who sponsored the youtube channel. I personally prefer getting materials from these institutionally-sponsored website that are more reliable rather than get videos that are just made as a school project or personal blogs linked to youtube.

(1)   The National Geographic has a special webpage for education - http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/?ar_a=1 where teachers can have access to videos, worksheets, and even lesson plans. There are also links for professional development including access to on-line courses.

(2)   Discovery Education whose website can be accessed from http://www.discoveryeducation.com/ is part of the Discovery Communication conglomerate, the same group that includes Discovery Channel. In this website, there are free curriculum materials including lesson plans, worksheets and links to facts and figures that can be used in designing activities and assessment.

(3)   Resources provided by PBS Channel can be downloaded from http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/. What is good about this website is that you can search for materials according to standards. There is also a link to webinars that can be accessed as a personal initiative for professional development.

(4)   Another good resource website linked to television program would be http://www.bbc.co.uk/education of the BBC-UK. There are curriculum resources including activities, quizzes, videos, and lab demonstrations classified according to standards and grade levels.

Aside from the above mentioned, there are two web-based resources that I find very useful in my personal practice. In fact, I actually requested and received hardcopies of the modules and the accompanying CD and DVDs for the institutions sponsoring the websites. For biology teachers, there are two websites that are really very generous and up-to-date in terms of the content and links although both are US-based.

(5)   The  Howard Hughes Medical Institute whose free materials can be downloaded from http://www.hhmi.org/educational-materials. Many of these curriculum materials include an actual lecture of a scientist or medical researcher that can be used as a springboard for class discussion and activities. Each lecture is accompanied with a suggested lesson plan, worksheets, teacher’s guides, additional videos/animation and posters. 

(6)   Another excellent source is the website of the National Institute of Health. Their Science Resource webpage http://www.nih.gov/science/education.htm includes downloadable curriculum materials – complete modules on health and health related science topics from K to12. Their modules are also good models for the 5E constructivist approach to instruction.

As additional resource that can be used by both teachers and students, I recommend the http://www.ck12.org/teacher/ website. In this portal, a teacher can form study groups for students and design review assignments according to standards and topics discussed in class. What is good about this is that it is used both as a class portal and as source of instructional materials.  There are also free ebooks on this site.

We must not forget that our very own DOST also has a number of resources that we can use such as facts and figures accessible from the http://courseware.dost.gov.ph/ and http://noah.dost.gov.ph/

Some of the local television shows that can be used in science teaching would be AHA! and  Ibilib of GMA7. However, the themes of each episode is varied and not as comprehensive as its foreign counterparts. The Constel science video series are still useful although they must be supplemented by faster-paced and more in-depth application exercises. Excerpts from these series can be used either as a pre-lab demonstration or as conclusion to recap teacher’s explanation. Another way of using such would be to assess whether the students got the correct explanation or conclusion at the end of an experiment; through which, students can compare their ideas with that from the excerpt.

Social media, etc. as educational platforms

There are endless possibilities for social networking sites as educative platforms. Allow me to share some of the things that I explored with my students. Almost 95% of my students have internet access at home and whenever I take a survey at the start of the semester, much of their time on the internet is spent on fb, twitter, Instagram, and computer games. In other words, internet is used for leisure and for casual conversations. In order to encourage them to use the internet and appreciate the value of social media for educative purpose I’ve tried on the following and I am proud to say that these initiatives are very promising.

(1)   Last year, when we discussed the important events in the history of physics, I used a research article about the Atomic Bomb. My Grade 8 students made their own blogs to present their stand about ethical issues on the use of science and technology.

(2)   Also last year, I asked my Grade 10 and 8 students to participate in an on-line interview about diet and lifestyle and then make a reflection paper about the experience. Our lesson for this activity was on nutrition, BMI, and diet-related diseases.

(3)   Just recently, I uploaded on my blog an editorial about the culture of responsibility discussed in the light of doing research experiments involving ebola victims. I asked my students to post their answers to the guide questions and comment on each other’s posts.

(4)   In progress is the take-home unit test that my Grade 9 students must upload in my class wiki. They are supposed to google a recent article or upload an ebook excerpt, highlight the metabolic pathway and suggest practical applications or possible research interest. I can’t wait to see their answers.

