Leading Change in the Primary Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Waller, Nicky; Baker, Chris

2014-01-01

Nicky Waller and Chris Baker believe that change can be a good thing and explain how their training has helped others to adjust to the new science curriculum. In September 2013, teachers across England received the definitive version of the new primary curriculum "Leading Change in the Primary Science Curriculum." This course aimed to…

Teaching Grade Eight Science with Reference to the Science Curriculum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rasel Babu

2016-08-01

Full Text Available A mixed methodological approach was used to explore to what extent the science curriculum was being reflected in science teaching-learning of grade VIII students in Bangladesh. 160 students were randomly selected and 10 science teachers were purposively selected as study respondents. Fifteen science lessons were observed. Data were collected via student questionnaires, teacher interviews, and classroom observation checklists. Grade VIII science teaching-learning activities were not conducted according to the instructions of the science curriculum. Most teachers did not adhere to the curriculum and teacher's guide. Teachers mainly depended on lecture methods for delivering lessons. Learning by doing, demonstrating experiments, scientific inquiry, rational thinking, and analysing cause-effect relationships were noticeably absent. Teachers reported huge workloads and a lack of ingredients as reasons for not practising these activities. Teachers did not use teaching aids properly. Science teaching-learning was fully classroom centred, and students were never involved in any creative activities. 

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) as a Means for School-Based Science Curriculum Change

Science.gov (United States)

Browne, Christi L.

The challenge of school-based science curriculum change and educational reform is often presented to science teachers and departments who are not necessarily prepared for the complexity of considerations that change movements require. The development of a Professional Learning Community (PLC) focused on a science department's curriculum change efforts, may provide the necessary tools to foster sustainable school-based curriculum science changes. This research presents a case study of an evolving science department PLC consisting of 10 middle school science teachers from the same middle school and their efforts of school-based science curriculum change. A transformative mixed model case study with qualitative data and deepened by quantitative analysis, was chosen to guide the investigation. Collected data worked to document the essential developmental steps, the occurrence and frequency of the five essential dimensions of successful PLCs, and the influences the science department PLC had on the middle school science department's progression through school-based science curriculum change, and the barriers, struggles and inhibiting actions of the science department PLC. Findings indicated that a science department PLC was unique in that it allowed for a focal science departmental lens of science curriculum change to be applied to the structure and function of the PLC and therefore the process, proceedings, and results were directly aligned to and driven by the science department. The science PLC, while logically difficult to set-up and maintain, became a professional science forum where the middle school science teachers were exposed to new science teaching and learning knowledge, explored new science standards, discussed effects on student science learning, designed and critically analyzed science curriculum change application. Conclusions resulted in the science department PLC as an identified tool providing the ability for science departmental actions to lead to

A Curriculum Development for the Enhancement of Learning Management Performances Emphasizing Higher Order Thinking Skills for Lower Secondary Science Teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saksit Seeluangpetch

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at 1 investigating the problems and needs for the enhancement of learning management performances emphasizing the higher order thinking skills for lower secondary Science teachers, 2 developing an effective curriculum to enhance the learning management performances which emphasized the higher order thinking skills for lower secondary Science teachers, and 3 studying the effects of using the curriculum developed for the enhancement of learning management performances emphasizing the higher order thinking skills for lower secondary Science teachers. The research was conducted in 4 phases. Phase 1 of the research was the study of fundamental information regarding problems and needs for the enhancement of learning management performances emphasizing the higher order thinking skills for lower secondary Science teachers. It was carried out by studying the related literature and exploring the needs. The instrument used in Phase 1 study was the needs assessment. The statistics used for data analysis were mean ( , percentage (%, and standard deviation (S.D.. The result of the study revealed that the Science teachers’ prior knowledge was at low level and the need to enhance their performances was at high level. The development of the curriculum was carried out in Phase 2 of the study. The curriculum was constructed and developed in order to enhance the learning management performances which emphasized the higher order thinking skills. The instrument used was the appropriateness the assessment of the curriculum framework. Mean ( , percentage (%, and standard deviation (S.D. were used to analyze the data. The result of the assessment showed that the overall appropriateness of the curriculum was at high level. The main components of the curriculum comprised of curriculum’s problem and necessity, rationale, objective, structure, training activity, training media, training duration, and evaluation and assessment. The curriculum trial was

An overview of conceptual understanding in science education curriculum in Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Widiyatmoko, A.; Shimizu, K.

2018-03-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss the term of “conceptual understanding” in science education curriculum in Indonesia. The implementation of 2013 Curriculum focuses on the acquisition of contextual knowledge in respective areas and environments. The curriculum seeks to develop students' evaluation skills in three areas: attitude, technical skills, and scientific knowledge. It is based on two layers of competencies: core and basic competencies. The core competencies in the curriculum 2013 represent the ability level to achieve the gradute competency standards of a students at each grade level. There are four mandatory core competencies for all educational levels and all subjects including science, which are spiritual, social, knowledge and skills competencies. In terms of knowledge competencies, conceptual understanding is an inseparable part of science concept since conceptual understanding is one of the basic competencies in science learning. This competency is a part of science graduation standard indicated in MoEC article number 20 in 2016. Therefore, conceptual understanding is needed by students for learning science successfully.

Development of mathematics curriculum for Medialogy studentsat Aalborg University

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Timcenko, Olga

Abstract This paper addresses mathematics curriculum development for Medialogy education. Medialogy as a study line was established in 2002 at Faculty for Engineering and Natural Sciences at Aalborg University, and mathematics curriculum has already been revised tree times. Some of the reasoning...... behind curriculum development, lessons learned and remaining issues are presented and discussed....

BIBLIOGRAPHY ON CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Graduate School of Education.

THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY LISTS MATERIALS ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT. FORTY UNANNOTATED REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED FOR DOCUMENTS DATING FROM 1960 TO 1966. BOOKS, JOURNALS, REPORT MATERIALS, AND SOME UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS ARE LISTED IN SUCH AREAS AS COGNITIVE STUDIES, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, SCIENCE STUDIES, AND…

Science curriculum formation in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chaiklin, Seth

Cultural-historical theory is primarily a psychological theory about and human action and development within meaningful contexts. As a psychologically-oriented theory, it can be relevant to science education research, even if it was not been developed or elaborated specifically in relation...... to problems within science education. STEM education research can be reduced (roughly) to four major problem areas: curriculum, empirical evaluation of existing practices and conditions, didactics, and professional development, where each of these categories can be concretised further according to grade...... between research and practice, (b) the idea of developmental teaching, and (c) the idea of theoretical thinking. This paper will present an example of subject-matter analysis for food production and food chemistry to illustrate practical consequences that follow from these three points....

Taiwanese Science and Life Technology Curriculum Standards and Earth Systems Education

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chun-Yen

2005-01-01

In the past several years, curriculum reform has received increasing attention from educators in many countries around the world. Recently, Taiwan has developed new Science and Life Technology Curriculum Standards (SaLTS) for grades 1-9. SaLTS features a systematic way for developing students' understanding and appreciation of…

Story - Science - Solutions: A new middle school science curriculum that promotes climate-stewardship

Science.gov (United States)

Cordero, E.; Centeno Delgado, D. C.

2017-12-01

Over the last five years, Green Ninja has been developing educational media to help motivate student interest and engagement around climate science and solutions. The adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) offers a unique opportunity where schools are changing both what they teach in a science class and how they teach. Inspired by the new emphasis in NGSS on climate change, human impact and engineering design, Green Ninja developed a technology focused, integrative, and yearlong science curriculum (6th, 7th and 8th grade) focused broadly around solutions to environmental problems. The use of technology supports the development of skills valuable for students, while also offering real-time metrics to help measure both student learning and environmental impact of student actions. During the presentation, we will describe the design philosophy around our middle school curriculum and share data from a series of classes that have created environmental benefits that transcend the traditional classroom. The notion that formal education, if done correctly, can be leveraged as a viable climate mitigation strategy will be discussed.

Forensic Science Curriculum for High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Burgess, Christiana J.

Over the last several decades, forensic science---the application of science to civil and criminal legal matters---has become of increasing popularity with the public. The range of disciplines within the field is immense, offering individuals the potential for a unique career, regardless of their specific interests or expertise. In response to this growth, many organizations, both public and private, have recognized the need to create forensic science programs that strive to maintain and enhance the quality of forensic science education. Unfortunately, most of the emphasis placed on developing these materials relates to post-secondary education, and creates a significant lack of forensic science educational materials available in the U.S., especially in Oklahoma. The purpose of this project was to create a high school curriculum that provides the foundation for building a broad, yet comprehensive, overview of the field of forensic science and its associated disciplines. The overall goal was to create and provide course materials to high school teachers in order to increase their knowledge of forensic science such that they are able to teach its disciplines effectively and with accuracy. The Forensic Science Curriculum for High School Students includes sample lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, and lab activities with step-by-step instructions.

Bringing Data Science, Xinformatics and Semantic eScience into the Graduate Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, P.

2012-04-01

Committee on Information and Data (SCCID), features this excerpt from section 4.2.4 Data scientists and professionals: "An unfortunate state in the recognition of data science, is that there is a lack of appreciation of the need for a set of professional knowledge in skill in key areas, many of which have not been emphasized to date, e.g. professional approaches to the management of data over its lifecycle. As such, the effort required to be a data scientists is not valued sufficiently by the remainder of the scientific community." SCCID Recommendation 6 reads: "We recommend the development of education at university level in the new and vital field of data science. The curriculum included in appendix D can be used as a starting point for curriculum development. Appendix D. is entitled "Example curriculum for data science" and explicitly uses the "Curriculum for Data Science taught at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA" . This contribution will present relevant curriculum offerings at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. http://tw.rpi.edu/web/Courses

Specifying a curriculum for biopolitical critical literacy in science teacher education: exploring roles for science fiction

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Gough, Noel

2017-12-01

In this essay I suggest some ways in which science teacher educators in Western neoliberal economies might facilitate learners' development of a critical literacy concerning the social and cultural changes signified by the concept of biopolitics. I consider how such a biopolitically inflected critical literacy might find expression in a science teacher education curriculum and suggest a number of ways of materializing such a curriculum in specific literatures, media, procedures, and assessment tasks, with particular reference to the contributions of science fiction in popular media.

Rad World -- computer-animated video radiation and hazardous waste-management science curriculum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powell, B.

1996-01-01

The Rad World computer-animated video and curriculum materials were developed through a grant from the Waste-management Education and Research Consortium. The package, which includes a computer-animated video, hands-on activities, and multidisciplinary lessons concerning radiation and hazardous-waste management, was created to approach these subjects in an informative, yet entertaining, manner. The lessons and video, designed to supplement studies of energy and physical science at the middle school and high school level, also implement quality and consistent science education as outlined by the New Mexico Science Standards and Benchmarks (1995). Consistent with the curriculum standards and benchmarks, the curriculum includes library research, collaborative learning, hands-on-science, and discovery learning. Pre- and post-tests are included

Curriculum-Dependent and Curriculum-Independent Factors in Preservice Elementary Teachers' Adaptation of Science Curriculum Materials for Inquiry-Based Science

Science.gov (United States)

Forbes, Cory T.

2013-01-01

In this nested mixed methods study I investigate factors influencing preservice elementary teachers' adaptation of science curriculum materials to better support students' engagement in science as inquiry. Analyses focus on two "reflective teaching assignments" completed by 46 preservice elementary teachers in an undergraduate elementary science…

K-6 Science Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Blueford, J. R.; And Others

A unified science approach is incorporated in this K-6 curriculum mode. The program is organized into six major cycles. These include: (1) science, math, and technology cycle; (2) universe cycle; (3) life cycle; (4) water cycle; (5) plate tectonics cycle; and (6) rock cycle. An overview is provided of each cycle's major concepts. The topic…

Preservice Elementary Teachers' Adaptation of Science Curriculum Materials for Inquiry-Based Elementary Science

Science.gov (United States)

Forbes, Cory T.

2011-01-01

Curriculum materials are important resources with which teachers make pedagogical decisions about the design of science learning environments. To become well-started beginning elementary teachers capable of engaging their students in inquiry-based science, preservice elementary teachers need to learn to use science curriculum materials…

On track for success: an innovative behavioral science curriculum model.

Science.gov (United States)

Freedy, John R; Carek, Peter J; Dickerson, Lori M; Mallin, Robert M

2013-01-01

This article describes the behavioral science curriculum currently in place at the Trident/MUSC Family Medicine Residency Program. The Trident/MUSC Program is a 10-10-10 community-based, university-affiliated program in Charleston, South Carolina. Over the years, the Trident/MUSC residency program has graduated over 400 Family Medicine physicians. The current behavioral science curriculum consists of both required core elements (didactic lectures, clinical observation, Balint groups, and Resident Grand Rounds) as well as optional elements (longitudinal patient care experiences, elective rotations, behavioral science editorial experience, and scholars project with a behavioral science focus). All Trident/MUSC residents complete core behavioral science curriculum elements and are free to participate in none, some, or all of the optional behavioral science curriculum elements. This flexibility allows resident physicians to tailor the educational program in a manner to meet individual educational needs. The behavioral science curriculum is based upon faculty interpretation of existing "best practice" guidelines (Residency Review Committee-Family Medicine and AAFP). This article provides sufficient curriculum detail to allow the interested reader the opportunity to adapt elements of the behavioral science curriculum to other residency training programs. While this behavioral science track system is currently in an early stage of implementation, the article discusses track advantages as well as future plans to evaluate various aspects of this innovative educational approach.

A behavioral science/behavioral medicine core curriculum proposal for Japanese undergraduate medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsutsumi, Akizumi

2015-01-01

Behavioral science and behavioral medicine have not been systematically taught to Japanese undergraduate medical students. A working group under the auspices of Japanese Society of Behavioral Medicine developed an outcome-oriented curriculum of behavioral science/behavioral medicine through three processes: identifying the curriculum contents, holding a joint symposium with related societies, and defining outcomes and proposing a learning module. The behavioral science/behavioral medicine core curriculum consists of 11 units of lectures and four units of practical study. The working group plans to improve the current core curriculum by devising formative assessment methods so that students can learn and acquire attitude as well as the skills and knowledge necessary for student-centered clinical practice.

Science Curriculum Components Favored by Taiwanese Biology Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chen-Yung; Hu, Reping; Changlai, Miao-Li

2005-09-01

The new 1-9 curriculum framework in Taiwan provides a remarkable change from previous frameworks in terms of the coverage of content and the powers of teachers. This study employs a modified repertory grid technique to investigate biology teachers' preferences with regard to six curriculum components. One hundred and eighty-five in-service and pre-service biology teachers were asked to determine which science curriculum components they liked and disliked most of all to include in their biology classes. The data show that the rank order of these science curriculum components, from top to bottom, was as follows: application of science, manipulation skills, scientific concepts, social/ethical issues, problem-solving skills, and the history of science. They also showed that pre-service biology teachers, as compared with in-service biology teachers, favored problem-solving skills significantly more than manipulative skills, while in-service biology teachers, as compared with pre-service biology teachers, favored manipulative skills significantly more than problem-solving skills. Some recommendations for ensuring the successful implementation of the Taiwanese 1-9 curriculum framework are also proposed.

A behavioral science/behavioral medicine core curriculum proposal for Japanese undergraduate medical education

OpenAIRE

Tsutsumi, Akizumi

2015-01-01

Behavioral science and behavioral medicine have not been systematically taught to Japanese undergraduate medical students. A working group under the auspices of Japanese Society of Behavioral Medicine developed an outcome-oriented curriculum of behavioral science/behavioral medicine through three processes: identifying the curriculum contents, holding a joint symposium with related societies, and defining outcomes and proposing a learning module. The behavioral science/behavioral medicine cor...

The Politics of Developing and Maintaining Mathematics and Science Curriculum Content Standards. Research Monograph.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirst, Michael W.; Bird, Robin L.

The movement toward math and science curriculum standards is inextricably linked with high-stakes politics. There are two major types of politics discussed in this paper: the allocation of curriculum content, and the political issues involved in systemic change. Political strategies for gaining assent to national, state, and local content…

Bridging the Gap: Embedding Communication Courses in the Science Undergraduate Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Jandciu, Eric; Stewart, Jaclyn J.; Stoodley, Robin; Birol, Gülnur; Han, Andrea; Fox, Joanne A.

2015-01-01

The authors describe a model for embedding science communication into the science curriculum without displacing science content. They describe the rationale, development, design, and implementation of two courses taught by science faculty addressing these criteria. They also outline the evaluation plan for these courses, which emphasize broad…

The Innovative Immersion of Mobile Learning into a Science Curriculum in Singapore: an Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Daner; Looi, Chee-Kit; Wu, Longkai; Xie, Wenting

2016-08-01

With advancements made in mobile technology, increasing emphasis has been paid to how to leverage the affordances of mobile technology to improve science learning and instruction. This paper reports on a science curriculum supported by an inquiry-based framework and mobile technologies. It was developed by teachers and researchers in a multiyear program of school-based research. The foci of this paper is on the design principles of the curriculum and its enactment, and the establishment of a teacher learning community. Through elucidating the design features of the innovative curriculum and evaluating teacher and student involvement in science instruction and learning, we introduce the science curriculum, called Mobilized 5E Science Curriculum (M5ESC), and present a representative case study of how one experienced teacher and her class adopted the curriculum. The findings indicate the intervention promoted this teacher's questioning competency, enabled her to interact with students frequently and flexibly in class, and supported her technology use for promoting different levels of cognition. Student learning was also improved in terms of test achievement and activity performance in and out of the classroom. We propose that the study can be used to guide the learning design of mobile technology-supported curricula, as well as teacher professional development for curriculum enactment.

Study of graduate curriculum in the radiological science: problems and suggestions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ko, Seong Jin; Kim, Hwa Gon; Kang, Se Sik; Park, Byeong Rae; Kim, Chang Soo

2006-01-01

Currently, Educational program of radiological science is developed in enormous growth, our educational environments leading allied health science education program in the number of super high speed medical industry. Radiological science may be the fastest growing technologies in our medical department today. In this way, Medical industry fields converged in the daily quick, the fact that department of radiological science didn't discharged ones duties on current educational environments. The curriculum of radiological technologists that play an important part between skill and occupation's education as major and personality didn't performed one's part most effectively on current medical environments and digital radiological equipment interface. We expect improvement and suggestion to grow natural disposition as studies in the graduate of radiological science. Therefore, in this paper, current curriculum of radiological science are catched hold of trend and problems on digital radiology environments, on fact the present state of problems, for Graduate program of radiological science, graduate courses of MS and ph.D. are suggested a reform measure of major education curriculum introduction

Science Curriculum Guide, Level 4.

Science.gov (United States)

Newark School District, DE.

The fourth of four levels in a K-12 science curriculum is outlined. In Level 4 (grades 9-12), science areas include earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics. Six major themes provide the basis for study in all levels (K-12). These are: Change, Continuity, Diversity, Interaction, Limitation, and Organization. In Level 4, all six themes are…

Developing Sport Psychology in a Girls' Sport Academy Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Andrew

2014-01-01

This article explores the initial steps in developing and presenting Sport Psychology in a leadership and sport curriculum at Stellenbosch University's (SU) Centre for Human Performance Sciences' (CHPS) Academy for Girls' Leadership and Sport Development. Sport Psychology does not feature within the South African school curriculum specifically,…

Life Sciences Teachers Negotiating Professional Development Agency in Changing Curriculum Times

Science.gov (United States)

Singh-Pillay, Asheena; Samuel, Michael Anthony

2017-01-01

This article probes teacher responses to three curricular reform initiatives from a South African situated contextual perspective. It focuses on Life Sciences teachers who have initially reported feeling overwhelmed by this rapidly changing curriculum environment: adopting and re-adapting to the many expected shifts. The research question posed…

Cascade-sea : Computer Assisted Curriculum Analysis, Design & Evaluation for Science Education in Africa.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McKenney, Susan; van den Akker, Jan; Maribe, Robert; Gustafson, Kent; Nieveen, Nienke; Plomp, Tjeerd

1999-01-01

The CASCADE-SEA program aims to support curriculum development within the context of secondary level science and mathematics education in sub-Saharan Africa. This project focuses on the iterative design of a computer-based curriculum development support system for the creation of classroom

Science-based occupations and the science curriculum: Concepts of evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Aikenhead, Glen S.

2005-03-01

What science-related knowledge is actually used by nurses in their day-to-day clinical reasoning when attending patients? The study investigated the knowledge-in-use of six acute-care nurses in a hospital surgical unit. It was found that the nurses mainly drew upon their professional knowledge of nursing and upon their procedural understanding that included a common core of concepts of evidence (concepts implicitly applied to the evaluation of data and the evaluation of evidence - the focus of this research). This core included validity triangulation, normalcy range, accuracy, and a general predilection for direct sensual access to a phenomenon over indirect machine-managed access. A cluster of emotion-related concepts of evidence (e.g. cultural sensitivity) was also discovered. These results add to a compendium of concepts of evidence published in the literature. Only a small proportion of nurses (one of the six nurses in the study) used canonical science content in their clinical reasoning, a result consistent with other research. This study also confirms earlier research on employees in science-rich workplaces in general, and on professional development programs for nurses specifically: canonical science content found in a typical science curriculum (e.g. high school physics) does not appear relevant to many nurses' knowledge-in-use. These findings support a curriculum policy that gives emphasis to students learning how to learn science content as required by an authentic everyday or workplace context, and to students learning concepts of evidence.

Using the AGsploration: the Science of Maryland Agriculture Curriculum as a Tool to Increase Youth Appreciation and Understanding of Agriculture and Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

April Hall Barczewski

2017-01-01

Full Text Available AGsploration: The Science of Maryland Agriculture is a 24-lesson, peer-reviewed curriculum that includes experiential hands-on activities and built-in pre-/post-evaluation tools. Lesson topics include production agriculture, the environment and nutrition with emphasis on how science relates to each topic. Student pre-/post- evaluation data reflects participation in AGsploration positively affects students’ attitudes about agriculture and science. Separate evaluations were developed to survey two groups of trained teen teachers about the curriculum immediately following their training, 1-2 years after using the curriculum and another 3-4 years post involvement. The results demonstrated that teen teachers were an effective way to disseminate the curriculum and these same teens increased their agriculture knowledge, life skills and interest in agriculture science education and careers. A similar evaluation was conducted with adult educators following a training session and another 1-2 years after actively using the curriculum. This data suggests that the curriculum is well received and valued.

Science teachers designing context-based curriculum materials : developing context-based teaching competence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Putter - Smits, de L.G.A.

2012-01-01

The intended new context-based curriculum for four science subjects (AS-MaT1, biology, chemistry, and physics) in senior general secondary education and pre-university education has been the subject of numerous research and teacher professionalisation efforts in the Netherlands for the last seven

Boundary Interaction: Towards Developing a Mobile Technology-Enabled Science Curriculum to Integrate Learning in the Informal Spaces

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Daner; Looi, Chee-Kit

2018-01-01

This paper explores the crossover between formal learning and learning in informal spaces supported by mobile technology, and proposes design principles for educators to carry out a science curriculum, namely Boundary Activity-based Science Curriculum (BAbSC). The conceptualization of the boundary object, and the principles of boundary activity as…

Improving the Science Curriculum with Bioethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundmark, Cathy

2002-01-01

Explains the importance of integrating bioethics into the science curriculum for student learning. Introduces a workshop designed for middle and high school science teachers teaching bioethics, its application to case studies, and how teachers can fit bioethics into their classroom. (YDS)

Engaging a middle school teacher and students in formal-informal science education: Contexts of science standards-based curriculum and an urban science center

Science.gov (United States)

Grace, Shamarion Gladys

This is a three-article five chapter doctoral dissertation. The overall purpose of this three-pronged study is to engage a middle school science teacher and students in formal-informal science education within the context of a science standards-based curriculum and Urban Science Center. The goals of the study were: (1) to characterize the conversations of formal and informal science educators as they attempted to implement a standards-based curriculum augmented with science center exhibits; (2) to study the classroom discourse between the teacher and students that foster the development of common knowledge in science and student understanding of the concept of energy before observing science center exhibits on energy; (3) to investigate whether or not a standards-driven, project-based Investigating and Questioning our World through Science and Technology (IQWST) curriculum unit on forms and transformation of energy augmented with science center exhibits had a significant effect on urban African-American seventh grade students' achievement and learning. Overall, the study consisted of a mixed-method approach. Article one consists of a case study featuring semi-structured interviews and field notes. Article two consists of documenting and interpreting teacher-students' classroom discourse. Article three consists of qualitative methods (classroom discussion, focus group interviews, student video creation) and quantitative methods (multiple choice and open-ended questions). Oral discourses in all three studies were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. In article one, the community of educators' conversations were critically analyzed to discern the challenges educators encountered when they attempted to connect school curriculum to energy exhibits at the Urban Science Center. The five challenges that characterize the emergence of a third space were as follows: (a) science terminology for lesson focus, (b) "dumb-down" of science exhibits, (c) exploration distracts

Revision of Primary I-III Science Curriculum in Somalia. African Studies in Curriculum Development & Evaluation No. 83.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdi, Ahmed Ali

This study was designed to evaluate: (1) the content of the primary I-III science curriculum in Somalia; (2) the instructional materials that back up the content and methodologies; and (3) the professional competence of the teachers in charge of teaching this subject. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire, observations, and unstructured…

Investigating the Role of the Teacher in Science Curriculum: New Evidence for an Old Debate

Science.gov (United States)

Penuel, W.; McAuliffe, C.; McWilliams, H.

2007-12-01

It is widely believed that teachers need high-quality curriculum materials to improve teaching and learning. Professional development designs differ, however, in whether they emphasize preparing teachers to use expert- designed curricula or preparing teachers with the tools needed to design and implement high-quality science units themselves. Evidence exists for the effectiveness of providing teachers with training in how to implement expert-designed curricula (Bredderman, 1983; Shymansky, Hedges, & Woodworth, 1990; Weinstein, Boulanger, & Walberg, 1982) and for providing teachers with professional development aimed at preparing teachers to design instruction and assessments (Black & Harrison, 2001; Shepard, 1997; Sneider, Adams, Ibanez, Templeton, & Porter, 1996). However, no studies, however, have compared explicitly these different approaches to preparing teachers to plan and enact instruction in science. The Transforming Instruction by Design in Earth Science (TIDES) project is an experimental study comparing the efficacy of three different approaches to professional development. The approaches differ with respect to the role that teachers are expected to play in curriculum. In one condition (Earth Science by Design), teachers learn how to design curriculum units in Earth science. In a second condition (Investigating Earth Systems), teachers learn how to adopt and implement curriculum materials developed by experts. In the third condition (Hybrid), teachers learn a principled approach to adapt expert-developed curriculum materials. The TIDES study is examining the impacts of each of the approaches to professional development on instructional planning and on the quality of assignments and assessments they give to students. We measured impacts on instructional planning using an end-of-unit questionnaire that focused on changes to teachers" overall approach to planning units of instruction, their strategies for organizing assignment, and materials they use in

Measuring Science Curriculum Improvement Study Teachers' Attitudinal Changes Toward Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Hovey, Larry Michael

Investigated were three questions related to the relationship between a science teacher's attitude regarding the use of a newer science program, in this instance the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS): (1) Could the Projective Tests of Attitudes, originally designed for fifth-grade students, be modified for use with adults? (2) Is there a…

Work-Based Curriculum to Broaden Learners' Participation in Science: Insights for Designers

Science.gov (United States)

Bopardikar, Anushree; Bernstein, Debra; Drayton, Brian; McKenney, Susan

2018-05-01

Around the globe, science education during compulsory schooling is envisioned for all learners regardless of their educational and career aspirations, including learners bound to the workforce upon secondary school completion. Yet, a major barrier in attaining this vision is low learner participation in secondary school science. Because curricula play a major role in shaping enacted learning, this study investigated how designers developed a high school physics curriculum with positive learning outcomes in learners with varied inclinations. Qualitative analysis of documents and semistructured interviews with the designers focused on the curriculum in different stages—from designers' ideas about learning goals to their vision for enactment to the printed materials—and on the design processes that brought them to fruition. This revealed designers' emphases on fostering workplace connections via learning goals and activities, and printed supports. The curriculum supported workplace-inspired, hands-on design-and-build projects, developed to address deeply a limited set of standards aligned learning goals. The curriculum also supported learners' interactions with relevant workplace professionals. To create these features, the designers reviewed other curricula to develop vision and printed supports, tested activities internally to assess content coverage, surveyed states in the USA receiving federal school-to-work grants and reviewed occupational information to choose unit topics and career contexts, and visited actual workplaces to learn about authentic praxis. Based on the worked example, this paper offers guidelines for designing work-based science curriculum products and processes that can serve the work of other designers, as well as recommendations for research serving designers and policymakers.

Grade 6 Science Curriculum Specifications.

Science.gov (United States)

Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton. Curriculum Branch.

This material describes curriculum specifications for grade 6 science in Alberta. Emphases recommended are: (1) process skills (50%); (2) psychomotor skills (10%); (3) attitudes (10%); and (4) subject matter (30%). Priorities within each category are identified. (YP)

A statistical analysis of the characteristics of the intended curriculum for Japanese primary science and its relationship to the attained curriculum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenji Matsubara

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract This study statistically investigates the characteristics of the intended curriculum for Japanese primary science, focusing on the learning content. The study used the TIMSS 2011 Grade 4 Curriculum Questionnaire data as a major source for the learning content prescribed at the national level. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine the extent to which a topic area was covered, as compared to the average among the 59 TIMSS 2011 participating countries. The study revealed that the topic areas of “Human Health” and “Changes in Environments,” both in the life science domain, showed statistically less coverage in the Japanese primary science curriculum when compared to the international average. Furthermore, in discussion, the study relates the characteristics found in the intended curriculum to those in the attained curriculum, examining the percent correct statistics for relevant items from the science assessment. Based on these findings, the study proposes two recommendations for revision of the Japanese primary science curriculum.

chemistry syllabus of the nigeria science curriculum

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The senior secondary two chemistry course content of the Nigerian science curriculum was assessed ... of the students. In Nigeria, the need to re-examine both what to teach in science and how to teach it led ..... primary school. Our industries ...

The application of Legacy Cycles in the development of Earth Science curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Ellins, K.; Abernathy, E.; Negrito, K.; McCall, L.

2009-04-01

The Institute for Geophysics in the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin actively contributes to K-12 education, including the development of rigorous Earth and Space Science curriculum designed for secondary school learning environments. Here we report on our efforts to apply an innovative new pedagogical approach, the Legacy Cycle, to scientific ocean drilling paleoclimate data from fossil corals collected offshore Barbados in 2006 and to the creation of a high school water resources education program for Texas high school students supported by a grant from the Texas Water Development Board. The Legacy Cycle makes use of the Internet and computer technology to engage students in extended inquiry learning. A series of inquiry activities are organized around a set of three driving questions, or challenges. Students mimic the work of scientists by generating ideas to address a given challenge, listening to multiple perspectives from experts on the topic, researching a set of sub-questions and revising their original ideas, testing their mettle with labs and quizzes, and finally composing a project or paper that answers the original challenge. The technology makes it easy for students to move through the challenges and the organizational framework since there are hyperlinks to each of the sections (and to reach the other challenges) at the bottom of each webpage. Students' final work is posted to the Internet for others to see, and in this way they leave behind their legacy. Our Legacy Cycle activities use authentic hydrologic, water quality, geochemical, geophysical data, as well as remotely sensed data such as is collected by satellites. They are aligned with the U.S. National Science Education Standards, the new Ocean, Climate and Earth Science Literacy Principles (in development), and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Earth and Space Science. The work represents a collaboration involving teachers from The University of

Horizontal integration of the basic sciences in the chiropractic curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Kevin P

2010-01-01

Basic science curricula at most chiropractic colleges consist of courses (eg, general anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, etc) that are taught as stand-alone content domains. The lack of integration between basic science disciplines causes difficulties for students who need to understand how the parts function together as an integrated whole and apply this understanding to solving clinical problems. More horizontally integrated basic science curricula could be achieved by several means: integrated Part I National Board of Chiropractic Examiners questions, a broader education for future professors, an increased emphasis on integration within the current model, linked courses, and an integrated, thematic basic science curriculum. Horizontally integrating basic science curricula would require significant efforts from administrators, curriculum committees, and instructional faculty. Once in place this curriculum would promote more clinically relevant learning, improved learning outcomes, and superior vertical integration.

Horizontal Integration of the Basic Sciences in the Chiropractic Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Kevin P.

2010-01-01

Basic science curricula at most chiropractic colleges consist of courses (eg, general anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, etc) that are taught as stand-alone content domains. The lack of integration between basic science disciplines causes difficulties for students who need to understand how the parts function together as an integrated whole and apply this understanding to solving clinical problems. More horizontally integrated basic science curricula could be achieved by several means: integrated Part I National Board of Chiropractic Examiners questions, a broader education for future professors, an increased emphasis on integration within the current model, linked courses, and an integrated, thematic basic science curriculum. Horizontally integrating basic science curricula would require significant efforts from administrators, curriculum committees, and instructional faculty. Once in place this curriculum would promote more clinically relevant learning, improved learning outcomes, and superior vertical integration. PMID:21048882

The influence of secondary science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge, educational beliefs and perceptions of the curriculum on implementation and science reform

Science.gov (United States)

Bonner, Portia Selene

2001-07-01

Science education reform is one of the focal points of restructuring the educational system in the United States. However, research indicates a slow change in progression towards science literacy among secondary students. One of the factors contributing to slow change is how teachers implement the curriculum in the classroom. Three constructs are believed to be influential in curriculum implementation: educational beliefs, pedagogical knowledge and perception of the curriculum. Earlier research suggests that there is a strong correlation between teachers' educational beliefs and instructional practices. These beliefs can be predictors of preferred strategies employed in the classroom. Secondly, teachers' pedagogical knowledge, that is the ability to apply theory and appropriate strategies associated with implementing and evaluating a curriculum, contributes to implementation. Thirdly, perception or how the curriculum itself is perceived also effects implementation. Each of these constructs has been examined independently, but never the interplay of the three. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the interplay of teachers' educational beliefs, pedagogical content knowledge and perceptions of a science curriculum with respect to how these influence curriculum implementation. This was accomplished by investigating the emerging themes that evolved from classroom observations, transcripts from interview and supplementary data. Five high school biology teachers in an urban school system were observed for ten months for correspondence of teaching strategies to the curriculum. Teachers were interviewed formally and informally about their perceptions of science teaching, learning and the curriculum. Supplementary material such as lesson plans, course syllabus and notes from classroom observations were collected and analyzed. Data were transcribed and analyzed for recurring themes using a thematic matrix. A theoretical model was developed from the emerging

Language games: Christian fundamentalism and the science curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Freund, Cheryl J.

Eighty years after the Scope's Trial, the debate over evolution in the public school curriculum is alive and well. Historically, Christian fundamentalists, the chief opponents of evolution in the public schools, have used the court system to force policymakers, to adopt their ideology regarding evolution in the science curriculum. However, in recent decades their strategy has shifted from the courts to the local level, where they pressure teachers and school boards to include "alternate theories" and the alleged "flaws" and "inconsistencies" of evolution in the science curriculum. The purpose of this content analysis study was to answer the question: How do Christian fundamentalists employ rhetorical strategies to influence the science curriculum? The rhetorical content of several public legal and media documents resulting from a lawsuit filed against the Athens Public Schools by the American Center of Law and Justice were analyzed for the types of rhetorical strategies employed by the participants engaged in the scientific, legal, and public discourse communities. The study employed an analytical schema based on Ludwig Wittgenstein's theory of language games, Lawrence Prelli's theory of discourse communities, and Michael Apple's notion of constitutive and preference rules. Ultimately, this study revealed that adroit use of the constitutive and preference rules of the legal and public discourse communities allowed the school district to reframe the creation-evolution debate, thereby avoiding a public spectacle and ameliorating the power of creationist language to affect change in the science curriculum. In addition, the study reinforced the assertion that speakers enjoy the most persuasive power when they attend to the preference rules of the public discourse community.

Developing a competency-based medical education curriculum for the core basic medical sciences in an African Medical School

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olopade FE

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Funmilayo Eniola Olopade,1 Oluwatosin Adekunle Adaramoye,2 Yinusa Raji,3 Abiodun Olubayo Fasola,4 Emiola Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa5 1Department of Anatomy, 2Department of Biochemistry, 3Department of Physiology, 4Department of Oral Pathology, 5Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Abstract: The College of Medicine of the University of Ibadan recently revised its MBBS and BDS curricula to a competency-based medical education method of instruction. This paper reports the process of revising the methods of instruction and assessment in the core basic medical sciences directed at producing medical and dental graduates with a sound knowledge of the subjects sufficient for medical and dental practice and for future postgraduate efforts in the field or related disciplines. The health needs of the community and views of stakeholders in the Ibadan medical and dental schools were determined, and the “old” curriculum was reviewed. This process was directed at identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the old curricula and the newer competences required for modern-day medical/dental practice. The admission criteria and processes and the learning methods of the students were also studied. At the end of the review, an integrated, system-based, community-oriented, person-centered, and competency-driven curriculum was produced and approved for implementation. Four sets of students have been admitted into the curriculum. There have been challenges to the implementation process, but these have been overcome by continuous faculty development and reorientation programs for the nonteaching staff and students. Two sets of students have crossed over to the clinical school, and the consensus among the clinical teachers is that their knowledge and application of the basic medical sciences are satisfactory. The Ibadan medical and dental schools are implementing their competency-based medical education curricula

Georgia science curriculum alignment and accountability: A blueprint for student success

Science.gov (United States)

Reining-Gray, Kimberly M.

Current trends and legislation in education indicate an increased dependency on standardized test results as a measure for learner success. This study analyzed test data in an effort to assess the impact of curriculum alignment on learner success as well as teacher perceptions of the changes in classroom instruction due to curriculum alignment. Qualitative and quantitative design methods were used to determine the impact of science curriculum alignment in grades 9-12. To determine the impact of science curriculum alignment from the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) to the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) test data and teacher opinion surveys from one Georgia School system were examined. Standardized test scores before and after curriculum alignment were analyzed as well as teacher perception survey data regarding the impact of curriculum change. A quantitative teacher perception survey was administered to science teachers in the school system to identify significant changes in teacher perceptions or teaching strategies following curriculum realignment. Responses to the survey were assigned Likert scale values for analysis purposes. Selected teachers were also interviewed using panel-approved questions to further determine teacher opinions of curriculum realignment and the impact on student success and teaching strategies. Results of this study indicate significant changes related to curriculum alignment. Teachers reported a positive change in teaching strategies and instructional delivery as a result of curriculum alignment and implementation. Student scores also showed improvement, but more research is recommended in this area.

