A Blended Model for Science Teachers Training

Transcription

1 A Blended Model for Science Teachers Training Antonella Bachiorri, Vincenzo Boccardi, Giovanni Di Pasquale, Serena Goracci, Ricardo Govoni, Michelina Mayer, Anna Pascucci, Maria Giuseppina Staderini, Giuseppe Valitutti INDIRE - National Institute for Documentation, Innovation and Educational Research (Italy) [email protected] Abstract In the last ten years, international surveys on Science Education (TIMSS and PISA) have indicated a low level of science performance of the Italian students, with an evident decrease during the lower secondary school, students11-14 years old, and especially low results in the regions of the South of Italy. As a reaction to these results, the Italian Ministry of Education has launched within the PON (National Operational Program), funded by the European Community, an innovative science training course for the teachers of lower secondary schools in the South of Italy, that has involved in the last 3 years, more than 800 science teachers. The training methodology has been a blended one, offering to groups of teachers regular meetings with a trained tutor in one of the schools of the region (Presidi), experimental activities and experience comparison, web activities with teaching materials to download and implement, web meetings with disciplinary experts, evaluation units, Forum for debates. The materials prepared and implemented took into account the national and international orientations for Science Education of the last ten years (i.e. the National ISS plan for Teaching Experimental Science, the Rocard report, et al.), and presented the science contents and competences provided by the national programs organized in more than 60 teaching journeys, belonging to 4 thematic cores - Energy, Transformation, Reading the Environment, Earth and Universe - and in 3 transversal themes - History of Science, Sustainability and Evaluation. The teaching methodology proposed, the organization of contents, and the very organization of the teachers courses constitute a new model for science teachers training in Italy. The first results collected show a large teachers satisfaction and an improved interest to new approaches in science education, notwithstanding the difficult situation of the Italian economy, and of the Italian schools, in these last years. 1. The context The OCSE-PISA comparative survey carried out in 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009, highlighted that many Italian 15-year-old students lack the basic competences and skills required not only in school life, but also and particularly, in society. The results are based on average data, which conceal the profound differences between Northern and Southern Italy and between different types of schools. However, the data are still alarming, particularly as regards the Southern Italian regions and the lower secondary school (11-14 age group) where students usually decide what type of upper secondary school (15-19 age group) they will attend. If we consider both the national (Gruppo interministeriale per lo sviluppo della ricerca scientifica e tecnologica) and the European analyses (Rocard Report), we cannot ignore the way Sciences are taught at school. In the Italian lower secondary school, we find the following situation: - 2 hours of Sciences a week; - a large number of topics covered; - unequipped classrooms (no scientific instruments, no IWBs, no computers); - no science labs, or where available, they are not used at all or very little; - no lab assistants. The result is a transmission modal of teaching, textbook based with little use of hands-on methods.