[visit our class wiki at http://haynayan.wikispaces.com/]

There are a lot more possibilities for social media and web-based portals. They are, in fact, good avenues to encourage civic responsibility and intellectual curiosity. As educators, I think we must try to encourage our students to use the internet, in general, as a tool to communicate for the common good, to advance our knowledge, to participate in advocacies, and to demonstrate social responsibility. Young people are so engrossed with technology that we must channel their energy into something that are more meaningful. I limit my internet-based activities into only 2 per year because my school setting cannot allow special schedules for our computer laboratory so students are forced to either work at home or bring their own laptop in school. Another thing to consider is that a number of my students do not have internet at home and they can only use the library computers for limited time in the afternoon. Also, I do not want my students to use my assignments as excuse for them to go to an internet shop, café or mall where there is free wi-fi.

Perhaps in the near future, I can have the opportunity to explore the following:

ü  Use the surveymonkey [https://www.surveymonkey.com/] as a tool to survey misconceptions, assess prior knowledge and elicit feedbacks and suggestions from my students

ü  Utilize the googleearth for virtual field trips

ü  Use Instagram and twitter or any other social media for a class advocacy such as environmentalism and promoting green lifestyle

ü  Work with my students in tapping the useability of social media, youtube, blog, wiki and other websites to collaborate with other teachers and students in other countries – a sort of global competency project

ü  Explore the Flipped Classroom approach in my instruction

 

Some Points to consider when using web-based and non-print media materials.

(1)   We must remember that they are instructional materials and we are the human teacher in the classroom. They should not be the be-all and end-all of everything that we do as educators. These materials are designed to suit a particular curriculum and in accordance to pre-set standards. We have our own set of curriculum standards and content and therefore it is imperative that we use the materials according to how it would suit our curriculum and how it will address the needs of our learners.

(2)   Regardless how comprehensive or how interactive these instructional materials are, the teachers must still think about how to customize their use. For example, a curriculum packet is designed with the assumption that it address a certain set of standards and needs of a teacher. However, it does not mean that it must be used as a straight-jacket. Common sense would tell us that a teacher who knows her craft will find ways to use these materials according to how she/he deems it appropriate rather than following it like a recipe in a cookbook.

(3)   We must use these materials to facilitate learning and to help our students develop a value system that appreciates others, make connections, and find educative usefulness of technology. For example, educational videos may replace a teacher’s input but it means that the teacher must find ways to guide the learners see different points from the lecture, ask questions, add explanations, etc. There must always a pre-viewing, viewing and post-viewing task to ensure that these materials are used tools for learning rather than become the main subject of learning.

(4)   The internet with lots of free access and downloads would be very engaging and enticing. In fact, if the internet connection is excellent, surfing and downloading would take up so much time and therefore a teacher can have the tendency to just rely on the internet and once accustomed to easy access may easily become handicapped when faced with just a simple technical glitch. Technology can encourage laziness of the teachers. There is a great tendency that library and media center resources can be put aside because everything can be downloaded from just one click on the computer without needing to get out from the faculty room. In using technology and in utilizing ready-made curriculum material packages, the attitude of the teacher must not be that of a mere consumer but more importantly that of an innovator. Once a teacher come across with a material then he/she must be able to say “what if I use such like such and as such?”. For instance, there are print materials in the library that can be used to replace those that are downloaded – same purpose and same technique but different tools. Another possibility would be to use videos as example or to replace lab demonstrations. Students, guided by the teacher, can go to the field or in the laboratory and design an investigation inspired by the video.

(5)   Lastly, as educators, end-user and creator of instructional materials, we must always uphold the ethics of digital citizenship. Whenever we present a video, distribute a worksheet, or present a powerpoint, we must always make sure that sources are properly cited. Students are penalized for plagiarism so teachers must be models of honesty and integrity.