The Delphi Technique in Identifying Learning Objectives for the Development of Science, Technology and Society Modules for Palestinian Ninth Grade Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Abualrob, Marwan M. A.; Daniel, Esther Gnanamalar Sarojini

2013-01-01

This article outlines how learning objectives based upon science, technology and society (STS) elements for Palestinian ninth grade science textbooks were identified, which was part of a bigger study to establish an STS foundation in the ninth grade science curriculum in Palestine. First, an initial list of STS elements was determined. Second,…

Science and Technology Teachers' Views of Primary School Science and Technology Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Yildiz-Duban, Nil

2013-01-01

This phenomenographic study attempts to explicit science and technology teachers' views of primary school science and technology curriculum. Participants of the study were selected through opportunistic sampling and consisted of 30 science and technology teachers teaching in primary schools in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. Data were collected through an…

Development of a Systems Science Curriculum to Engage Rural African American Teens in Understanding and Addressing Childhood Obesity Prevention

Science.gov (United States)

Frerichs, Leah; Lich, Kristen Hassmiller; Young, Tiffany L.; Dave, Gaurav; Stith, Doris; Corbie-Smith, Giselle

2018-01-01

Engaging youth from racial and ethnic minority communities as leaders for change is a potential strategy to mobilize support for addressing childhood obesity, but there are limited curricula designed to help youth understand the complex influences on obesity. Our aim was to develop and pilot test a systems science curriculum to elicit rural…

Wind-energy Science, Technology and Research (WindSTAR) Consortium: Curriculum, Workforce Development, and Education Plan Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manwell, James [Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)

2013-03-19

The purpose of the project is to modify and expand the current wind energy curriculum at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and to develop plans to expand the graduate program to a national scale. The expansion plans include the foundational steps to establish the American Academy of Wind Energy (AAWE). The AAWE is intended to be a cooperative organization of wind energy research, development, and deployment institutes and universities across North America, whose mission will be to develop and execute joint RD&D projects and to organize high-level science and education in wind energy

Curriculum optimization of College of Optical Science and Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaoping; Zheng, Zhenrong; Wang, Kaiwei; Zheng, Xiaodong; Ye, Song; Zhu, Yuhui

2017-08-01

The optimized curriculum of College of Optical Science and Engineering is accomplished at Zhejiang University, based on new trends from both research and industry. The curriculum includes general courses, foundation courses such as mathematics and physics, major core courses, laboratory courses and several module courses. Module courses include optical system designing, optical telecommunication, imaging and vision, electronics and computer science, optoelectronic sensing and metrology, optical mechanics and materials, basics and extension. These curricula reflect the direction of latest researches and relates closely with optoelectronics. Therefore, students may combine flexibly compulsory courses with elective courses, and establish the personalized curriculum of "optoelectronics + X", according to their individual strengths and preferences.

Elements of Contemporary Integrated Science Curriculum: Impacts ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper acknowledged the vital roles played by integration of ideas and established the progress brought about when science is taught as a unified whole through knowledge integration which birthed integrated science as a subject in Nigerian school curriculum. The efforts of interest groups at regional, national and ...

AIAA Educator Academy - Mars Rover Curriculum: A 6 week multidisciplinary space science based curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Henriquez, E.; Bering, E. A.; Slagle, E.; Nieser, K.; Carlson, C.; Kapral, A.

2013-12-01

The Curiosity mission has captured the imagination of children, as NASA missions have done for decades. The AIAA and the University of Houston have developed a flexible curriculum program that offers children in-depth science and language arts learning culminating in the design and construction of their own model rover. The program is called the Mars Rover Model Celebration. It focuses on students, teachers and parents in grades 3-8. Students learn to research Mars in order to pick a science question about Mars that is of interest to them. They learn principles of spacecraft design in order to build a model of a Mars rover to carry out their mission on the surface of Mars. The model is a mock-up, constructed at a minimal cost from art supplies. This project may be used either informally as an after school club or youth group activity or formally as part of a class studying general science, earth science, solar system astronomy or robotics, or as a multi-disciplinary unit for a gifted and talented program. The project's unique strength lies in engaging students in the process of spacecraft design and interesting them in aerospace engineering careers. The project is aimed at elementary and secondary education. Not only will these students learn about scientific fields relevant to the mission (space science, physics, geology, robotics, and more), they will gain an appreciation for how this knowledge is used to tackle complex problems. The low cost of the event makes it an ideal enrichment vehicle for low income schools. It provides activities that provide professional development to educators, curricular support resources using NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) content, and provides family opportunities for involvement in K-12 student learning. This paper will describe the structure and organization of the 6 week curriculum. A set of 30 new 5E lesson plans have been written to support this project as a classroom activity. The challenge of developing interactive

Science-Based Thematic Cultural Art Learning in Primary School (2013 Curriculum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Warih Handayaningrum

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study is aimed at discussing the development result of thematic cultural art subject’s learning material based on science for primary school (2013 curriculum. This study is expected to inspire teacher to develop learning material that may explore artworks exist in our living environment (based on the context of children’s environment. This study applies steps in developmental research collaboration by Borg & Gall (1989 and Puslitjaknov (2008 to create the product. The development stages comprise observation in several primary schools in Surabaya, Gresik, and Sidoarjo that has implemented 2013 curriculum that is followed up by stages of development. Furthermore, prototype of cultural and art thematic learning material development results are verified by learning material experts, material expert, primary school teacher, and revised afterwards. The result of this research development is a set of teacher and student books. Science-based cultural art here means cultural art learning as the main medium to introduce local culture products (music, drawing, dance, and drama by integrating mathematics, sciences, Bahasa Indonesia, and local language subjects. Cultural art products in the form of dance, music, drawing, dramas will help children to understand a simple mathematical concept, such as: two-dimensional figure, geometry, comparing or estimating longer-shorter, smaller-bigger, or more-less.

Models and Materials: Bridging Art and Science in the Secondary Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Pak, D.; Cavazos, L.

2006-12-01

Creating and sustaining student engagement in science is one challenge facing secondary teachers. The visual arts provide an alternative means of communicating scientific concepts to students who may not respond to traditional formats or identify themselves as interested in science. We have initiated a three-year teacher professional development program at U C Santa Barbara focused on bridging art and science in secondary curricula, to engage students underrepresented in science majors, including girls, English language learners and non-traditional learners. The three-year format provides the teams of teachers with the time and resources necessary to create innovative learning experiences for students that will enhance their understanding of both art and science content. Models and Materials brings together ten secondary art and science teachers from six Santa Barbara County schools. Of the five participating science teachers, three teach Earth Science and two teach Life Science. Art and science teachers from each school are teamed and challenged with the task of creating integrated curriculum projects that bring visual art concepts to the science classroom and science concepts to the art classroom. Models and Materials were selected as unifying themes; understanding the concept of models, their development and limitations, is a prominent goal in the California State Science and Art Standards. Similarly, the relationship between composition, structure and properties of materials is important to both art and science learning. The program began with a 2-week institute designed to highlight the natural links between art and science through presentations and activities by both artists and scientists, to inspire teachers to develop new ways to present models in their classrooms, and for the teacher teams to brainstorm ideas for curriculum projects. During the current school year, teachers will begin to integrate science and art and the themes of modeling and materials

The Study of Literacy Reinforcement of Science Teachers in Implementing 2013 Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Dewi, W. S.; Festiyed, F.; Hamdi, H.; Sari, S. Y.

2018-04-01

This research aims to study and collect data comprehensively, new and actual about science literacy to improve the ability of educators in implementing the 2013 Curriculum at Junior High School Padang Pariaman District. The specific benefit of this research is to give description and to know the problem of science literacy problem in interaction among teacher, curriculum, facilities and infrastructure, evaluation, learning technology and students. This study uses explorative in deep study approach, studying and collecting data comprehensively from the interaction of education process components (curriculum, educator, learner, facilities and infrastructure, learning media technology, and evaluation) that influence the science literacy. This research was conducted in the districts of Padang Pariaman consisting of 17 subdistricts and 84 junior high schools managed by the government and private. The sample of this research is science teachers of Padang Pariaman District with sampling technique is stratified random sampling. The instrument used in this study is a questionnaire to the respondents. Research questionnaire data are processed by percentage techniques (quantitative). The results of this study explain that the understanding of science teachers in Padang Pariaman District towards the implementation of 2013 Curriculum is still lacking. The science teachers of Padang Pariaman District have not understood the scientific approach and the effectiveness of 2013 Curriculum in shaping the character of the students. To improve the understanding of the implementation of Curriculum 2013, it is necessary to strengthen the literacy toward science teachers at the Junior High School level in Padang Pariaman District.

Designing a Science Curriculum Fit for Purpose

Science.gov (United States)

Millar, Robin

2014-01-01

The science curriculum to age 16 should be judged on how well it meets the needs of students who progress to A-level science courses and those (a larger number) who do not. To address the diversity of students' interests and aspirations, we need a clear view of the purposes of science education rooted in a view of the purposes of education itself.…

Surviving the Implementation of a New Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Lowe, Beverly; Appleton, Ken

2015-01-01

Queensland schools are currently teaching with the first National Curriculum for Australia. This new curriculum was one of a number of political responses to address the recurring low scores in literacy, mathematics, and science that continue to hold Australia in poor international rankings. Teachers have spent 2 years getting to know the new…

Changing Curriculum: A Critical Inquiry into the Revision of the British Columbia Science Curriculum For Grades K-9

Science.gov (United States)

Searchfield, Mary A.

In 2010 British Columbia's Ministry of Education started the process of redesigning the provincial school curriculum, Kindergarten to Grade 12. Mandatory implementation of the new curriculum was set for the 2016/17 school year for Grades K-9, and 2017/18 for Grades 10-12. With a concerted emphasis on personalized learning and through the frame of a Know-Do-Understand curriculum model, the new curriculum aims to meet the needs of today's learners, described as living in a technology-rich, fast-paced and ever-changing world, through a concept-based and competency-driven emphasis. This thesis is a critical analysis of the BC K-9 Science curriculum as written and published, looking specifically at how science is treated as a form of knowledge, its claimed presentation as a story, and on whether the intentions claimed by the designers are matched in the curriculum's final form.

Teachers and Science Curriculum Materials: Where We Are and Where We Need to Go

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Elizabeth A.; Janssen, Fred J. J. M.; Van Driel, Jan H.

2016-01-01

Curriculum materials serve as a key conceptual tool for science teachers, and better understanding how science teachers use these tools could help to improve both curriculum design and theory related to teacher learning and decision-making. The authors review the literature on teachers and science curriculum materials. The review is organised…

Systematic Changes in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum Progam Award and Course and Curriculum Development Program Awards

Science.gov (United States)

1996-06-01

Eight awards in chemistry curriculum development for FY1996 have been announced. One award, to a consortium centered at the University of California-Los Angeles, represents the fifth award in the Systemic Changes in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum program. Although no proposals will be accepted in this program for either planning or full grants for FY1997, it is anticipated that proposals will be accepted in June of 1997 for projects that would adapt and adopt materials developed by the five funded consortia: Molecular Science centered at the University of California-Los Angeles; ChemLinks centered at Beloit College; MolecularChem Consortium centered at the University of California-Berkeley; Workshop Chemistry centered at CUNY City College; and New Traditions centered at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Seven awards have been made in the Course and Curriculum Development program. This ongoing program continues to accept proposals in chemistry as usual. Systemic Changes in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum Program Award. Molecular Science. Orville L. Chapman University of California-Los Angeles DUE 9555605 FY96 725,000 FY97 575,000, FY98 575,000 FY99 275,000, FY00 275,000 The UCLA-CSUF-Community College Alliance (24 area community colleges that have worked together for more than 15 years) proposes a sweeping restructuring of the lower division chemistry curriculum and the auxiliary learning and assessment processes. In forming our new curriculum, we reject the positivist approach to science education in favor of a constructivist approach that emphasizes problem solving and exploratory learning. We make this change in order to focus on the developing key skills, traits, and abilities of our students. Our new curriculum, the Molecular Science Curriculum, cuts across departments and disciplines to embrace all activities that involve the study of atoms and molecules. In particular, environmental science, materials science, and molecular life science have

Curriculum Development in Geomorphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Gregory, Kenneth J.

1988-01-01

Examines the context of present curriculum development in geomorphology and the way in which it has developed in recent years. Discusses the content of the geomorphology curriculum in higher education and the consequences of curriculum development together with a consideration of future trends and their implications. (GEA)

From FRA to RFN, or How the Family Resemblance Approach Can Be Transformed for Science Curriculum Analysis on Nature of Science

Science.gov (United States)

Kaya, Ebru; Erduran, Sibel

2016-12-01

The inclusion of Nature of Science (NOS) in the science curriculum has been advocated around the world for several decades. One way of defining NOS is related to the family resemblance approach (FRA). The family resemblance idea was originally described by Wittgenstein. Subsequently, philosophers and educators have applied Wittgenstein's idea to problems of their own disciplines. For example, Irzik and Nola adapted Wittgenstein's generic definition of the family resemblance idea to NOS, while Erduran and Dagher reconceptualized Irzik and Nola's FRA-to-NOS by synthesizing educational applications by drawing on perspectives from science education research. In this article, we use the terminology of "Reconceptualized FRA-to-NOS (RFN)" to refer to Erduran and Dagher's FRA version which offers an educational account inclusive of knowledge about pedagogical, instructional, curricular and assessment issues in science education. Our motivation for making this distinction is rooted in the need to clarify the various accounts of the family resemblance idea.The key components of the RFN include the aims and values of science, methods and methodological rules, scientific practices, scientific knowledge as well as the social-institutional dimensions of science including the social ethos, certification, and power relations. We investigate the potential of RFN in facilitating curriculum analysis and in determining the gaps related to NOS in the curriculum. We analyze two Turkish science curricula published 7 years apart and illustrate how RFN can contribute not only to the analysis of science curriculum itself but also to trends in science curriculum development. Furthermore, we present an analysis of documents from USA and Ireland and contrast them to the Turkish curricula thereby illustrating some trends in the coverage of RFN categories. The results indicate that while both Turkish curricula contain statements that identify science as a cognitive-epistemic system, they

A Subject Matter Expert View of Curriculum Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Milazzo, M. P.; Anderson, R. B.; Edgar, L. A.; Gaither, T. A.; Vaughan, R. G.

2017-12-01

In 2015, NASA selected for funding the PLANETS project: Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science. The PLANETS partnership develops planetary science and engineering curricula for out of classroom time (OST) education settings. This partnership is between planetary science Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) at the US Geological Survey (USGS), curriculum developers at the Boston Museum of Science (MOS) Engineering is Everywhere (EiE), science and engineering teacher professional development experts at Northern Arizona University (NAU) Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL), and OST teacher networks across the world. For the 2016 and 2017 Fiscal Years, our focus was on creating science material for two OST modules designed for middle school students. We have begun development of a third module for elementary school students. The first model teaches about the science and engineering of the availability of water in the Solar System, finding accessible water, evaluating it for quality, treating it for impurities, initial use, a cycle of greywater treatment and re-use, and final treatment of blackwater. This module is described in more detail in the abstract by L. Edgar et al., Water in the Solar System: The Development of Science Education Curriculum Focused on Planetary Exploration (233008) The second module involves the science and engineering of remote sensing in planetary exploration. This includes discussion and activities related to the electromagnetic spectrum, spectroscopy and various remote sensing systems and techniques. In these activities and discussions, we include observation and measurement techniques and tools as well as collection and use of specific data of interest to scientists. This module is described in more detail in the abstract by R. Anderson et al., Remote Sensing Mars Landing Sites: An Out-of-School Time Planetary Science Education Activity for Middle School Students (232683) The third module

SU-F-E-08: Medical Physics as a Teaching Tool for High School Science Curriculum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buckley, L [The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Ctr., Ottawa, ON (Canada)

2016-06-15

Purpose: Delivering high school science curriculum in a timely manner and in way that is accessible to all students is a challenge for teachers. Although many high schools offer career workshops, these are typically directed at senior students and do not relate directly to details of the curriculum. The objective of this initiative was to create a series of lectures that use medical physics to relate many aspects of the high school science curriculum to tangible clinical applications and to introduce students to alternate pathways into a career in health sciences. Methods: A series of lectures has been developed based on the Ontario High School Science Curriculum. Each lecture uses a career in radiotherapy medical physics as the framework for discussion of topics specific to the high school course being addressed. Results: At present, these lectures have been delivered in five area high schools to students ranging from sophomores to seniors. Survey documents are given to the students before and after the lecture to assess their awareness of careers in health care, applications of physics and their general interest in the subject areas. As expected, students have limited up front awareness of the wide variety of health related career paths. The idea of combining a career lecture with topics specific to the classroom curriculum has been well-received by teachers and students alike. Conclusion: Career talks for high school students are useful for students contemplating their post- secondary career path. Relating career discussion with direct course curriculum makes their studies more relevant and engaging. Students aspiring to a career in health sciences often focus their studies on life sciences due to limited knowledge of potential careers. An early introduction to medical physics presents them with an alternate path through the physical sciences into health care.

SU-F-E-08: Medical Physics as a Teaching Tool for High School Science Curriculum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buckley, L

2016-01-01

Purpose: Delivering high school science curriculum in a timely manner and in way that is accessible to all students is a challenge for teachers. Although many high schools offer career workshops, these are typically directed at senior students and do not relate directly to details of the curriculum. The objective of this initiative was to create a series of lectures that use medical physics to relate many aspects of the high school science curriculum to tangible clinical applications and to introduce students to alternate pathways into a career in health sciences. Methods: A series of lectures has been developed based on the Ontario High School Science Curriculum. Each lecture uses a career in radiotherapy medical physics as the framework for discussion of topics specific to the high school course being addressed. Results: At present, these lectures have been delivered in five area high schools to students ranging from sophomores to seniors. Survey documents are given to the students before and after the lecture to assess their awareness of careers in health care, applications of physics and their general interest in the subject areas. As expected, students have limited up front awareness of the wide variety of health related career paths. The idea of combining a career lecture with topics specific to the classroom curriculum has been well-received by teachers and students alike. Conclusion: Career talks for high school students are useful for students contemplating their post- secondary career path. Relating career discussion with direct course curriculum makes their studies more relevant and engaging. Students aspiring to a career in health sciences often focus their studies on life sciences due to limited knowledge of potential careers. An early introduction to medical physics presents them with an alternate path through the physical sciences into health care.

Teacher enactment of an inquiry-based science curriculum and its relationship to student interest and achievement in science

Science.gov (United States)

Dimichino, Daniela C.

This mixed-methods case study, influenced by aspects of grounded theory, aims to explore the relationships among a teacher's attitude toward inquiry-based middle school reform, their enactment of such a curriculum, and student interest and achievement in science. A solid theoretical basis was constructed from the literature on the benefits of inquiry-based science over traditional science education, the benefits of using constructivist learning techniques in the classroom, the importance of motivating teachers to change their teaching practices to be more constructive, and the importance of motivating and exciting students in order to boost achievement in science. Data was collected using qualitative documents such as teacher and student interviews, classroom observations, and curriculum development meetings, in addition to quantitative documents such as student science interest surveys and science skills tests. The qualitative analysis focused on examining teacher attitudes toward curricular reform efforts, and the enactments of three science teachers during the initial year of an inquiry-based middle school curriculum adoption using a fidelity of implementation tool constructed from themes that emerged from the data documents utilized in this study. In addition, both qualitative and quantitative tools were used to measure an increase or decrease in student interest and student achievement over the study year, and their resulting relationships to their teachers' attitudes and enactments of the curriculum. Results from data analysis revealed a positive relationship between the teachers' attitude toward curricular change and their fidelity of implementation to the developers' intentions, or curricular enactment. In addition, strong positive relationships were also discovered among teacher attitude, student interest, and student achievement. Variations in teacher enactment also related to variations in student interest and achievement, with considerable positive

Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Needs Assessment of a STEM-Enhanced Food and Nutrition Sciences Curriculum

OpenAIRE

Merrill, Cathy A.

2016-01-01

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education concepts are naturally contextualized in the study of food and nutrition. In 2014 a pilot group of Utah high school Career and Technical Education Family and Consumer Sciences teachers rewrote the Food and Nutrition Sciences curriculum to add and enhance the STEM-related content. This study is an online needs assessment by Utah Food and Nutrition 1 teachers on the implementation of the STEM-enhanced curriculum after its first y...

The Biome Project: Developing a Legitimate Parallel Curriculum for Physical Education and Life Sciences

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Hastie, Peter Andrew

2013-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe the outcomes of a parallel curriculum project between life sciences and physical education. Throughout a 6-week period, students in grades two through five became members of teams that represented different animal species and biomes, and concurrently participated in a season of gymnastics skills and…

Developing a competency-based medical education curriculum for the core basic medical sciences in an African Medical School.

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Olopade, Funmilayo Eniola; Adaramoye, Oluwatosin Adekunle; Raji, Yinusa; Fasola, Abiodun Olubayo; Olapade-Olaopa, Emiola Oluwabunmi

2016-01-01

The College of Medicine of the University of Ibadan recently revised its MBBS and BDS curricula to a competency-based medical education method of instruction. This paper reports the process of revising the methods of instruction and assessment in the core basic medical sciences directed at producing medical and dental graduates with a sound knowledge of the subjects sufficient for medical and dental practice and for future postgraduate efforts in the field or related disciplines. The health needs of the community and views of stakeholders in the Ibadan medical and dental schools were determined, and the "old" curriculum was reviewed. This process was directed at identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the old curricula and the newer competences required for modern-day medical/dental practice. The admission criteria and processes and the learning methods of the students were also studied. At the end of the review, an integrated, system-based, community-oriented, person-centered, and competency-driven curriculum was produced and approved for implementation. Four sets of students have been admitted into the curriculum. There have been challenges to the implementation process, but these have been overcome by continuous faculty development and reorientation programs for the nonteaching staff and students. Two sets of students have crossed over to the clinical school, and the consensus among the clinical teachers is that their knowledge and application of the basic medical sciences are satisfactory. The Ibadan medical and dental schools are implementing their competency-based medical education curricula successfully. The modifications to the teaching and assessment of the core basic medical science subjects have resulted in improved learning and performance at the final examinations.

The Social Science Curriculum of the Two-Year College.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedlander, Jack

1980-01-01

Describes a nationwide study to identify: (1) the representation of different areas within the social sciences (i.e. anthropology, economics, history, political science, psychology, social/ethnic studies, sociology, and interdisciplinary social sciences) in the two-year college curriculum, and (2) which courses were offered for transfer,…

Establishing Enabling Conditions to Develop Critical Thinking Skills: A Case of Innovative Curriculum Design in Environmental Science

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Belluigi, Dina Zoe; Cundill, Georgina

2017-01-01

This paper considers a curriculum design motivated by a desire to explore more valid pedagogical approaches that foster critical thinking skills among students engaged in an Environmental Science course in South Africa, focussing specifically on the topic of Citizen Science. Fifty-three under graduate students were involved in the course, which…

Preparation Model of Student Teacher Candidate in Developing Integrative Science Learning

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Wiyanto; Widiyatmoko, Arif

2016-01-01

According to 2013 Curriculum in Indonesia, science learning process in Junior High School is integrally held between physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science. To successfully implementing the 2013 Curriculum in school, the education institution which generates science teacher should prepare the student, so that they can develop integrative…

A Radiation Laboratory Curriculum Development at Western Kentucky University

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barzilov, Alexander P.; Novikov, Ivan S.; Womble, Phil C.

2009-01-01

We present the latest developments for the radiation laboratory curriculum at the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Western Kentucky University. During the last decade, the Applied Physics Institute (API) at WKU accumulated various equipment for radiation experimentation. This includes various neutron sources (computer controlled d-t and d-d neutron generators, and isotopic 252 Cf and PuBe sources), the set of gamma sources with various intensities, gamma detectors with various energy resolutions (NaI, BGO, GSO, LaBr and HPGe) and the 2.5-MeV Van de Graaff particle accelerator. XRF and XRD apparatuses are also available for students and members at the API. This equipment is currently used in numerous scientific and teaching activities. Members of the API also developed a set of laboratory activities for undergraduate students taking classes from the physics curriculum (Nuclear Physics, Atomic Physics, and Radiation Biophysics). Our goal is to develop a set of radiation laboratories, which will strengthen the curriculum of physics, chemistry, geology, biology, and environmental science at WKU. The teaching and research activities are integrated into real-world projects and hands-on activities to engage students. The proposed experiments and their relevance to the modern status of physical science are discussed.

Design of the Information Science and Systems (IS Curriculum in a Computer and Information Sciences Department

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Behrooz Seyed-Abbassi

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Continuous technological changes have resulted in a rapid turnover of knowledge in the computing field. The impact of these changes directly affects the computer-related curriculum offered by educational institutions and dictates that curriculum must evolve to keep pace with technology and to provide students with the skills required by businesses. At the same time, accreditations of curricula from reviewing organizations provide additional guidelines and standardization for computing science as well as information science programs. One of the areas significantly affected by these changes is the field of information systems. This paper describes the evaluation and course structure for the undergraduate information science and systems program in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at the University of North Florida. A list of the major required and elective courses as well as an overview of the challenges encountered during the revision of the curriculum is given.

Science in Hawaii/Haawina Hoopapau: A Culturally Responsive Curriculum Project

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Galloway, L. M.; Roberts, K.; Leake, D. W.; Stodden, R. S.; Crabbe, V.

2005-12-01

The marvels of modern science often fail to engage indigenous students, as the content and instructional style are usually rooted in the Western experience. This 3 year project, funded by the US Dept. of Education for the Education of Native Hawaiians, offers a curriculum that teaches science through (rather than just about) Native Hawaiian culture. The curriculum focuses on the interdependence of natural resources in our ahupuaa, or watersheds, and helps students strengthen their sense of place and self to malama i ka aina, to care for the land. Further, the curriculum is designed to: engage students in scientific study with relevant, interesting content and activities; improve student achievement of state department of education standards; increase student knowledge and skills in science, math and language arts; respond to the learning needs of Native Hawaiian and/or at-risk students. The project will be presented by a curriculum writer who created and adapted more than a year's worth of materials by teaming with kupuna (respected elders), local cultural experts and role models, educators (new, veteran, Hawaiian, non-Hawaiian, mainland, general and special education teachers), and professionals at the Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii and ALU LIKE, Inc, a non-profit organization to assist Native Hawaiians. The materials created thus far are available for viewing at: www.scihi.hawaii.edu The curriculum, designed for grades 8-11 science classes, can be used to teach a year-long course, a unit, or single lesson related to astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, geology, oceanography, physical and environmental sciences. This project is in its final year of field testing, polishing and dissemination, and therefore this session will encourage idea sharing, as does our copyright free Web site.

Dissemination of an innovative mastery learning curriculum grounded in implementation science principles: a case study.

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McGaghie, William C; Barsuk, Jeffrey H; Cohen, Elaine R; Kristopaitis, Theresa; Wayne, Diane B

2015-11-01

Dissemination of a medical education innovation, such as mastery learning, from a setting where it has been used successfully to a new and different medical education environment is not easy. This article describes the uneven yet successful dissemination of a simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) curriculum on central venous catheter (CVC) insertion for internal medicine and emergency medicine residents across medical education settings. The dissemination program was grounded in implementation science principles. The article begins by describing implementation science which addresses the mechanisms of medical education and health care delivery. The authors then present a mastery learning case study in two phases: (1) the development, implementation, and evaluation of the SBML CVC curriculum at a tertiary care academic medical center; and (2) the dissemination of the SBML CVC curriculum to an academic community hospital setting. Contextual information about the drivers and barriers that affected the SBML CVC curriculum dissemination is presented. This work demonstrates that dissemination of mastery learning curricula, like all other medical education innovations, will fail without active educational leadership, personal contacts, dedication, hard work, rigorous measurement, and attention to implementation science principles. The article concludes by presenting a set of lessons learned about disseminating an SBML CVC curriculum across different medical education settings.

Computer Science (CS) in the Compulsory Education Curriculum: Implications for Future Research

Science.gov (United States)

Passey, Don

2017-01-01

The subject of computer science (CS) and computer science education (CSE) has relatively recently arisen as a subject for inclusion within the compulsory school curriculum. Up to this present time, a major focus of technologies in the school curriculum has in many countries been on applications of existing technologies into subject practice (both…

Rock Cycle. K-6 Science Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Blueford, J. R.; And Others

Rock Cycle is one of the units of a K-6 unified science curriculum program. The unit consists of four organizing sub-themes: (1) chemistry (introducing the topics of matter, elements, compounds, and chemical bonding); (2) characteristics (presenting hands-on activities with rocks and minerals); (3) minerals (emphasizing the aesthetic and economic…

The Impact of Science Integrated Curriculum Supplements on Early Childhood Teachers' Attitudes and Beliefs towards Science while In-Service: A Multiple Case

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Kellian L.

Science at the early childhood level has been rarely taught as a single subject or integrated into the curriculum. One reason why early childhood educators avoid teaching science are their attitudes, beliefs, and lack of understanding scientific concepts as presented in traditional science curriculums. The intervention used by researchers for improving beliefs and attitudes in K-6 pre-service teachers towards teaching science in early childhood has been science method courses. For in service teachers, the intervention has been professional development workshops, seminars, and symposiums. Though these interventions have had a positive impact on teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward teaching science, the interventions have not necessarily guaranteed more science being taught in the preschool classroom. The specific problem investigated for this study was how to improve the interventions designed to improve preschool teachers' attitudes and beliefs so that they would feel more confident in teaching science to young children. The purpose of this study was to examine how implementing a one-week science integrated curriculum supplement could be an effective tool for improving preschool teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward teaching science. This study utilized the qualitative multiple case study research method. A logical model was created based on negative teacher attitudes and beliefs attributes that were the core components of the Preschool Teachers' Attitudes and Beliefs toward Science teaching (P-TABS) questionnaire. The negative attributes were paired with positive interventions and encapsulated in a one-week science integrated curriculum supplement based on the factors of teacher comfort, child benefit and challenges. The primary source of evidence for this study was the semi-structured interview. The researcher contacted 24 early childhood facilities, 44 emails were sent to preschool teachers, four teachers agreed to participate in the study. The results of the

Arguing for Computer Science in the School Curriculum

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Fluck, Andrew; Webb, Mary; Cox, Margaret; Angeli, Charoula; Malyn-Smith, Joyce; Voogt, Joke; Zagami, Jason

2016-01-01

Computer science has been a discipline for some years, and its position in the school curriculum has been contested differently in several countries. This paper looks at its role in three countries to illustrate these differences. A reconsideration of computer science as a separate subject both in primary and secondary education is suggested. At…

Into the Curriculum. Art: Whistler's Mother; Reading/Language Arts: Finding My Voice; Science: Where on My Tongue? Taste; Social Studies/Science: Volcanoes; Social Studies: Pompeii.

Science.gov (United States)

Reed-Mundell, Charlie

2001-01-01

Provides five fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in art, reading, language arts, science, and social studies. Describes library media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, procedures, evaluation, and follow-up for each activity. (LRW)

Development of the competency-based medical curriculum for the new Augsburg University Medical School

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Härtl, Anja

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Aim: With the resolution from April 28, 2014, the Bavarian state government in Germany decided to found a new medical school at Augsburg University, thereby requiring the development of a competency-based medical curriculum.Methods: Two interdisciplinary groups developed a spiral curriculum (following Harden employing the model of Thumser-Dauth & Öchsner. The curriculum focuses on specifically defined competencies: medical expertise, independent scientific reasoning, argumentation and scholarship, as well as communication skills.Results: The spiral curriculum was developed as a hybrid curriculum. Its modular structure incorporates the mandatory subjects required by the German regulations for medical licensure (Approbationsordnung into organ- and system-centered blocks which are integrated both horizontally and vertically. Basic preclinical sciences are covered in the blocks “Movement,” “Balance” and “Contact.” The clinical sciences are organized according to six pillars (conservative medicine, surgical medicine, men’s-women’s-children’s medicine, the senses, the nervous system and the mind, and general medicine which students revisit three times each over the course of the program. A longitudinal clinical course incorporates interdisciplinary education. A particular focus is on scientific education encompassing a longitudinal course in the sciences (including interdisciplinary classes with other university departments, block practicums, and two scientific projects.Conclusion: It is not only the degree of integration und intensity of the Augsburg University undergraduate medical degree program, but also its targeted advancement of academic, social and communication skills that have not yet been realized to such an extent elsewhere in Germany. On July 8, 2016, the German Council of Science and Humanities unanimously gave this concept a positive evaluation. Future research will examine and evaluate the Augsburg medical curriculum

How Does a Community of Principals Develop Leadership for Technology-Enhanced Science?

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Gerard, Libby F.; Bowyer, Jane B.; Linn, Marcia C.

2010-01-01

Active principal leadership can help sustain and scale science curriculum reform. This study illustrates how principal leadership developed in a professional learning community to support a technology-enhanced science curriculum reform funded by the National Science Foundation. Seven middle school and high school principals in one urban-fringe…

Leading change: curriculum reform in graduate education in the biomedical sciences.

Science.gov (United States)

Dasgupta, Shoumita; Symes, Karen; Hyman, Linda

2015-01-01

The Division of Graduate Medical Sciences at the Boston University School of Medicine houses numerous dynamic graduate programs. Doctoral students began their studies with laboratory rotations and classroom training in a variety of fundamental disciplines. Importantly, with 15 unique pathways of admission to these doctoral programs, there were also 15 unique curricula. Departments and programs offered courses independently, and students participated in curricula that were overlapping combinations of these courses. This system created curricula that were not coordinated and that had redundant course content as well as content gaps. A partnership of key stakeholders began a curriculum reform process to completely restructure doctoral education at the Boston University School of Medicine. The key pedagogical goals, objectives, and elements designed into the new curriculum through this reform process created a curriculum designed to foster the interdisciplinary thinking that students are ultimately asked to utilize in their research endeavors. We implemented comprehensive student and peer evaluation of the new Foundations in Biomedical Sciences integrated curriculum to assess the new curriculum. Furthermore, we detail how this process served as a gateway toward creating a more fully integrated graduate experience, under the umbrella of the Program in Biomedical Sciences. © 2015 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE: A CURRICULUM APPROACH

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André A. G. Bianco

2007-05-01

Full Text Available International and national institutions concerned with higher education recommendthe inclusion in curriculum of strategies to promote development of aditional skills thentraditionals memorazing habilities and contents reproduction. Between this, specialattention is given to stimulating the critical capacitie. To develop this skills, was given aproject, included into the Biochemistry discipline, with freshmen students in the Nutritioncourse of the Saúde Pública College of USP. The project consisted into the scientificarticles analysis and in the elaboration of research projects at the Scientific Initiation level.The first part presented the way how Science is divulged and the second, the mold that thescientific knowledge is generated. All activities was always conducted by activecommunication strategy. The general goal was bring near the students of scientificproceedings, contribute to developed scientific attitude, that is to say, critical sense. Theproceeding was evaluated by quantitative methods (questionnaire and qualitative(interview with differents participant and the results point for a significative increase ofknowledge of scientific job and a developed of yerned skills.

A Model for the Development of a CDIO Based Curriculum in Electrical Engineering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruun, Erik; Kjærgaard, Claus

2011-01-01

This paper deals with a model providing a structured method for engineering curriculum design. The model is developed to show the major influencers on the curriculum design and the relations between the influencers. These influencers are identified as the engineering science, the business...... environment, the university environment, and the teachers and students. Each of them and their influence on the curriculum is described and the sources of information about the influencers are discussed. The CDIO syllabus has been defined as part of the basis for the Bachelor of Engineering programs...... at the Technical University of Denmark and this gives a strong direct impact of the university environment on the resulting curriculum in electrical engineering. The resulting Bachelor of Engineering curriculum is presented and it is discussed how it complies with the model for curriculum development. The main...

Curriculum Assessment in Social Sciences at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris

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Saleh, Hanifah Mahat Yazid; Hashim, Mohmadisa; Yaacob, Norazlan Hadi; Kasim, Adnan Jusoh Ahmad Yunus

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the effectiveness of the curriculum implementation for undergraduate programme in the Faculty of Human Sciences, UPSI producing quality and competitive educators. Curriculum implementation has to go through an assessment process that aims to determine the problem, select relevant information and collect and…

Innovative curriculum: Integrating the bio-behavioral and social science principles across the LifeStages in basic science years.

Science.gov (United States)

Lele Mookerjee, Anuradha; Fischer, Bradford D; Cavanaugh, Susan; Rajput, Vijay

2018-05-20

Behavioral and social science integration in clinical practice improves health outcomes across the life stages. The medical school curriculum requires an integration of the behavioral and social science principles in early medical education. We developed and delivered a four-week course entitled "LifeStages" to the first year medical students. The learning objectives of the bio-behavioral and social science principles along with the cultural, economic, political, and ethical parameters were integrated across the lifespan in the curriculum matrix. We focused on the following major domains: Growth and Brain Development; Sexuality, Hormones and Gender; Sleep; Cognitive and Emotional Development; Mobility, Exercise, Injury and Safety; Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle; Stress and coping skills, Domestic Violence; Substance Use Disorders; Pain, Illness and Suffering; End of Life, Ethics and Death along with Intergenerational issues and Family Dynamics. Collaboration from the clinical and biomedical science departments led to the dynamic delivery of the course learning objectives and content. The faculty developed and led a scholarly discussion, using the case of a multi-racial, multi-generational family during Active Learning Group (ALG) sessions. The assessment in the LifeStages course involved multiple assessment tools: including the holistic assessment by the faculty facilitator inside ALGs, a Team-Based Learning (TBL) exercise, multiple choice questions and Team Work Assessment during which the students had to create a clinical case on a LifeStages domain along with the facilitators guide and learning objectives.