 References

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/the-problem-with-technology-in-schools/2013/01/28/cf13dc6c-6963-11e2-ada3-d86a4806d5ee_blog.html

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te600.htm

http://edtechtimes.com/2013/11/06/top-5-problems-technology-education-today/

 

Teaching the Digital Citizens

 

Teaching the Digital Citizens:

Exciting and Challenging Times for the Digital Immigrants

Maria Theresa H. Alvarez with John Christian A. Sual

 

Globalization and cyber-technology puts us in one of the most exciting and challenging context of education. The learners are now considered digital citizens whose pace and schema are different from those of their educators, in fact, even from their parents. In the era of cloud technology, Wikipedia, tablets, and social media, many educators develop a certain level of technophobia. However, it is preposterous to think that technology could eventually replace the human teacher. As technology becomes more advanced, the greater is the need for good and effective human teacher – most especially in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The New Generation Science Standards (2013) emphasizes three principles in teaching science – (1) engage prior knowledge, (2) develop competence in an area of interest, and (3) reflect on learning. Furthermore, lessons on health and nutrition are integrated with the basic concepts of one of the four life science disciplinary core ideas with a storyline title “From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes”. So, you might ask, “and how do we reconcile that with the food pyramid?”

 

As a digital immigrant, how do we put such hifalutin standards in our own classroom scenario? As an experimental strategy to direct the attention of the students to the practical application of theories that we discussed in the classroom, I asked them to participate in an on-line survey spearheaded by Dr. Scott Plous, a professor of Social Psychology in Wesleyan University, New York. The survey is linked to the Social Psychology Network website, specifically through the platform of eInterview.org. Students were given two options: (1) to do the on-line survey at home and submit a printed transcript, or (2) fill-up a hardcopy of the survey. Both options come with the required reflection paper that is supposed to answer the four guide questions. The reflection paper actually accomplishes the task of evaluating understanding of basic concepts, reflective exercise on practical application, and a value infusion because the survey also gathers insights from participants about a certain advocacy.

 

The grade 8 students participated in the Diet and Lifestyle Choices Interview.  The eInterview started only as a class requirement but the turn-out was much more than what I expected. I realized that teachers can discover potentials just by reading one student essay. I discovered one budding writer – John Christian A. Sual of grade 8 – Malikhain. You will find at the latter part of this article his unedited essay. Fast-paced technology and availability of downloadable resources may result to laziness and mediocrity which pose a challenge to science teachers. This has to be balanced with the greater demand for better cognition and translation of understanding into concrete evidences as stipulated in the NGSS. Nevertheless, we are living in the most exciting times of science education. I am looking forward to getting my students do more wiki and blogs, participate in quizzes disguised as survey monkeys, taking short courses in MOOCs, simulate experiments using free software and open websites and contributing research data and figures in on-line research agencies, exchange correspondences with their foreign counterparts using social media and explore places using Google Earth. The possibilities are endless and we’ve only just began. Disregarding the usual criteria that I look for in a student essay, JC’s paper is one of the best reflections and his ideas represent the expected outcomes of the Next Generation Standards. Enjoy reading!

 

JC Sual’s “Diet and Lifestyle Choices Interview”

 

My experience while taking the interview is very memorable and also intellectual because it helped me to know some of the practices which were done in the 21^st century and it also made me realize of my unhealthy eating habits. Also while taking the interview it feels like a good realization on how to eat healthy foods and to manage my diet lifestyle and it also feels like a new realization and fresh alternatives on what you are eating most of the time and to find out if it is healthy or not to always eat those foods. And taking this interview you will feel guilty at what you eat which is actually a good thing to be guilty at what you eat and to have a healthy balanced diet and eating good foods. And this is what I actually feel during the majority of taking the interview and also a little bit confused of the terminologies in the interview.

A web interview is actually more nerve-wrecking than the human interview because human interview is just like talking with another person and causes to talk more comfortably while the web interview gives an opportunity to think of answering the questions and to think more precisely of what you are going to answer at the web interview. For me I think it is actually easier to answer at a web interview because it is direct to the point, yes it gives topic on what it is talking about but it is always direct to the point while a human interview will try to know more about you and suddenly asks a question. That’s what difficult for some of us because an interview will know about your whole self while a web interview will only know about your specific interest in a specific topic and will try to evaluate based on the web interview so having a web interview is much more specific at the questions and will make us learn after some time. Taking the interview will help you know more about the topic. Other practices was also mentioned that I would never think even existed and these practices left me to realize that it was really possible to do that for the sake of survival but doing these things that some of them are unhealthy for the animals and it is illegal to violate animal rights.

 

Yes, killing chickens can get our stomachs full but killing overboard (sic)  is out of the question. And killing overboard results to imbalance. I have also realized that even we students can give our best to have better treatment for animals – for the domestic animals that we see everyday. After taking this interview I actually found it surreal to do this in science class as an assignment because this assignment can give a better diet, a healthy lifestyle, and an organized management which applies to our time. So I think this is a helpful interview for someone who has an early sickness and to make good lifestyle is to know the basics of eating proper and to share making a good lifestyle to other people. Besides, what is better than having a good lifestyle in the beginning rather than having a good lifestyle when in the brink of death? I think that this assignment help us to realize the importance of eating and exercising wisely. At first, I was skeptical about his assignment because I didn’t know the purpose but during the process I was able to open my eyes to be aware of what is happening in the world. And also because of this assignment I have decided to what I always eat. Doing the interview can also help you on what diet you should take because a diet depended on your own may bring danger to your body. Not only old people can take this test but even like me – a teenager who is also concerned with health and try my best to change my lifestyle and get active. These are my thoughts on doing the assignment; skeptical at first but refreshing at the end if you are fully committed to the diet.

 

As I conclude my essay I would like to say that answering an interview can help me in eating with healthy foods and having an active body presence with everyone. At first a thought always crossed my mind “what are we going to attain by doing this interview?” then I saw the interview and realized that it’s there to help us in correcting our eating habits. And as the assignment me to print the transcript and reformat in Word1, I was browsing my answers and I really felt guilty with myself at how I eat meaty products and began to wonder is this really healthy for me? That’s when I made a realization that I will begin my healthy lifestyle not tomorrow but today and give my best to at least make a change how I feel with my body. Like running will be faster and be more easier, sweating less and having a good bowel movement, so that’s my realization, I have made as I was taking the interview. And now setting up a goal to have a healthy lifestyle will never be easy but it will definitely be worth it. I would like to encourage teenagers and adults to take the interview and change the lifestyle of others continue this goal. This is how a single interview changed me, yes, it still a little but maybe it will grow in the future and become a good source of healthy lifestyle. I was quite nervous because I have never taken a web interview but it is not only for the assignment but also to fix my health in the future and having a good lifestyle – and it is only because of a web interview. In my opinion, this lifestyle can make you look younger than the cream that women always buy. And as I also made an improvement one week after the interview, I too have weighed less than before this interview. So I would also like to encourage everyone to take the interview for it will have greater effects than the diet pills that some would consider “healthy”. It is okay to start small but it will always grow into an unbreakable promise. That is the importance of a good and healthy lifestyle and its effect will make you feel refreshed. That is the reason why I would like to suggest everyone to take the interview and make a healthy lifestyle.

 

Ethics of Research and the Research on Ethics

What exactly does ethics mean? Is it defined relevant to the field of interest where it is used as a concept, as a practice, or as a value?

The recent editorial on Science Magazine posted the challenge of having a culture of responsibility as a matter of conscience and political will. Scientists conduct research in order to help humanity but what are the limits of intellectual pursuits?

Share what you think. Help develop each other's understanding what does it mean to uphold ethics in research and what can we do to further research on the subject of ethics.

Culture of Responsibility

Practical Work in Science

Trends in Practical Work

The Nuffield Foundation spearheads the Practical Work for Learning project, wherein practical work means “tasks in which students observe or manipulate real objects or materials or they witness a teacher demonstration”. Their website features teaching resources for physics, chemistry, and biology, and are suitable for Key Stages 3-5. Research summaries are also provided, for those who want to delve further into the evidence underpinning the development of the resources. You can explore more on the three approaches on practical work: (1) Argumentation, (2) Model-based Inquiry, and (3) Science in the workplace, through their website: http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-work-learning/about-project

On the other hand, the Science Community Representing Education (SCORE), also based in the UK, found that practical work in science includes the core activities and the directly related activities. The complementary activities are important in supporting the development of conceptual understanding in science through practical work.

Practical work in science Core activities

·       Investigations

·       Laboratory procedures and techniques

·       Fieldwork

Directly related activities

·       Designing and planning investigations

·       Data analysis using ICT

·       Analysing results

·       Teacher demonstrations

·       Experiencing phenomena

Complementary activities

·       Science-related visits Surveys

·       Presentations and role play

·       Simulations including use of ICT Models and modeling

·       Group discussion

·       Group text-based activities

Millar (2009) cautioned us that not all practical work activities may effectively accomplish our instructional objectives. Figure 1 shows that the effectiveness of practical work lies in the alignment of the objective with what students are intended and actually do during practical work. Basically, there are two types of practical work according to Millar – practical work carried out by the students and practical demonstrations carried out by the teacher wherein students may help. The model shows that there are two attributes to the effectiveness (1) coherence of intended and actual student action, and (2) coherence of objective with learning outcomes.