New curriculum at Nuclear Science Department, National University of Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shahidan bin Radiman; Ismail bin Bahari

1995-01-01

A new undergraduate curriculum at the Department of Nuclear Science, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia is discussed. It includes the rational and objective of the new curriculum, course content and expectations due to a rapidly changing job market. The major change was a move to implement only on one Nuclear Science module rather than the present three modules of Radiobiology, Radiochemistry and Nuclear Physics. This will optimise not only laboratory use of facilities but also effectiveness of co-supervision. Other related aspects like industrial training and research exposures for the undergraduates are also discussed

How we developed a bioethics theme in an undergraduate medical curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghias, Kulsoom; Ali, Syeda Kauser; Khan, Kausar S; Khan, Robyna; Khan, Murad M; Farooqui, Arshi; Nayani, Parvez

2011-01-01

The 5-year undergraduate medical curriculum at Aga Khan University integrates basic sciences with clinical and community health sciences. Multimodal strategies of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on problem-based learning, are utilized to equip students with knowledge, skills, behaviours, attitudes and values necessary for a high-calibre medical graduate. Bioethics teaching was introduced in the medical curriculum in 1988 and has since undergone several changes. In 2009, a multidisciplinary voluntary group began review of undergraduate bioethics teaching and invested over 350 man-hours in curricular revision. This involved formulating terminal objectives, delineating specific objectives and identifying instructional methodologies and assessment strategies appropriate for the contents of each objective. Innovative strategies were specially devised to work within the time constraints of the existing medical curriculum and importantly, to increase student interest and engagement. The new bioethics curriculum is designed to be comprehensive and robust, and strives to develop graduates who, in addition to being technically skilled and competent, are well-versed in the history and philosophy of ethics and bioethics and are ethical in their thinking and practice, especially in the context of a developing country like Pakistan where health indicators are among the worst in the region, and clinical practices are not effectively regulated to ensure quality of care.

Executing and teaching science---The breast cancer genetics and technology-rich curriculum professional development studies of a science educator

Science.gov (United States)

Wragg, Regina E.

This dissertation presents my explorations in both molecular biology and science education research. In study one, we determined the ADIPOQ and ADIPORI genotypes of 364 White and 148 Black BrCa patients and used dominant model univariate logistic regression analyses to determine individual SNP and haplotype associations with tumor or patient characteristics in a case-case comparison. We found twelve associations between individual SNPs and patient or tumor characteristics that impact BrCa prognosis. For example, the ADIPOQ rs1501299 C allele was associated with ER+ tumors (OR=4.73, p=0.001) among White women >50 years of age at their time of diagnosis. Also, the A allele was more frequent in the Black patient population among whom more aggressive subtypes are common. Similarly, the ADIPORI rs12733285 T allele was associated with both PR+ and ER+ tumors. (OR=2.18 p=0.001; OR=1.88 p=0.019, respectively). Our data suggest that several polymorphisms individually or as specific ADIPOQ and ADIPOR1 haplotypes are associated with tumor characteristics that impact prognosis in BrCa patients. Thus, genotyping additional groups of patients for these SNPs could offer insight into the involvement of adiponectin signaling allele variance in BrCa outcomes. In our second study, we examined 1) how teachers' beliefs about themselves and their students influence the fidelity of implementation of their enactment of a technology-rich curriculum, and 2) how professional development support during the enactment leads to changes in teacher beliefs. From the analysis of two teachers' experiences through interviews, surveys, journal entries, and video recordings of their enactments, several different themes were identified. For example, teachers' beliefs regarding students' ability to learn using the curriculum influenced the fidelity of implementation and student learning. These observations led to the development of a model of professional development that would promote faithful

Environmental Science for All? Considering Environmental Science for Inclusion in the High School Core Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Edelson, Daniel C.

2007-01-01

With the dramatic growth of environmental science as an elective in high schools over the last decade, educators have the opportunity to realistically consider the possibility of incorporating environmental science into the core high school curriculum. Environmental science has several characteristics that make it a candidate for the core…

Challenging traditional assumptions of high school science through the physics and Everyday Thinking Curriculum(TM)

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Michael J.

Science education in the U.S. has failed for over a century to bring the experience of scientific induction to classrooms, from elementary science to undergraduate courses. The achievement of American students on international comparisons of science proficiency is unacceptable, and the disparities between groups underrepresented in STEM and others are large and resistant to reform efforts. This study investigated the enactment of a physics curriculum designed upon the inductive method in a high school serving mostly students from groups underrepresented in science. The Physics and Everyday Thinking curriculum was designed to model the central practices of science and to provide opportunities for students to both extract general principles of physics and to develop scientific models from laboratory evidence. The findings of this study suggest that scientific induction is not only a process that is well within the capacity of high school students, but they enjoy it as well. Students that engaged in the central practices of science through the inductive method reported a new sense of agency and control in their learning. These findings suggest that modeling the pedagogy of the science classroom upon the epistemology of science can result in a mode of learning that can lead to positive identification with physics and the development of scientific literacy.

Integration of the primary health care approach into a community nursing science curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Vilakazi, S S; Chabeli, M M; Roos, S D

2000-12-01

The purpose of this article is to explore and describe guidelines for integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum in a Nursing College in Gauteng. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was utilized. The focus group interviews were conducted with community nurses and nurse educators as respondents. Data were analysed by a qualitative descriptive method of analysis as described in Creswell (1994: 155). Respondents in both groups held similar perceptions regarding integration of primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum. Five categories, which are in line with the curriculum cycle, were identified as follows: situation analysis, selection and organisation of objectives/goals, content, teaching methods and evaluation. Guidelines and recommendations for the integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum were described.

Integration of the primary health care approach into a community nursing science curriculum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SS Vilakazi

2000-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to explore and describe guidelines for integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum in a Nursing College in Gauteng. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was utilized. The focus group interviews were conducted with community nurses and nurse educators as respondents. Data were analysed by a qualitative descriptive method of analysis as described in Creswell (1994:155. Respondents in both groups held similar perceptions regarding integration of primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum. Five categories, which are in line with the curriculum cycle, were identified as follows: situation analysis, selection and organisation of objectives/ goals, content, teaching methods and evaluation. Guidelines and recommendations for the integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum were described.

Effect of an environmental science curriculum on students' leisure time activities

Science.gov (United States)

Blum, Abraham

Cooley and Reed's active interest measurement approach was combined with Guttman's Facet Design to construct a systematic instrument for the assessment of the impact of an environmental science course on students' behavior outside school. A quasimatched design of teacher allocation to the experimental and control groups according to their preferred teaching style was used. A kind of dummy control curriculum was devised to enable valid comparative evaluation of a new course which differs from the traditional one in both content and goal. This made it possible to control most of the differing factors inherent in the old and new curriculum. The research instrument was given to 1000 students who were taught by 28 teachers. Students who learned according to the experimental curriculum increased their leisure time activities related to the environmental science curriculum significantly. There were no significant differences between boys and girls and between students with different achievement levels.

The Innovative Immersion of Mobile Learning into a Science Curriculum in Singapore: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Daner; Looi, Chee-Kit; Wu, Longkai; Xie, Wenting

2016-01-01

With advancements made in mobile technology, increasing emphasis has been paid to how to leverage the affordances of mobile technology to improve science learning and instruction. This paper reports on a science curriculum supported by an inquiry-based framework and mobile technologies. It was developed by teachers and researchers in a multiyear…

Student teachers' views: what is an interesting life sciences curriculum?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rian de Villiers

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In South Africa, the Grade 12 'classes of 2008 and 2009' were the first to write examinations under the revised Life Sciences (Biology curriculum which focuses on outcomes-based education (OBE. This paper presents an exploration of what students (as learners considered to be difficult and interesting in Grades 10-12 Life Sciences curricula in the Further Education and Training (FET phase. A sample of 125 first year, pre-service Life Sciences and Natural Sciences teachers from a university responded to a questionnaire in regard to their experiences with the newly implemented FET Life Sciences curricula. The responses to the questions were analysed qualitatively and/or quantitatively. Friedman tests were used to compare the mean rankings of the four different content knowledge areas within each curriculum, and to make cross-curricular comparisons of the mean rankings of the same content knowledge area for all three curricula. All four content areas of Grade 12 were considered as being more interesting than the other two grades. In terms of difficulty, the students found the Grade 10 curriculum themes the most difficult, followed by the Grade 12 and the Grade 11 curricula. Most of the students found the themes under the content area Diversity, change and continuity (Grades 10-12 more difficult to learn than the other three content areas. It is recommended that more emphasis needs to be placed on what learners are interested in, and on having this incorporated into Life Sciences curricula.

Engaging Stakeholders in Curriculum Development

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Jo Nell

2010-01-01

This article investigates the importance of parent and community engagement in curriculum development, along with curriculum leadership, engaging stakeholders, and the importance of curriculum. Parent and community member engagement is examined in light of curriculum committee participation as reported by Missouri superintendents. Survey responses…

The Pennsylvania Academy for the Profession of Teaching; Rural Fellowship Program: A Science Curriculum Development Partnership. Project "Prepare Them for the Future."

Science.gov (United States)

Beisel, Raymond W.

This report describes development of the "Prepare Them for the Future" project, a K-3 activity-oriented science curriculum. The program, funded through two grants, was driven by the need to boost the distressed labor-based economy in rural western Pennsylvania. Data showed a drop of 1,100 coal-mining jobs between 1980 and 1986 in Indiana…

Electromagnetic Spectrum. 7th and 8th Grade Agriculture Science Curriculum. Teacher Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Dept. of Agricultural Education and Mechanization.

This curriculum guide, the second in a set of six, contains teacher and student materials for a unit on the electromagnetic spectrum prepared as part of a seventh- and eighth-grade agricultural science curriculum that is integrated with science instruction. The guide contains the state goals and sample learning objectives for each goal for…

Theme: The Role of Science in the Agricultural Education Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Agricultural Education Magazine, 2002

2002-01-01

Thirteen theme articles discuss integration of science and agriculture, the role of science in agricultural education, biotechnology, agriscience in Tennessee and West Virginia, agriscience and program survival, modernization of agricultural education curriculum, agriscience and service learning, and biotechnology websites. (SK)

The Proof of the Pudding?: A Case Study of an "At-Risk" Design-Based Inquiry Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Chue, Shien; Lee, Yew-Jin

2013-12-01

When students collaboratively design and build artifacts that require relevant understanding and application of science, many aspects of scientific literacy are developed. Design-based inquiry (DBI) is one such pedagogy that can serve these desired goals of science education well. Focusing on a Projectile Science curriculum previously found to be implemented with satisfactory fidelity, we investigate the many hidden challenges when using DBI with Grade 8 students from one school in Singapore. A case study method was used to analyze video recordings of DBI lessons conducted over 10 weeks, project presentations, and interviews to ascertain the opportunities for developing scientific literacy among participants. One critical factor that hindered learning was task selection by teachers, which emphasized generic scientific process skills over more important cognitive and epistemic learning goals. Teachers and students were also jointly engaged in forms of inquiry that underscored artifact completion over deeper conceptual and epistemic understanding of science. Our research surfaced two other confounding factors that undermined the curriculum; unanticipated teacher effects and the underestimation of the complexity of DBI and of inquiry science in general. Thus, even though motivated or experienced teachers can implement an inquiry science curriculum with good fidelity and enjoy school-wide support, these by themselves will not guarantee deep learning of scientific literacy in DBI. Recommendations are made for navigating the hands- and minds-on aspects of learning science that is an asset as well as inherent danger during DBI teaching.

Comfort and Content: Considerations for Informal Science Professional Development

Science.gov (United States)

Holliday, Gary M.; Lederman, Norman G.; Lederman, Judith S.

2014-01-01

This study looked at a life science course that was offered at and taught by education staff of a large informal science institution (ISI) located in the Midwest. The curriculum, materials, and agendas for the course were developed by education staff and complemented a permanent life science exhibition. The researcher developed a content test…

Towards a Philosophically and a Pedagogically Reasonable Nature of Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Yacoubian, Hagop Azad

This study, primarily theoretical in nature, explores a philosophically and pedagogically reasonable way of addressing nature of science (NOS) in school science. NOS encompasses what science is and how scientific knowledge develops. I critically evaluate consensus frameworks of NOS in school science, which converge contentious philosophical viewpoints into general NOS-related ideas. I argue that they (1) lack clarity in terms of how NOS-related ideas could be applied for various ends, (2) portray a distorted image of the substantive content of NOS and the process of its development, and (3) lack a developmental trajectory for how to address NOS at different grade levels. As a remedy to these problems, I envision a NOS curriculum that (1) explicates and targets both NOS as an educational end and NOS as a means for socioscientific decision making, (2) has critical thinking as its foundational pillar, and (3) provides a developmental pathway for NOS learning using critical thinking as a progression unit. Next, I illustrate a framework for addressing NOS in school science referred to as the critical thinking—nature of science (CT-NOS) framework. This framework brings together the first two of the three elements envisioned in the NOS curriculum. I address the third element by situating the CT-NOS framework in a developmental context, borrowing from the literature on learning progressions in science and using critical thinking as a progression unit. Finally, I present an empirical study of experienced secondary science teachers’ views of a NOS lesson prepared using the CT-NOS framework. The teachers attended a professional development workshop at which the lesson, and the characteristics of the CT-NOS framework, were presented. The analysis of the qualitative data revealed that most teachers found the lesson to be somewhat feasible for a secondary science classroom, useful or somewhat useful to their students, and interesting. The teachers focused on 14 features of

Noise Pollution--An Overlooked Issue in the Science Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Treagust, David F.; Kam, Goh Ah

1985-01-01

Discusses the need for including noise pollution in the science curriculum and describes 10 activities for improving students' awareness and understanding of and concern for noise and its effects. (Author/JN)

History of Science in the Physics Curriculum: A Directed Content Analysis of Historical Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Seker, Hayati; Guney, Burcu G.

2012-01-01

Although history of science is a potential resource for instructional materials, teachers do not have a tendency to use historical materials in their lessons. Studies showed that instructional materials should be adaptable and consistent with curriculum. This study purports to examine the alignment between history of science and the curriculum in…

The Implementation of the New Lower Secondary Science Curriculum in Three Schools in Rwanda

Science.gov (United States)

Nsengimana, Théophile; Ozawa, Hiroaki; Chikamori, Kensuke

2014-01-01

In 2006, Rwanda began implementing an Outcomes Based Education (OBE) lower secondary science curriculum that emphasises a student-centred approach. The new curriculum was designed to transform Rwandan society from an agricultural to a knowledge-based economy, with special attention to science and technology education. Up until this point in time…

Designing a primary science curriculum in a globalizing world: How do social constructivism and Vietnamese culture meet?

Science.gov (United States)

Hằng, Ngô Vũ Thu; Meijer, Marijn Roland; Bulte, Astrid M. W.; Pilot, Albert

2017-09-01

The implementation of social constructivist approaches to learning science in primary education in Vietnamese culture as an example of Confucian heritage culture remains challenging and problematic. This theoretical paper focuses on the initial phase of a design-based research approach; that is, the description of the design of a formal, written curriculum for primary science education in which features of social constructivist approaches to learning are synthesized with essential aspects of Vietnamese culture. The written design comprises learning aims, a framework that is the synthesis of learning functions, learning settings and educational expectations for learning phases, and exemplary curriculum units. Learning aims are formulated to comprehensively develop scientific knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward science for primary students. Derived from these learning aims, the designed framework consists of four learning phases respectively labeled as Engagement, Experience, Exchange, and Follow-up. The designed framework refers to knowledge of the "nature of science" education and characteristics of Vietnamese culture as an example of Confucian heritage culture. The curriculum design aims to serve as an educational product that addresses previously analyzed problems of primary science education in the Vietnamese culture in a globalizing world.

Using Evolution as a Context for Teaching the Nature of Science to Diverse Student Populations: A High School Unit of Curriculum

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Metcalfe, Angela C.

Teaching evolution provides teachers with the opportunity to educate students on how science aims to understand the natural world. Rooted in research, the purpose of this project was to create NGSS-aligned curriculum focused on teaching the nature of science (NOS) within the context of biological evolution. Field testing and review of the unit resulted in revisions aimed at creating more comprehensive teacher resource materials and explicit inclusion of NOS. Emphasizing NOS in curriculum development and teaching scientific qualities through an evolutionary context has taken the focus off belief or disbelief, keeping the attention on the scientific concept at hand. Designing curriculum around compelling subject matter and embracing student-led learning increased and maintained student interest in the classroom. Implementation of this curriculum not only requires the teacher to be knowledgeable in conventional educational pedagogy, but also the subjects of NGSS and NOS. Additional training and support centered around NGSS is recommended for science educators interested in integrating NOS into their curriculum and instruction.

Mentoring and Argumentation in a Game-Infused Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Gould, Deena L.; Parekh, Priyanka

2018-04-01

Engaging in argumentation from evidence is challenging for most middle school students. We report the design of a media-based mentoring system to support middle school students in engaging in argumentation in the context of a game-infused science curriculum. Our design emphasizes learners apprenticing with college student mentors around the socio-scientific inquiry of a designed video game. We report the results of a mixed-methods study examining the use of this media-based mentoring system with students ages 11 through 14. We observed that the discourse of groups of students that engaged with the game-infused science curriculum while interacting with college student mentors via a social media platform demonstrated statistically significant higher ratings of cognitive, epistemic, and social aspects of argumentation than groups of students that engaged with the social media platform and game-infused science curriculum without mentors. We further explored the differences between the Discourses of the mentored and non-mentored groups. This analysis showed that students in the mentored groups were invited, guided, and socialized into roles of greater agency than students in the non-mentored groups. This increased agency might explain why mentored groups demonstrated higher levels of scientific argumentation than non-mentored groups. Based on our analyses, we argue that media-based mentoring may be designed around a video game to support middle school students in engaging in argumentation from evidence.

Using EarthLabs to Enhance Earth Science Curriculum in Texas

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Chegwidden, D. M.; Ellins, K. K.; Haddad, N.; Ledley, T. S.

2012-12-01

As an educator in Texas, a state that values and supports an Earth Science curriculum, I find it essential to educate my students who are our future voting citizens and tax payers. It is important to equip them with tools to understand and solve the challenges of solving of climate change. As informed citizens, students can help to educate others in the community with basic knowledge of weather and climate. They can also help to dispose of the many misconceptions that surround the climate change, which is perceived as a controversial topic. As a participant in a NSF-sponsored Texas Earth and Space (TXESS) Revolution teacher professional development program, I was selected to participate in a curriculum development project led by TERC to develop and test education resources for the EarthLabs climate literacy collection. I am involved in the multiple phases of the project, including reviewing labs that comprise the Climate, Weather and Biosphere module during the development phase, pilot teaching the module with my students, participating in research, and delivering professional development to other Texas teachers to expose them to the content found in the module and to encourage them to incorporate it into their teaching. The Climate, Weather and the Biosphere module emphasizes different forms of evidence and requires that learners apply different inquiry-based approaches to build the knowledge they need to develop as climate literate citizens. My involvement with the EarthLabs project has strengthened my overall knowledge and confidence to teach about Earth's climate system and climate change. In addition, the project has produced vigorous classroom discussion among my students as well as encouraged me to collaborate with other educators through our delivery of professional development to other teachers. In my poster, I will share my experiences, describe the impact the curriculum has made on my students, and report on challenges and valuable lessons gained by

Revising and Updating the Plant Science Components of the Connecticut Vocational Agriculture Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Connecticut Univ., Storrs. Dept. of Educational Leadership.

This curriculum guide provides the plant science components of the vocational agriculture curriculum for Regional Vocational Agriculture Centers. The curriculum is divided into exploratory units for students in the 9th and 10th grades and specialized units for students in grades 11 and 12. The five exploratory units are: agricultural pest control;…

Increasing ocean sciences in K and 1st grade classrooms through ocean sciences curriculum aligned to A Framework for K-12 Science Education, and implementation support.

Science.gov (United States)

Pedemonte, S.; Weiss, E. L.

2016-02-01

Ocean and climate sciences are rarely introduced at the early elementary levels. Reasons for this vary, but include little direct attention at the national and state levels; lack of quality instructional materials; and, lack of teacher content knowledge. Recent recommendations by the National Research Council, "revise the Earth and Space sciences core ideas and grade band endpoints to include more attention to the ocean whenever possible" (NRC, 2012, p. 336) adopted in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), may increase the call for ocean and climate sciences to be addressed. In response to these recommendations' and the recognition that an understanding of some of the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) would be incomplete without an understanding of processes or phenomena unique to the ocean and ocean organisms; the ocean Literacy community have created documents that show the alignment of NGSS with the Ocean Literacy Principles and Fundamental Concepts (Ocean Literacy, 2013) as well as the Ocean Literacy Scope and Sequence for Grades K-12 (Ocean Literacy, 2010), providing a solid argument for how and to what degree ocean sciences should be part of the curriculum. However, the percentage of science education curricula focused on the ocean remains very low. This session will describe a new project, that draws on the expertise of curriculum developers, ocean literacy advocates, and researchers to meet the challenges of aligning ocean sciences curriculum to NGSS, and supporting its implementation. The desired outcomes of the proposed project are to provide a rigorous standards aligned curricula that addresses all of the Life Sciences, and some Earth and Space Sciences and Engineering Design Core Ideas for Grades K and 1; and provides teachers with the support they need to understand the content and begin implementation. The process and lessons learned will be shared.

Fostering Student Sense Making in Elementary Science Learning Environments: Elementary Teachers' Use of Science Curriculum Materials to Promote Explanation Construction

Science.gov (United States)

Zangori, Laura; Forbes, Cory T.; Biggers, Mandy

2013-01-01

While research has shown that elementary (K-5) students are capable of engaging in the scientific practice of explanation construction, commonly-used elementary science curriculum materials may not always afford them opportunities to do so. As a result, elementary teachers must often adapt their science curriculum materials to better support…

The Effects of Gender and Type of Inquiry Curriculum on Sixth Grade Students' Science Process Skills and Epistemological Beliefs in Science

Science.gov (United States)

Zaleta, Kristy L.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of gender and type of inquiry curriculum (open or structured) on science process skills and epistemological beliefs in science of sixth grade students. The current study took place in an urban northeastern middle school. The researcher utilized a sample of convenience comprised of 303 sixth grade students taught by four science teachers on separate teams. The study employed mixed methods with a quasi-experimental design, pretest-posttest comparison group with 17 intact classrooms of students. Students' science process skills and epistemological beliefs in science (source, certainty, development, and justification) were measured before and after the intervention, which exposed different groups of students to different types of inquiry (structured or open). Differences between comparison and treatment groups and between male and female students were analyzed after the intervention, on science process skills, using a two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and, on epistemological beliefs in science, using a two-way multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Responses from two focus groups of open inquiry students were cycle coded and examined for themes and patterns. Quantitative measurements indicated that girls scored significantly higher on science process skills than boys, regardless of type of inquiry instruction. Neither gender nor type of inquiry instruction predicted students' epistemological beliefs in science after accounting for students' pretest scores. The dimension Development accounted for 10.6% of the variance in students' science process skills. Qualitative results indicated that students with sophisticated epistemological beliefs expressed engagement with the open-inquiry curriculum. Students in both the sophisticated and naive beliefs groups identified challenges with the curriculum and improvement in learning as major themes. The types of challenges identified differed between the groups

Student teachers' views: what is an interesting life sciences curriculum?

OpenAIRE

Rian de Villiers

2011-01-01

In South Africa, the Grade 12 'classes of 2008 and 2009' were the first to write examinations under the revised Life Sciences (Biology) curriculum which focuses on outcomes-based education (OBE). This paper presents an exploration of what students (as learners) considered to be difficult and interesting in Grades 10-12 Life Sciences curricula in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase. A sample of 125 first year, pre-service Life Sciences and Natural Sciences teachers from a university...

Customization of Curriculum Materials in Science: Motives, Challenges, and Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Romine, William L.; Banerjee, Tanvi

2012-01-01

Exemplary science instructors use inquiry to tailor content to student's learning needs; traditional textbooks treat science as a set of facts and a rigid curriculum. Publishers now allow instructors to compile pieces of published and/or self-authored text to make custom textbooks. This brings numerous advantages, including the ability to produce…

What Are Critical Features of Science Curriculum Materials That Impact Student and Teacher Outcomes?

Science.gov (United States)

Roblin, Natalie Pareja; Schunn, Christian; McKenney, Susan

2018-01-01

Large investments are made in curriculum materials with the goal of supporting science education reform. However, relatively little evidence is available about what features of curriculum materials really matter to impact student and teacher learning. To address this need, the current study examined curriculum features associated with student and…

Dental Curriculum Development in Developing Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Phantumvanit, Prathip

1996-01-01

Since establishment of formal dental education in Southeast Asia, changes stemming from research and technology have led to dental curriculum changes. Development of the dental curriculum can be divided into three phases: disease oriented; health oriented; and community oriented. Evolution of these phases is traced in the dental curricula of Laos,…

Hydromania II: Journey of the Oncorhynchus. Summer Science Camp Curriculum 1994.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moura, Joan; Swerin, Rod

1995-01-01

The Hydromania II curriculum was written for the third in a series of summer science camp experiences targeting students in grades 4--6 who generally have difficulty accessing supplementary academic programs. The summer science camp in Portland is a collaborative effort between Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), the US Department of Energy (DOE), and the Portland Parks and Recreation Community Schools Program along with various other cooperating businesses and organizations. The curriculum has also been incorporated into other summer programs and has been used by teachers to supplement classroom activities. Camps are designed to make available, affordable learning experiences that are fun and motivating to students for the study of science and math. Inner-city, under-represented minorities, rural, and low-income families are particularly encouraged to enroll their children in the program.

Science for Survival: The Modern Synthesis of Evolution and The Biological Sciences Curriculum Study

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Lisa Anne

In this historical dissertation, I examined the process of curriculum development in the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) in the United States during the period 1959-1963. The presentation of evolution in the high school texts was based on a more robust form of Darwinian evolution which developed during the 1930s and 1940s called "the modern synthesis of evolution." Building primarily on the work of historians Vassiliki Smocovitis and John L. Rudolph, I used the archival papers and published writings of the four architects of the modern synthesis and the four most influential leaders of the BSCS in regards to evolution to investigate how the modern synthetic theory of evolution shaped the BSCS curriculum. The central question was "Why was evolution so important to the BSCS to make it the central theme of the texts?" Important answers to this question had already been offered in the historiography, but it was still not clear why every citizen in the world needed to understand evolution. I found that the emphasis on natural selection in the modern synthesis shifted the focus away from humans as passive participants to the recognition that humans are active agents in their own cultural and biological evolution. This required re-education of the world citizenry, which was accomplished in part by the BSCS textbooks. I also found that BSCS leaders Grobman, Glass, and Muller had serious concerns regarding the effects of nuclear radiation on the human gene pool, and were actively involved in informing th public. Lastly, I found that concerns of 1950s reform eugenicists were addressed in the BSCS textbooks, without mentioning eugenics by name. I suggest that the leaders of the BSCS, especially Bentley Glass and Hermann J. Muller, thought that students needed to understand genetics and evolution to be able to make some of the tough choices they might be called on to make as the dominant species on earth and the next reproductive generation in the nuclear age. This

Factors Affecting Student Success with a Google Earth-Based Earth Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Blank, Lisa M.; Almquist, Heather; Estrada, Jen; Crews, Jeff

2016-01-01

This study investigated to what extent the implementation of a Google Earth (GE)-based earth science curriculum increased students' understanding of volcanoes, earthquakes, plate tectonics, scientific reasoning abilities, and science identity. Nine science classrooms participated in the study. In eight of the classrooms, pre- and post-assessments…

Curriculum, Curriculum Development, Curriculum Studies? Problematising Theoretical Ambiguities in Doctoral Theses in the Education Field

Science.gov (United States)

du Preez, Petro; Simmonds, Shan

2014-01-01

Theoretical ambiguities in curriculum studies result in conceptual mayhem. Accordingly, they hinder the development of the complicated conversation on curriculum as a verb. This article aims to contribute to reconceptualizing curriculum studies as a dynamic social practice that aspires to thinking and acting with intelligences and sensitivity so…

Interdisciplinary Climate Change Curriculum Materials based on the Next Generation Science Standards and The Earth Charter

Science.gov (United States)

Barbosa, A.; Robertson, W. H.

2013-12-01

In the 2012, the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies' reported that one of the major issues associated with the development of climate change curriculum was the lack of interdisciplinary materials that also promoted a correlation between science standards and content. Therefore, in order to respond to this need, our group has developed an interdisciplinary climate change curriculum that has had as its fundamental basis the alignment with the guidelines presented by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the ones presented by the international document entitled The Earth Charter. In this regards, while the alignment with NGSS disciplinary core ideas, cross-concepts and students' expectations intended to fulfill the need for the development of climate change curriculum activities that were directly associated with the appropriate set of NGSS guidelines, the alignment with The Earth Charter document intended to reinforce the need the for the integration of sociological, philosophical and intercultural analysis of the theme 'climate change'. Additionally, our curriculum was also developed as part of a collaborative project between climate scientists and engineers, who are responsible for the development of a Regional Arctic Simulation Model (RASM). Hence, another important curriculum constituent was the feedback, suggestions and reviews provided by these professionals, who have also contributed to these pedagogical materials' scientific accuracy by facilitating the integration of datasets and visualizations developed by RASM. Furthermore, our group has developed a climate change curriculum for two types of audience: high school and early undergraduate students. Each curriculum unit is divided into modules and each module contains a set of lesson plans. The topics selected to compose each unit and module were designated according to the surveys conducted with scientists and engineers involved with the development of the climate change

How a science methods course may influence the curriculum decisions of preservice teachers in the Bahamas

Science.gov (United States)

Wisdom, Sonya L.

The purpose of this study was to examine how a science methods course in primary education might influence the curriculum decisions of preservice teachers in The Bahamas related to unit plan development on environmental science topics. Grounded in a social constructivist theoretical framework for teaching and learning science, this study explored the development of the confidence and competence of six preservice teachers to teach environmental science topics at the primary school level. A qualitative case study using action research methodologies was conducted. The perspectives of preservice teachers about the relevancy of methods used in a science methods course were examined as I became more reflective about my practice. Using constant comparative analysis, data from student-written documents and interviews as well as my field notes from class observations and reflective journaling were analyzed for emerging patterns and themes. Findings of the study indicated that while preservice teachers showed a slight increase in interest regarding learning and teaching environmental science, their primary focus during the course was learning effective teaching strategies in science on topics with which they already had familiarity. Simultaneously, I gained a deeper understanding of the usefulness of reflection in my practice. As a contribution to the complexity of learning to teach science at the primary school level, this study suggests some issues for consideration as preservice teachers are supported to utilize more of the national primary science curriculum in The Bahamas.

Ka Hana `Imi Na`auao: A Science Curriculum Project

Science.gov (United States)

Napeahi, K.; Roberts, K. D.; Galloway, L. M.; Stodden, R. A.; Akuna, J.; Bruno, B.

2005-12-01

In antiquity, the first people to step foot on what are now known as the Hawaiian islands skillfully traversed the Pacific Ocean using celestial navigation and learned observations of scientific phenomena. Long before the Western world ventured beyond the horizon, Hawaiians had invented the chronometer, built aqueduct systems (awai) that continue to amaze modern engineers, and had preventive health systems as well as a comprehensive knowledge of medicinal plants (including antivirals) which only now are working their way through trials for use in modern pharmacopia. Yet, today, Native Hawaiians are severely underrepresented in science-related fields, reflecting (in part) a failure of the Western educational system to nurture the potential of these resourceful students, particularly the many "at-risk" students who are presently over-represented in special education. A curriculum which draws from and incorporates traditional Hawaiian values and knowledge is needed to reinforce links to the inquiry process which nurtured creative thinking during the renaissance of Polynesian history. The primary goal of the Ka Hana `Imi Na`auao Project (translation: `science` or `work in which you seek enlightenment, knowledge or wisdom`) is to increase the number of Native Hawaiian adults in science-related postsecondary education and employment fields. Working closely with Native Hawaiian cultural experts and our high school partners, we will develop and implement a culturally responsive 11th and 12th grade high school science curriculum, infused with math, literacy and technology readiness skills. Software and assistive technology will be used to adapt instruction to individual learners` reading levels, specific disabilities and learning styles. To ease the transition from secondary to post-secondary education, selected grade 12 students will participate in planned project activities that link high school experiences with college science-related programs of study. Ka Hana `Imi Na

Meta-Theory and Curriculum Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartoonian, H. Michael

Curriculum development in any area should be imbued with a meaning that focuses on the cultural values of motivation, logic, and human relationships. The term "meaning" implies seeing relationships (linguistic, economic, political, moral), understanding logic, and being sensitive to the enduring values of the culture. Curriculum developers and…

Integrating Leadership Development throughout the Undergraduate Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Kelynne E.; Aiello, David P.; Barton, Lance F.; Gould, Stephanie L.; McCain, Karla S.; Richardson, John M.

2016-01-01

This article discusses the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Teaching and Research (STAR) Leadership Program, developed at Austin College, which engages students in activities integrated into undergraduate STEM courses that promote the development of leadership behaviors. Students focus on interpersonal communication,…

Exploring shifts in the characteristics of US government-funded science curriculum materials and their (unintended) consequences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pareja Roblin, Natalie; Schunn, Christian; Bernstein, Debra; McKenney, Susan

2018-01-01

Grant-funded curriculum development efforts can substantially impact practice and research in science education. Therefore, understanding the sometimes-unintended consequences of changes in grant priorities is crucial. Using the case of two large funding agencies in the United States, the current

Supports and Concerns for Teacher Professional Growth During the Implementation of a Science Curriculum Innovation

Science.gov (United States)

Peers, Cheryl (Shelley) E.; Diezmann, Carmel M.; Watters, James J.

2003-02-01

Internationally, considerable reform in science education is occurring which promotes constructivist philosophies and advocates constructivist-inspired pedagogical strategies that are new to many teachers. This paper reports on the supporting factors necessary for teacher professional growth and the issues of concern that were evident during one primary teacher''s successful implementation of a unit of work based on a draft of a new state-wide science syllabus which proposes such approaches. One researcher (CEP) provided guidance during the writing and implementation of the unit through professional development workshops complemented by ongoing collegial support. The analysis of the teacher''s practice reveals that professional growth required a willingness of the teacher to engage with change and modify his professional practice. The support factors for teacher growth consisted of an appropriate program of professional development, teacher understanding of the elements of the curriculum innovation, and successful experiences in implementing new approaches. In contrast, the issues of concern were: the adequacy of support for planning including the time required to understand the innovation and make changes to teaching practice; science equipment; teacher knowledge; classroom management strategies; and ways to cope with change. Understanding of these support factors and issues of concern is vital for the successful implementation of science curriculum innovations.

SYMBIOSIS: Development, Implementation, and Assessment of a Model Curriculum across Biology and Mathematics at the Introductory Level

Science.gov (United States)

Depelteau, Audrey M.; Joplin, Karl H.; Govett, Aimee; Miller, Hugh A., III; Seier, Edith

2010-01-01

With the support of the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) administration and a grant from Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the departments of Biological Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, and Curriculum and Instruction have developed a biology-math integrated curriculum. An interdisciplinary faculty team, charged with teaching the 18…

Guidelines for Developing Competency-Based Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodson, Ludy

1979-01-01

Presents guidelines for the development of competency-based curriculum formulated as a result of an automotive mechanics curriculum workshop. Listed are specific guidelines for content development, writing style, and illustration. (LRA)

A Project to Develop an Associate of Science Degree Curriculum in Renewable Energy Resources and Applications in Agriculture. Final Report, July 1, 1980-June 30, 1981.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Keith; Fielding, Marvin R.

A project was conducted at State Fair Community College (SFCC) in Sedalia, Missouri, to develop an associate of science degree curriculum in renewable energy resources and their application in agriculture. A pilot study, designed to verify and rate the importance of 138 competencies in fuel alcohol production and to ascertain employment…

Re-visioning Curriculum and Pedagogy in a University Science and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Re-visioning Curriculum and Pedagogy in a University Science and Technology Education Setting: Case Studies Interrogating Socio-Scientific Issues. Overson Shumba, George Kasali, Yaki Namiluko, Beauty Choobe, Gezile Mbewe, Moola Mutondo, Kenneth Maseka ...

Support of a Problem-Based Learning Curriculum by Basic Science Faculty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William L. Anderson

2002-11-01

Full Text Available Although published reports describe benefits to students of learning in a problem-based, student-centered environment, questions have persisted about the excessive faculty time commitments associated with the implementation of PBL pedagogy. The argument has been put forward that the excessive faculty costs of such a curriculum cannot be justified based upon the potential benefits to students. However, the magnitude of the faculty time commitment to a PBL curriculum to support the aforementioned argument is not clear to us and we suspect that it is also equally unclear to individuals charged with making resource decisions supporting the educational efforts of the institution. Therefore, to evaluate this cost - benefit question, we analyzed the actual basic science faculty time commitment in a hybrid PBL curriculum during the first phase 18 months of undergraduate medical education. The results of this analysis do demonstrate an increase in faculty time commitments but do not support the argument that PBL pedagogy is excessively costly in terms of faculty time. For the year analyzed in this report, basic science faculty members contributed on average of 27.4 hours to the instruction of medical students. The results of the analysis did show significant contributions (57% of instructional time by the clinical faculty during the initial 18 months of medical school. In addition, the data revealed a four-fold difference between time commitments of the four basic science departments. We conclude that a PBL curriculum does not place unreasonable demands on the time of basic science faculty. The demands on clinical faculty, in the context of their other commitments, could not be evaluated. Moreover, this type of analysis provides a tool that can be used to make faculty resource allocation decisions fairly.

The Impact of a Geospatial Technology-Supported Energy Curriculum on Middle School Students' Science Achievement

Science.gov (United States)

Kulo, Violet; Bodzin, Alec

2013-02-01

Geospatial technologies are increasingly being integrated in science classrooms to foster learning. This study examined whether a Web-enhanced science inquiry curriculum supported by geospatial technologies promoted urban middle school students' understanding of energy concepts. The participants included one science teacher and 108 eighth-grade students classified in three ability level tracks. Data were gathered through pre/posttest content knowledge assessments, daily classroom observations, and daily reflective meetings with the teacher. Findings indicated a significant increase in the energy content knowledge for all the students. Effect sizes were large for all three ability level tracks, with the middle and low track classes having larger effect sizes than the upper track class. Learners in all three tracks were highly engaged with the curriculum. Curriculum effectiveness and practical issues involved with using geospatial technologies to support science learning are discussed.