Effectiveness is also influenced by several factors - the developer’s views of science (e.g. what s/he thinks is important to teach to the group of students in question; his/her ideas about the nature of science and of the enquiry process); the developer’s views of learning (e.g. what s/he thinks is appropriate for learners of the age and stage for which the activity is intended; how s/he thinks learning occurs); and the context in which the activity will be used (e.g. the curriculum or course being followed; how students are assessed; the resources available) (Millar, 2009).

Furthermore, practical works are done so that students can make sensible connections between tow domains (Figure 2): the domain of objects and observables (things we can see and handle) and the domain of ideas (which we cannot observe directly)

 

 

Table 1 sets this out in more detail. It identifies the kind of evidence that would indicate that a practical activity was effective in each of the senses identified above, in each of the two domains.

 

A comprehensive handbook for evaluating the effectiveness of practical work can be downloaded from http://www.york.ac.uk/media/educationalstudies/documents/research/Analysing%20practical%20activities.pdf

According to Hattingh, Aldous and Rogan (2007), the quality of practical work in science classroom depends primarily on the teachers' perceptions of their learners. Also important, but to a lesser extent, is the attitude of teachers towards innovation. A well functioning school also appears to be an important factor. In their study, they classified practical according to level of complexity as shown in Table 1 below. The classification was also attributed to Rogan and Grayson (2002) by Merle Tan (n.d.).

Based on the findings of this research, when teachers perceive that their learners are motivated and non-disruptive, then they are more likely to engage learners in higher-level types of practical work. Common sense tells us that if there is minimal deviant behavior and if the teacher has a very good classroom management skill, then there will be more time for creativity rather than resolving conflicts. Another important factor, although not as significant as teacher perception, is the attitude of teachers towards innovation. If innovation is generally supported in the school, science teachers engage in higher levels of practical work. A well functioning school also appears to be an important factor.

“If learners have the strongest influence in motivating teachers to provide higher level types of practical work, then creative ways can be sought to capitalise on this finding. Our results suggest that the possibility of an upwards spiral exists. In our experience, both as teachers and observers of classroom practice, we have witnessed how excited learners often become when given the opportunity to do interesting hands-on science. Motivated learners in turn motivate teachers, who then provide more interesting kinds of practical work” (Hattingh, Aldous and Rogan, 2007).

A very surprising implication from this study is that doing of practical work is not significantly dependent on whether teachers have physical resources (e.g. laboratories, science apparatus or portable laboratory stations). “It seems that those who are motivated to do practical work will find ways to do so even in the most poorly resourced of schools. Conversely those who are not motivated will not do practical work even when they have access to the best of resources. At the moment there appears to be no link between the provision of resources and the capacity of teachers”. This is contrary to the eternal lament of local teachers about insufficient laboratory equipment, facilities and supplies.

To be successful and effective, practical work has to:

ü  be interesting, and even exciting

ü  have a clear purpose, shared with pupils

ü  be well planned

ü  timed and managed to achieve its purpose

ü  be manageable by pupils.  (CLEAPSS, 2009).

Challenges and Issues

In a research commissioned in the UK, it was found out that according to student respondents, the largest factor contributing to the lack of lab skills was limited exposure to practical work at school. Teachers provide very little practical work and relied heavily on demonstrations and/or videos.

“Many students are telling us that they have done no practical work at school so they struggle with basic skills like using a microscope, with which they previously would have had some experience”

“Many of them claim to never have carried out an experiment only watched teacher/videos of. Most of them have no idea how to act in a lab or where to even begin when carrying out an experiment, ie no idea what equipment is called.” (Gatsby, 2011).

In Ghana, Yeboah (2012)concluded that learning of biology in the senior high schools has of late not been very effective since the practical aspect of the subject is neglected by many teachers He found out that revealed that teachers who taught biology did not offer biology as area of specialization. Again teachers lacked in-service training, workshops, refresher courses for teachers of science, equipment and chemicals, lack of incentives, laboratory assistance, professional teachers and lack of laboratories for practical work were the various causes for the poor performance of biology students.