From Prescribed Curriculum to Classroom Practice: An Examination of the Implementation of the New York State Earth Science Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Contino, Julie; Anderson, O. Roger

2013-01-01

In New York State (NYS), Earth science teachers use the "National Science Education Standards" (NSES), the NYS "Learning Standards for Mathematics, Science and Technology" (NYS Standards), and the "Physical Setting/Earth Science Core Curriculum" (Core Curriculum) to create local curricula and daily lessons. In this…

A Reexamination of Ontario's Science Curriculum: Toward a More Inclusive Multicultural Science Education?

Science.gov (United States)

Mujawamariya, Donatille; Hujaleh, Filsan; Lima-Kerckhoff, Ashley

2014-01-01

The rapid diversification of communities in Ontario has necessitated the provincial government to reevaluate public school curriculums and policies to make schools more inclusive and reflective of its diverse population. This article critically analyzes the content of the latest revised science curricula for Grades 1 to 10 and assesses the degree…

Comparing Two Inquiry Professional Development Interventions in Science on Primary Students' Questioning and Other Inquiry Behaviours

Science.gov (United States)

Nichols, Kim; Burgh, Gilbert; Kennedy, Callie

2017-02-01

Developing students' skills to pose and respond to questions and actively engage in inquiry behaviours enables students to problem solve and critically engage with learning and society. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of providing teachers with an intervention in inquiry pedagogy alongside inquiry science curriculum in comparison to an intervention in non-inquiry pedagogy alongside inquiry science curriculum on student questioning and other inquiry behaviours. Teacher participants in the comparison condition received training in four inquiry-based science units and in collaborative strategic reading. The experimental group, the community of inquiry (COI) condition, received training in facilitating a COI in addition to training in the same four inquiry-based science units. This study involved 227 students and 18 teachers in 9 primary schools across Brisbane, Australia. The teachers were randomly allocated by school to one of the two conditions. The study followed the students across years 6 and 7 and students' discourse during small group activities was recorded, transcribed and coded for verbal inquiry behaviours. In the second year of the study, students in the COI condition demonstrated a significantly higher frequency of procedural and substantive higher-order thinking questions and other inquiry behaviours than those in the comparison condition. Implementing a COI within an inquiry science curriculum develops students' questioning and science inquiry behaviours and allows teachers to foster inquiry skills predicated by the Australian Science Curriculum. Provision of inquiry science curriculum resources alone is not sufficient to promote the questioning and other verbal inquiry behaviours predicated by the Australian Science Curriculum.

The Impact of a Curriculum Course on Pre-Service Primary Teachers' Science Content Knowledge and Attitudes towards Teaching Science

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Cliona; Smith, Greg

2012-01-01

Many primary school teachers have insufficient content and pedagogical knowledge of science. This lack of knowledge can often lead to a lack of confidence and competence in teaching science. This article explores the impact of a year-long science methodology (curriculum science) course on second year Bachelor of Education (BEd) students'…

Student attitudes to UNDP Social Science curriculum in Fiji — Personal and environmental influences

Science.gov (United States)

Baba, Tupeni L.; Fraser, Barry J.

1983-12-01

A sample of 834 seventh grade students in Fiji participated in an evaluation of the UNDP Social Science curriculum by responding to questionnaires measuring attitudes to or perceptions of three important curriculum process criteria (Interest, Ease and Adequacy of Time). The three major purposes of the evaluation were to provide formative information to guide curriculum revision, to provide summative information about the overall efficacy of the curriculum, and to explore the differential suitability of the curriculum for students varying in personal and environmental characteristics. Examination of means on individual questionnaire items led to the identification of certain curriculum activities requiring modification to improve their level of Interest, Ease, or Adequacy of Time. The finding that the mean score was relatively high for most questionnaire items suggested that the majority of activities in the curriculum were perceived by students as interesting and easy and having sufficient time for completion. Multiple regression analyses revealed that a block of personal variables and a block of environmental variables, but not a block of person-environment interactions, accounted for a significant amount of variance in the three process criteria. In particular, it was found that student attitudes to the curriculum varied systematically with certain personal variables (e.g., student general interest in social science, student ethnicity) and environmental variables (e.g., school location, teacher training).

Crowdsourced Curriculum Development for Online Medical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Shappell, Eric; Chan, Teresa M; Thoma, Brent; Trueger, N Seth; Stuntz, Bob; Cooney, Robert; Ahn, James

2017-12-08

In recent years online educational content, efforts at quality appraisal, and integration of online material into institutional teaching initiatives have increased. However, medical education has yet to develop large-scale online learning centers. Crowd-sourced curriculum development may expedite the realization of this potential while providing opportunities for innovation and scholarship. This article describes the current landscape, best practices, and future directions for crowdsourced curriculum development using Kern's framework for curriculum development and the example topic of core content in emergency medicine. A scoping review of online educational content was performed by a panel of subject area experts for each step in Kern's framework. Best practices and recommendations for future development for each step were established by the same panel using a modified nominal group consensus process. The most prevalent curriculum design steps were (1) educational content and (2) needs assessments. Identified areas of potential innovation within these steps included targeting gaps in specific content areas and developing underrepresented instructional methods. Steps in curriculum development without significant representation included (1) articulation of goals and objectives and (2) tools for curricular evaluation. By leveraging the power of the community, crowd-sourced curriculum development offers a mechanism to diffuse the burden associated with creating comprehensive online learning centers. There is fertile ground for innovation and scholarship in each step along the continuum of curriculum development. Realization of this paradigm's full potential will require individual developers to strongly consider how their contributions will align with the work of others.

The Digestive System and Alcohol Use. Science of Alcohol Curriculum for American Indians. Training Unit [and] Participant Booklet.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Cecelia; And Others

The Science of Alcohol Curriculum for American Indians uses the Medicine Circle and the "new science paradigm" to study the science of alcohol through a culturally relevant holistic approach. Intended for teachers and other educational personnel involved with American Indians, this curriculum presents a framework for alcohol education…

The MORPG-Based Learning System for Multiple Courses: A Case Study on Computer Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Kuo-Yu

2015-01-01

This study aimed at developing a Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game-based (MORPG) Learning system which enabled instructors to construct a game scenario and manage sharable and reusable learning content for multiple courses. It used the curriculum of "Introduction to Computer Science" as a study case to assess students' learning…

Creating effective environmental education: A case study utilizing an integrative teaching methodology to develop positive environmental attitudes and behaviors in the secondary general science curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Teresa M.

Many years of teaching environmental issues years has revealed that giving students only "the facts" frequently leaves them with a sense of hopelessness about the future of life on this planet. Problems of the environment often seem large and complex, and student's feel there is nothing "they" can do. In response, a curriculum was developed that permits students to learn about action strategies they can partake in that would make a small contribution towards a solution, as well as exploring their own values and attitudes about environmental issues. The curriculum also attempts to foster positive attitudes and beliefs about the natural world. The curriculum contains three distinct units, focusing on energy, atmospheric issues, and the loss of habitat and rainforest. It was taught in sixty-one sessions over a fourteen week period in a standard level ninth grade General Science class of twenty-four students, at Harriton High School in the Lower Merion School District in the suburbs of Philadelphia. The dissertation is presented as a case study that is the author's construction of the actual experience, developed from audio tapes of the classroom sessions, personal logs, and data collected from the students. The dissertation presents an in-depth case study of the development, the actual implementation, and subsequent evaluation of this environmental curriculum, and gives an in-depth view of life in this class.

An International Marketing Curriculum - Development and Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Abboushi, Suhail; Lackman, Conway; Peace, A. Graham

1999-01-01

Describes the process of market-driven curriculum design in the development of an undergraduate International Marketing (IM) major at Duquesne University (Pennsylvania) School of Business Administration. Reports on a market study revealing profiles and IM curriculum design preferences of exporting companies. Discusses the curriculum development,…

A Curriculum-Linked Professional Development Approach to Support Teachers' Adoption of Web GIS Tectonics Investigations

Science.gov (United States)

Bodzin, Alec; Anastasio, David; Sahagian, Dork; Henry, Jill Burrows

2016-01-01

A curriculum-linked professional development approach designed to support middle level science teachers' understandings about tectonics and geospatial pedagogical content knowledge was developed. This approach takes into account limited face-to-face professional development time and instead provides pedagogical support within the design of a…

Engineering the curriculum: Towards an adaptive curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Johns-Boast, Lynette Frances

The curriculum is one of the most important artefacts produced by higher education institutions, yet it is one of the least studied. Additionally, little is known about the decision-making of academics when designing and developing their curricula, nor how they make use of them. This research investigates how 22 Australian higher education engineering, software engineering, computer science, and information systems academics conceive of curriculum, what approaches they take when designing, and developing course and program curricula, and what use they make of the curriculum. It also considers the implications of these conceptions and behaviour upon their curricula. Data were collected through a series of one-to-one, in-depth, qualitative interviews as well as small focus group sessions and were analysed following Charmaz’ (2006) approach to grounded theory. In this thesis, I argue that the development of curricula for new higher degree programs and courses and / or the updating and innovating of an existing curriculum is a design problem. I also argue that curriculum is a complex adaptive system. Surrounding the design and development of a curriculum is a process of design that leads to the creation of a designed object - the official-curriculum. The official-curriculum provides the guiding principles for its implementation, which involves the design and development of the curriculum-in-use, its delivery, and evaluation. Data show that while the participants conceive of curriculum as a problem of design involving a design process leading to the development of the official-curriculum, surprisingly, their behaviour does not match their conceptions. Over a very short period, their behaviour leads to a process I have called curriculum drift where the official-curriculum and the curriculum-in-use drift away from each other causing the curriculum to lose its integrity. Curricular integrity is characterised through the attributes of alignment, coherence, and

Paths through interpretive territory: Two teachers' enactment of a technology-rich, inquiry-fostering science curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Scott Powell

New understandings about how people learn and constructivist pedagogy pose challenges for teachers. Science teachers face an additional challenge of developing inquiry-based pedagogy to foster complex reasoning skills. Theory provides only fuzzy guidance as to how constructivist or inquiry pedagogy can be accomplished in a wide variety of contexts and local constraints. This study contributes to the understanding of the development of constructivist, inquiry-based pedagogy by addressing the question: How do teachers interpret and enact a technology-rich, inquiry fostering science curricula for fifth grade students' biodiversity learning? This research is a case study of two teachers chosen as critical contrasting cases and represent differences across multiple criteria including: urban I suburban, teaching philosophy, and content preparation. The two fifth grade teachers each enacted BioKIDS: Kids' Inquiry in Diverse Species, an eight week curriculum focused on biodiversity. BioKIDS incorporates multiple learning technologies to support student learning including handheld computer software designed to help students collect field data, and a web-based resource for data on local animal species. The results of this study indicate there are tensions teachers must struggle with when setting goals during enactment of inquiry science curricula. They must find a balance between an emphasis on authentic learning and authentic science, and between natural history and natural science. Authentic learning focuses on students' interests and lives; Authentic science focuses on students working with the tools and processes of science. Natural history focuses on the foundational skills in science of observation and classification. Natural science focuses on analytical science drawing on data to develop claims about the world. These two key tensions in teachers' goal setting were critical in defining and understanding differences in how teachers interpreted a curriculum to meet

An analysis of teaching competence in science teachers involved in the design of context-based curriculum materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Putter - Smits, de L.G.A.; Taconis, R.; Driel, van J.H.; Jochems, W.M.G.

2012-01-01

The committees for the current Dutch context-based innovation in secondary science education employed teachers to design context-based curriculum materials. A study on the learning of science teachers in design teams for context-based curriculum materials is presented in this paper. In a correlation

Systematic Testing should not be a Topic in the Computer Science Curriculum!

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Henrik Bærbak

2003-01-01

In this paper we argue that treating "testing" as an isolated topic is a wrong approach in computer science and software engineering teaching. Instead testing should pervade practical topics and exercises in the computer science curriculum to teach students the importance of producing software...

An Ecological System Curriculum: An Integrated MST Approach to Environmental Science Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Leonhardt, Nina A.

This paper describes an inquiry-based, student-centered mathematics, science, and technology curriculum guide. It features activities addressing such environmental science topics as groundwater modeling, water filtration, soil permeability and porosity, water temperature and salinity, and quadrant studies. Activities are organized so that the…

Cognitive development in introductory physics: A research-based approach to curriculum reform

Science.gov (United States)

Teodorescu, Raluca Elena

This project describes the research on a classification of physics problems in the context of introductory physics courses. This classification, called the Taxonomy of Introductory Physics Problems (TIPP), relates physics problems to the cognitive processes required to solve them. TIPP was created for designing and clarifying educational objectives, for developing assessments that can evaluate individual component processes of the problem-solving process, and for guiding curriculum design in introductory physics courses, specifically within the context of a "thinking-skills" curriculum. TIPP relies on the following resources: (1) cognitive research findings adopted by physics education research, (2) expert-novice research discoveries acknowledged by physics education research, (3) an educational psychology taxonomy for educational objectives, and (4) various collections of physics problems created by physics education researchers or developed by textbook authors. TIPP was used in the years 2006--2008 to reform the first semester of the introductory algebra-based physics course (called Phys 11) at The George Washington University. The reform sought to transform our curriculum into a "thinking-skills" curriculum that trades "breadth for depth" by focusing on fewer topics while targeting the students' cognitive development. We employed existing research on the physics problem-solving expert-novice behavior, cognitive science and behavioral science findings, and educational psychology recommendations. Our pedagogy relies on didactic constructs such as the GW-ACCESS problem-solving protocol, learning progressions and concept maps that we have developed and implemented in our introductory physics course. These tools were designed based on TIPP. Their purpose is: (1) to help students build local and global coherent knowledge structures, (2) to develop more context-independent problem-solving abilities, (3) to gain confidence in problem solving, and (4) to establish

An exploration of the science teaching orientations of Indian science teachers in the context of curriculum reform

Science.gov (United States)

Nargund-Joshi, Vanashri

This study explores the concepts and behaviors, otherwise referred to as orientations, of six Indian science teachers and the alignment of these orientations to the 2005 India National Curriculum Framework (NCF-2005). Differences in teachers' orientations across grade bands (elementary, middle, and secondary) and school types (public versus private) are also examined to determine how contextual factors may influence this alignment. First, a content analysis of the NCF-2005 was completed to identify the overarching principles of the NCF-2005 and goals specific to the teaching and learning of science. Interviews with school principals were also analyzed to understand how the goals of NCF-2005 were communicated to schools and teachers. Together, these data sources served to answer research question one. Next, profiles were created based on three interviews with each teacher and several observations of their teaching. These profiles provide a point of reference for answering the remaining three research questions. Findings include teacher's orientations falling along a continuum from traditionalist in nature to inquiry/constructivist in nature. Stark contrasts were found between traditionalist orientations and the goals of NCF-2005, with much of this contrast due to the limited pedagogical content knowledge these teachers have regarding students' scientific thinking, curriculum design, instructional strategies, and assessment. Inquiry/constructivist teachers' orientations, while more in line with reform, still have a few key areas of pedagogical content knowledge needing attention (e.g., knowledge of assessment and a variety of purposes for constructivist instructional strategies). In response to the final research question, several contextual factors contributed to teachers' orientations including environmental constraints, such as limited resources and large class sizes, cultural testing pressures, and limited accessibility to professional development. Suggestions

The GenDev Curriculum Development Workshop.

Science.gov (United States)

D'cunha, J

1997-01-01

This article describes the second Curriculum Development Workshop held in May 1997 at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop aimed to review critically and restructure the Gender and Development Studies (GenDev) curriculum and to assess AIT's role in training gender experts for the region. Participants included 22 people from 16 countries in Asia, Europe, and the US who were teaching graduate students about gender issues and who were activists with nongovernmental organizations working on gender issues. It was determined that the following were required courses: Culture, Knowledge and Gender Relations; Gender, Technology, and Development; Principles of Gender Research and Methodology in Science and Technology; and Gender Analysis and Field Methods. Other suggested core courses included: Gender and Natural Resource Management; Enterprise Management, Technology, and Gender; Gender and Agrarian Reform; Urbanization: A Gender Perspective; Gender-Responsive Development Planning; and Gender and Economic Change: Past and Present Concerns. Participants distinguished between GenDev courses offered to anyone attending AIT and training courses designed to produce gender experts in the region. The aim of training courses for AIT graduate students was to sensitize potential managers, technologists, and others on gender issues and to create awareness of the importance of including gender perspectives within decision-making, policy formation, and implementation. Training courses to produce gender experts should be directed to those with a prior background in gender studies and include gender analysis in field methods. Participants agreed that there should be an independent and autonomous field of gender and development studies. Participants made six recommendations for such a field of study.

Developing a Curriculum for Information and Communications Technology Use in Global Health Research and Training: A Qualitative Study Among Chinese Health Sciences Graduate Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Zhenyu; Yang, Li; Yang, Lan; Huang, Kaiyong; Yu, Hongping; He, Huimin; Wang, Jiaji; Cai, Le; Wang, Jie; Fu, Hua; Quintiliani, Lisa; Friedman, Robert H; Xiao, Jian; Abdullah, Abu S

2017-06-12

Rapid development of information and communications technology (ICT) during the last decade has transformed biomedical and population-based research and has become an essential part of many types of research and educational programs. However, access to these ICT resources and the capacity to use them in global health research are often lacking in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) institutions. The aim of our study was to assess the practical issues (ie, perceptions and learning needs) of ICT use among health sciences graduate students at 6 major medical universities of southern China. Ten focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted from December 2015 to March 2016, involving 74 health sciences graduate students studying at 6 major medical universities in southern China. The sampling method was opportunistic, accounting for the graduate program enrolled and the academic year. All FGDs were audio recorded and thematic content analysis was performed. Researchers had different views and arguments about the use of ICT which are summarized under six themes: (1) ICT use in routine research, (2) ICT-related training experiences, (3) understanding about the pros and cons of Web-based training, (4) attitudes toward the design of ICT training curriculum, (5) potential challenges to promoting ICT courses, and (6) related marketing strategies for ICT training curriculum. Many graduate students used ICT on a daily basis in their research to stay up-to-date on current development in their area of research or study or practice. The participants were very willing to participate in ICT courses that were relevant to their academic majors and would count credits. Suggestion for an ICT curriculum included (1) both organized training course or short lecture series, depending on the background and specialty of the students, (2) a mixture of lecture and Web-based activities, and (3) inclusion of topics that are career focused. The findings of this study suggest that a need exists

COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE IN IN THE EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Manuel Cabrera Delgado

2017-06-01

Full Text Available How to incorporate Computer Science (CS into the basic education curriculum continues to be subject of controversy at the European level. Without there being a defined strategy on behalf of the European Union in this respect, several countries have begun their incorporation showing us the advantages and difficulties of such action. Main elements of CS, such as computational thinking and coding, are already being taught in schools, establishing the need for a curriculum adapted to the ages of the students, training for teachers and enough resources. The purpose of this article, from the knowledge of the experience of these countries, is to respond, or at least to reflect, on the answers to the following questions: what is CS?, what are their main elements?, why is it necessary?, at what age should CS be taught?, what requirements are needed for their incorporation?

What are critical features of science curriculum materials that impact student and teacher outcomes?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roblin, Natalie Pareja; Schunn, Christian; McKenney, Susan

2018-01-01

Large investments are made in curriculum materials with the goal of supporting science education reform. However, relatively little evidence is available about what features of curriculum materials really matter to impact student and teacher learning. To address this need, the current study examined

Implementing Curriculum-Embedded Formative Assessment in Primary School Science Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Hondrich, Annika Lena; Hertel, Silke; Adl-Amini, Katja; Klieme, Eckhard

2016-01-01

The implementation of formative assessment strategies is challenging for teachers. We evaluated teachers' implementation fidelity of a curriculum-embedded formative assessment programme for primary school science education, investigating both material-supported, direct application and subsequent transfer. Furthermore, the relationship between…

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: The development of a curriculum ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

approach to environmental education and curriculum innovation. ... transition from an external and rational strategy of curriculum ... 'scientific' approaches to curriculum development .... 'get the conservation message across' so as to foster.

How To Make a Curriculum: The 1987 Guidelines for Curriculum Development in the Norwegian High School--A New Paradigma in Curriculum Development Practice?

Science.gov (United States)

Gundem, Bjorg B.

This paper relates to a research project on the history and current practice of curriculum administration in Norway. An elaboration is provided on the changing high school system and the growing impact of curriculum scholarship on curriculum development. The discussion revolves around three objectives: (1) to determine if the newly formulated set…

Go Ask Alice: Uncovering the Role of a University Partner in an Informal Science Curriculum Support Network

Science.gov (United States)

Baker-Doyle, Kira J.

2013-01-01

This article describes a study from the Linking Instructors Networks of Knowledge in Science Education project, which aims to examine the informal science curriculum support networks of teachers in a school-university curriculum reform partnership. We used social network analysis and qualitative methods to reveal characteristics of the informal…

BIBLIOGRAPHY ON CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT. SUPPLEMENT I.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Graduate School of Education.

THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY (SUPPLEMENT I) LISTS MATERIALS ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT. EIGHTY-TWO UNANNOTATED REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED FOR DOCUMENTS DATING FROM 1961 TO 1966. BOOKS, JOURNALS, REPORT MATERIALS, AND SOME UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS ARE LISTED IN SUCH AREAS AS EDUCATIONAL GAMES, CURRICULUM CHANGE, CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAM…

The Central Nervous System and Alcohol Use. Science of Alcohol Curriculum for American Indians. Training Unit [and] Participant Booklet.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Cecelia; And Others

The Science of Alcohol Curriculum for American Indians uses the Medicine Circle and the "new science paradigm" to study the science of alcohol through a culturally relevant holistic approach. Intended for teachers and other educational personnel involved with American Indians, this curriculum aims to present a framework for alcohol…

The impact of a curriculum course on pre-service primary teachers' science content knowledge and attitudes towards teaching science

OpenAIRE

Murphy, Clíona; Smith, Greg

2012-01-01

Many primary school teachers have insufficient content and pedagogical knowledge of science. This lack of knowledge can often lead to a lack of confidence and competence in teaching science. This article explores the impact of a year-long science methodology (curriculum science) course on second year Bachelor of Education (BEd) students' conceptual and pedagogical knowledge of science and on their attitudes towards teaching science in the primary classroom. A questionnaire, containing closed ...

Application of the Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Science Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Stegelin, Dolores A.

2003-01-01

This article focuses on the relevance of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education for science knowledge and content standards for the preK-12 student population. The article includes: (1) a summary of key concepts; (2) a description of the science curriculum standards for K-3 in the United States; and (3) an example of an in-depth…

Implementing an Affordable High-Performance Computing for Teaching-Oriented Computer Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Abuzaghleh, Omar; Goldschmidt, Kathleen; Elleithy, Yasser; Lee, Jeongkyu

2013-01-01

With the advances in computing power, high-performance computing (HPC) platforms have had an impact on not only scientific research in advanced organizations but also computer science curriculum in the educational community. For example, multicore programming and parallel systems are highly desired courses in the computer science major. However,…

Cybersecurity Curriculum Development: Introducing Specialties in a Graduate Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bicak, Ali; Liu, Michelle; Murphy, Diane

2015-01-01

The cybersecurity curriculum has grown dramatically over the past decade: once it was just a couple of courses in a computer science graduate program. Today cybersecurity is introduced at the high school level, incorporated into undergraduate computer science and information systems programs, and has resulted in a variety of cybersecurity-specific…

Exploring the role of curriculum materials to support teachers in science education reform

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Rebecca M.

2001-07-01

For curriculum materials to succeed in promoting large-scale science education reform, teacher learning must be supported. Materials were designed to reflect desired reforms and to be educative by including detailed lesson descriptions that addressed necessary content, pedagogy, and pedagogical content knowledge for teachers. The goal of this research was to describe how such materials contributed to classroom practices. As part of an urban systemic reform effort, four middle school teachers' initial enactment of an inquiry-based science unit on force and motion were videotaped. Enactments focused on five lesson sequences containing experiences with phenomena, investigation, technology use, or artifact development. Each sequence spanned three to five days across the 10-week unit. For each lesson sequence, intended and actual enactment were compared using ratings of (1) accuracy and completeness of science ideas presented, (2) amount student learning opportunities, similarity of learning opportunities with those intended, and quality of adaptations , and (3) amount of instructional supports offered, appropriateness of instructional supports and source of ideas for instructional supports. Ratings indicated two teachers' enactments were consistent with intentions and two teachers' enactments were not. The first two were in school contexts supportive of the reform. They purposefully used the materials to guide enactment, which tended to be consistent with standards-based reform. They provided students opportunities to use technology tools, design investigations, and discuss ideas. However, enactment ratings were less reflective of curriculum intent when challenges were greatest, such as when teachers attempted to present challenging science ideas, respond to students' ideas, structure investigations, guide small-group discussions, or make adaptations. Moreover, enactment ratings were less consistent in parts of lessons where materials did not include lesson specific

Guidelines for Curriculum Development. Revised.

Science.gov (United States)

Kistler, K.; And Others

The curriculum development process explained in this booklet was first implemented at College of the Redwoods in May 1986 and then revised in June 1989. First, information on the college's Curriculum Committee is provided, indicating that the committee was formed to plan credit/non-credit courses; evaluate and approve additions, modifications, or…

The Future Curriculum for School Science: What Can Be Learnt from the Past?

Science.gov (United States)

Fensham, Peter J.

2016-01-01

In the 1960s, major reforms of the curriculum for school science education occurred that set a future for school science education that has been astonishingly robust at seeing off alternatives. This is not to say that there are not a number of good reasons for such alternative futures. The sciences, their relation to the socio-scientific context,…

The Efficacy of Educative Curriculum Materials to Support Geospatial Science Pedagogical Content Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Bodzin, Alec; Peffer, Tamara; Kulo, Violet

2012-01-01

Teaching and learning about geospatial aspects of energy resource issues requires that science teachers apply effective science pedagogical approaches to implement geospatial technologies into classroom instruction. To address this need, we designed educative curriculum materials as an integral part of a comprehensive middle school energy…

Infusion of Climate Change and Geospatial Science Concepts into Environmental and Biological Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Balaji Bhaskar, M. S.; Rosenzweig, J.; Shishodia, S.

2017-12-01

The objective of our activity is to improve the students understanding and interpretation of geospatial science and climate change concepts and its applications in the field of Environmental and Biological Sciences in the College of Science Engineering and Technology (COEST) at Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston, TX. The courses of GIS for Environment, Ecology and Microbiology were selected for the curriculum infusion. A total of ten GIS hands-on lab modules, along with two NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) lab modules on climate change were implemented in the "GIS for Environment" course. GIS and Google Earth Labs along with climate change lectures were infused into Microbiology and Ecology courses. Critical thinking and empirical skills of the students were assessed in all the courses. The student learning outcomes of these courses includes the ability of students to interpret the geospatial maps and the student demonstration of knowledge of the basic principles and concepts of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and climate change. At the end of the courses, students developed a comprehensive understanding of the geospatial data, its applications in understanding climate change and its interpretation at the local and regional scales during multiple years.

Developing the learning physical science curriculum: Adapting a small enrollment, laboratory and discussion based physical science course for large enrollments

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Fred; Price, Edward; Robinson, Stephen; Boyd-Harlow, Danielle; McKean, Michael

2012-06-01

We report on the adaptation of the small enrollment, lab and discussion based physical science course, Physical Science and Everyday Thinking (PSET), for a large-enrollment, lecture-style setting. Like PSET, the new Learning Physical Science (LEPS) curriculum was designed around specific principles based on research on learning to meet the needs of nonscience students, especially prospective and practicing elementary and middle school teachers. We describe the structure of the two curricula and the adaptation process, including a detailed comparison of similar activities from the two curricula and a case study of a LEPS classroom implementation. In LEPS, short instructor-guided lessons replace lengthier small group activities, and movies, rather than hands-on investigations, provide the evidence used to support and test ideas. LEPS promotes student peer interaction as an important part of sense making via “clicker” questions, rather than small group and whole class discussions typical of PSET. Examples of student dialog indicate that this format is capable of generating substantive student discussion and successfully enacting the design principles. Field-test data show similar student content learning gains with the two curricula. Nevertheless, because of classroom constraints, some important practices of science that were an integral part of PSET were not included in LEPS.

Developing the learning physical science curriculum: Adapting a small enrollment, laboratory and discussion based physical science course for large enrollments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fred Goldberg1

2012-05-01

Full Text Available We report on the adaptation of the small enrollment, lab and discussion based physical science course, Physical Science and Everyday Thinking (PSET, for a large-enrollment, lecture-style setting. Like PSET, the new Learning Physical Science (LEPS curriculum was designed around specific principles based on research on learning to meet the needs of nonscience students, especially prospective and practicing elementary and middle school teachers. We describe the structure of the two curricula and the adaptation process, including a detailed comparison of similar activities from the two curricula and a case study of a LEPS classroom implementation. In LEPS, short instructor-guided lessons replace lengthier small group activities, and movies, rather than hands-on investigations, provide the evidence used to support and test ideas. LEPS promotes student peer interaction as an important part of sense making via “clicker” questions, rather than small group and whole class discussions typical of PSET. Examples of student dialog indicate that this format is capable of generating substantive student discussion and successfully enacting the design principles. Field-test data show similar student content learning gains with the two curricula. Nevertheless, because of classroom constraints, some important practices of science that were an integral part of PSET were not included in LEPS.

Consumer Citizenship Curriculum Guides for Social Studies, English, Science, Mathematics.

Science.gov (United States)

MacKenzie, Louise; Smith, Alice

These four consumer citizenship curriculum guides for social studies, English, science, and mathematics incorporate consumer education into these subject matter areas in grades 8-12. Each guide is organized around 10 main component/goals. They are basic economics in the marketplace, credit, consumer law/protection, banking skills, comparison…

The Integrated Early Childhood Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Krogh, Suzanne

This textbook provides an outline of an integrated curriculum for early childhood education. Part 1 discusses the human element in school: the child and the teacher and child development. Part 2 contains the curriculum itself and covers the subjects of language, mathematics, science, social studies, art, music, and movement. Guidelines provide…

Science and Exploration in the Classroom & Beyond: An Interdisciplinary STEAM Curriculum Developed by SSERVI Educators & Scientists

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Tracy M.; Runyon, Cassandra; Cynthia, Hall; Britt, Daniel; Tracy Becker

2017-10-01

Through NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), the Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science (CLASS) and the SSERVI Evolution and Environment of Exploration Destinations (SEEED) nodes have developed an interdisciplinary formal and informal hands-on curriculum to bring the excitement of space exploration directly to the students.With a focus on exploring asteroids, this 5-year effort has infused art with traditional STEM practices (creating STEAM) and provides teachers with learning materials to incorporate art, social studies, English language arts, and other courses into the lesson plans. The formal curricula being developed follows Next Generation Standards and incorporates effective and engaging pedagogical strategies, such as problem-based learning (PBL), design thinking, and document based questions, using authentic data and articles, some of which are produced by the SSERVI scientists. From the materials developed for the formal education component, we have built up a collection of informal activities of varying lengths (minutes to weeks-long programs) to be used by museums, girl and boy scouts, science camps, etc.The curricula are being developed by formal and informal educators, artists, storytellers, and scientists. The continual feedback between the educators, artists, and scientists enables the program to evolve and mature such that the material will be accessible to the students without losing scientific merit. Online components will allow students to interact with SSERVI scientists and will ultimately infuse ongoing, exciting research into the student’s lessons.Our Education & Public Engagement (EPE) program makes a strong effort to make educational material accessible to all learners, including those with visual or hearing impairments. Specific activities have been included or independently developed to give all students an opportunity to experience the excitement of the universe.

CURRICULUM POLICY MAKERS PERCEPTIONS OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS BASED ON SOLO TAXONOMY IN SECONDARY LEVEL SCHOOLS IN SRI LANKA

OpenAIRE

P. H. Kusumawathie; Norhisham Mohamad; Ferdous Azam

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the conceptual awareness of curriculum policy makers on curriculum development process based on SOLO Taxonomy curriculum approach in secondary level schools. Further, the study explored the relationship between the curriculum development inputs and the SOLO based curriculum development process. The curriculum development inputs are teacher effectiveness, school community, school environment and technology availability. Method: Data was collecte...

Hydrogen Technology and Energy Curriculum (HyTEC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagle, Barbara

2013-02-28

The Lawrence Hall of Science of the University of California, Berkeley has collaborated with scientists and engineers, a local transit agency, school districts, and a commercial curriculum publisher to develop, field-test nationally, and publish a two-week curriculum module on hydrogen and fuel cells for high school science. Key partners in this project are the Schatz Energy Research Center (SERC) of Humboldt State University, the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), FilmSight Productions, Lab-Aids, Inc., and 32 teachers and 2,370 students in field-test classrooms in California, Connecticut, Ohio, New York, South Carolina, and Washington. Field-test teachers received two to three days of professional development before teaching the curriculum and providing feedback used for revision of the curriculum. The curriculum, titled Investigating Alternative Energy: Hydrogen and Fuel Cells and published by Lab-Aids, Inc., includes a teachers guide (with lesson plans, resources, and student handout pages), two interactive computer animations, a video, a website, and a laboratory materials kit. The project has been disseminated to over 950 teachers through awareness workshops at state, regional, and national science teacher conferences.

Evolution: Its Treatment in K-12 State Science Curriculum Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Lerner, L. S.

2001-12-01

State standards are the basis upon which states and local schools build curricula. Usually taking the form of lists of what students are expected to learn at specified grades or clusters of grades, they influence statewide examinations, textbooks, teacher education and credentialing, and other areas in which states typically exercise control over local curriculum development. State science standards vary very widely in overall quality.1,2 This is especially true in their treatment of evolution, both in the life sciences and to a somewhat lesser extent in geology and astronomy. Not surprisingly, a detailed evaluation of the treatment of evolution in state science standards3 has evoked considerably more public interest than the preceding studies of overall quality. We here consider the following questions: What constitutes a good treatment of evolution in science standards and how does one evaluate the standards? Which states have done well, and which less well? What nonscientific influences have been brought to bear on standards, for what reasons, and by whom? What strategies have been used to obscure or distort the role of evolution as the central organizing principle of the historical sciences? What are the effects of such distortions on students' overall understanding of science? What can the scientific community do to assure the publication of good science standards and to counteract attacks on good science teaching? 1. Lerner, L. S., State Science Standards: An Appraisal of Science Standards in 36 States, The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, Washington, D.C., March 1998. 2. Lerner, L. S. et al ., The State of State Standards 2000, ibid., January 2000. 3. Lerner, L. S., Good Science, Bad Science: Teaching Evolution In the States, ibid., September 2000.

Microsoft Excel Software Usage for Teaching Science and Engineering Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Gurmukh; Siddiqui, Khalid

2009-01-01

In this article, our main objective is to present the use of Microsoft Software Excel 2007/2003 for teaching college and university level curriculum in science and engineering. In particular, we discuss two interesting and fascinating examples of interactive applications of Microsoft Excel targeted for undergraduate students in: 1) computational…

SYMBIOSIS: development, implementation, and assessment of a model curriculum across biology and mathematics at the introductory level.

Science.gov (United States)

Depelteau, Audrey M; Joplin, Karl H; Govett, Aimee; Miller, Hugh A; Seier, Edith

2010-01-01

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." Alan Cohen (Used by permission. All rights reserved. For more information on Alan Cohen's books and programs, see (www.alancohen.com.) With the support of the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) administration and a grant from Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the departments of Biological Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, and Curriculum and Instruction have developed a biology-math integrated curriculum. An interdisciplinary faculty team, charged with teaching the 18 curriculum modules, designed this three-semester curriculum, known as SYMBIOSIS. This curriculum was piloted to two student cohorts during the developmental stage. The positive feedback and assessment results of this project have given us the foundation to implement the SYMBIOSIS curriculum as a replacement for the standard biology majors curriculum at the introductory level. This article addresses the history and development of the curriculum, previous assessment results and current assessment protocol, and the future of ETSU's approach to implementing the SYMBIOSIS curriculum.

Reaching Consensus on Essential Biomedical Science Learning Objectives in a Dental Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Best, Leandra; Walton, Joanne N; Walker, Judith; von Bergmann, HsingChi

2016-04-01

This article describes how the University of British Columbia Faculty of Dentistry reached consensus on essential basic biomedical science objectives for DMD students and applied the information to the renewal of its DMD curriculum. The Delphi Method was used to build consensus among dental faculty members and students regarding the relevance of over 1,500 existing biomedical science objectives. Volunteer panels of at least three faculty members (a basic scientist, a general dentist, and a dental specialist) and a fourth-year dental student were formed for each of 13 biomedical courses in the first two years of the program. Panel members worked independently and anonymously, rating each course objective as "need to know," "nice to know," "irrelevant," or "don't know." Panel members were advised after each round which objectives had not yet achieved a 75% consensus and were asked to reconsider their ratings. After a maximum of three rounds to reach consensus, a second group of faculty experts reviewed and refined the results to establish the biomedical science objectives for the renewed curriculum. There was consensus on 46% of the learning objectives after round one, 80% after round two, and 95% after round three. The second expert group addressed any remaining objectives as part of its review process. Only 47% of previous biomedical science course objectives were judged to be essential or "need to know" for the general dentist. The consensus reached by participants in the Delphi Method panels and a second group of faculty experts led to a streamlined, better integrated DMD curriculum to prepare graduates for future practice.

Prospects and challenges in teachers’ adoption of a new modeling orientated science curriculum in lower secondary school in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Sanne Schnell

A new science curriculum with a significant emphasis on modeling has recently been enacted in the Danish compulsory school. This design based study aims to investigate science teachers’ beliefs, practice and reflections in response to the new curriculum. The data sources include teacher...... towards the modeling emphasis in the new curriculum, but nevertheless use a restricted range of modeling practices and pay limited attention to the purpose and utility of models. Teachers raised concerns in enacting the new curriculum due to: (i) Lack of time for preparations and teamwork, (ii) Shortage...... of clarifications and examples in the curriculum materials and teacher education on how to enact modeling in practice, (iii) Overcrowded curriculum, and (iv) Lack of alignment with a national test. In addition, the results indicate an inconsistence between teachers’ intentions and their classroom practice...