In a comparative analysis of secondary high school syllabi in Slovenia, Šorgo and Špernjak (2011) importance is given to practical work in the syllabi of chemistry and physics, where it is recognized as a basic method, while in the biology syllabus the construction of concepts is valued much higher. This issue on practical biology work agrees with Yeboah’s findings. As a biology teacher, myself, I humbly admit that a lion’s share of instructional time is spent on discussion of concepts, processes, issues. I think biology teachers should bring the students more to field observations and investigative work to break the notion that Biology is difficult because of the memorization work. It has also been a personal struggle to promote biology as an opportunity for a lucrative career in the academe, research and industry because a lot of my students think that those who major in Biology would either end up a doctor or a teacher.   Perhaps practical work would uplift Biology’s popularity.

In a study conducted with Rachel Sharpe (2012) to English secondary students, she found out that there is a general positive attitude towards practical work. However, the extent of attitude towards practical work differed not only across the three sciences , but also significantly as students progressed through their secondary school education. The reason for this being that the relative importance of the cognitive, affective and behavioural domains changed as students moved away from a focus on the enjoyment of science towards one that was examination orientated.

“By understanding how students formulate their attitudes and what can impact on their attitudes is integral to effectively enhancing their school science experience. This study has shown that it is no longer realistic to discuss students’ attitudes to science practical work per se since students hold different attitudes to biology, chemistry and physics practical work and these attitudes differ according to particular times in their academic life. Whilst researching and finding out about students’ attitudes to practical work is beneficial, it is what happens with that knowledge that will directly impact on students and influence their attitudes.”

Sharpe’s conclusion may be high in ecological generalizability in her context, but do we also observe the same trend among our high school students. It would be interesting to find out if attitude of Filipino learners towards practical work and the extent of their experience of PW have significant implications to their choice of college course and career path, which eventually impact the progress of science and engineering in our country.

In a position paper by the Society of Biology in the UK, released in December 2010, they emphasized the nature of Biology as a practical science.

“Biology is a practical science. High quality, appropriate biology experiments and investigations are the key to enhanced learning, and clarification and consolidation of theory. Practical activities are not just motivational and fun: they also enable students to apply and extend their knowledge and understanding of biology in novel investigative situations, which can stimulate interest and aid learning and retention. Crucially, practical work gives students an understanding of how biological knowledge is generated by experiment and observation.”

Importance of practical work in science

Practical work is a key factor in engaging, enthusing and inspiring students, thus stimulating lifelong interest in science. High quality, appropriate practical work is central to effective learning in science.

The Society of Biology believes that it is important to support and promote practical work in science because it:

·       Stimulates creativity, curiosity and critical thinking

·       Underpins and illustrates concepts, knowledge and principles

·       Promotes student engagement with the scientific method

·       Encourages active learning and problem-solving

·       Allows collaborative working

·       Provides opportunities to collect and analyse data and apply mathematical skills

The Society of Biology believes that it is important to support and promote high quality practical work in biology because it:

·       Illustrates the beauty and complexity of the living world

·       Promotes understanding of how to extract information from complex living systems

·       Provides experience of analysing and evaluating variable data

·       Highlights and promotes discussion of ethical issues

·       Gives students the skills to tackle global challenges

Practical Biology Resources

To support the delivery of high quality practical work at all levels, the Society of Biology recommends the following resources and websites:

·       Practical Biology Website: www.practicalbiology.org

·       Getting Practical - Improving Practical Work in Science: www.gettingpractical.org.uk

·       The Higher Education Academy UK Centre for Bioscience Resources to support practical biology in HE: http://www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/themes/practicals.aspx

·       SCORE Practical Work in Science: http://www.scoreeducation.org/2projects/practical_work.htm

·       The Language of Measurement, ASE and Nuffield Foundation 2010                              (ISBN: 978 0 86357 424 5)

·       Analysing Practical Science Activities to Assess and Improve Their Effectiveness,              ASE 2010 (9 78 086357 425 2)

·       Biological Nomenclature 4th Edition, Institute of Biology, 2009 (978 0 900490 39 2)

 

Beyond Science Literacy: A Conclusion

“Our world is profoundly shaped by science and technology. Preserving the environment, reducing poverty and improving health: each of these challenges and many more require scientists capable of developing effective and feasible responses – and citizens who can engage in active debate on them.”

 - UNESCO

Macedo (2006) identified the four pillars for learning: (1) learning to live together; (2) learning to be; (3) learning to do; and (4) learning to know. UNESCO declares that these four pillars help us decide what we should include in scientific literacy for all. Through these four pillars, students should have opportunities to develop their imagination and creativity, as they become active learners. In the longer term, such developments will support the students to lead more fruitful lives individually and as members of future societies.

Implications to practical work:

“ Learning to live together. School science necessarily implies practical work of different sorts. For a number of reasons, both for managing the class and for good pedagogical reasons, students work in groups to carry out science investigations.  

Learning to do. Through science learning, students will learn to define, refine and resolve problems and ideas. They will learn to do this through practical data gathering, collecting information from a range of sources, transforming that data to make broader generalizations, explaining their outcomes and justifying their positions.”

Needless to say, the key to quality practical work and their effective implementation in science is the teacher. The Society of Biology strongly advocates teacher training responsive to advancement of practical work as a staple teaching strategy. Nieda and Macedo (1997) offer a succinct summary of the outcomes of research on classroom climate and teacher-student relations. Two of five conclusive statements stipulated in the UNESCO document further signify the relevance of practical work.

·       Teachers have high expectations for all the students in their class and are able to convey these expectations to their students.

·       The more the students are involved in their tasks the more the outcomes increase, provided that the tasks are within the reach of students and of their peers working together.

In conclusion, practical work is indeed a significant determiner of interest and attitude toward science. It is an effective tool for developing scientific culture, critical and creative thinking. Practical work can only be utilized if teachers are properly trained and if academic supervision and educational administration are supportive of innovations and are adept in empowering teachers despite insufficient, if not lack, of updated and sophisticated technology.

The cartoon below depicts a teacher who has all the reasons in the world why he cannot engage in practical work. Do we or do we not identify with him? I hope I’m not and never will be!

© CLEAPSS 2009  

Sources:

CLEAPSS (2009) Successful Science Practicals, June 2009. http://www.cleapss.org.uk/attachments/article/0/G30.pdf?Secondary/Science/Guides/?New%20teachers/

Hattingh, Annemarie, Aldous, Colleen and Rogan, John (2007). Some factors influencing the quality of practical work in science classrooms. African Journal of Research in SMT Education, Volume 11(1) 2007, pp. 75-90.

Retrieved https://www.academia.edu/582259/Some_factors_influencing_the_quality_of_practical_work_in_science_classrooms

Millar, R. (2009). Analysing practical activities to assess and improve effectiveness: The Practical Activity Analysis Inventory (PAAI). York: Centre for Innovation and Research in Science Education, University of York. Available from http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/educ/research/ResearchPaperSeries/index.htm

Science & Engineering Education Team The Gatsby Charitable Foundation (2011). Practical experiments in School science lessons. Science Education from 14 to 19’ (July 2002), House of Commons Committee on Science & Technology. Retrieved Oct. 1, 2014 from http://www.gatsby.org.uk/~/media/Files/Education/4%20Evidence%20to%20HoC%20Science%20Experiments%20Inquiry%20May%202011.ashx

Science Community Representing Education (SCORE). (n.d.) Practical work in science:

A report and proposal for a strategic framework. Retrieved Oct. 1, 2014 from  http://www.score-education.org/media/3668/report.pdf

Sharpe, Rachel May (2012). Secondary school students’ attitudes to practical work in school science. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of York Education.

Retrieved http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/3783/1/Rachael_Sharpe_PhD_Thesis_2012.pdf

Society of Biology (2010). Practical Biology Position Statement: The Importance of Practical Biology: from School to Higher Education. Retrieved Oct. 1, 2014 from www.societyofbiology.org.

Šorgo, Andrej and Špernjak, Andreja. (2011). Practical Work in Biology, Chemistry and Physics at Lower Secondary and General Upper Secondary Schools in Slovenia. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 2012, 8(1), 11-19.

Retrieved from  http://www.ejmste.com/v8n1/eurasia_v8n1_sorgo.pdf.

UNESCO (n.d.). Current challenges in basic science education. Paris, France: UNESCO

Retrieved

Yeboah, E. (2012). A survey of biology practical work in selected senior high schools in the eastern region of ghana. University of Education, Winneba Institutional Repository, Nov. 12, 2012. Retrieved Oct.1, 2014 from http://ir.uew.edu.gh:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/184