Transformative Multicultural Science curriculum: A case study of middle school robotics

Science.gov (United States)

Grimes, Mary Katheryn

Multicultural Science has been a topic of research and discourse over the past several years. However, most of the literature concerning this topic (or paradigm) has centered on programs in tribal or Indigenous schools. Under the framework of instructional congruence, this case study explored how elementary and middle school students in a culturally diverse charter school responded to a Multicultural Science program. Furthermore, this research sought to better understand the dynamics of teaching and learning strategies used within the paradigm of Multicultural Science. The school's Robotics class, a class typically stereotyped as fitting within the misconceptions associated with the Western Modern Science paradigm, was the center of this case study. A triangulation of data consisted of class observations throughout two semesters; pre and post student science attitude surveys; and interviews with individual students, Robotic student teams, the Robotics class instructor, and school administration. Three themes emerged from the data that conceptualized the influence of a Multicultural Science curriculum with ethnically diverse students in a charter school's Robotics class. Results included the students' perceptions of a connection between science (i.e., Robotics) and their personal lives, a positive growth in the students' attitude toward science (and engineering), and a sense of personal empowerment toward being successful in science. However, also evident in the findings were the students' stereotypical attitudes toward science (and scientists) and their lack of understanding of the Nature of Science. Implications from this study include suggestions toward the development of Multicultural Science curricula in public schools. Modifications in university science methods courses to include the Multicultural Science paradigm are also suggested.

Student Teachers' Views: What Is an Interesting Life Sciences Curriculum?

Science.gov (United States)

de Villiers, Rian

2011-01-01

In South Africa, the Grade 12 "classes of 2008 and 2009" were the first to write examinations under the revised Life Sciences (Biology) curriculum which focuses on outcomes-based education (OBE). This paper presents an exploration of what students (as learners) considered to be difficult and interesting in Grades 10-12 Life Sciences…

The effects of an integrated Algebra 1/physical science curriculum on student achievement in Algebra 1, proportional reasoning and graphing abilities

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, Lettie Carol

1997-08-01

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if an integrated curriculum in algebra 1/physical science facilitates acquisition of proportional reasoning and graphing abilities better than a non-integrated, traditional, algebra 1 curriculum. Also, this study was to ascertain if the integrated algebra 1/physical science curriculum resulted in greater student achievement in algebra 1. The curriculum used in the experimental class was SAM 9 (Science and Mathematics 9), an investigation-based curriculum that was written to integrate physical science and basic algebra content. The experiment was conducted over one school year. The subjects in the study were 61 ninth grade students. The experimental group consisted of one class taught concurrently by a mathematics teacher and a physical science teacher. The control group consisted of three classes of algebra 1 students taught by one mathematics teacher and taking physical science with other teachers in the school who were not participating in the SAM 9 program. This study utilized a quasi-experimental non-randomized control group pretest-posttest design. The investigator obtained end-of-algebra 1 scores from student records. The written open-ended graphing instruments and the proportional reasoning instrument were administered to both groups as pretests and posttests. The graphing instruments were also administered as a midtest. A two sample t-test for independent means was used to determine significant differences in achievement on the end-of-course algebra 1 test. Quantitative data from the proportional reasoning and graphing instruments were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance to determine differences in scores over time for the experimental and control groups. The findings indicate no significant difference between the experimental and control groups on the end-of-course algebra 1 test. Results also indicate no significant differences in proportional reasoning and graphing abilities between

Experience in the United States with a secondary resource curriculum on ''Science, society and America's nuclear waste''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, G.P.

1994-01-01

The nuclear power and nuclear waste situation in the Usa, is first reviewed. In order to enhance information concerning these topics among pupils and teachers, a resource curriculum, 'Science, society, and America's Nuclear Waste', was developed by teachers for teachers; it consists of four units: nuclear waste, ionizing radiation, the nuclear waste policy act, and the waste management system. It has been well received by teachers. Within nine months after its national introduction, 350000 teacher and student curriculum documents were requested by teachers from all 50 states. Requests have been also received from 250 foreign colleges and universities

Curriculum Development for Enhancing Grade Nine Students' Systems Thinking

Science.gov (United States)

Hernthaisong, Preeyanan; Sitti, Somsong; Sonsupap, Kanyarat

2015-01-01

The objectives of this research were to study the development of a curriculum for enhancing grade 9 students' cognitive skills using a curriculum based on Systems Thinking Process. There were 3 phases: 1) studying of the problem; 2) development of tentative curriculum; and 3) implementation of the curriculum in a pilot study. The samples were 32…

Academic Knowledge Construction and Multimodal Curriculum Development

Science.gov (United States)

Loveless, Douglas J., Ed.; Griffith, Bryant, Ed.; Bérci, Margaret E., Ed.; Ortlieb, Evan, Ed.; Sullivan, Pamela, Ed.

2014-01-01

While incorporating digital technologies into the classroom has offered new ways of teaching and learning into educational processes, it is essential to take a look at how the digital shift impacts teachers, school administration, and curriculum development. "Academic Knowledge Construction and Multimodal Curriculum Development" presents…

Developing Workforce Capacity in Public Health Informatics: Core Competencies and Curriculum Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas R. Wholey

2018-05-01

Full Text Available We describe a master’s level public health informatics (PHI curriculum to support workforce development. Public health decision-making requires intensive information management to organize responses to health threats and develop effective health education and promotion. PHI competencies prepare the public health workforce to design and implement these information systems. The objective for a Master’s and Certificate in PHI is to prepare public health informaticians with the competencies to work collaboratively with colleagues in public health and other health professions to design and develop information systems that support population health improvement. The PHI competencies are drawn from computer, information, and organizational sciences. A curriculum is proposed to deliver the competencies and result of a pilot PHI program is presented. Since the public health workforce needs to use information technology effectively to improve population health, it is essential for public health academic institutions to develop and implement PHI workforce training programs.

Developing Workforce Capacity in Public Health Informatics: Core Competencies and Curriculum Design

Science.gov (United States)

Wholey, Douglas R.; LaVenture, Martin; Rajamani, Sripriya; Kreiger, Rob; Hedberg, Craig; Kenyon, Cynthia

2018-01-01

We describe a master’s level public health informatics (PHI) curriculum to support workforce development. Public health decision-making requires intensive information management to organize responses to health threats and develop effective health education and promotion. PHI competencies prepare the public health workforce to design and implement these information systems. The objective for a Master’s and Certificate in PHI is to prepare public health informaticians with the competencies to work collaboratively with colleagues in public health and other health professions to design and develop information systems that support population health improvement. The PHI competencies are drawn from computer, information, and organizational sciences. A curriculum is proposed to deliver the competencies and result of a pilot PHI program is presented. Since the public health workforce needs to use information technology effectively to improve population health, it is essential for public health academic institutions to develop and implement PHI workforce training programs. PMID:29770321

The "Curriculum for Excellence": A Major Change for Scottish Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Sally

2014-01-01

The Curriculum for Excellence and new National Qualifications offer innovative reform, based on widely supported ideas and aims, for Scottish preschool, primary and secondary education levels. "Objectives and syllabuses" for science are replaced by "experiences and outcomes". Most strikingly, central prescription makes way for…

The Texas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution: A Model for the Delivery of Earth Science Professional Development to Minority-Serving Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Ellins, K. K.; Snow, E.; Olson, H. C.; Stocks, E.; Willis, M.; Olson, J.; Odell, M. R.

2013-01-01

The Texas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution was a 5-y teacher professional development project that aimed to increase teachers' content knowledge in Earth science and preparing them to teach a 12th-grade capstone Earth and Space Science course, which is new to the Texas curriculum. The National Science Foundation-supported project was…

UWHS Climate Science: Uniting University Scientists and High School Teachers in the Development and Implementation of a Dual-Credit STEM-Focused Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Bertram, M. A.; Thompson, L.; Ackerman, T. P.

2012-12-01

The University of Washington is adapting a popular UW Atmospheric Sciences course on Climate and Climate Change for the high school environment. In the process, a STEM-focused teaching and learning community has formed. With the support of NASA Global Climate Change Education 20 teachers have participated in an evolving professional development program that brings those actively engaged in research together with high school teachers passionate about bringing a formal climate science course into the high school. Over a period of several months participating teachers work through the UW course homework and delve deeply into specific subject areas. Then, during a week-long summer institute, scientists bring their particular expertise (e.g. radiation, modeling) to the high school teachers through lectures or labs. Together they identify existing lectures, textbook material and peer-reviewed resources and labs available through the internet that can be used to effectively teach the UW material to the high school students. Through this process the scientists learn how to develop teaching materials around their area of expertise, teachers engage deeply in the subject matter, and both the university and high school teachers are armed with the tools to effectively teach a STEM-focused introductory course in climate science. To date 12 new hands-on modules have been completed or are under development, exploring ice-cores, isotopes, historical temperature trends, energy balance, climate models, and more. Two modules have been tested in the classroom and are ready for peer-review through well-respected national resources such as CLEAN or the National Earth Science Teachers Association; three others are complete and will be implemented in a high school classroom this year, and the remainder under various stages of development. The UWHS ATMS 211 course was piloted in two APES (Advanced Placement Environmental Science classrooms) in Washington State in 2011/2012. The high school

An Exploratory Analysis of a Middle School Science Curriculum: Implications for Students with Learning Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Gregory S.; Hord, Casey

2016-01-01

An exploratory study of a middle school curriculum directly aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards was conducted with a focus on how the curriculum addresses the instructional needs of students with learning disabilities. A descriptive analysis of a lesson on speed and velocity was conducted and implications discussed for students with…

Experiencing Wireless Sensor Network Concepts in an Undergraduate Computer Science Curriculum

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zwartjes, G.J.; van de Voort, M.; Dil, B.J.; Havinga, Paul J.M.

2009-01-01

Incorporating Embedded Systems courses in a general and broad Computer Science undergraduate curriculum can be a challenging task. The lack of experience with relevant tools and programming languages tends to limit the amount material that can be included in courses on this area. This, combined with

Development of the Astronomy-Themed Interdisciplinary Curriculum At Taipei First Girls' High School

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, S.-C.; Jin, R.; Lai, S.-P.; Kong, A.; Chang, H.-K.; Wu, P.-H.

2014-07-01

With the advent of satellite-based telescopes and abundant data open to the public, senior high school students can now be allowed access to the latest observational data collected by those cutting-edge telescopes. Following the official guidelines for high school curricula in Taiwan, we designed a 24-hour, four-module curriculum, the themes of which are: properties of light and spectra, multi-wavelength observations, evolution of stars, and introduction to cosmology. The curriculum makes use of free online astronomical databases, software for data analysis, and teaching platforms. Many of the courses are inquiry-oriented, focusing on hands-on experiments and discussions. They can be taught separately in their own fields or combined to form research project courses as well. The curriculum development was funded by the National Science Council of Taiwan (High Scope Project) and supported by three institutes in universities. More than 700 students are participating in the pilot program. We are now promoting the curriculum to other schools, with a hope to encourage students to carry out projects on topics in astronomy.

Problem Based Learning, curriculum development and change ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Problem Based Learning, curriculum development and change process at ... was started in 1924 and has been running a traditional curriculum for 79 years. ... Methods: The stages taken during the process were described and analysed.

Policy and Curriculum Development in Greece. the Case of Secondary School Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Ifanti, Amalia A.

2007-01-01

This paper examines the politics and values of the secondary school curriculum in Greece and attempts to find out the influences of cultural tradition and centralized control on curriculum development. In particular, it studies the decision-making process and the politics of educational control, employing some theoretical elements from centralist…

Next generation of procedural skills curriculum development: Proficiency-based progression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard M. Satava

2015-01-01

Conclusion: The FRS use a new process (full life-cycle curriculum development with proficiency-based progression which can be used in order to develop any quantitative procedural curriculum, through generic templates that have been developed. Such an approach will dramatically decrease the cost, time and effort to develop a new specific curriculum, while producing uniformity in approach, inter-operability among different curricula and consistency in objective assessment. This process is currently online, open source and freely available, to encourage the adoption of a scholarly and rigorous approach to curriculum development which is flexible enough to be adopted and adapted to most technical skills curriculum needs.

Perspective of Lecturers in Implementing PISMP Science Curriculum in Malaysia's IPG

Science.gov (United States)

Yahya, Fauziah Hj; Bin Hamdan, Abdul Rahim; Jantan, Hafsah Binti; Saleh, Halimatussadiah Binti

2015-01-01

The article aims to identify lecturers' perspectives in implementing PISMP science curriculum in IPG Malaysia based on teaching experience with KIPP model. The respondents consisted of 105 lecturers from 20 IPG Malaysia. The study used a questionnaire consisting of 74 items covering the four dimensions (Context, Input, Process and Product). Data…

Extended professional development for systemic curriculum reform

Science.gov (United States)

Kubitskey, Mary Elizabeth

Education standards call for adopting inquiry science instruction. Successful adoption requires professional development (PD) to support teachers, increasing the need for research on PD. This dissertation examines the question: What is the influence of high quality, curriculum aligned, long-term group workshops and related practice on teacher learning? I focus on the following subquestions: (1) What is the influence of high quality, curriculum aligned, long-term, group workshops on teacher knowledge and beliefs? (2) What is the impact of the workshops on teacher practice? (3) What is the influence of practice on student response? (4) What is the impact of practice and student response on teacher knowledge and beliefs? I focus on an instance of PD nested within a long-term systemic change initiative, tracing eleven science teachers' learning from workshops and associated enactments. The data included pre and post-unit interviews (n=22), two post-workshop interviews (n=17), workshop observations (n=2), classroom observations (n=24) and student work (n=351). I used mixed-methods analysis. Quantitative analysis measured teacher learning by comparing pre and post-unit interview ratings. Qualitative components included two case study approaches: logic model technique and cross-case synthesis, examining teacher learning within and across teachers. The findings suggested a teacher-learning model incorporating PD, teacher knowledge, beliefs, practice and student response. PD impacts teachers' knowledge by providing teachers with new knowledge, adapting previous knowledge, or convincing them to value existing knowledge they chose not to use. The workshops can influence beliefs, providing teachers with confidence and motivation to adopt the practice. Beliefs can mediate how knowledge manifested itself in practice that, in turn, impacts students' response. Student response influences the teachers' beliefs, either reinforcing or motivating change. This teacher-learning model

Islamic values in the Kuwaiti curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Alshahen, Ghanim A.

This study investigated the influence of Islamic values on the curriculum, in particular the Islamic studies and science curricula. Three questionnaires were developed, validated, and used to investigate teachers' and pupils' attitudes toward Islamic values in the curriculum. Four main sections deal with Islamic values in the Islamic studies and science curricula, namely: Islamic values in the textbook, teaching Islamic values, the relationship between Islamic values and the science curriculum, and the Islamic values model. Two instruments were used in this study: questionnaires and interviews. Both qualitative and quantitative data were generated from the sample, which consisted of Islamic studies and science teachers and supervisors in intermediate schools, and pupils studying in the eighth grade in intermediate schools. In the last case, the data were gathered by questionnaire only. The interviews and questionnaires provided explanatory data. The research was carried out in three phases, considering respectively 55 Islamic studies teachers, 55 science teachers who teach the eighth grade in intermediate schools, and 786 pupils who study in the eighth grade in 20 schools. In each school, the researcher selected two classes. This thesis consists of eight chapters. Chapter One provides a general introduction and highlights the general framework of this study. Chapter Two is concerned with the development of the education system in Kuwait and the objectives of the Islamic studies and science curricula in the intermediate stage. Chapter Three presents the conceptions of values, the Islamic values model, and Islamic values in the curriculum. Chapter Four describes the objectives of the study, and its research design methods and procedures used to develop the instruments. The sampling procedure, the data collection procedures, and the statistical methods used to analyse the data are also described. Chapter Five presents and interprets the findings of this study. Data

INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE: A CURRICULUM APPROACH

OpenAIRE

Bianco, André A. G.; Biochemistry Departament, Chemistry Institute, Sao Paulo University, Sao Paulo.; Torres, Bayardo B.; Biochemistry Departament, Chemistry Institute, Sao Paulo University, Sao Paulo.

2007-01-01

International and national institutions concerned with higher education recommendthe inclusion in curriculum of strategies to promote development of aditional skills thentraditionals memorazing habilities and contents reproduction. Between this, specialattention is given to stimulating the critical capacitie. To develop this skills, was given aproject, included into the Biochemistry discipline, with freshmen students in the Nutritioncourse of the Saúde Pública College of USP. The project cons...

Access, Astronomy and Science Fiction. A Case Study in Curriculum Design

Science.gov (United States)

Saunders, Danny; Brake, Mark; Griffiths, Martin; Thornton, Rosi

2004-01-01

It is argued that a positive response to lifelong learning policies involves the use of imaginative curriculum design in order to attract learners from disadvantaged backgrounds who are otherwise alienated from higher education. In this article a case study is presented based on the popularity of science fiction within popular culture, beginning…

Living in Water: An Aquatic Science Curriculum for Grades 5-7.

Science.gov (United States)

National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD. Dept. of Education.

"Living in Water" is a classroom-based, scientific study of water, aquatic environments, and the plants and animals that live in water. The lessons in this curriculum integrate basic physical, biological, and earth sciences, and mathematics. The integration of language arts is also considered essential to its success. These lessons do not require…

Preservice Science Teachers' Perceptions of Their TPACK Development after Creating Digital Stories

Science.gov (United States)

Sancar-Tokmak, Hatice; Surmeli, Hikmet; Ozgelen, Sinan

2014-01-01

The aim of this case study was to examine pre-service science teachers' (PSTs) perceptions of their Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) development after creating digital stories based on science topics drawn from the national curriculum. A total of 21 PSTs enrolled in Introduction to Computers II participated in the study. Data…

Student-governed electronic portfolios as a tool to involve university teachers in competency-oriented curriculum development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhagen, Pleunes Willem; Hoiting, Willeke; Crawford, Margaret; Simonson, Michael; Lamboy, Carmen

2001-01-01

At the University of Twente (Netherlands), a new curriculum on educational science and technology has been introduced. That occasion was used to try to develop an apprenticeship model in which the students are regarded as young professionals from the very beginning. In that model, the students are

From FRA to RFN, or How the Family Resemblance Approach Can Be Transformed for Science Curriculum Analysis on Nature of Science

Science.gov (United States)

Kaya, Ebru; Erduran, Sibel

2016-01-01

The inclusion of Nature of Science (NOS) in the science curriculum has been advocated around the world for several decades. One way of defining NOS is related to the family resemblance approach (FRA). The family resemblance idea was originally described by Wittgenstein. Subsequently, philosophers and educators have applied Wittgenstein's idea to…

Developing a yearlong Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS) learning sequence focused on climate solutions: opportunities, challenges and reflections

Science.gov (United States)

Cordero, E.; Centeno, D.

2015-12-01

Over the last four years, the Green Ninja Project (GNP) has been developing educational media (e.g., videos, games and online lessons) to help motivate student interest and engagement around climate science and solutions. Inspired by the new emphasis in NGSS on climate change, human impact and engineering design, the GNP is developing a technology focused, integrative, and yearlong science curriculum focused around solutions to climate change. Recognizing the importance of teacher training on the successful implementation of NGSS, we have also integrated teacher professional development into our curriculum. During the presentation, we will describe the design philosophy around our middle school curriculum and share data from a series of classes that are piloting the curriculum during Fall 2015. We will also share our perspectives on how data, media creation and engineering can be used to create educational experiences that model the type of 'three-dimensional learning' encouraged by NGSS.

The Value of Fidelity of Implementation Criteria to Evaluate School-Based Science Curriculum Innovations

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yew-Jin; Chue, Shien

2013-10-01

School-based curriculum innovations, including those in science education, are usually not adequately evaluated, if at all. Furthermore, current procedures and instruments for programme evaluations are often unable to support evidence-based decision-making. We suggest that adopting fidelity of implementation (FOI) criteria from healthcare research can both characterize and narrow the separation between programme intent and actual implementation, which is a mandatory stage of evaluation before determining overall programme value. We demonstrate how such a process could be applied by science educators using data from a secondary school in Singapore that had devised a new curriculum to promote interest, investigative processes, and knowledge in science. Results showed that there were ambivalent student responses to this programme, while there were high levels of science process skill instruction and close alignment with the intended lesson design. The implementation of this programme appeared to have a satisfactory overall level of FOI, but we also detected tensions between programme intent and everyday classroom teaching. If we want to advance science education, then our argument is that applying FOI criteria is necessary when evaluating all curricular innovations, not just those that originate from schools.

Special series on "The meaning of behavioral medicine in the psychosomatic field" establishment of a core curriculum for behavioral science in Japan: The importance of such a curriculum from the perspective of psychology.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimazu, Akihito; Nakao, Mutsuhiro

2016-01-01

This article discusses the core curriculum for behavioral science, from the perspective of psychology, recommended by the Japanese Society of Behavioral Medicine and seeks to explain how the curriculum can be effectively implemented in medical and health-related departments. First, the content of the core curriculum is reviewed from the perspective of psychology. We show that the curriculum features both basic and applied components and that the basic components are closely related to various aspects of psychology. Next, we emphasize two points to aid the effective delivery of the curriculum: 1) It is necessary to explain the purpose and significance of basic components of behavioral science to improve student motivation; and 2) it is important to encourage student self-efficacy to facilitate application of the acquired knowledge and skills in clinical practice.

Developing Curriculum to Help Students Explore the Geosciences' Cultural Relevance

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, G.; Schoof, J. T.; Therrell, M. D.

2011-12-01

groups, a content test, an epistemology survey (with think-aloud interviews that also served for cognitive testing purposes), classroom observations, student work, and tracking of student navigation through the digital reader. Overall, the impact this curriculum had on students' affective and academic learning varied; however, the instructional supports we developed to temper challenge with instructional support appear to have had a positive impact on student learning. Analysis of data illustrates how these supports improved their comprehension of multiple, and sometimes conflicting sources. Student feedback from focus groups and interviews also indicate that using a social science lens to learn about concepts such as urban heat island was engaging. In terms of students' understanding of the nature of knowledge in the sciences, the epistemology survey and interview seem to indicate that students lack a complex understanding of continuity and change in scientific knowledge. Further, participants appeared to have many misconceptions about scientific inquiry. As a result, we are currently developing a similar curriculum for a lab-based geography course, GEOG104: Weather, Climate, and Society.

Spaceship Earth: A partnership in curriculum writing

Science.gov (United States)

Lindstrom, Marilyn M.

1993-01-01

As the Apollo astronauts left Earth to venture onto the surface of another planetary body, they saw their home planet in a new global perspective. Unmanned NASA missions have given us a closer look at all the other planets in our solar system and emphasized the uniqueness of Earth as the only place in our solar system that can sustain life as we know it. Spaceship Earth is a new science curriculum which was developed to help students and teachers to explore the Earth, to see it in the global perspective, and to understand the relationships among life, the planet, and the sun. Astronaut photographs, especially shuttle pictures, are used as groundbased studies to help students to understand global Earth Science and integrate various aspects of physical, life, and social science. The Spaceship Earth curriculum was developed at by a team of JSC scientists working in collaboration with teachers from local school districts. This project was done under the auspices of Partner-In-Space, a local non-profit organization dedicated to improving science education and our general knowledge of space. The team met once a month for a year then assembled the curriculum during the summer. The project is now in the testing stage as the teachers try it out in their classrooms. It was supported by the Texas Education Agency and will be offered by the State of Texas as a supplemental curriculum for statewide use. Because the curriculum was developed by teachers, it is self contained and the lessons are easy to implement and give students concrete experiences. The three sub-units follow in a logical order, but may be used independently. If they are used separately, they may be tied together by the teacher returning to the basic theme of the global Earth as each unit is completed.

A strategy for teacher involvement in curriculum development ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Hence this study focuses on an effective strategy for teacher involvement in curriculum development. The strength of the strategy is that it involves formal teacher training with semesterised courses. There is phased- in implementation of the different phases of the curriculum development process. This formal training course ...

Improvement on a science curriculum including experimental demonstration of environmental radioactivity for secondary school students

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Kenji; Matsubara, Shizuo; Aiba, Yoshio; Eriguchi, Hiroshi; Kiyota, Saburo; Takeyama, Tetsuji.

1988-01-01

A science curriculum previously prepared for teaching environmental radioactivity was modified on the basis of the results of trial instructions in secondary schools. The main subject of the revised curriculum is an understanding of the natural radioactivity through the experimental demonstration about air-borne β and γ ray emitters. The other subjects included are the radioactive decay, the biological effects of radiation, the concept of risk-benefit balance (acceptable level) and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and radiation. The work sheets and reference data prepared as learning materials are in two levels corresponding to the ability of students for this curriculum. (author)

Reproductive Science for High School Students: A Shared Curriculum Model to Enhance Student Success.

Science.gov (United States)

Castle, Megan; Cleveland, Charlotte; Gordon, Diana; Jones, Lynda; Zelinski, Mary; Winter, Patricia; Chang, Jeffrey; Senegar-Mitchell, Ericka; Coutifaris, Christos; Shuda, Jamie; Mainigi, Monica; Bartolomei, Marisa; Woodruff, Teresa K

2016-07-01

The lack of a national reproductive biology curriculum leads to critical knowledge gaps in today's high school students' comprehensive understanding of human biology. The Oncofertility Consortium developed curricula that address the basic and clinical aspects of reproductive biology. Launching this academy and creating easy-to-disseminate learning modules allowed other universities to implement similar programs across the country. The expansion of this informal, extracurricular academy on reproductive health from Northwestern University to the University of California, San Diego, Oregon Health & Science University, and the University of Pennsylvania magnifies the scope of scientific learning to students who might not otherwise be exposed to this important information. To assess the experience gained from this curriculum, we polled alumni from the four centers. Data were collected anonymously from de-identified users who elected to self-report on their experiences in their respective reproductive science academy. The alumni survey asked participants to report on their current academic standing, past experiences in the academy, and future academic and career goals. The results of this national survey suggest the national oncofertility academies had a lasting impact on participants and may have contributed to student persistence in scientific learning. © 2016 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Development and implementation of a science training course for breast cancer activists: Project LEAD (leadership, education and advocacy development).

Science.gov (United States)

Dickersin, K; Braun, L; Mead, M; Millikan, R; Wu, A M; Pietenpol, J; Troyan, S; Anderson, B; Visco, F

2001-12-01

To develop and implement Project LEAD (leadership, education, and advocacy development), a science course for breast cancer activists. Students were breast cancer activists and other consumers, mainly affiliated with advocacy organizations in the United States of America. Project LEAD is offered by the National Breast Cancer Coalition; the course takes place over 5 days and is offered 4 times a year, in various cities in the United States of America. The Project LEAD curriculum has developed over 5 years to include lectures, problem-based study groups, case studies, interactive critical appraisal sessions, a seminar by an 'expert' scientist, role play, and homework components. A core faculty has been valuable for evaluating and revising the course and has proved necessary to provide consistent high quality teaching. Course evaluations indicated that students gained critical appraisal skills, enhanced their knowledge and developed confidence in selected areas of basic science and epidemiology. Project LEAD comprises a unique curriculum for training breast cancer activists in science and critical appraisal. Course evaluations indicate that students gain confidence and skills from the course.

Examining the Features of Earth Science Logical Reasoning and Authentic Scientific Inquiry Demonstrated in a High School Earth Science Curriculum: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Do-Yong; Park, Mira

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the inquiry features demonstrated in the inquiry tasks of a high school Earth Science curriculum. One of the most widely used curricula, Holt Earth Science, was chosen for this case study to examine how Earth Science logical reasoning and authentic scientific inquiry were related to one another and how…

Developing Preservice Teachers' Self-Efficacy through Field-Based Science Teaching Practice with Elementary Students

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, Ingrid M.

2015-01-01

Thirty preservice teachers enrolled in a field-based science methods course were placed at a public elementary school for coursework and for teaching practice with elementary students. Candidates focused on building conceptual understanding of science content and pedagogical methods through innovative curriculum development and other course…

Evolution of the New Pathway curriculum at Harvard Medical School: the new integrated curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Dienstag, Jules L

2011-01-01

In 1985, Harvard Medical School adopted a "New Pathway" curriculum, based on active, adult learning through problem-based, faculty-facilitated small-group tutorials designed to promote lifelong skills of self-directed learning. Despite the successful integration of clinically relevant material in basic science courses, the New Pathway goals were confined primarily to the preclinical years. In addition, the shifting balance in the delivery of health care from inpatient to ambulatory settings limited the richness of clinical education in clinical clerkships, creating obstacles for faculty in their traditional roles as teachers. In 2006, Harvard Medical School adopted a more integrated curriculum based on four principles that emerged after half a decade of self-reflection and planning: (1) integrate the teaching of basic/population science and clinical medicine throughout the entire student experience; (2) reestablish meaningful and intensive faculty-student interactions and reengage the faculty; (3) develop a new model of clinical education that offers longitudinal continuity of patient experience, cross-disciplinary curriculum, faculty mentoring, and student evaluation; and (4) provide opportunities for all students to pursue an in-depth, faculty-mentored scholarly project. These principles of our New Integrated Curriculum reflect our vision for a curriculum that fosters a partnership between students and faculty in the pursuit of scholarship and leadership.

Integrating technology, curriculum, and online resources: A multilevel model study of impacts on science teachers and students

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Lei

This scale-up study investigated the impact of a teacher technology tool (Curriculum Customization Service, CCS), curriculum, and online resources on earth science teachers' attitudes, beliefs, and practices and on students' achievement and engagement with science learning. Participants included 73 teachers and over 2,000 ninth-grade students within five public school districts in the western U.S. To assess the impact on teachers, changes between pre- and postsurveys were examined. Results suggest that the CCS tool appeared to significantly increase both teachers' awareness of other earth science teachers' practices and teachers' frequency of using interactive resources in their lesson planning and classroom teaching. A standard multiple regression model was developed. In addition to "District," "Training condition" (whether or not teachers received CCS training) appeared to predict teachers' attitudes, beliefs, and practices. Teachers who received CCS training tended to have lower postsurvey scores than their peers who had no CCS training. Overall, usage of the CCS tool tended to be low, and there were differences among school districts. To assess the impact on students, changes were examined between pre- and postsurveys of (1) knowledge assessment and (2) students' engagement with science learning. Students showed pre- to postsurvey improvements in knowledge assessment, with small to medium effect sizes. A nesting effect (students clustered within teachers) in the Earth's Dynamic Geosphere (EDG) knowledge assessment was identified and addressed by fitting a two-level hierarchical linear model (HLM). In addition, significant school district differences existed for student post-knowledge assessment scores. On the student engagement questionnaire, students tended to be neutral or to slightly disagree that science learning was important in terms of using science in daily life, stimulating their thinking, discovering science concepts, and satisfying their own

Mastering Cognitive Development Theory in Computer Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Gluga, Richard; Kay, Judy; Lister, Raymond; Kleitman, Simon; Kleitman, Sabina

2013-01-01

To design an effective computer science curriculum, educators require a systematic method of classifying the difficulty level of learning activities and assessment tasks. This is important for curriculum design and implementation and for communication between educators. Different educators must be able to use the method consistently, so that…

Pros and cons of vertical integration between clinical medicine and basic science within a problem-based undergraduate medical curriculum: examples and experiences from Linköping, Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahle, L O; Brynhildsen, J; Behrbohm Fallsberg, M; Rundquist, I; Hammar, M

2002-05-01

Problem-based learning (PBL), combined with early patient contact, multiprofessional education and emphasis on development of communications skills, has become the basis for the medical curriculum at the Faculty of Health Sciences in Linköping (FHS), Sweden, which was started in 1986. Important elements in the curriculum are vertical integration, i.e. integration between the clinical and basic science parts of the curriculum and horizontal integration between different subject areas. This article discusses the importance of vertical integration in an undergraduate medical curriculum, according to experiences from the Faculty of Health Sciences in Linköping, and also give examples on how it has been implemented during the latest 15 years. Results and views put forward in published articles concerning vertical integration within undergraduate medical education are discussed in relation to the experiences in Linköping. Vertical integration between basic sciences and clinical medicine in a PBL setting has been found to stimulate profound rather than superficial learning, and thereby stimulates better understanding of important biomedical principles. Integration probably leads to better retention of knowledge and the ability to apply basic science principles in the appropriate clinical context. Integration throughout the whole curriculum entails a lot of time and work in respect of planning, organization and execution. The teachers have to be deeply involved and enthusiastic and have to cooperate over departmental borders, which may produce positive spin-off effects in teaching and research but also conflicts that have to be resolved. The authors believe vertical integration supports PBL and stimulates deep and lifelong learning.

Models and automation technologies for the curriculum development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. N. Volkova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research was to determine the sequence of the curriculum development stages on the basis of the system analysis, as well as to create models and information technologies for the implementation of thesestages.The methods and the models of the systems’ theory and the system analysis, including methods and automated procedures for structuring organizational aims, models and automated procedures for organizing complex expertise.On the basis of the analysis of existing studies in the field of curriculum modeling, using formal mathematical language, including optimization models, that help to make distribution of disciplines by years and semesters in accordance with the relevant restrictions, it is shown, that the complexity and dimension of these tasks require the development of special software; the problem of defining the input data and restrictions requires a large time investment, that seems to be difficult to provide in real conditions of plans’ developing, thus it is almost impossible to verify the objectivity of the input data and the restrictions in such models. For a complete analysis of the process of curriculum development it is proposed to use the system definition, based on the system-targeted approach. On the basis of this definition the reasonable sequence of the integrated stages for the development of the curriculum was justified: 1 definition (specification of the requirements for the educational content; 2 determining the number of subjects, included in the curriculum; 3 definition of the sequence of the subjects; 4 distribution of subjects by semesters. The models and technologies for the implementation of these stages of curriculum development were given in the article: 1 models, based on the information approach of A.Denisov and the modified degree of compliance with objectives based on Denisov’s evaluation index (in the article the idea of evaluating the degree of the impact of disciplines for realization

Curriculum and instruction in nuclear waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, M.; Lugaski, T.; Pankratius, B.

1991-01-01

Curriculum and instruction in nuclear waste disposal is part of the larger problem of curriculum and instruction in science. At a time when science and technological literacy is crucial to the nation's economic future fewer students are electing to take needed courses in science that might promote such literacy. The problem is directly related to what science teachers teach and how they teach it. Science content that is more relevant and interesting to students must be a part of the curriculum. Science instruction must allow students to be actively involved in investigating or playing the game of science

Scientific Skills and Processes in Curriculum Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Kremer, Joe

2017-11-01

Increasingly, the science education community has recognized the need for curriculum resources that support student development of authentic scientific practices, rather than focusing exclusively on content knowledge. This paper proposes a tool for teachers and researchers to assess the degree to which certain curriculum resources and lessons achieve this goal. After describing a method for reflecting on and categorizing curriculum resources, I apply the method to highlight differences across three teaching methods: Modeling Instruction, Physics Union Mathematics, and a traditional, lecture-based approach.

Developing a Curriculum for Remote Research Mentoring of Virginia High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Dirienzo, William J.; Corby, J.; Beaton, R.; Barcos-Munoz, L. D.; Jones, K. M.; Pennucci, T.

2014-01-01

Graduate students at the University of Virginia (UVa) are volunteering as research advisors on astronomy projects for Virginia's science and technology high schools. Over five years, we have worked with more than a dozen students through a research class at Central Virginia Governor's School for Science and Technology in Lynchburg and two students last year at Roanoke Valley Governor's School in Roanoke to develop an astronomy research curriculum that teaches background concepts and terminology, guides students in data analysis, and prepares them to present material in poster and oral forums. Because both schools are far from UVa in Charlottesville, the program operates remotely; graduate advisors and high school students interact through "virtual" means, establishing a successful framework for meaningful remote mentoring. In the current year, four students will complete projects on astrophysical topics including megamasers and astrochemistry using data taken by the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT). Previous topics also include pulsar searches, extended green object (EGO) searches, and the X-ray properties of YSOs in the Carina complex. All four students this year will receive hands-on experience in handling GBT data. The current projects are components of larger research efforts by graduate student and professional level researchers, so that the projects contribute to high-level projects only possible with the GBT. This stands as a rare outreach program that uses the principle of “deliberative practice” to train high school students in the development of skills that are crucial to success in science. Furthermore, it provides graduate students with an opportunity to plan and advise research projects, developing a skill set that is required in more advanced academic positions. Our poster discusses the implementation of our online curriculum in two distinct class settings and highlights the students' research contributions.

Curriculum Development Through Delphi

Science.gov (United States)

Reeves, Gary; Jauch, Lawrence R.

1978-01-01

The basic Delphi methodology is outlined along with possible goals and objectives in a Delphi study. The results of an actual case study in the use of the Delphi method for higher education curriculum development are reported, and attention is given to the problem of selecting participants for a Delphi exercise. (Author/LBH)

Into the Curriculum. Reading/Language Arts: Three Little Kittens and the Lost Mittens; Reading/Language Arts: A Caldecott Archaeological Dig; Science: Discovering the Periodic Table of Elements; Science: The Red-Eyed Tree Frog Jumps into Nonfiction; Social Studies: Our Nation's Beginnings-Jamestown and Plymouth Settlements.

Science.gov (United States)

Cherry, Carolyn; Louk, Cathy; Barwick, Martha; Kidd, Gentry E.

2001-01-01

Provides five fully developed school library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in reading/language arts, science, and social studies. Library media skills objectives, curriculum (subject area) objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activity and procedures for completion, evaluation, and…

The Johns Hopkins model of psychological first aid (RAPID-PFA): curriculum development and content validation.

Science.gov (United States)

Everly, George S; Barnett, Daniel J; Links, Jonathan M

2012-01-01

There appears to be virtual universal endorsement of the need for and value of acute "psychological first aid" (PFA) in the wake of trauma and disasters. In this paper, we describe the development of the curriculum for The Johns Hopkins RAPID-PFA model of psychological first aid. We employed an adaptation of the basic framework for the development of a clinical science as recommended by Millon which entailed: historical review, theoretical development, and content validation. The process of content validation of the RAPID-PFA curriculum entailed the assessment of attitudes (confidence in the application of PFA interventions, preparedness in the application of PFA); knowledge related to the application of immediate mental health interventions; and behavior (the ability to recognize clinical markers in the field as assessed via a videotape recognition exercise). Results of the content validation phase suggest the six-hour RAPID-PFA curriculum, initially based upon structural modeling analysis, can improve confidence in the application of PFA interventions, preparedness in the application of PFA, knowledge related to the application of immediate mental health interventions, and the ability to recognize clinical markers in the field as assessed via a videotape recognition exercise.

Nurturing At-Risk Youth in Math and Science: Curriculum and Teaching Considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tobias, Randolf

The social environment of today has necessitated revision in educators' beliefs about what students are considered to be at risk of failing to complete their education with adequate levels of skills. This book addresses this issue in the areas of mathematics and science and is intended as a curriculum and teacher training accompaniment that can…

Data Driven Professional Development Design for Out-of-School Time Educators Using Planetary Science and Engineering Educational Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, J.; Bloom, N.

2017-12-01

Data driven design practices should be the basis for any effective educational product, particularly those used to support STEM learning and literacy. Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science (PLANETS) is a five-year NASA-funded (NNX16AC53A) interdisciplinary and cross-institutional partnership to develop and disseminate STEM out-of-school time (OST) curricular and professional development units that integrate planetary science, technology, and engineering. The Center for Science Teaching and Learning at Northern Arizona University, the U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center, and the Museum of Science Boston are partners in developing, piloting, and researching the impact of three out of school time units. Two units are for middle grades youth and one is for upper elementary aged youth. The presentation will highlight the data driven development process of the educational products used to provide support for educators teaching these curriculum units. This includes how data from the project needs assessment, curriculum pilot testing, and professional support product field tests are used in the design of products for out of school time educators. Based on data analysis, the project is developing and testing four tiers of professional support for OST educators. Tier 1 meets the immediate needs of OST educators to teach curriculum and include how-to videos and other direct support materials. Tier 2 provides additional content and pedagogical knowledge and includes short content videos designed to specifically address the content of the curriculum. Tier 3 elaborates on best practices in education and gives guidance on methods, for example, to develop cultural relevancy for underrepresented students. Tier 4 helps make connections to other NASA or educational products that support STEM learning in out of school settings. Examples of the tiers of support will be provided.

An educational ethnography of teacher-developed science curriculum implementation: Enacting conceptual change-based science inquiry with Hispanic students

Science.gov (United States)

Brunsell, Eric Steven

An achievement gap exists between White and Hispanic students in the United States. Research has shown that improving the quality of instruction for minority students is an effective way to narrow this gap. Science education reform movements emphasize that science should be taught using a science inquiry approach. Extensive research in teaching and learning science also shows that a conceptual change model of teaching is effective in helping students learn science. Finally, research into how Hispanic students learn best has provided a number of suggestions for science instruction. The Inquiry for Conceptual Change model merges these three research strands into a comprehensive yet accessible model for instruction. This study investigates two questions. First, what are teachers' perceptions of science inquiry and its implementation in the classroom? Second, how does the use of the Inquiry for Conceptual Change model affect the learning of students in a predominantly Hispanic, urban neighborhood. Five teachers participated in a professional development project where they developed and implemented a science unit based on the Inquiry for Conceptual Change model. Three units were developed and implemented for this study. This is a qualitative study that included data from interviews, participant reflections and journals, student pre- and post-assessments, and researcher observations. This study provides an in-depth description of the role of professional development in helping teachers understand how science inquiry can be used to improve instructional quality for students in a predominantly Hispanic, urban neighborhood. These teachers demonstrated that it is important for professional development to be collaborative and provide opportunities for teachers to enact and reflect on new teaching paradigms. This study also shows promising results for the ability of the Inquiry for Conceptual Change model to improve student learning.

Exploring the Associations Among Nutrition, Science, and Mathematics Knowledge for an Integrative, Food-Based Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Stage, Virginia C; Kolasa, Kathryn M; Díaz, Sebastián R; Duffrin, Melani W

2018-01-01

Explore associations between nutrition, science, and mathematics knowledge to provide evidence that integrating food/nutrition education in the fourth-grade curriculum may support gains in academic knowledge. Secondary analysis of a quasi-experimental study. Sample included 438 students in 34 fourth-grade classrooms across North Carolina and Ohio; mean age 10 years old; gender (I = 53.2% female; C = 51.6% female). Dependent variable = post-test-nutrition knowledge; independent variables = baseline-nutrition knowledge, and post-test science and mathematics knowledge. Analyses included descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. The hypothesized model predicted post-nutrition knowledge (F(437) = 149.4, p mathematics knowledge were predictive of nutrition knowledge indicating use of an integrative science and mathematics curriculum to improve academic knowledge may also simultaneously improve nutrition knowledge among fourth-grade students. Teachers can benefit from integration by meeting multiple academic standards, efficiently using limited classroom time, and increasing nutrition education provided in the classroom. © 2018, American School Health Association.

A Study on the Development of Curriculum Track for Civil Service Librarian

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Younghee Noh

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The goal of this study is to improve the competitiveness of professional librarians in society. To this end, we analyzed domestic and international LIS curriculum, determined demand from field librarians through a survey, carried out job analysis by library types, and developed an operating model for LIS curriculum by synthesizing all of these results. Finally, we suggested a course of study for civil service librarians based on this model. As a result, the six required courses for civil service librarians are: Introduction to Library and Information Science, Information Organization, Information Services (Reference and Information Services, Library Management, Information Retrieval, and Field Work. The four core courses for the civil service concentration are: Collection Development, Information Sources by Subjects, Public Library Management, and Digital Libraries. Suggested electives best suited to this career path include Using Web Resources, Information Literacy, Information Services in Culturally Diverse Communities, Library Marketing, Libraries and Cultural Programs, Reading Guidance, Library History, Small Library Management, Studies in Library Buildings, Library Cooperation, Managing Digital Collections, and Information and Communication in a Digital Age.

When Are Students Ready for Research Methods? A Curriculum Mapping Argument for the Political Science Major

Science.gov (United States)

Bergbower, Matthew L.

2017-01-01

For many political science programs, research methods courses are a fundamental component of the recommended undergraduate curriculum. However, instructors and students often see these courses as the most challenging. This study explores when it is most appropriate for political science majors to enroll and pass a research methods course. The…

Narrative Inquiry for Science Education: Teachers' repertoire-making in the case of environmental curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Seyoung

2011-04-01

This paper considers how the school science curriculum can be conceptualised in order to address the contingent and complex nature of environmental and sustainability-related knowledge and understanding. A special concern lies in the development of research perspectives and tools for investigating ways, in which teachers are faced with complex and various situations in the sense-making of science-related issues, and subsequent pedagogic issues. Based on an empirical examination of Korean teachers' sense-making of their curricular practice, the paper develops a narrative approach to teachers' perspectives and knowledge by considering the value of stories as sense-making tools for reflective questioning of what is worth teaching, how and why. By employing the idea of 'repertoire', the study regards teachers' stories about their environment-related personal and teaching experiences as offering angles with which to understand teachers' motivation and reflection in curricular development and implementation. Furthermore, three empirical cases present ways in which the nature of knowledge and understanding is recognised and potentially integrated into pedagogies through teachers' narratives. Finally, the paper argues for the need to reconsider the role of the science teacher in addressing environmental and sustainability-related issues, in ways that facilitate teachers' reflexive interpretation of meanings in cultural texts and the construction of pedagogic text.

Windmills by Design: Purposeful Curriculum Design to Meet Next Generation Science Standards in a 9-12 Physics Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Concannon, James; Brown, Patrick L.

2017-01-01

The "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS) challenges science teachers to think beyond specific content standards when considering how to design and implement curriculum. This lesson, "Windmills by Design," is an insightful lesson in how science teachers can create and implement a cross-cutting lesson to teach the concepts…

Horticulture Therapy Curriculum Development. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Sally; And Others

This final report includes two major components: a narrative describing a project at Edmonds Community College, Washington, to develop a horticultural therapy curriculum and descriptions of six courses developed or revised during the project. The narrative reports the development of a supplementary interdisciplinary certification program to train…

Development of an Analysis Model from the Perspectives of Science, Individual and Society in the Teaching of Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Manuel do Carmo

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The basic vision of learning science has changed as scientific culture concepts evolution and the nature of the teaching of science go along. From a model essentially based on information acquisition, science instruction has included the practice of the science method when the importance of emphasizing the development of personal skills, thinking processes, and action was considered. The concern about citizens’ education in matters referring to the relationship between science and society and enlightened social participation demanded a special attention in investigation and in students’ participation in issues related to urban, natural, and technological environment. This research seeks to develop an integrative model of curriculum organizations based on these three axes or perspectives: science, individual, and society. A matrix enabling the analysis of curricular proposals and organization plans of didactic units is built, as well as the observation of teachers’ representations in the teaching of science.

Anatomy Education in Namibia: Balancing Facility Design and Curriculum Development

Science.gov (United States)

Wessels, Quenton; Vorster, Willie; Jacobson, Christian

2012-01-01

The anatomy curriculum at Namibia's first, and currently only, medical school is clinically oriented, outcome-based, and includes all of the components of modern anatomical sciences i.e., histology, embryology, neuroanatomy, gross, and clinical anatomy. The design of the facilities and the equipment incorporated into these facilities were directed…

An overview of curriculum development in the different periods of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2005. ... The objective of this article is to overview the practices of elementary and secondary schools curriculum development in the different periods. ... Public and professional engagement in curriculum development is little or non-existent.

Developing a comprehensive curriculum for public health advocacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Hines, Ayelet; Jernigan, David H

2012-11-01

There is a substantial gap in public health school curricula regarding advocacy. Development of such a curriculum faces three challenges: faculty lack advocacy skills and experience; the public health literature on effective advocacy is limited; and yet a successful curriculum must be scalable to meet the needs of approximately 9,000 public health students graduating each year. To meet these challenges, we propose a 100-hour interactive online curriculum in five sections: campaigning and organizing, policy making and lobbying, campaign communications, new media, and fund-raising. We outline the content for individual modules in each of these sections, describe how the curriculum would build on existing interactive learning and social media technologies, and provide readers the opportunity to "test-drive" excerpts of a module on "grasstops" organizing. Developing advocacy skills and expertise is critical to meeting the challenges of public health today, and we provide a blueprint for how such training might be brought to scale in the field.

Development of an Aviation Maintenance Curriculum in an Aerospace Engineering Department.

Science.gov (United States)

Miau, Jiun-Jih; Chiu, Huei-Huang; Wu, Yuh-Yi; Lin, Chin-E; Choi, Siu-Tong; Yang, Shih-Ming; Jenq, Syh-Tsang

This paper describes the motivation of developing the Aviation Maintenance Curriculum, at National Chang Kung University (seven elective courses) contents of the elective courses, and university-industry collaborations developed along with the Curriculum. The curriculum represents an effort to respond to the needs of manpower in the aviation…

Curriculum Analysis and Education for Sustainable Development in Iceland

Science.gov (United States)

Johannesson, Ingolfur Asgeir; Norodahl, Kristin; Oskarsdottir, Gunnhildur; Palsdottir, Auour; Petursdottir, Bjorg

2011-01-01

The article explores how the Icelandic public school curriculum for early childhood, compulsory and upper secondary school deals with education for sustainable development. As the curriculum does not often mention the term sustainability, a key with which to investigate signs of education for sustainable development in the three curricula was…

Integrated Curriculum and Subject-based Curriculum: Achievement and Attitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Casady, Victoria

The research conducted for this mixed-method study, qualitative and quantitative, analyzed the results of an academic year-long study to determine whether the use of an integrated fourth grade curriculum would benefit student achievement in the areas of English language arts, social studies, and science more than a subject-based traditional curriculum. The research was conducted based on the international, national, and state test scores, which show a slowing or lack of growth. Through pre- and post-assessments, student questionnaires, and administrative interviews, the researcher analyzed the phenomenological experiences of the students to determine if the integrated curriculum was a beneficial restructuring of the curriculum. The research questions for this study focused on the achievement and attitudes of the students in the study and whether the curriculum they were taught impacted their achievement and attitudes over the course of one school year. The curricula for the study were organized to cover the current standards, where the integrated curriculum focused on connections between subject areas to help students make connections to what they are learning and the world beyond the classroom. The findings of this study indicated that utilizing the integrated curriculum could increase achievement as well as students' attitudes toward specific content areas. The ANOVA analysis for English language arts was not determined to be significant; although, greater growth in the students from the integrated curriculum setting was recorded. The ANOVA for social studies (0.05) and the paired t-tests (0.001) for science both determined significant positive differences. The qualitative analysis led to the discovery that the experiences of the students from the integrated curriculum setting were more positive. The evaluation of the data from this study led the researcher to determine that the integrated curriculum was a worthwhile endeavor to increase achievement and attitudes

Incorporating nanoscale science and technology into secondary school curriculum: Views of nano-trained science teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antti Laherto

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The growing societal significance of nanoscience and nanotechnology (NST entails needs for addressing these topics in school curricula. This study lays groundwork for responding to those needs in Finland. The purpose was to analyse the appropriateness of NST for secondary school curriculum contents. First, a week-long in-service teacher training course was arranged on content knowledge of NST. After attending the course, 23 experienced science teachers were surveyed regarding their views on the educational significance of these issues, and on prospects for including them into the curriculum. A questionnaire with open-ended questions was used. Qualitative content analysis of the responses revealed that the respondents considered NST as desirable contents for secondary school, but arranging instruction is problematic. The teachers emphasised the educational significance of many applications, scientific principles and ethical issues related to NST. The outcomes are discussed with reference to recent studies on teachers’ barriers and educational concerns regarding NST.

Introducing Game Development into the University Curriculum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Peer*

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Integrating computer games development into computer science curriculum is gaining acceptance. However, the question is how this should be done. In our course on computer game development we present all necessary steps that a game project has to address, from design to publication and marketing, from the theoretical to the practical point of view. The goal is that each student makes a casual game for Apple iOS platform and possibly publishes it. The games are built on our xni framework for iOS, which is a subset of Microsoft’s xna. We take an iterative incremental approach to teaching game development, where we discuss a number of selected topics from various categories, such as gameplay design, graphics and artificial intelligence, each week. Thereafter the students receive mandatory and non-mandatory assignments that force them to add functionality to their game and, thus, steadily progress towards their goal. At the end of the course more than 20 % of all projects were ready for the Apple App Store, which, together with student pools saying that the course was one of the best executed courses they attended, confirms the viability of the suggested scheme.

Mapping Physical Sciences Teachers' Concerns Regarding the New Curriculum in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Gudyanga, Remeredzayi; Jita, Loyiso C.

2018-01-01

This article reports on a study investigating physical sciences teachers' stages of concern (SoC) profiles during the implementation of the curriculum and assessment policy statement (CAPS) in South Africa. Throughout reform implementation, it is conceivable that teachers go through different SoC, ranging from giving low priority to the reform…

Methods and Tools to Align Curriculum to the Skills and Competencies Needed by the Workforce - an Example from Geospatial Science and Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, A. B.

2012-12-01

Geospatial science and technology (GST) including geographic information systems, remote sensing, global positioning systems and mobile applications, are valuable tools for geoscientists and students learning to become geoscientists. GST allows the user to analyze data spatially and temporarily and then visualize the data and outcomes in multiple formats (digital, web and paper). GST has evolved rapidly and it has been difficult to create effective curriculum as few guidelines existed to help educators. In 2010, the US Department of Labor (DoL), in collaboration with the National Geospatial Center of Excellence (GeoTech Center), a National Science Foundation supported grant, approved the Geospatial Technology Competency Mode (GTCM). The GTCM was developed and vetted with industry experts and provided the structure and example competencies needed across the industry. While the GTCM was helpful, a more detailed list of skills and competencies needed to be identified in order to build appropriate curriculum. The GeoTech Center carried out multiple DACUM events to identify the skills and competencies needed by entry-level workers. DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) is a job analysis process whereby expert workers are convened to describe what they do for a specific occupation. The outcomes from multiple DACUMs were combined into a MetaDACUM and reviewed by hundreds of GST professionals. This provided a list of more than 320 skills and competencies needed by the workforce. The GeoTech Center then held multiple workshops across the U.S. where more than 100 educators knowledgeable in teaching GST parsed the list into Model Courses and a Model Certificate Program. During this process, tools were developed that helped educators define which competency should be included in a specific course and the depth of instruction for that competency. This presentation will provide details about the process, methodology and tools used to create the Models and suggest how they can be used

Science and Literacy: Incorporating Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Research Methods, and Writing into the Science Curriculum

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Nieser, K.; Carlson, C.; Bering, E. A.; Slagle, E.

2012-12-01

Part of preparing the next generation of STEM researchers requires arming these students with the requisite literacy and research skills they will need. In a unique collaboration, the departments of Physics (ECE) and Psychology at the University of Houston have teamed up with NASA in a grant to develop a supplemental curriculum for elementary (G3-5) and middle school (G6-8) science teachers called Mars Rover. During this six week project, students work in teams to research the solar system, the planet Mars, design a research mission to Mars, and create a model Mars Rover to carry out this mission. Targeted Language Arts skills are embedded in each lesson so that students acquire the requisite academic vocabulary and research skills to enable them to successfully design their Mars Rover. Students learn academic and scientific vocabulary using scientifically based reading research. They receive direct instruction in research techniques, note-taking, summarizing, writing and other important language skills. The interdisciplinary collaboration empowers students as readers, writers and scientists. After the curriculum is completed, a culminating Mars Rover event is held at a local university, bringing students teams in contact with real-life scientists who critique their work, ask questions, and generate excite about STEM careers. Students have the opportunity to showcase their Mars Rover and to orally demonstrate their knowledge of Mars. Students discover the excitement of scientific research, STEM careers, important research and writing tools in a practical, real-life setting.

Development of inquiry-based planetary science resources for Canadian schools

Science.gov (United States)

Osinski, G. R.; Gilbert, A.; Brown, P.

2011-12-01

The Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration (CPSX - http://cpsx.uwo.ca) at The University of Western Ontario has initiated a comprehensive outreach and education program focusing on planetary science and exploration. The goal is to use planetary science to raise general interest in science. Currently, the activities being preformed by the centre can be divided into three broad categories: (1) educational/curriculum based activities, (2) outreach/community based activities, and (3) training. The first is where the push for an increase in interest for science is really critical and is the focus here. In partnership with the Thames Valley District School Board and by using inquiry-based teaching methods, students study various topics under the guidance of a CPSX graduate students and faculty. The educational activities that have taken place are all based on the Ontario curriculum and have been developed with the support of the local school board and teachers. An annual teacher workshop provides a hands-on opportunity for the teachers to interact with CPSX members. The first activity to be developed was on meteorite impact craters. The CPSX web page also contains the lesson plans and activity work sheets for this Cratering Activity, as well as additional activities. As the Cratering Activity is available online, teachers can perform the experiment independently or request the support from a CPSX outreach member. The activity is designed with the following structure: (1) The teacher gives a background presentation (provided by CPSX) which describes crater processes throughout our solar system (specifically comparing Earth to other planets), the consequences of impacts on Earth, the origins of impactors (small bodies) in our solar system, and the mechanical process of an impact. (2) The teacher demonstrates an impact event. Students are to make observations in their lab handout, and sketch what they see. (3) Students (either individually or as a group, based on

The role of project-based learning in the "Political and social sciences of the environment" curriculum at Nijmegen University

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leroy, P.; Bosch, van den H.; Ligthart, S.S.H.

2001-01-01

Since the end of 1996, teachers at the Faculty of Policy Sciences at Nijmegen University, The Netherlands, have been working on a new educational programme called "Political and Social Sciences of the Environment" (PSSE). In fact, the PSSE curriculum builds on the Environmental Policy Sciences

Scientific Management as part of the curriculum of Pedagogical Sciences.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha Margarita López Ruiz

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The Psychology and Pedagogy carer is developed in pedagogical sciences Cuban universities and the plan of the teaching learning process is organized on disciplines, subjects and activities from the working practice are distributed during the five years of the career which guarantee the fulfilment of the objectives in the professional qualification degree. Scientific educational management is included as part of the curriculum of this specialty in Pedagogical Universities. Scientific educational management has a great importance in the existence of state who is worried for the preparation and training of pedagogical specialists to whom ethics becomes a daily practice in their jobs in a society in which the formation and development of Cuban citizens is carried out by social programs encouraged by the government. The growing of this specialist is supported on the existence of a government that is interested on teaching, innovate and develop human beings by means of putting into practice social and cultural activities. The main goal of this article is to exemplify how to organize the contents of scientific educational management and the way of planning the teaching learning process to better future Cuban teacher trainers and managers.

Developing a New Industrial Engineering Curriculum Using a Systems Engineering Approach

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Buyurgan, Nebil; Kiassat, Corey

2017-01-01

This paper reports on the development of an engineering curriculum for a new industrial engineering programme at a medium-sized private university in the northeast United States. A systems engineering process has been followed to design and develop the new curriculum. Considering the programme curriculum as a system, first the stakeholders have…

20 Maxims for Collection Building: Contemporary Collection Development Involves Art, Science, and Business

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Genco, Barbara; Kuzyk, Raya

2007-01-01

Last fall, at the Pratt Institute School of Information and Library Science in New York, Barbara Genco, collection development director at the Brooklyn Public Library, taught a course on collection development principles, theory, and practice. "Library Journal" asked her to distill her curriculum down to 20 talking points that address…

Nanomedicine concepts in the general medical curriculum: initiating a discussion

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Sweeney AE

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Aldrin E Sweeney Center for Teaching & Learning, Ross University School of Medicine, Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica Abstract: Various applications of nanoscale science to the field of medicine have resulted in the ongoing development of the subfield of nanomedicine. Within the past several years, there has been a concurrent proliferation of academic journals, textbooks, and other professional literature addressing fundamental basic science research and seminal clinical developments in nanomedicine. Additionally, there is now broad consensus among medical researchers and practitioners that along with personalized medicine and regenerative medicine, nanomedicine is likely to revolutionize our definitions of what constitutes human disease and its treatment. In light of these developments, incorporation of key nanomedicine concepts into the general medical curriculum ought to be considered. Here, I offer for consideration five key nanomedicine concepts, along with suggestions regarding the manner in which they might be incorporated effectively into the general medical curriculum. Related curricular issues and implications for medical education also are presented. Keywords: medical education, basic science, teaching, learning, assessment, nanoscience curriculum, nanomedicine concepts

Developing a Telecommunications Curriculum for Students with Physical Disabilities.

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Gandell, Terry S.; Laufer, Dorothy

1993-01-01

A telecommunications curriculum was developed for students (ages 15-21) with physical disabilities. Curriculum content included an internal mailbox program (Mailbox), interactive communication system (Blisscom), bulletin board system (Arctel), and a mainframe system (Compuserv). (JDD)

Associate in science degree education programs: organization, structure, and curriculum.

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Galvin, William F

2005-09-01

After years of discussion, debate, and study, the respiratory care curriculum has evolved to a minimum of an associate degree for entry into practice. Although programs are at liberty to offer the entry-level or advanced level associate degree, most are at the advanced level. The most popular site for sponsorship of the associate degree in respiratory care is the community college. The basis for community college sponsorship seems to be its comprehensive curriculum, which focuses on a strong academic foundation in writing, communication, and the basic sciences as well as supporting a career-directed focus in respiratory care. Issues facing the community college are tied to literacy, outcomes, assessment, placement,cooperation with the community, partnerships with industry, and articulation arrangements with granting institutions granting baccalaureate degrees. Community colleges must produce a literate graduate capable of thriving in an information-saturated society. Assessment and placement will intensify as the laissez-faire attitudes toward attendance and allowing students to select courses without any accountability and evaluation of outcome become less acceptable. Students will be required to demonstrate steady progress toward established outcomes. Maintaining relations and cooperation with the local community and the health care industry will continue to be a prominent role for the community college. The challenge facing associate degree education in respiratory care at the community college level is the ability to continue to meet the needs of an expanding professional scope of practice and to provide a strong liberal arts or general education core curriculum. The needs for a more demanding and expanding respiratory care curriculum and for a rich general education core curriculum have led to increased interest in baccalaureate and graduate degree education. The value of associate degree education at the community college level is well established. It is

Inspiring Climate Education Excellence(ICEE): Developing Elearning professional development modules - secondary science teachers

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Kellagher, E.; Buhr, S. M.; Lynds, S. E.; McCaffrey, M. S.; Cires Education Outreach

2011-12-01

Inspiring Climate Education Excellence (ICEE) is a NASA-funded project to develop content knowledge and knowledge of effective teaching strategies in climate education among secondary science teachers. ICEE resources are aligned with the Essential Principles of Climate Science. Building upon a needs assessment and face to face workshop, ICEE resources include iTunesU videos, an ICEE 101 resource site with videos and peer-reviewed learning activities, and a moderated online forum. Self-directed modules and an online course are being developed around concepts and topics in which teachers express the most interest and need for instruction. ICEE resources include attention to effective teaching strategies, such as awareness of student misconceptions, strategies for forestalling controversy and advice from master teachers on implementation and curriculum development. The resources are being developed in partnership with GLOBE, and the National Science Digital Library (NSDL) and are informed by the work of the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) project. ICEE will help to meet the professional development needs of teachers, including those participating in the GLOBE Student Climate Research Campaign.

Curriculum Package: Elementary Science Lessons. [A Visit to the Louisville, Kentucky Airports: Standiford and Bowman Fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Squires, Frances H.

This science curriculum was written for teachers of children in the elementary grades. It contains science activities for the following lessons: (1) Whirly Birds and the Concept of Lift; (2) Parachutes; (3) Weather Vanes; (4) Paper Airplanes; (5) Flying an Airplane; (6) Jet Engine; (7) Identifying Flying Objects; (8) It's a Bird! It's a Plane; (9)…

Exploring Ivorian Perspectives on the Effectiveness of the Current Ivorian Science Curriculum in Addressing Issues Related to HIV/AIDS

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Ado, Gustave Firmin

2014-01-01

School-based HIV/AIDS science education has the potential to impact students when integrated into the science curriculum. However, this mixed method study shows that school-based HIV/AIDS science education is often not infused into career subjects such as science education but integrated into civics education and taught by teachers who lack the…

ICT tools for curriculum development

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McKenney, Susan; Nieveen, N.M.; van den Akker, J.J.H.; Kuiper, W.J.A.M.; Hameyer, U.

2003-01-01

Along with others in this book, this chapter examines a recent trend in curriculum development, namely, employing the computer to support this complex process. Not to be confused with the vast majority of ICT tools for education, which support the teachers and learners more directly, this discussion

Developing a new industrial engineering curriculum using a systems engineering approach

Science.gov (United States)

Buyurgan, Nebil; Kiassat, Corey

2017-11-01

This paper reports on the development of an engineering curriculum for a new industrial engineering programme at a medium-sized private university in the northeast United States. A systems engineering process has been followed to design and develop the new curriculum. Considering the programme curriculum as a system, first the stakeholders have been identified, and some preliminary analysis on their needs and requirements has been conducted. Following that, the phases of conceptual design, preliminary design, and detailed design have been pursued during which different levels of validation, assessment, and evaluation processes have been utilised. In addition, a curriculum assessment and continuous improvement process have been developed to assess the curriculum and the courses frequently. The resulting curriculum is flexible, allowing the pursuit of accelerated graduate programmes, a second major, various minor options, and study-abroad; relevant, tailored to the needs of industry partners in the vicinity; and practical, providing hands-on education, resulting in employment-ready graduates.

The Design of Curriculum Development Based on Entrepreneurship through Balanced Scorecard Approach

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Hidayat, Muhammad; Musa, Chalid Imran; Haerani, Siti; Sudirman, Indrianti

2015-01-01

This research is intended to develop curriculum based on entrepreneurship through balanced scorecard approach at the School of Business or "Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi" (STIE) Nobel Indonesia. In order to develop the curriculum, a need analysis in terms of curriculum development that involves all stakeholders at STIE Nobel in Indonesia…

Information technology tools for curriculum development

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McKenney, Susan; Nieveen, N.M.; Strijker, A.; Voogt, Joke; Knezek, Gerald

2008-01-01

The widespread introduction and use of computers in the workplace began in the early 1990s. Since then, computer-based tools have been developed to support a myriad of task types, including the complex process of curriculum development. This chapter begins by briefly introducing two concepts that

Attitudes and intellectual development of further education science students

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El-Farargy, Nancy Ibrahim

The world of teaching and learning in the sciences in the Further Education (FE) sector is relatively under-researched. This study, across Scottish FE colleges, has sought to define some of the key landmarks in the area of the sciences, looking specifically at the students and their college experiences by means of surveys, interviews and curriculum intervention. The study started from the issue, observed personally, of students finding the learning of chemistry for a nursing course as being problematic. The main aim was to explore the key issues of science in FE, focussing on problems and successes. The attitudes, intellectual development and self perceptions of students have all been considered. The study explores the attitudes and self perceptions of over 800 learners studying the sciences at ten Scottish colleges. Demographic data, prior learning experiences and current learning attitudes to science and learning were obtained by means of questionnaires and interviews. Intellectual development data was obtained using an adaptation of the Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development. Further interview data were obtained with participating students at various stages of their learning experiences. The results show that, in general, students have varied backgrounds, aspirations and reasons for learning in FE. The learning experiences obtained at college were, in general, viewed to be very positive. In addition, the participating lecturers in Further Education college classes were viewed in a very positive light. In most cases, attitudes towards students learning experiences at college were viewed more positively than at school level, this being a greater emphasis for biology than chemistry. In addition, the role of the teacher at school level could be seen clearly in developing positive attitudes to science. In relating this back to school experience, it was found that those who had positive attitudes to science at school level, correlated more with intentions of

Holistic curriculum development: tutoring as a support process ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The tutor's role in these involves different aspects of teaching and learning. In this article I explore the value of tutoring as a means of supporting the holistic curriculum development process. I reflect on the reason for introducing a system of tutoring for students in curriculum studies and the results of its implementation on ...

Curriculum Development for Quantitative Skills in Degree Programs: A Cross-Institutional Study Situated in the Life Sciences

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Matthews, Kelly E.; Belward, Shaun; Coady, Carmel; Rylands, Leanne; Simbag, Vilma

2016-01-01

Higher education policies are increasingly focused on graduate learning outcomes, which infer an emphasis on, and deep understanding of, curriculum development across degree programs. As disciplinary influences are known to shape teaching and learning activities, research situated in disciplinary contexts is useful to further an understanding of…

Working Alongside Scientists. Impacts on Primary Teacher Beliefs and Knowledge About Science and Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Dayle; Moeed, Azra

2017-05-01

Current curriculum demands require primary teachers to teach about the Nature of Science; yet, few primary teachers have had opportunity to learn about science as a discipline. Prior schooling and vicarious experiences of science may shape their beliefs about science and, as a result, their science teaching. This qualitative study describes the impact on teacher beliefs about science and science education of a programme where 26 New Zealand primary (elementary) teachers worked fulltime for 6 months alongside scientists, experiencing the nature of work in scientific research institutes. During the 6 months, teachers were supported, through a series of targeted professional development days, to make connections between their experiences working with scientists, the curriculum and the classroom. Data for the study consisted of mid- and end-of-programme written teacher reports and open-ended questionnaires collected at three points, prior to and following 6 months with the science host and after 6 to 12 months back in school. A shift in many teachers' beliefs was observed after the 6 months of working with scientists in combination with curriculum development days; for many, these changes were sustained 6 to 12 months after returning to school. Beliefs about the aims of science education became more closely aligned with the New Zealand curriculum and its goal of developing science for citizenship. Responses show greater appreciation of the value of scientific ways of thinking, deeper understanding about the nature of scientists' work and the ways in which science and society influence each other.

Contextualizing Earth Science Professional Development Courses for Geoscience Teachers in Boston

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Chen, R. F.; Pelletier, P.; Dorsen, J.; Douglas, E. M.; Pringle, M. S.; Karp, J.

2009-12-01

Inquiry-based, hands-on, graduate content courses have been developed specifically for Boston Public School middle school teachers of Earth Science. Earth Science I: Weather and Water and Earth Science II: The Solid Earth--Earth History and Planetary Systems have been taught a total of seven times to over 120 teachers. Several key attributes to these successful courses have been identified, including co-instruction by a university professor and a high school and a middle school teacher that are familiar with the Boston curriculum, use of hands-on activities that are closed related to those used in the Boston curriculum, pre- and post-course local field trips, and identification of key learning objectives for each day. This model of professional development was developed over several years in all disciplines (Earth Science, Physics, Biology, Chemistry) by the Boston Science Partnership (BSP), an NSF-funded Math Science Partnership program. One of the core strategies of the BSP is these Contextualized Content Courses (CCC), graduate level, lab-based courses taught at either UMass Boston or Northeastern University during summer intensive or semester formats. Two of the eleven courses developed under the grant are Earth Science I & II. This presentation shares the model of the CCC, the impact on teacher participants, the value of these courses for the professor, and lessons learned for successful professional development. Findings about the courses’ impact and effectiveness come from our external evaluation by the Program Evaluation Research Group (PERG). The combination of content and modeling good instructional practices have many positive outcomes for teachers, including increased self-efficacy in science understanding and teaching, positive impacts on student achievement, and teacher shifts from more traditional, more lecture-based instructional models to more inquiry approaches. STEM faculty members become involved in science education and learn and practice new

Outcomes of a Self-Regulated Learning Curriculum Model

Science.gov (United States)

Peters-Burton, Erin E.

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to describe connections among students' views of nature of science in relation to the goals of a curriculum delivered in a unique setting, one where a researcher and two teachers collaborated to develop a course devoted to teaching students about how knowledge is built in science. Students proceeded through a cycle of self-regulated phases, forethought, performance, and self-reflection, during each segment of the curriculum: (a) independent research, (b) knowledge building in the discipline of science, and (c) a citizen science project. Student views were measured at the beginning and end of the course using epistemic network analysis. The pretest map reported student understanding of science as experimentation and indicated three clusters representing the durability of knowledge, empirical evidence, and habits of mind, which were loosely connected and represented knowledge generation as external to personal thinking. The posttest map displayed a broader understanding of scientific endeavors beyond experimentation, a shift toward personal knowledge generation, and indicated a larger number of connections among three more tightly oriented clusters: empirical evidence, habits of mind, and tentativeness. Implications include the potential to build curriculum that purposefully considers reinforcing cycles of learning of the nature of science in different contexts.

Making Earth Science Relevant in the K-8 Classroom. The Development of an Instructional Soils Module for Pre-Service Elementary Teachers Using the Next Generation Science Standards

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Baldwin, K. A.; Hauge, R.; Dechaine, J. M.; Varrella, G.; Egger, A. E.

2013-12-01

The development and adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) raises a challenge in teacher preparation: few current teacher preparation programs prepare students to teach science the way it is presented in the NGSS, which emphasize systems thinking, interdisciplinary science, and deep engagement in the scientific process. In addition, the NGSS include more geoscience concepts and methods than previous standards, yet this is a topic area in which most college students are traditionally underprepared. Although nationwide, programmatic reform is needed, there are a few targets where relatively small, course-level changes can have a large effect. One of these targets is the 'science methods' course for pre-service elementary teachers, a requirement in virtually all teacher preparation programs. Since many elementary schools, both locally and across the country, have adopted a kit based science curriculum, examining kits is often a part of a science methods course. Unfortunately, solely relying on a kit based curriculum may leave gaps in science content curriculum as one prepares teachers to meet the NGSS. Moreover, kits developed at the national level often fall short in connecting geoscientific content to the locally relevant societal issues that engage students. This highlights the need to train pre-service elementary teachers to supplement kit curriculum with inquiry based geoscience investigations that consider relevant societal issues, promote systems thinking and incorporate connections between earth, life, and physical systems. We are developing a module that teaches geoscience concepts in the context of locally relevant societal issues while modeling effective pedagogy for pre-service elementary teachers. Specifically, we focus on soils, an interdisciplinary topic relevant to multiple geoscience-related societal grand challenges (e.g., water, food) that is difficult to engage students in. Module development is funded through InTeGrate, NSF

Sequence Matching Analysis for Curriculum Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liem Yenny Bendatu

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Many organizations apply information technologies to support their business processes. Using the information technologies, the actual events are recorded and utilized to conform with predefined model. Conformance checking is an approach to measure the fitness and appropriateness between process model and actual events. However, when there are multiple events with the same timestamp, the traditional approach unfit to result such measures. This study attempts to develop a sequence matching analysis. Considering conformance checking as the basis of this approach, this proposed approach utilizes the current control flow technique in process mining domain. A case study in the field of educational process has been conducted. This study also proposes a curriculum analysis framework to test the proposed approach. By considering the learning sequence of students, it results some measurements for curriculum development. Finally, the result of the proposed approach has been verified by relevant instructors for further development.

Design of a social constructivism-based curriculum for primary science education in Confucian heritage culture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vu Thu Hang, N.

2014-01-01

This study is about the application of social constructivism in primary science curriculum in Confucian heritage culture. It was found that the implementation of social constructivism in Confucian heritage culture was low and influenced by cultural divergences between Confucian cultural philosophy

Exploring the Effectiveness of Curriculum Provided Through Transmedia Books for Increasing Students' Knowledge and Interest in Science

Science.gov (United States)

Ponners, Pamela Jones

Transmedia books are new and emerging technologies which are beginning to be used in current classrooms. Transmedia books are a traditional printed book that uses multiple media though the use of Quick Response (QR) codes and augmented reality (AR) triggers to access web-based technology. Using the transmedia book Skills That Engage Me students in kindergarten through second grade engage in curriculum designed to introduce science skills and careers. Using the modified Draw-a-Scientist Test (mDAST), observations and interviews, researchers analyzed pre and post data to describe changes students have about science and scientists. Future study may include the development and validation of a new instrument, Draw a Science Student, and examining the mDAST checklist with the intention of updating the parameters of what is considered positive and negative in relationship with work a scientist conducts.

There’s More to Science than Research: A Team-Based Role Game to Develop School Students’ Understanding of Science Careers in Pharmaceutical Quality Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachael Collins

2015-08-01

Full Text Available School students lack information about STEM based careers, a subject that is not sufficiently embedded in the national science curriculum. As a result, students feel they receive insufficient advice to support their choice of subjects at GCSE level and beyond. Students struggle to envisage potential career pathways leading on from studying science at school, and especially for younger students it is difficult to convey typical science-based career pictures in a way that is easily accessible to them. To address this need, we developed an interactive team-based activity which uses role play to help students envisage typical work processes within a science-based career—microbial quality control in a pharmaceutical industrial environment. This activity addresses children’s curiosity about science-based careers, by enabling them to experience typical every day work processes in an industrial environment in a hands-on fashion. Additionally, the activity helps to convey abstract concepts, such as the abundance of microbes in the natural environment, microbial contamination and the importance of hygiene, which link to the science curriculum.

Curriculum Theory and the Welfare State

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Benjamin Justice

2017-07-01

Full Text Available How do states make citizens? The question is as old as states themselves. Surprisingly, however, the approaches to answering it have emerged as a form of parallel play, uncoordinated (and poorly understood across fields. This essay attempts to reconcile disparate realms of social research that address the question. The first, curriculum theory, grows out of educational research that for a century has focused almost exclusively on schools, schooling, and intentional settings for academic knowledge transmission. The second realm draws primarily on research from psychology, sociology, and political science to look empirically for effects of exposure to particular kinds of social phenomena. These include, but are not exclusive to, public institutions and policies. This essay begins by developing a mainstream conception of curriculum theory. It then compares and contrasts social science traditions that engage questions related to the state’s role in civic identity formation. Finally, it offers a case study on New York City’s controversial policing strategy known as Stop, Question, and Frisk, exploring how curriculum theory (developed in the context of mass schooling can be a useful framework for understanding the educational features of a distinct social policy.

Developments in the instruction of biostatistics at the Kuwait University Health Science Centre in a decade.

Science.gov (United States)

Moussa, Mohamed A A

2002-01-01

Kuwait has witnessed many changes that influenced, among other things, the structure of medical education including biostatistics. This article describes the developments in biostatistics instruction and curriculum in the Health Science Centre, University of Kuwait, during the past 10 years. Instead of teaching biostatistics as an independent component, the university has developed an integrated course (35 hr of lectures and 12 hr of tutorial sessions) of biostatistics, epidemiology, and demography that is taught to undergraduate medical and dentistry students to ensure interdisciplinary interaction, to remove redundancies, and to standardize terminology across the three disciplines. The core curriculum of the biostatistics course is compatible with the recommendations of the American Statistical Association. Separate biostatistics courses are also offered to pharmacy and allied health students to address their diverse interests. In addition, new biostatistics and computer applications instruction courses were developed and are taught to the students of the Master of Science (MSc), Master of Public Health (MPH), and PhD programs. For continuing medical education, a workshop on biostatistics and computer applications is organized annually for the medical profession as a collaboration between the Health Science Centre and the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization. The instructor and curriculum content of the biostatistics courses are confidentially evaluated and independently analyzed by the office of the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs. Overall, students evaluate the biostatistics instructors highly and are pleased with the content of the biostatistics curriculum. During the last decade, biostatistics instruction in the Kuwait Health Science Centre had many new developments. An integrated course on biostatistics, epidemiology, and demography was developed with emphasis on problem solving and small group learning. Another biostatistics course is offered to the

Challenges in developing competency-based training curriculum for food safety regulators in India

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Anitha Thippaiah

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Context: The Food Safety and Standards Act have redefined the roles and responsibilities of food regulatory workforce and calls for highly skilled human resources as it involves complex management procedures. Aims: 1 Identify the competencies needed among the food regulatory workforce in India. 2 Develop a competency-based training curriculum for food safety regulators in the country. 3 Develop training materials for use to train the food regulatory workforce. Settings and Design: The Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad, led the development of training curriculum on food safety with technical assistance from the Royal Society for Public Health, UK and the National Institute of Nutrition, India. The exercise was to facilitate the implementation of new Act by undertaking capacity building through a comprehensive training program. Materials and Methods: A competency-based training needs assessment was conducted before undertaking the development of the training materials. Results: The training program for Food Safety Officers was designed to comprise of five modules to include: Food science and technology, Food safety management systems, Food safety legislation, Enforcement of food safety regulations, and Administrative functions. Each module has a facilitator guide for the tutor and a handbook for the participant. Essentials of Food Hygiene-I (Basic level, II and III (Retail/ Catering/ Manufacturing were primarily designed for training of food handlers and are part of essential reading for food safety regulators. Conclusion: The Food Safety and Standards Act calls for highly skilled human resources as it involves complex management procedures. Despite having developed a comprehensive competency-based training curriculum by joint efforts by the local, national, and international agencies, implementation remains a challenge in resource-limited setting.

Designing a tool for curriculum leadership development in postgraduate programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Avizhgan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Leadership in the area of curriculum development is increasingly important as we look for ways to improve our programmes and practices. In curriculum studies, leadership has received little attention. Considering the lack of an evaluation tool with objective criteria in postgraduate curriculum leadership process, this study aimed to design a specific tool and determine the validity and reliability of the tool. Method: This study is a methodological research.  At first, domains and items of the tool were determined through expert interviews and literature review. Then, using Delphi technique, 54 important criteria were developed. A panel of experts was used to confirm content and face validity. Reliability was determined by a descriptive study in which 30 faculties from two of Isfahan universities and was estimated by internal consistency. The data were analyzed by SPSS software, using Pearson Correlation Coefficient and reliability analysis. Results: At first, considering the definition of curriculum leadership determined the domains and items of the tool and they were developed primary tool. Expert’s faculties’ views were used in deferent stages of development and psychometry. The tool internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha coefficient times was 96.5. This was determined for each domain separately. Conclution: Applying this instrument can improve the effectiveness of curriculum leadership. Identifying the characteristics of successful and effective leaders, and utilizing this knowledge in developing and implementing curriculum might help us to have better respond to the changing needs of our students, teachers and schools of tomorrow.

The Pedagogical Challenges of Teaching High School Bioethics: Insights from the Exploring Bioethics Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, Mildred Z; Vannier, David; Chowning, Jeanne Ting; Miller, Jacqueline S; Paget, Katherine F

2016-01-01

A belief that high school students have the cognitive ability to analyze and assess moral choices and should be encouraged to do so but have rarely been helped to do so was the motivation for developing Exploring Bioethics, a six-module curriculum and teacher guide for grades nine through twelve on ethical issues in the life sciences. A multidisciplinary team of bioethicists, science educators, curriculum designers, scientists, and high school biology teachers worked together on the curriculum under a contract between the National Institutes of Health and Education Development Center, a nonprofit research and development organization with a long history of innovation in science education. At the NIH, the Department of Bioethics within the Clinical Center and the Office of Science Education within the Office of the Director guided the project.Our overarching goal for Exploring Bioethics was to introduce students to bioethics as a field of inquiry and to enable them to develop ethical reasoning skills so they could move beyond "gut reactions" to more nuanced positions. © 2016 The Hastings Center.

The role of project‐based learning in the “Political and Social Sciences of the Environment” curriculum at Nijmegen University

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leroy, P.; Ligthart, S.S.H.; Bosch, H. van den

2001-01-01

Since the end of 1996, teachers at the Faculty of Policy Sciences at Nijmegen University, The Netherlands, have been working on a new educational programme called “Political and Social Sciences of the Environment” (PSSE). In fact, the PSSE curriculum builds on the Environmental Policy Sciences

From Theory to Practice: Utilizing Competency-based Milestones to Assess Professional Growth and Development in the Foundational Science Blocks of a Pre-Clerkship Medical School Curriculum.

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Pettepher, Cathleen C; Lomis, Kimberly D; Osheroff, Neil

2016-09-01

Physicians-in-training require skills and attitudes beyond medical knowledge in order to mature into successful clinicians. However, because assessments in pre-clerkship curricula historically have focused almost exclusively on medical knowledge, faculty contributions to early student development often have been limited. To address this challenge and enhance student progress, we re-designed our pre-clerkship curriculum to include settings in which diverse facets of student performance could be observed and fostered. Concurrently, we transitioned to an assessment strategy focused on competency-based milestones. The implementation of this strategy has allowed pre-clerkship science faculty to provide early-stage students with rich holistic feedback designed to stimulate their professional growth.

Developing a Competency-Based Curriculum for a Dental Hygiene Program.

Science.gov (United States)

DeWald, Janice P.; McCann, Ann L.

1999-01-01

Describes the three-step process used to develop a competency-based curriculum at the Caruth School of Dental Hygiene (Texas A&M University). The process involved development of a competency document (detailing three domains, nine major competencies, and 54 supporting competencies), an evaluation plan, and a curriculum inventory which defined…

Key steps for integrating a basic science throughout a medical school curriculum using an e-learning approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubois, Eline Agnès; Franson, Kari Lanette

2009-09-01

Basic sciences can be integrated into the medical school curriculum via e-learning. The process of integrating a basic science in this manner resembles a curricular change. The change usually begins with an idea for using e-learning to teach a basic science and establishing the need for the innovation. In the planning phase, learning outcomes are formulated and a prototype of the program is developed based on the desired requirements. A realistic concept is formed after considering the limitations of the current institute. Next, a project team is assembled to develop the program and plan its integration. Incorporation of the e-learning program is facilitated by a well-developed and communicated integration plan. Various course coordinators are contacted to determine content of the e-learning program as well as establish assessment. Linking the e-learning program to existing course activities and thereby applying the basic science into the clinical context enhances the degree of integration. The success of the integration is demonstrated by a positive assessment of the program including favourable cost-benefit analysis and improved student performance. Lastly, when the program becomes institutionalised, continuously updating content and technology (when appropriate), and evaluating the integration contribute to the prolonged survival of the e-learning program.

Experiencing the Implementation of New Inquiry Science Curricula

Science.gov (United States)

Ower, Peter S.

Using a phenomenological methodology, a cohort of four experienced science teachers was interviewed about their experience transitioning from traditional, teacher and fact-centered science curricula to inquiry-based curricula. Each teacher participated in two interviews that focused on their teaching backgrounds, their experience teaching the prior traditional curriculum, and their experience teaching the new inquiry-based curriculum. The findings are presented as a narrative of each teachers' experience with the new curriculum implementation. Analyzing the data revealed four key themes. 1) The teachers felt trapped by the old curriculum as it did not align with their positive views of teaching science through inquiry. 2) The teachers found a way to fit their beliefs and values into the old and new curriculum. This required changes to the curriculum. 3) The teachers attempted to make the science curriculum as meaningful as possible for their students. 4) The teachers experienced a balancing act between their beliefs and values and the various aspects of the curriculum. The revealed essence of the curriculum transition is one of freedom and reconciliation of their beliefs. The teachers experienced the implementation of the new curriculum as a way to ensure their values and beliefs of science education were embedded therein. They treated the new curriculum as a malleable structure to impart their grander ideas of science education (e.g. providing important skills for future careers, creating a sense of wonder, future problem solving) to the students. Their changes were aligned with the philosophy of the curriculum kits they were implementing. Thus, the fidelity of the curriculum's philosophy was not at risk even though the curriculum kits were not taught as written. This study showed that phenomenological methods are able to reveal the relationship between a teacher's prior experiences, values and beliefs and their current instructional philosophy in science

Collaborative curriculum development in teacher design teams

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Handelzalts, Adam

2009-01-01

Teachers’ participation in collaborative curriculum development is considered as having great potential for creating materials which are suitable for their specific context and for their professional development. However, the process in which teacher teams commonly negotiate the process of

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Student Guide: Investigating Variation. Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the student's text of one unit of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). This unit focuses on diversity in human populations, measurement, and data collection. Numerous activities are given and optional excursions encourage students to pursue a topic in greater depth. Data tables within the…

A web-based resource for the nuclear science/technology high school curriculum - a summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ripley, C.

2009-01-01

On November 15, 2008, the CNA launched a new Nuclear Science Technology High School Curriculum Website. Located at www.cna.ca the site was developed over a decade, first with funding from AECL and finally by the CNA, as a tool to explain concepts and issues related to energy and in particular nuclear energy targeting the public, teachers and students in grades 9-12. It draws upon the expertise of leading nuclear scientists and science educators. Full lesson plans for the teacher, videos for discussion, animations, games, electronic publications, laboratory exercises and quick question and answer sheets will give the student greater knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to solve problems and to critically examine issues in making decisions. Eight modules focus on key areas: Canada's Nuclear History, Atomic Theory, What is Radiation?, Biological Effects of Radiation, World Energy Sources, Nuclear Technology at Work, Safety (includes Waste Disposal) in the Nuclear Industry and Careers. (author)

Action Research for Curriculum Development: An Alternative Approach in the Algerian Centralised Framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ikhlas GHERZOULI

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Literature in the field of curriculum is debating the extent to which teachers should or could participate in the developmental process of the curriculum they enact. Being the practitioners, teachers are the ones who transmit theory into practice. However, they are not only consumers of curriculum knowledge, but also significant producers of it. Thus, teachers’ active participation as primary stakeholders in the curriculum development process is a necessity. The paper outlines one approach for teacher participation in curriculum development, which is action research. The main aim of this paper is twofold; first: it explores literature about ‘curriculum’, ‘curriculum development’ and ‘action research’; and second, it emphasizes the prominence of teachers’ involvement and research in curriculum development, paying specific attention to the Algerian secondary school educational reform, which is highly controlled and centralised.

KUSPACE: Embedding Science Technology and Mathematics Ambassador Activities in the Undergradiuate Engineering Curriculum

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Welch, C.; Osborne, B.

The UK national STEM Ambassadors programme provides inspiring role models for school students in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) subjects. STEMNET, the national body responsible for STEM Ambassa- dors aims to provide more than 27,000 STEM Ambassadors nationwide by the end of 2011. This paper reports on a project at Kingston University to embed STEM Ambassador training and activity in Year 2 of the undergraduate Aerospace Engineering, Astronautics and Space Technology degree. The project, known as KUSPACE (Kingston University Students Providing Amazing Classroom Experiences), was conceived to develop students' communication, planning and presentation skills and build links between different cohort years, while providing a valuable contribution to local primary schools' STEM programmes and simultaneously raising the public engagement profile of the university. This paper describes the pedagogical conception of the KUSPACE, its implementation in the curriculum, the delivery of it in the university and schools and its effect on the undergraduate students, as well as identifying good practice and drawing attention to lessons learned.STEMNET (www.stemnet.org) is the UK's Science, Technol- ogy, Engineering and Mathematics Network. Working with a broad range of UK partners and funded by the UK govern- ment's Department for Business Innovation and Skills, STEMNET plays a significant role in ensuring that five to nineteen year olds and their teachers can experience a wide range of activities and schemes which enhance and enrich the school curriculum [1]. Covering all aspects of Science, Tech- nology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), these activities and schemes are designed both to increase STEM awareness and literacy in the young people and also to encourage more of them to undertake post-16 STEM qualifications and associated careers [2]. STEMNET operates through forty-five local con- tract holders around the UK which help the network deliver its

Do We Need a National Standards-Based K-12 Deaf Studies Curriculum? An Analytic History of Trends and Discourse in Development of Deaf Studies Curriculum

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Zernovoj, Alexander

2007-01-01

This study provides a complete review of discussion and development leading up to the current trends in Deaf Studies curriculum development, and also analyzes existing known curriculum (or curriculum-like) materials to help inform development of an ideal standards-based Deaf Studies curriculum. The common shared arguments identified in this…

On the development of an International Curriculum on Hydrogen Safety Engineering and its Implementation into Educational Programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahoe, A.E.; Molkov, V.V.

2006-01-01

The present paper provides an overview of the development of an International Curriculum on Hydrogen Safety Engineering and its implementation into new educational programmes. The curriculum has a modular structure, and consists of five basic, six fundamental and four applied modules. The reasons for this particular structure are explained. To accelerate the development of teaching materials and their implementation in training/educational programmes, an annual European Summer School on Hydrogen Safety will be held (the first Summer School is from 15-24 Aug 2006, Belfast, UK), where leading experts deliver keynote lectures to an audience of researchers on topics covering the state-of-the-art in Hydrogen Safety Science and Engineering. The establishment of a Postgraduate Certificate course in Hydrogen Safety Engineering at the University of Ulster (starting in September 2006) as a first step in the development of a worldwide system of Hydrogen Safety education and training is described. (authors)

Dealing with Distinctiveness. Development of Chinese in the "Australian Curriculum: Languages"

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Scrimgeour, Andrew; Foster, Marnie; Mao, Weifeng

2013-01-01

This article explores some of the distinctive challenges in Chinese language education in schools and discusses how the development of the "Australian Curriculum: Chinese" has responded to these challenges. It details how the curriculum framework outlined in the "Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Languages" (ACARA, 2011)…

Science literacy in Nigeria: Veritable tool for development by the year 2020

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Folashade Afolabi

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The world has changed in such a way that science has become necessary for everyone not just a privileged few. In developing countries like Nigeria, the Federal government of Nigeria seems to have realised these by making frantic efforts over the years to make science literacy compulsory and relevant to all his citizenry. This paper examined the effects of two instructional strategies on the cognitive achievement of villagers in science literacy curriculum. It also looked at the effect of gender on cognitive achievement in science literacy curriculum. Fifty-seven (57 villagers participated in the study. A random sampling technique was used to select the participants from six (6 villages in Baruteen local government area of Kwara state. The research design adopted for the study was quasi- experimental design. Science Literacy Achievement Test (SLAT which was designed by the researcher has reliability coefficient of 0.75 using Kuder-Richardson-21. T-test was used to analyse the data collected. The results showed that villagers taught with entertainment strategy performed significantly better than those taught using expository strategy. In the same vein, male villagers performed significantly better than their female counterparts. Discussions were stated according to results, and recommendations were given.

The Development of e-tutorial on Implementation National Curriculum 2013 for Mathematics Teacher

Science.gov (United States)

Roza, Yenita; Satria, Gita; Nur Siregar, Syarifah

2017-06-01

Curriculum 2013 is the new national Curriculum in Indonesia that is targeted to be used in all Indonesian schools in 2019. At this time the teacher training continues but the number and locations of teachers very diffuse and time constraints to be an obstacle for the government to be able to conduct training for teachers. This research resulted in the e-tutorial which is designed for mathematics teachers in studying the process of Curriculum implementation. This product will assist the government in accelerating the preparation of teachers in implementation of Curriculum 2013. This e-tutorial contains the dynamics of Curriculum development, learning model, learning assessment, lesson plan, curriculum stages of implementation and government regulation that is relevant to the implementation of Curriculum 2013. The product development started with a needs analysis through discussions with mathematics teachers about their difficulties in the implementation of the Curriculum 2013. This e-tutorial was developed using Application of Adobe Director 11. This paper discusses the results of need analysis, process development and results of product revisions made based on input from teachers during the FGD. From the discussion, it can be concluded that this e-tutorial easily understood by teachers and help them to understand the implementation of Curriculum 2013

Exploring the Associations among Nutrition, Science, and Mathematics Knowledge for an Integrative, Food-Based Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Stage, Virginia C.; Kolasa, Kathryn M.; Díaz, Sebastián R.; Duffrin, Melani W.

2018-01-01

Background: Explore associations between nutrition, science, and mathematics knowledge to provide evidence that integrating food/nutrition education in the fourth-grade curriculum may support gains in academic knowledge. Methods: Secondary analysis of a quasi-experimental study. Sample included 438 students in 34 fourth-grade classrooms across…

Interacting with a Suite of Educative Features: Elementary Science Teachers' Use of Educative Curriculum Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Arias, Anna Maria; Bismack, Amber Schultz; Davis, Elizabeth A.; Palincsar, Annemarie Sullivan

2016-01-01

New reform documents underscore the importance of learning both the practices and content of science. This integration of practices and content requires sophisticated teaching that does not often happen in elementary classrooms. Educative curriculum materials--materials explicitly designed to support teacher and student learning--have been posited…

Integration of Cognitive Skills as a Cross-Cutting Theme Into the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum at Tehran University of Medical Sciences

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Akbar Soltani

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, improvement of thinking skills of students is one of the universally supported aims in the majority of medical schools. This study aims to design longitudinal theme of reasoning, problem-solving and decision-making into the undergraduate medical curriculum at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS. A participatory approach was applied to design the curriculum during 2009-2011. The project was conducted by the contribution of representatives of both basic and clinical faculty members, students and graduates at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The first step toward integrating cognitive skills into the curriculum was to assemble a taskforce of different faculty and students, including a wide variety of fields with multidisciplinary expertise using nonprobability sampling and the snowball method. Several meetings with the contribution of experts and some medical students were held to generate the draft of expected outcomes. Subsequently, the taskforce also determined what content would fit best into each phase of the program and what teaching and assessment methods would be more appropriate for each outcome. After a pilot curriculum with a small group of second-year medical students, we implemented this program for all first-year students since 2011 at TUMS. Based on findings, the teaching of four areas, including scientific and critical thinking skills (Basic sciences, problem-solving and reasoning (Pathophysiology, evidence-based medicine (Clerkship, and clinical decision-making (Internship were considered in the form of a longitudinal theme. The results of this study could be utilized as a useful pattern for integration of psycho-social subjects into the medical curriculum.

Ethics Instruction in Library and Information Science: The Role of "Ethics across the Curriculum"

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Bernie Todd

2010-01-01

Ethics is an important element of most graduate professional training programs. In the field of Library and Information Science (LIS) the inclusion of ethics in the curriculum is supported by a position paper by library educators and is monitored in the accreditation of graduate programs. Despite the many LIS programs which claim to integrate…

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Teacher's Edition: Investigating Variation. Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the teacher's edition of one of the eight units of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). This unit focuses on diversity in human populations, measurement, and data collection. Optional excursions are described for students who wish to study a topic in greater depth. An introduction describes…

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Student Guide: What's Up? Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the student's text of one unit of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). The chapters contain basic information about rockets, space, and principles of physics, as well as activities related to the subject and optional excursions. A section of introductory notes to the student discusses how the…

Developing Public Mind Curriculum for Lower Secondary School Classes Using Contemplative Education Methods

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Srijumnong, Sirithorn; Sri-ampai, Pissamai; Chano, Jiraporn

2015-01-01

The purposes of this study were to develop a public mind curriculum with Contemplative Education and to study the effect of using the curriculum to enhance public minds. The study was carried out using the research and development process, consisting of three phases: investigating fundamental data, developing a curriculum, and evaluating the…

The re-theorisation of collective pedagogy and emergent curriculum

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Fleer, Marilyn

2010-09-01

This essay review of Goulart and Roth's work explores the cultural-historical concepts that they have drawn upon to create a new conception of emergent curriculum in early childhood science education. The pedagogical contexts of Brazilian preschools is discussed in relation to other practices found across cultural communities, with a view to locating the specific research need that has arisen for preschools within Brazil. In the latter part of this article, Davydov's (International perspectives in non-classical psychology, 2008) work on theoretical knowledge and dialectical thinking is discussed in order to further develop Goulart and Roth's conception of early childhood science curriculum.

The Development of Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence: Amnesia and Deja Vu

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Priestley, Mark; Humes, Walter

2010-01-01

Scotland's new "Curriculum for Excellence" (CfE) has been widely acknowledged as the most significant educational development in a generation, with the potential to transform learning and teaching in Scottish schools. In common with recent developments elsewhere, CfE seeks to re-engage teachers with processes of curriculum development,…

Lessons learned from curriculum changes and setting curriculum objectives at the University of Pennsylvania's Earth and Environmental Science Department

Science.gov (United States)

Dmochowski, J. E.

2009-12-01

Recent restructuring of the University of Pennsylvania’s curriculum, including a revised multi-disciplinary Environmental Studies major and a proposed Environmental Science major has led to several changes, including a mandatory junior research seminar. Feedback from students indicates that a more structured curriculum has helped guide them through the multi-disciplinary Environmental Studies major. The addition of mandatory courses in Statistics, Geographical and Environmental Modeling, as well as Economics and Policy has ensured that students have important skills needed to succeed after graduation. We have compiled a curriculum objective matrix to clarify both the broad and focused objectives of our curriculum and how each course helps to fulfill these objectives. An important aspect of both majors is the Senior Thesis. The junior research seminar was recently revised to help students prepare for their thesis research. Topic selection, library research, data presentation, basic research methods, advisor identification, and funding options are discussed. Throughout the course, faculty from within the department lecture about their research and highlight opportunities for undergraduates. In one assignment, students are given a few types of datasets and asked to present the data and error analysis in various formats using different software (SPSS and Excel). The final paper was a research proposal outlining the student’s Senior Thesis. Based on both the university and instructor written course evaluations, students felt they benefited most from writing their senior thesis proposal; doing assignments on data analysis, library research and critical analysis; and the faculty research lectures. The lessons learned in restructuring this flexible major and providing a research seminar in the junior year may benefit other departments considering such changes.

Peer coaching as part of a professional development program for science teachers in Botswana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thijs, Annette; van den Berg, Ellen

2002-01-01

This paper discusses the findings of a study into the potentials of peer coaching as part of a professional development program, consisting of an in-service course and exemplary curriculum materials, in supporting the implementation of learner-centred teaching in senior secondary science and

Maximising Students' Progress and Engagement in Science through the Use of the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) 5E Instructional Model

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Hoskins, Peter

2013-01-01

The Biological Sciences Curriculum Studies (BSCS) 5E Instructional Model (often referred to as the 5Es) consists of five phases. Each phase has a specific function and contributes both to teachers' coherent instruction and to students' formulation of a better understanding of scientific knowledge, attitudes and skills. Evidence indicates that the…

Influence of culture on curriculum development in Ghana: an undervalued factor?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gervedink Nijhuis, C.J.; Pieters, Julius Marie; Voogt, Joke

2013-01-01

Curriculum implementation often falls short because of a lack of cultural understanding by curriculum developers and aid organizations. This paper describes a single-case study of a professional development programme for polytechnic Heads of Department in Ghana, which aimed at identifying how

Crop and Soil Science. A Curriculum Guide for Idaho Vocational Agriculture Instructors. Volume 1 and Volume 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Ledington, Richard L.

The 24 units that comprise this crop and soil science curriculum guide are not geared to a particular age level and must be adapted to the students for whom they are used. Units 1 through 6 are general units covering topics common to soil science. Units 7 through 24 are units covering topics common to crop production. Each unit includes objectives…

Teachers' knowledge about language in mathematics professional development courses : From an intended curriculum to a curriculum in action

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maaike Hajer; Eva Norén

2017-01-01

Explicit language objectives are included in the Swedish national curriculum for mathematics. The curriculum states that students should be given opportunities to develop the ability to formulate problems, use and analyse mathematical concepts and relationships between concepts, show and follow

A Curriculum Development Route Map for a Technology Enhanced Learning Era

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Castañeda, Linda; Prendes, Paz

2013-01-01

In this paper we are trying to present a model of analysis that includes a comprehensive perspective of the state of the art in the specialized literature about curriculum development. From this theoretical approach, we get a complete curriculum overview. Including insights into: what are the curriculum principal elements, what we already know…

Developments in Education for Library and Information Science and Curriculum Changes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaşar Tonta

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The first university-level library schools were opened during the last quarter of the 19th century. The number of such schools has gradually increased during the first half of the 20th century, especially after the Second World War, both in the USA and elsewhere. The first department of librarianship in Turkey was opened in 1954. As information has gained further importance in scientific endeavors and social life, librarianship became a more interdisciplinary field and library schools were renamed as schools of library and information science/information studies/information management/information to better reflect the range of education provided. The departments of librarianship in Turkey, too, have revised their curricula and changed their names. In this paper, we review the major developments in education for library and information science (LIS in the world as well as in Turkey, and the impact of these developments on the curricula of LIS schools along with subsequent changes under three historicalperiods. We discuss some of the external and internal factors that should be dealt with in revising the curricula of LIS schools.

The Next Generation Science Standards: A Focus on Physical Science

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Krajcik, Joe

2013-01-01

This article describes ways to adapt U.S. science curriculum to the U.S. National Research Council (NRC) "Framework for K-12 Science Education" and "Next Generation of Science Standards" (NGSS), noting their focus on teaching the physical sciences. The overall goal of the Framework and NGSS is to help all learners develop the…

Into the Curriculum. Interdisciplinary: Celebrating Our Animal Friends: An Across-the-Curriculum Unit for Middle Level Students [and] Music: Program Notes [and] Reading-Language Arts: Letters: Written, Licked, and Stamped [and] Science: Plants in Families [and] Science: Physics and Holiday Toys (Gravity) [and] Social Studies: Learning about Geography through Children's Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillen, Rose; And Others

1995-01-01

Presents six curriculum guides for elementary and secondary education. Subjects include interdisciplinary instruction, music, reading/language arts, science, and social studies. Each guide provides library media skills objectives, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activity and procedures for completion, a…

Development and evaluation of a risk communication curriculum for medical students

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Han, P.K.; Joekes, K.; Elwyn, G.; Mazor, K.M.; Thomson, R.; Sedgwick, P.; Ibison, J.; Wong, J.B.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To develop, pilot, and evaluate a curriculum for teaching clinical risk communication skills to medical students. METHODS: A new experience-based curriculum, "Risk Talk," was developed and piloted over a 1-year period among students at Tufts University School of Medicine. An experimental

Attitudes among students and teachers on vertical integration between clinical medicine and basic science within a problem-based undergraduate medical curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Brynhildsen, J; Dahle, L O; Behrbohm Fallsberg, M; Rundquist, I; Hammar, M

2002-05-01

Important elements in the curriculum at the Faculty of Health Sciences in Linköping are vertical integration, i.e. integration between the clinical and basic science sections of the curriculum, and horizontal integration between different subject areas. Integration throughout the whole curriculum is time-consuming for both teachers and students and hard work is required for planning, organization and execution. The aim was to assess the importance of vertical and horizontal integration in an undergraduate medical curriculum, according to opinions among students and teachers. In a questionnaire 102 faculty teachers and 106 students were asked about the importance of 14 different components of the undergraduate medical curriculum including vertical and horizontal integration. They were asked to assign between one and six points to each component (6 points = extremely important for the quality of the curriculum; 1 point = unimportant). Students as well as teachers appreciated highly both forms of integration. Students scored horizontal integration slightly but significantly higher than the teachers (median 6 vs 5 points; p=0.009, Mann-Whitney U-test), whereas teachers scored vertical integration higher than students (6 vs 5; p=0.019, Mann-Whitney U-test). Both students and teachers considered horizontal and vertical integration to be highly important components of the undergraduate medical programme. We believe both kinds of integration support problem-based learning and stimulate deep and lifelong learning and suggest that integration should always be considered deeply when a new curriculum is planned for undergraduate medical education.

Scientists in the classroom: Curriculum reform and the Cold War, 1949--1963

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Rudolph, John Laurence

This dissertation focuses on the origins of the National Science Foundation-supported curriculum reform movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Using the Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) and the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) as exemplars of the curriculum projects that proliferated during this era, this work provides a historical analysis of the shift in school curriculum from the life adjustment, functional approach to schooling prevalent after World War II to the discipline-centered approach characteristic of the 1960s. Important factors in this shift include the rising technological threat posed by the Soviet Union along with the Red Scare in the United States, which aroused public suspicion of the ideological underpinnings of the life adjustment curricular program. The efforts of the scientific elite to develop new science curricula were welcomed as a means to combat both the technological threat of the Soviets and, through science's identification with free inquiry and democracy, the ideological threat of communism. This dissertation specifically illustrates how the key elements of the new science curriculum materials---the focus on inquiry, laboratory work, and instructional technology---were shaped by the social and political atmosphere of the Cold War and how those elements were designed to advance the interests of the American scientific community in the postwar period. This social and political atmosphere, this work argues, was not only responsible for moving science instruction away from an emphasis on the every-day applications of science toward the disciplinary structure of scientific knowledge, but also contributed to a fundamental restructuring of the substantive content of the scientific knowledge itself that made up the subject matter of the new curricula.

Science in the General Educational Development (GED) curriculum: Analyzing the science portion of GED programs and exploring adult students' attitudes toward science

Science.gov (United States)

Hariharan, Joya Reena

The General Educational Development (GED) tests enable people to earn a high school equivalency diploma and help them to qualify for more jobs and opportunities. Apart from this main goal, GED courses aim at enabling adults to improve the condition of their lives and to cope with a changing society. In today's world, science and technology play an exceedingly important role in helping people better their lives and in promoting the national goals of informed citizenship. Despite the current efforts in the field of secondary science education directed towards scientific literacy and the concept of "Science for all Americans", the literature does not reflect any corresponding efforts in the field of adult education. Science education research appears to have neglected a population that could possibly benefit from it. The purpose of this study is to explore: the science component of GED programs, significant features of the science portion of GED curricula and GED science materials, and adult learners' attitudes toward various aspects of science. Data collection methods included interviews with GED students and instructors, content analysis of relevant materials, and classroom observations. Data indicate that the students in general feel that the science they learn should be relevant to their lives and have direct applications in everyday life. Student understanding of science and interest in it appears to be contingent to their perceiving it as relevant to their lives and to society. Findings indicate that the instructional approaches used in GED programs influence students' perceptions about the relevance of science. Students in sites that use strategies such as group discussions and field trips appear to be more aware of science in the world around them and more enthusiastic about increasing this awareness. However, the dominant strategy in most GED programs is individual reading. The educational strategies used in GED programs generally focus on developing reading

Into the Curriculum. Reading/Language Arts: Hans Christian Andersen [and] Science: Bat Research [and] Science: The Library Media Center Rocks! An Introduction to Rocks, Minerals, and Gemstones [and] Social Studies: Ticket to the Olympics: Exploring Sydney and the 2000 Summer Games [and] Social Studies/Music: Sounds of the Election: Presidential Campaign Songs.

Science.gov (United States)

Germain, Claudia; Mayo, Jeanne B.; Hart, Lisa

2000-01-01

Provides five fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in reading and language arts, science, social studies, and music. Library media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, procedures, evaluation, and follow-up are described for each activity. (LRW)

Charles Darwin and Evolution: Illustrating Human Aspects of Science

Science.gov (United States)

Kampourakis, Kostas; McComas, William F.

2010-01-01

Recently, the nature of science (NOS) has become recognized as an important element within the K-12 science curriculum. Despite differences in the ultimate lists of recommended aspects, a consensus is emerging on what specific NOS elements should be the focus of science instruction and inform textbook writers and curriculum developers. In this…

Curriculum Development through YTS Modular Credit Accumulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Further Education Unit, London (England).

This document reports the evaluation of the collaborately developed Modular Training Framework (MainFrame), a British curriculum development project, built around a commitment to a competency-based, modular credit accumulation program. The collaborators were three local education authorities (LEAs), those of Bedfordshire, Haringey, and Sheffield,…

Influencing Curriculum Development and Knowledge of Climate ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Agricultural Extension ... Besides, the pedagogies and curricula are centrally defined by university governance structures which ... The study aimed at influencing curriculum development and knowledge of climate change issues at ...

Developing and Assessing Curriculum on the Physics of Medical Instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, Warren; Johnson, James K.; Van Ness, Grace R.; Mylott, Elliot; Dunlap, Justin C.; Anderson, Elizabeth A.; Widenhorn, Ralf

2013-01-01

Undergraduate educational settings often struggle to provide students with authentic biologically or medically relevant situations and problems that simultaneously improve their understanding of physics. Through exercises and laboratory activities developed in an elective Physics in Biomedicine course for upper-level biology or pre–health majors at Portland State University, we aim to teach fundamental physical concepts, such as light absorption and emission and atomic energy levels, through analysis of biological systems and medical devices. The activities address the properties of electromagnetic waves as they relate to the interaction with biological tissue and make links between physics and biomedical applications such as microscopy or laser eye surgery. We report on the effect that engaging students in tasks with actual medical equipment has had on their conceptual understanding of light and spectroscopy. These initial assessments indicate that students’ understanding improves in some areas as a result of taking the course, but gains are not uniform and are relatively low for other topics. We also find a promising “nonshift” in student attitudes toward learning science as a result of taking the course. A long-term goal of this work is to develop these materials to the extent that they can eventually be imported into an introductory curriculum for life sciences majors. PMID:23737632

Debunking the Computer Science Digital Library: Lessons Learned in Collection Development at Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Buczynski, James Andrew

2005-01-01

Developing a library collection to support the curriculum of Canada's largest computer studies school has debunked many myths about collecting computer science and technology information resources. Computer science students are among the heaviest print book and e-book users in the library. Circulation statistics indicate that the demand for print…

Developing A Food Allergy Curriculum for Parents

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas, Perla A.; Sicherer, Scott H.; Christie, Lynn; Keaveny, Maureen; Noone, Sally; Watkins, Debra; Carlisle, Suzanna K; Jones, Stacie M

2014-01-01

Food allergy (FA) is potentially severe and requires intensive education to master allergen avoidance and emergency care. There is evidence suggesting the need for a comprehensive curriculum for food allergic families. This paper describes the results of focus groups conducted to guide the development of a curriculum for parents of food allergic children. The focus groups were conducted using standard methodology with experienced parents of food allergic children. Participants were parents (n=36) with experience managing FA recruited from allergy clinics at two academic centers. Topics identified by parents as key for successful management included as expected: 1) early signs/symptoms, 2) “cross-contamination”, 3) label-reading, 4) self-injectable epinephrine; and 5) becoming a teacher and advocate. Participants also recommended developing a “one pageroad map” to the information, and to provide the information early and be timed according to developmental stages/needs. Suggested first points for curriculum dissemination were emergency rooms, obstetrician and pediatrician offices. Participants also recommended targeting pediatricians, emergency physicians, school personnel, and the community-at-large in educational efforts. Parents often sought FA information from non-medical sources such as the Internet and support groups. These resources were also accessed to find ways to cope with stress. Paradoxically, difficulties gaining access to resources and uncertainty regarding reliability of the information added to the stress experience. Based on reports from experienced parents of food allergic children, newly diagnosed parents could benefit from a comprehensive FA management curriculum. Improving access to clear and concise educational materials would likely reduce stress/anxiety and improve quality of life. PMID:21332804

Emergency medicine clerkship curriculum in a high-income developing country: methods for development and application.

Science.gov (United States)

Cevik, Arif Alper; Cakal, Elif Dilek; Abu-Zidan, Fikri M

2018-06-07

The published recommendations for international emergency medicine curricula cover the content, but exclude teaching and learning methods, assessment, and evaluation. We aim to provide an overview on available emergency medicine clerkship curricula and report the development and application experience of our own curriculum. Our curriculum is an outcome-based education, enriched by e-learning and various up-to-date pedagogic principles. Teaching and learning methods, assessment, and evaluation are described. The theory behind our practice in the light of recent literature is discussed aiming to help other colleagues from developing countries to have a clear map for developing and tailoring their own curricula depending on their needs. The details of our emergency medicine clerkship will serve as an example for developing and developed countries having immature undergraduate emergency medicine clerkship curricula. However, these recommendations will differ in various settings depending on available resources. The main concept of curriculum development is to create a curriculum having learning outcomes and content relevant to the local context, and then align the teaching and learning activities, assessments, and evaluations to be in harmony. This may assure favorable educational outcome even in resource limited settings.

Curriculum leadership in action : A tale of four community college Heads of Department leading a curriculum development project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Albashiry, N.M.; Voogt, J.M.; Pieters, J.M.

2016-01-01

College Heads of Department (HoDs) are increasingly expected to perform more curriculum-leadership tasks, maintaining and advancing the department curriculum, especially in developing countries. However, in practice, HoDs are reported to pay little attention to this aspect of their job due to

Curriculum Leadership in Action: A Tale of Four Community College Heads of Department Leading a Curriculum-Development Project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Albashiry, Nabeel; Voogt, Joke; Pieters, Julius Marie

2016-01-01

College Heads of Department (HoDs) are increasingly expected to perform more curriculum-leadership tasks, maintaining and advancing the department curriculum, especially in developing countries. However, in practice, HoDs are reported to pay little attention to this aspect of their job due to

Using Science to Take a Stand: Action-Oriented Learning in an Afterschool Science Club

Science.gov (United States)

Hagenah, Sara

This dissertation study investigates what happens when students participate in an afterschool science club designed around action-oriented science instruction, a set of curriculum design principles based on social justice pedagogy. Comprised of three manuscripts written for journal publication, the dissertation includes 1) Negotiating community-based action-oriented science teaching and learning: Articulating curriculum design principles, 2) Middle school girls' socio-scientific participation pathways in an afterschool science club, and 3) Laughing and learning together: Productive science learning spaces for middle school girls. By investigating how action-oriented science design principles get negotiated, female identity development in and with science, and the role of everyday social interactions as students do productive science, this research fills gaps in the understanding of how social justice pedagogy gets enacted and negotiated among multiple stakeholders including students, teachers, and community members along what identity development looks like across social and scientific activity. This study will be of interest to educators thinking about how to enact social justice pedagogy in science learning spaces and those interested in identity development in science.

A national general pediatric clerkship curriculum: the process of development and implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, A L; Woodhead, J; Berkow, R; Kaufman, N M; Marshall, S G

2000-07-01

To describe a new national general pediatrics clerkship curriculum, the development process that built national support for its use, and current progress in implementing the curriculum in pediatric clerkships at US allopathic medical schools. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT: A curriculum project team of pediatric clerkship directors and an advisory committee representing professional organizations invested in pediatric student education developed the format and content in collaboration with pediatric educators from the Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics (COMSEP) and the Ambulatory Pediatric Association (APA). An iterative process or review by clerkship directors, pediatric departmental chairs, and students finalized the content and built support for the final product. The national dissemination process resulted in consensus among pediatric educators that this curriculum should be used as the national curricular guideline for clerkships. MONITORING IMPLEMENTATION: Surveys were mailed to all pediatric clerkship directors before dissemination (November 1994), and in the first and third academic years after national dissemination (March 1996 and September 1997). The 3 surveys assessed schools' implementation of specific components of the curriculum. The final survey also assessed ways the curriculum was used and barriers to implementation. The final curriculum provided objectives and competencies for attitudes, skills, and 18 knowledge areas of general pediatrics. A total of 216 short clinical cases were also provided as an alternative learning method. An accompanying resource manual provided suggested strategies for implementation, teaching, and evaluation. A total of 103 schools responded to survey 1; 84 schools to survey 2; and 85 schools responded to survey 3 from the 125 medical schools surveyed. Before dissemination, 16% of schools were already using the clinical cases. In the 1995-1996 academic year, 70% of schools were using some or all of the curricular

Developing pre-service science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge by using training program

Science.gov (United States)

Udomkan, Watinee; Suwannoi, Paisan

2018-01-01

A training program was developed for enhancing pre-service science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The pre-service science teachers are able to: understand science curriculum, knowledge of assessment in science, knowledge of students' understanding of science, instructional strategies and orientations towards science teaching, which is conceptualized as PCK [5]. This study examined the preservice science teachers' understandings and their practices which include five pre-service science teachers' PCK. In this study, the participants demonstrated their PCK through the process of the training program by writing content representations (CoRes), preparing the lesson plans, micro-teaching, and actual teaching respectively. All pre-service science teachers' performs were collected by classroom observations. Then, they were interviewed. The results showed that the pre-service science teachers progressively developed knowledge components of PCK. Micro-teaching is the key activities for developing PCK. However, they had some difficulties in their classroom teaching. They required of sufficient ability to design appropriate instructional strategies and assessment activities for teaching. Blending content and pedagogy is also a matter of great concern. The implication of this study was that science educators can enhance pre-service science teachers' PCK by fostering their better understandings of the instructional strategies, assessment activities and blending between content and pedagogy in their classroom.

Developing a "clinical presentation" curriculum at the University of Calgary.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandin, H; Harasym, P; Eagle, C; Watanabe, M

1995-03-01

Currently, medical curricula are structured according to disciplines, body systems, or clinical problems. Beginning in 1988, the faculty of the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine (U of C) carefully evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of each of these models in seeking to revise their school's curriculum. However, all three models fell short of a curricular structure based on current knowledge and principles of adult learning, clinical problem solving, community demands, and curriculum management. By 1991, the U of C had formulated a strategic plan for a revised curriculum structure based on the way patients present to physicians, and implementation of this plan has begun. In creating the new curriculum, 120 clinical presentations (e.g., "loss of consciousness/syncope") were defined and each was assigned to an individual or small group of faculty for development based on faculty expertise and interest. Terminal objectives (i.e., "what to do") were defined for each presentation to describe the appropriate clinical behaviors of a graduating physician. Experts developed schemes that outlined how they differentiated one cause (i.e., disease category) from another. The underlying enabling objectives (i.e., knowledge, skills, and attitudes) for reaching the terminal objectives for each clinical presentation were assigned as departmental responsibilities. A new administrative structure evolved in which there is a partnership between a centralized multidisciplinary curriculum committee and the departments. This new competency-based, clinical presentation curriculum is expected to significantly enhance students' development of clinical problem-solving skills and affirms the premise that prudent, continuous updating is essential for improving the quality of medical education.

Developing a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum for professionalism and scientific integrity training for biomedical graduate students.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Nancy L; Peiffer, Ann M; Lambros, Ann; Guthold, Martin; Johnson, A Daniel; Tytell, Michael; Ronca, April E; Eldridge, J Charles

2010-10-01

A multidisciplinary faculty committee designed a curriculum to shape biomedical graduate students into researchers with a high commitment to professionalism and social responsibility and to provide students with tools to navigate complex, rapidly evolving academic and societal environments with a strong ethical commitment. The curriculum used problem-based learning (PBL), because it is active and learner-centred and focuses on skill and process development. Two courses were developed: Scientific Professionalism: Scientific Integrity addressed discipline-specific and broad professional norms and obligations for the ethical practice of science and responsible conduct of research (RCR). Scientific Professionalism: Bioethics and Social Responsibility focused on current ethical and bioethical issues within the scientific profession, and implications of research for society. Each small-group session examined case scenarios that included: (1) learning objectives for professional norms and obligations; (2) key ethical issues and philosophies within each topic area; (3) one or more of the RCR instructional areas; and (4) at least one type of moral reflection. Cases emphasised professional standards, obligations and underlying philosophies for the ethical practice of science, competing interests of stakeholders and oversight of science (internal and external). To our knowledge, this is the first use of a longitudinal, multi-semester PBL course to teach scientific integrity and professionalism. Both faculty and students endorsed the active learning approach for these topics, in contrast to a compliance-based approach that emphasises learning rules and regulations.

教師理解與課程發展：另類高中科學課程評鑑之個案研究Teacher Understanding and Curriculum Development: An Alternative Approach of Curriculum Evaluation of A Science High School

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

高熏芳Hsun-Fung Kitty Kao

2008-03-01

��師認為評鑑的執行是不容易的，且需要經驗的累積。（二）教師對於他人與自我的理解：1.教師認為學生缺乏「新興科學技術」的先備知識，而大部分的家長只關心學生的升學；2.教師認為同儕對話與校內發表，可以幫助自我反思與提供課程修訂的機會。（三）教師對於課程發展環境的理解：1.教師認為應該以「由下而上」的素材發展取代「由上而下」的課程發展；2.教師認為學校的定位為科學高中，理應以「新興科學技術」為主，來進行課程發展；3.教師認為學校課程發展的條件與理由，不能成為其課程發展強而有力的支持。本研究結果期望提供其他課程發展與教學者，從不同的角度去觀察與解釋課程評鑑，並擴大其對於課程的瞭解，以獲得更好的課程與教學品質。 In order to enhance the learning of emergent science and technology at Taiwan, the Department of Science Education in National Science Council initiated a so called “Project of High Scope” since 2005. It emphasizes the establishment of the partnership between senior high schools and universities or research organizations to improve the quality of teaching in science through the development of new school-based curriculum. The school-based curriculum is intended to actively promote the “bottom up” curriculum development model which empowers teachers to work out professional autonomy. However, in order to reduce the gap between theory and practice, it is expected that teachers can deeply theorize the purposes of curriculum and actualize their ideal of instruction by themselves. The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers’ belief and value of the curriculum as well as their understanding of the curriculum development. The study looks into teachers understanding of curriculum content, curriculum development process, teacher self vs. students, as well as the school context. The study applies case study techniques such as observation, interview and archive analysis to come to a holistic

Curriculum Redesign in Veterinary Medicine: Part I.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaney, Kristin P; Macik, Maria L; Turner, Jacqueline S; Korich, Jodi A; Rogers, Kenita S; Fowler, Debra; Scallan, Elizabeth M; Keefe, Lisa M

Curricular review is considered a necessary component for growth and enhancement of academic programs and requires time, energy, creativity, and persistence from both faculty and administration. At Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (TAMU), the faculty and administration partnered with the university's Center for Teaching Excellence to create a faculty-driven, data-enhanced curricular redesign process. The 8-step process begins with the formation of a dedicated faculty curriculum design team to drive the redesign process and to support the college curriculum committee. The next steps include defining graduate outcomes and mapping the current curriculum to identify gaps and redundancies across the curriculum. Data are collected from internal and external stakeholders including veterinary students, faculty, alumni, and employers of graduates. Data collected through curriculum mapping and stakeholder engagement substantiate the curriculum redesign. The guidelines, supporting documents, and 8-step process developed at TAMU are provided to assist other veterinary schools in successful curricular redesign. This is the first of a two-part report that provides the background, context, and description of the process for charting the course for curricular change. The process involves defining expected learning outcomes for new graduates, conducting a curriculum mapping exercise, and collecting stakeholder data for curricular evaluation (steps 1-4). The second part of the report describes the development of rubrics that were applied to the graduate learning outcomes (steps 5-8) and engagement of faculty during the implementation phases of data-driven curriculum change.

The Future of STEM Curriculum and Instructional Design: A Research and Development Agenda for Learning Designers. Report of a Workshop Series

Science.gov (United States)

Center for the Study of Mathematics Curriculum, 2012

2012-01-01

In 2009-10 a series of Workshops was organized to focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning design for young students and adolescents. The objective was to provide visionary leadership to the education community by: (a) identifying and analyzing the needs and opportunities for future STEM curriculum development and…

Whales of New England. Secondary Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

New England Aquarium, Boston, MA.

Instructional materials and suggestions for conducting a whale watching field trip are contained in this curriculum packet for secondary science teachers. It is one unit in a series of curricular programs developed by the New England Aquarium Education Department. Activities and information are organized into three sections: (1) pre-trip…

Social and science issues in the local environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, L.; Robinson, M.

1992-01-01

This paper discusses the Nevada Science Project (NSP) which is a teacher run program aimed at assisting teachers in Nevada in the task of developing; learning; and teaching science, technology, and society (STS) issues; vital to Nevada; the United States; and the global community. NSP promotes innovative science instruction, and develops curriculum units on topics inherent in science and technology in order to make science more relevant and interesting to all students. The Nevada Science Project wants to prepare teachers and students to understand important science concepts, to see science as a way of thinking, and science as a way of investigating. The NSP believes that science must be an integrated curriculum based on relevant and interesting STS issues that have everyday applications

Examination of Knowledge and NOS in a PBL Curriculum: Comparing the Impact on Pre-service Teachers and Science Career Undergraduates

Science.gov (United States)

Schleigh, S.; Manda, A. K.

2011-12-01

). Participants in all groups engaged in the same curriculum with the same instructors. Curriculum is taken from those developed by the Earth Systems Science Alliance (ESSEA) modules, funded by an NSF grant. Results that compare the groups (their gains and applications) will be discussed during the presentation. The results suggest that there is no significant difference between the two groups of undergraduate students in terms of their prior knowledge; however there are differences in their understanding for the nature of science. In addition, the results show that students in the SCIE3602 course have a stronger content understanding and greater gains in understanding the NOS than the GEOL1700 students. The students in the SCIE3602 groups also had more creativity and possibly spatial reasoning than those in the GEOL1700 group and they developed stronger skills in argumentation than the GEOL1700 students. Possible reasons for the differences between groups and implications for teaching with technology and using the PBL approach will be shared.

Development of a British Road Safety Education Support Materials Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouck, Linda H.

Road safety education needs to be a vital component in the school curriculum. This paper describes a planned road safety education support materials curriculum developed to aid educators in the Wiltshire County (England) primary schools. Teaching strategies include topic webs, lecture, class discussion, group activities, and investigative learning…

Knowledge Management ERP Curriculum Design/Mapping (Theory and Development Tools)

Science.gov (United States)

Swanson, Zane; Hepner, Michelle

2011-01-01

This study proposes a knowledge management framework for developing and managing enterprise resource planning (ERP) curriculum within business schools. Both theory and a practical implementation are addressed. The knowledge management (KM) framework has two components which utilize ERP from a big picture curriculum overview and a ground level…

Mi-STAR Unit Challenges serve as a model for integrating earth science and systems thinking in a Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) aligned curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Gochis, E. E.; Tubman, S.; Matthys, T.; Bluth, G.; Oppliger, D.; Danhoff, B.; Huntoon, J. E.

2017-12-01

Michigan Science Teaching and Assessment Reform (Mi-STAR) is developing an NGSS-aligned middle school curriculum and associated teacher professional learning program in which science is taught and learned as an integrated body of knowledge that can be applied to address societal issues. With the generous support of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, Mi-STAR has released several pilot-tested units through the Mi-STAR curriculum portal at mi-star.mtu.edu. Each of these units focuses on an ongoing `Unit Challenge' investigation that integrates STEM content across disciplinary boundaries, stimulates interest, and engages students in using scientific practices to address 21st century challenges. Each Mi-STAR unit is connected to a Unifying NGSS Crosscutting Concept (CCC) that allows students to recognize the concepts that are related to the phenomena or problems under investigation. In the 6th grade, students begin with an exploration of the CCC Systems and System Models. Through repeated applications across units, students refine their understanding of what a system is and how to model a complex Earth system. An example 6th grade unit entitled "Water on the Move: The Water Cycle," provides an example of how Mi-STAR approaches the use of Unifying CCCs and Unit Challenges to enhance middle school students' understanding of the interconnections of Earth system processes and human activities. Throughout the unit, students use a series of hands-on explorations and simulations to explore the hydrologic cycle and how human activity can alter Earth systems. Students develop new knowledge through repeated interactions with the Unit Challenge, which requires development of system models and construction of evidence-based arguments related to flooding problems in a local community. Students have the opportunity to make predictions about how proposed land-use management practices (e.g. development of a skate-park, rain garden, soccer field, etc.) can alter the earth

Projets de developpement de curriculum niveau secondaire (Secondary Level Curriculum Development Projects).

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Anne L.

Two Australian language curriculum development projects are discussed: the Australian Language Levels (ALL) Project and the National Assessment Framework for Languages at Senior Secondary Level (NAFLSSL). While distinct, both projects are closely linked. Each project was launched in 1985 in a favorable climate and in response to cost, enrollment,…

The organisation and management of curriculum development in Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

Crossley, Michael

1994-01-01

This article develops a critical analysis of the international transfer of strategies for curriculum change with reference to an historical review of the Papua New Guinean experience. The research documents how international trends have — for better or worse —played a part in shaping the school curriculum and its organisational and administrative structures in this developing country. While much of lasting benefit has been achieved, it is argued that differing contextual factors are often given insufficient attention when educational ideas cross national boundaries. Relationships between the nature and control of the school curriculum and the nature and distribution of power and influence within, and across, societies are also identified as central to an understanding of the debate. In the light of this analysis, the implications of the economic pre-occupations of the 1990s and renewed international interest in modes of centralized curriculum control, are examined for Papua New Guinea and for developing countries in general.

A Vertically Integrated Online Radiology Curriculum Developed as a Cognitive Apprenticeship: Impact on Student Performance and Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim-Dunham, Jennifer E; Ensminger, David C; McNulty, John A; Hoyt, Amy E; Chandrasekhar, Arcot J

2016-02-01

The principles of Collins' cognitive apprenticeship model were used to design a radiology curriculum in which medical students practice radiological skills using online case-based modules. The modules are embedded within clinical third-year clerkships, and students are provided with personalized feedback from the instructors. We describe the development of the vertical online radiology curriculum and evaluate its impact on student achievement and learning process using a mixed method approach. The curriculum was developed over a 2-year period. Student participation was voluntary in the first year and mandatory in the second year. For quantitative curriculum evaluation, student metrics for voluntary versus mandatory groups were assessed using independent sample t tests and variable entry method regression analysis. For qualitative analysis, responses from a survey of students about the value of the curriculum were organized into defined themes using consensus coding. Mandatory participation significantly improved (p = .001) the mean radiology examination score (82 %) compared to the voluntary group (73%), suggesting that mandatory participation had a beneficial effect on student performance. Potential preexisting differences in underlying general academic performance were accounted for by including mean basic science grades as the first variable in the regression model. The significant increase in R(2) from .16 to .28 when number of radiology cases completed was added to the original model, and the greater value of the standardized beta for this variable, suggest that the curriculum made a significant contribution to students' radiology examination scores beyond their baseline academic performance. Five dominant themes about curricular characteristics that enhanced student learning and beneficial outcomes emerged from consensus coding. These themes were (1) self-paced design, (2) receiving feedback from faculty, (3) clinical relevance of cases, (4) gaining

Engineering design skills coverage in K-12 engineering program curriculum materials in the USA

Science.gov (United States)

Chabalengula, Vivien M.; Mumba, Frackson

2017-11-01

The current K-12 Science Education framework and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in the United States emphasise the integration of engineering design in science instruction to promote scientific literacy and engineering design skills among students. As such, many engineering education programmes have developed curriculum materials that are being used in K-12 settings. However, little is known about the nature and extent to which engineering design skills outlined in NGSS are addressed in these K-12 engineering education programme curriculum materials. We analysed nine K-12 engineering education programmes for the nature and extent of engineering design skills coverage. Results show that developing possible solutions and actual designing of prototypes were the highly covered engineering design skills; specification of clear goals, criteria, and constraints received medium coverage; defining and identifying an engineering problem; optimising the design solution; and demonstrating how a prototype works, and making iterations to improve designs were lowly covered. These trends were similar across grade levels and across discipline-specific curriculum materials. These results have implications on engineering design-integrated science teaching and learning in K-12 settings.

The project for an energy-enriched curriculum: Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1984-01-01

The Project for an Energy-Enriched Curriculum (PEEC) reported was a long-running effort at infusing energy/environment/economics (E/E/E) themes into the K-12 curriculum. While it was conducted as a single integrated effort by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), it is supported by a series of contracts and grants, during the period 1976 to 1984, from the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE).

Development of a Curriculum to Teach the "Soft Skills" Necessary for the Future Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Laboratory Technician Workforce

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Annemarie D.; Pagano, Todd

2009-01-01

There is often a particular void in the education of deaf and hard-of-hearing students who intend to become competent working laboratory technicians. Inasmuch as certain basic professional skills ("soft skills," in this case) are not generally taught in traditional science courses, a new curriculum has been developed in order to enforce…

Developing a pilot curriculum to foster humanism among graduate medical trainees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah K Dotters-Katz

2018-01-01

Conclusion: A pilot humanism curriculum for residents was well-received. Participants showed decreased burnout and trended to improved compassion scores. Development and evaluation of an expanded curriculum would further explore feasibility and effectiveness of the intervention.

The botanical content in the South African curriculum: A barren desert or a thriving forest?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amelia L. Abrie

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Botanists who are interested in education have often expressed their dismay at how plant sciences are neglected in Biology curricula, despite the important roles that plants play. While botanists in several overseas countries have studied the ways in which plant sciences are represented in curricula, no research has been done on how botany is neglected in the South African curriculum. Currently, the South African curriculum is known as the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS for Grades R–12. In this study, a comparison was made among the content that is generally taught in introductory plant sciences courses, the American Society of Plant Biologists’ principles for plant biology education and the relevant CAPS documents. The time spent on plant, animal or human-focused content was established and compared at both phase and grade level. It was found that while the curriculum addresses all the major concepts in the plant sciences, very little time was being allocated to exclusively plant-focused content as compared to animal and human-focused content. This neglect was particularly prevalent in the Foundation Phase. The way in which the content is structured and presented in the curriculum may in all likelihood not be sufficient to provide a strong knowledge and skills foundation in the plant sciences, nor will it encourage the development of positive values towards plants. While consensus regarding the content of a curriculum will be difficult to achieve, awareness of potential gaps in the curriculum should be brought to the attention of the botanical and educational communities.

Inquiry in early years science teaching and learning: Curriculum design and the scientific story

Science.gov (United States)

McMillan, Barbara Alexander

2001-07-01

Inquiry in school science, as conceived by the authors of the Common Framework of Science Learning Outcomes K--12, is dependent upon four areas of skills. These are the skills of initiating and planning, performing and recording, analysing and interpreting, and communication and teamwork that map onto what Hodson calls the five phases of scientific inquiry in school science: initiation, design and planning, performance, interpretation, and reporting and communicating. This study looked at initiation in a multiage (Grades 1--3) classroom, and the curriculum, design tools, and inquiry acts believed to be necessary precursors of design and planning phases whether the inquiry in which young children engage is archival or laboratory investigation. The curriculum was designed to build upon children's everyday biological knowledge and through a series of carefully organized lessons to help them to begin to build scientifically valid conceptual models in the area of animal life cycles. The lessons began with what is called benchmark-invention after the historical work of Robert Karplus and the contemporary work of Earl Hunt and Jim Minstrell. The introduction of a biological concept was followed by a series of exploration activities in which children were encouraged to apply the concept invented in the benchmark lesson. Enlargement followed. This was the instructional phase in which children were helped to establish scientifically valid relationships between the invented concept and other biological concepts. The pre-instruction and post-instruction interview data suggest that the enacted curriculum and sequence in which the biological knowledge was presented helped the nineteen children in the study to recognize the connections and regularities within the life cycles of the major groupings of animals, and to begin to build scientific biological conceptual models. It is, however, argued that everyday biology, in the form of the person analogy, acts as an obstacle to

Development Of Training Curriculum In Improving Community-Based Geological Hazard Mitigation Competency

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Rusman Rusman

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to provide training curriculum model in improving community-based geological hazard mitigation competency. The goal was achieved through research and development method, is divided into three main stages. First, applied need analysis as the introduction. Second, developed the curriculum model. Third, tested the curriculum model in order to explore the curriculum effectiveness in improving the competency for mitigation measurement related to geological hazard. This study showed that the training curriculum model, which is developed based on the result of need analysis, is effective to improve the participant’s competency. The result of pre-post test shows that the improvement of the participant’s cognitive aspect.  The significant improvement is identified in the training competency showing the effectiveness of Test II in improving the participant’s practical competency to carry out the training. Some factors that support the training curriculum model development related to community-based Landslides management are: (a the public servant’s competency for geological hazard mitigation; (b the motivation of the community who becomes the volunteer; and (c support from the decision maker. On the other hand, the inhibitors are the lack of competency for training related to geological field, the lack of educational background and knowledge of geology and landslides, and the lack of time.

Special Project Examination in Integrated Science - Ordinary Level.

Science.gov (United States)

Wimpenny, David

A science achievement test for the General Certificate of Education (GCE, England) was developed for students enrolled in the curriculum of the Schools Council Integrated Science Project. This document contains discussions of the testing program and a copy of the 1973 test. After an overview of the curriculum project and issues related to…

Re-Examining the Curriculum Development Centre: Coordinative Federalism and Kingdon's Agenda-Setting (1975-87)

Science.gov (United States)

Rodwell, Grant

2016-01-01

During period 1975 through to 1987 the Commonwealth ventured into curriculum development, hitherto an activity for states and territories. Unlike the ACARA Curriculum of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd governments, there was nothing mandatory about the CDC's curriculum development activities. Here, the dominant influence was coordinative federalism. This…

High-level radioactive waste curriculum usage, evaluation, and customer focus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, G.P.

1994-01-01

In August 1992, the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) issued for educator use, a secondary school resource curriculum entitled open-quotes Science, Society, and America's Nuclear Wasteclose quotes. This resource curriculum was developed in response to years and thousands of teacher, student, and general public requests for facts about nuclear waste -- specifically, what the United States was doing and why. The curriculum materials when issued were the result of six years of development and testing by science and social studies teachers as well as multi-state field-testing and international critique. The curriculum is provided only to educators who specifically request it; and in the first one-and-a-half years following its availability more than 500,000 curriculum documents have been requested. Of all the requests for information received by OCRWM for any information or materials, most requests received are from educators or students. So one might consider educators and students to be open-quotes customerclose quotes, that is, as the business world might define customers: anyone expecting a product or a service from us. To determine usefulness and content for future editions of open-quotes Science, Society, and America's Nuclear Wasteclose quotes, the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management has undertaken a usage evaluation to ensure that it focuses on the needs of the open-quotes customerclose quotes; that is, those who need and request it. This paper presents preliminary findings based on a formal evaluation provided to and requested from educators, unsolicited comments received from educator requesters of the material, and comments from others

Development of an interdisciplinary curriculum in radiochemistry at the university of Iowa

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Schultz, M.K. [Department of Radiology and Radiation Oncology, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, 500 Newton Road, MLB180, Iowa City, IA 52240 (United States); De Vries, D.J. [Radiation and Isotopes for Health, Radiation, Radionuclides and Reactors, Technische Universitite Delft, Delft (Netherlands); Forbes, T.Z. [Department of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, The University of Iowa, CB W374, Iowa City, IA 52242 (United States)

2013-07-01

An interdisciplinary curriculum in radiochemistry is under development at the University of Iowa. The program represents a collaboration between the Departments of Radiology and Chemistry with strong support from the College of Medicine and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The University has undertaken this venture in response to a national and international need for professionals with skills and knowledge of nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry. Students enrolling in this program will benefit from a diverse spectrum of extramurally-funded projects for which radiochemistry is a cornerstone of research and development. Recently, a symposium was conducted at the University of Iowa to determine the undergraduate educational foundation that will produce desirable personnel for the diverse sectors related to radiochemistry. Professionals and researchers from around the United States were invited to contribute their perspectives on aspects of radiochemistry that would be important to include in the undergraduate program. Here, we present a brief communication of the draft curriculum, which is based on our understanding of the current need for radio-chemists and nuclear chemists across disciplines and is informed by our communications with participants in the radiochemistry symposium. Recurring themes, which were stressed by participants, included the need for the development of specialized hands-on open-source laboratory training, internship opportunities, and the inclusion of inexpensive-simple radiochemistry laboratory modules that could be included in early analytical laboratory instruction to attract students to the study of radiochemistry and nuclear chemistry. (authors)

Development of an interdisciplinary curriculum in radiochemistry at the university of Iowa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, M.K.; De Vries, D.J.; Forbes, T.Z.

2013-01-01

An interdisciplinary curriculum in radiochemistry is under development at the University of Iowa. The program represents a collaboration between the Departments of Radiology and Chemistry with strong support from the College of Medicine and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The University has undertaken this venture in response to a national and international need for professionals with skills and knowledge of nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry. Students enrolling in this program will benefit from a diverse spectrum of extramurally-funded projects for which radiochemistry is a cornerstone of research and development. Recently, a symposium was conducted at the University of Iowa to determine the undergraduate educational foundation that will produce desirable personnel for the diverse sectors related to radiochemistry. Professionals and researchers from around the United States were invited to contribute their perspectives on aspects of radiochemistry that would be important to include in the undergraduate program. Here, we present a brief communication of the draft curriculum, which is based on our understanding of the current need for radio-chemists and nuclear chemists across disciplines and is informed by our communications with participants in the radiochemistry symposium. Recurring themes, which were stressed by participants, included the need for the development of specialized hands-on open-source laboratory training, internship opportunities, and the inclusion of inexpensive-simple radiochemistry laboratory modules that could be included in early analytical laboratory instruction to attract students to the study of radiochemistry and nuclear chemistry. (authors)

Curriculum Package: Junior High - Middle School Science Lessons. [A Visit to the Louisville, Kentucky Airports: Standiford and Bowman Fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Squires, Frances H.

This science curriculum was written for teachers of children in junior high or middle school. It contains science activities for the following lessons: (1) Anemometers and Wind Speed; (2) Up! Up! and Away; (3) Jet Lag--Time Zones; (4) Inventors; (5) Model Rocketry; (6) Geometry and Kites; and (7) Super Savers. In lesson one, students construct an…

UNDERSTANDING IDEA OF CURRICULUM 2013 AND ITS CONSISTENCY ON DEVELOPING CURRICULUM DOCUMENT AT LEVEL OF EDUCATION UNIT (KTSP AT PRIMARY SCHOOL LEVEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

- Prihantini

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract:. This study is based on various issues of Curriculum 2013, both in terms of teacher readiness to accept the Curriculum 2013, an understanding of the idea of Curriculum 2013, as well as in the implementation of teaching and learning. In the curriculum development theory, curriculum ideas are an important component that the curriculum development team needs to understand, so that the development of curriculum documents composed reflects continuity with curriculum ideas. The purpose of this study is to describe and explore the understanding of principals and teachers about the idea of Curriculum 2013 and its consistency on developing Education Unit Level Curriculum (KTSP at elementary school in Sukalarang sub-district, Sukabumi regency. The research method applied is qualitative research with descriptive exploratory approach. The conclusions of the study are: (1 the understanding of principals and teachers about the idea of the  Curriculum 2013 at the know stage, the understanding that curriculum ideas have consistency in the development of the Education Unit Level Curriculum (KTSP document is not yet owned; (2 the development of KTSP document shows no consistency between the idea of Curriculum 2013 with the documents of Book I KTSP, Book II KTSP, and Book III KTSP; (3 the problems faced by school principals and teachers in relation to the Curriculum 2013 is assessment of learning, both with regard to the techniques and types of assessment and techniques of administering the results of the assessment.Recommendations are proposed to policy makers that training strategies need to be changed from "theory oriented" to "practice oriented" and need to be varied in implementation at the Kecamatan or Cluster levels and enhanced effectiveness of curriculum counseling 2013. For principals and teachers expected to disseminate the 2013 Curriculum should be supported by presenting expert resources during the workshop, Principal Working Group (K3S and

The Impact of High School Science Teachers' Beliefs, Curricular Enactments and Experience on Student Learning during an Inquiry-Based Urban Ecology Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

McNeill, Katherine L.; Pimentel, Diane Silva; Strauss, Eric G.

2013-01-01

Inquiry-based curricula are an essential tool for reforming science education yet the role of the teacher is often overlooked in terms of the impact of the curriculum on student achievement. Our research focuses on 22 teachers' use of a year-long high school urban ecology curriculum and how teachers' self-efficacy, instructional practices,…

Building Astronomy Curriculum to Include the Sight Impaired: Week long summer camp activities for Middle School Students adherent to Washington State Curriculum Standards (EALR's)

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Ramien, Natalie; Loebman, S. R.; Player, V.; Larson, A.; Torcolini, N. B.; Traverse, A.

2011-01-01

Currently astronomy learning is heavily geared towards visual aids; however, roughly 10 million people in North America are sight impaired. Every student should have access to meaningful astronomy curriculum; an understanding of astronomy is an expectation of national and state science learning requirements. Over the last ten years, Noreen Grice has developed Braille and large print astronomy text books aimed at sight impaired learners. We build upon Grice's written work and present here a five day lesson plan that integrates 2D reading with 3D activities. Through this curriculum, students develop an intuitive understanding of astronomical distance, size, composition and lifetimes. We present five distinct lesson modules that can be taught individually or in a sequential form: the planets, our sun, stars, stellar evolution and galaxies. We have tested these modules on sight impaired students and report the results here. Overall, we find the work presented here lends itself equally well to a week long science camp geared toward middle school sight impaired taught by astronomers or as supplemental material integrated into a regular classroom science curriculum. This work was made possible by a 2007 Simple Effective Education and Dissemination (SEED) Grant For Astronomy Researchers, Astronomical Society of the Pacific through funds provided by the Planck Mission, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology.

A Study of Changes in the Library and Information Science Curriculum with Evaluation of Its Practicality

Science.gov (United States)

Noh, Younghee; Ahn, In-Ja; Choi, Sang-Ki

2012-01-01

Purpose: This study analyzed the process of changes in Korean Library and Information Science curriculum and evaluated the courses currently available by using a perception survey of librarians in the field. It also explored a possible demand for new courses, while suggesting compulsory, core, and optional courses for Bachelor's degree curriculum…

Founders' Weekend. North Country Workshop on Science, Technology and the Undergraduate Curriculum. Proceedings (Potsdam, New York, November 9-10, 1984).

Science.gov (United States)

State Univ. of New York, Potsdam. Coll. at Potsdam.

Proceedings of the North Country Workshop on Science, Technology, and the Undergraduate Curriculum are presented. The Sloan Foundation's call for reform of the liberal arts and coverage of mathematics, science, and technology is noted in welcoming remarks by State University of New York, Potsdam, President Humphrey Tonkin. Stephen H. Cutcliffe…

Exploring Aquaculture. Curriculum Guide for Agriscience 282.

Science.gov (United States)

Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Dept. of Agricultural Education.

This curriculum guide provides materials for teachers to use in developing a course in "Exploring Aquaculture, Agriscience 282," one of 28 semester courses in agricultural science and technology for Texas high schools. This introductory course is designed to acquaint students with the growing industry of aquaculture; it includes…

Developing Research Skills across the Undergraduate Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Simon; Coates, Lee; Fraser, Ann; Pierce, Pam

2015-01-01

This chapter describes consortial efforts within the Great Lakes Colleges Association to share expertise and programming to build research skills throughout the undergraduate curriculum. Strategies to scaffold research skill development are provided from Allegheny College, Kalamazoo College, and The College of Wooster.

Nanomedicine concepts in the general medical curriculum: initiating a discussion.

Science.gov (United States)

Sweeney, Aldrin E

2015-01-01

Various applications of nanoscale science to the field of medicine have resulted in the ongoing development of the subfield of nanomedicine. Within the past several years, there has been a concurrent proliferation of academic journals, textbooks, and other professional literature addressing fundamental basic science research and seminal clinical developments in nanomedicine. Additionally, there is now broad consensus among medical researchers and practitioners that along with personalized medicine and regenerative medicine, nanomedicine is likely to revolutionize our definitions of what constitutes human disease and its treatment. In light of these developments, incorporation of key nanomedicine concepts into the general medical curriculum ought to be considered. Here, I offer for consideration five key nanomedicine concepts, along with suggestions regarding the manner in which they might be incorporated effectively into the general medical curriculum. Related curricular issues and implications for medical education also are presented.

Customization of Curriculum Materials in Science: Motives, Challenges, and Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Romine, William L.; Banerjee, Tanvi

2012-02-01

Exemplary science instructors use inquiry to tailor content to student's learning needs; traditional textbooks treat science as a set of facts and a rigid curriculum. Publishers now allow instructors to compile pieces of published and/or self-authored text to make custom textbooks. This brings numerous advantages, including the ability to produce smaller, cheaper text and added flexibility on the teaching models used. Moreover, the internet allows instructors to decentralize textbooks through easy access to educational objects such as audiovisual simulations, individual textbook chapters, and scholarly research articles. However, these new opportunities bring with them new problems. With educational materials easy to access, manipulate and duplicate, it is necessary to define intellectual property boundaries, and the need to secure documents against unlawful copying and use is paramount. Engineers are developing and enhancing information embedding technologies, including steganography, cryptography, watermarking, and fingerprinting, to label and protect intellectual property. While these are showing their utility in securing information, hackers continue to find loop holes in these protection schemes, forcing engineers to constantly assess the algorithms to make them as secure as possible. As newer technologies rise, people still question whether custom publishing is desirable. Many instructors see the process as complex, costly, and substandard in comparison to using traditional text. Publishing companies are working to improve attitudes through advertising. What lacks is peer reviewed evidence showing that custom publishing improves learning. Studies exploring the effect of custom course materials on student attitude and learning outcomes are a necessary next step.

A Look at the Relationship of Curriculum and Instruction and the Art and Science of Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Flake, Lee Hatch

2017-01-01

The definition of instruction and curriculum may take on different meanings based on the purpose or interpretation whether political, social, or educational. Teaching effectively requires the skill of a knowledgeable and experienced educator. Teaching can be convincingly debated as being an art or a science or defined collectively as an art and a…

Processes of Curriculum Development in the Department of Graphic

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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national skills shortage by developing responsive curricula which will ensure that graduating students are well ... innovative pedagogy which integrates recent technologies into curriculum development and classroom practice. .... developing confidence amongst staff and in facilitating creative and innovative thinking.