2 2. The PON [1] Educazione Scientifica project As early as 2006, the Ministry reacted to these results by launching a specific plan for Science teacher training, the Insegnare Scienze Sperimentali (Teaching Experimental Sciences) plan, a training/research-action project which was meant to systematically initiate hands-on teaching at all school levels. In 2008 the National Operational Programme Competencies for Development, co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and administered by the Italian Ministry of Education, funded a Professional Development Project specially for lower secondary school Science teachers. INDIRE [2] was commissioned by the Ministry to design a professional development plan for lower secondary school Science teachers [3] aimed at putting into practice an effective Science teaching method in line with national and international educational research. INDIRE introduced two types of actions: 1. together with a group of experts, it carried out an in-depth analysis of the Science curriculum, which led to the development of a complete and innovative content plan covering all the subjects and activities corresponding to that school level. 2. it developed a new teacher training model that can combine the need of change in science teaching/learning with that of bringing about a transformation on a national level. The result was a mixed teacher training model which completely integrates face-to-face teaching with online teaching. 3. The Aim: change through research The primary aim of the project is not updating the contents of the school subject (though presumed essential), but introducing changes that can improve science teaching practices. The PON Educazione Scientifica project proposes a hands-on approach based on investigation, not just theory. It proposes innovative practices organized according to different contents, methodologies, tools and levels of competence. Unlike other proposals, the innovative" approach of the project engages the teacher together with the class: the course includes an experimental phase in the classroom forming part of the professional development programme. The change and hopefully, the breakthrough in educational practice take place through the practical actions, as well as through reflection on the conditions and effects of such actions. In this virtuous circle the first actor involved in the activity (the teacher-participant) carries along with him/her others as subjects of the research study: the students, as well as the tutor, the colleagues at school, the experts, the territory. 4. The Content plan: "seeing with different eyes A group of experts and authors outlined a corpus of teaching proposals, which though far from the idea of an encyclopaedia, re-organized all the best practices produced till then through research and teaching experience. The Steering Committee, made up of members of school subject associations, university researchers and science researchers, selected innovative practices developed both within the PIANO Insegnare Scienze Sperimentali and within certain schools with the idea that the plan should present various approaches to hands-on teaching. The resulting materials provide a tool, which updates both contents of the subject, and reconsiders learning methods and tools. This inevitably leads to an analysis of the subject being taught and of the science curriculum. Another important feature is the fact that reinforcing hands-on practices fosters a productive integration of teaching and learning tools and languages : from pencil to microscope, from testtubes to IWBs, from observation to video production, from ruler to calculation software, in a dynamic synergy created by old and new technologies, old and new languages. The strength of the plan is, therefore, the integrated and productive use of effective teaching methods, interconnected and open knowledge and all types of technologies. The plan was conceived with the idea of providing structured or semi-structured examples of hands-on teaching activities to be carried out in class. Each proposal also intends to encourage reflection on the aspects dealing with the didactic planning and organization of activities, apart from ongoing and final assessment. They include theory resources useful for teachers to further/update their knowledge

3 about the subject. The contents some of which are included on a Teacher resources website [4] today amount to about 50 teaching activities, 25 theory resources and 50 sets of assessment tests which have been tested over two years of training (school years and ). They offer ideas that can be adapted to different contexts for a science education that: - is largely hands-on without the need of sophisticated equipment; - avoids an encyclopaedic approach and proposes a choice of topics; - encourages reflection both on past research methods (history of science) and on how -science can contribute to plan the future (Education for Sustainable Development), thus highlighting the complex and realistic aspects of science; - integrates scientific competences with linguistic and mathematical competences; - simultaneously develops 'citizenship' competences, and competences required in group collaboration, independent thinking and creative problem-solving. 4.1 The topics In choosing the topics, the content plan takes into consideration the Italian guidelines for the School Curriculum [5], the European recommendations for Science Education, the already mentioned results of international research studies, and the suggestions resulting from national and international education research. The contents have been reorganized in fairly broad 'topic core units which contain most of the topics that science teachers usually cover in the three year period (11-14 age group). The four 'topic core units' are: 1. Understanding the environment; 2. The Earth and the Universe; 3. Transformations; 4. Energy and its Transformations. All the 'topic core units' aim at gradually rendering the students able to master some concept organizers that can be recognized in every significant scientific context: the space-time dimensions and the material dimensions; the distinction between states (how things are) and transformations (how things change); the interactions, relationships, correlations between system parts and/or variable properties; the discrimination between coincidence and causality (Italian guidelines for the curriculum). Apart from these 'topic core units' three transversal core units have been proposed: 1. History of Science; 2. Education for Sustainable Development; 3. Assessment of scientific competencies. These transversal core units are intended "to guide students to appreciate, on the basis of both their own cognitive development experience and some suitable examples, the significant similarities and differences in the historical evolution of such diverse and yet interdependent disciplines, help them to understand the role of the human community in the system, the finite nature of resources as well as the inequality in accessing them and to adopt a responsible approach towards the use of resources (Italian guidelines for the curriculum). These units are strategic, in addition, for a methodological approach which supports the overcoming of a strictly disciplinary teaching (and learning). 4.2 Instructional design The core units were conceived as containers of learning activities aimed at developing knowledge and particular competencies.

4 Each core unit' is structured as follows: 1. A video presentation 2. Theory resources 3. Learning activities 4. Assessment tests related to learning activities 5. VideoLabs 6. Online resources The theory resources are organized around core ideas and their goal is to update or further the teachers' knowledge of teaching methods in a way that is functional to the proposals in the learning activities. The learning activities are the activities proposed to the teachers during the training, and are linked to one or more topic core units and can be tested in class after re-adaptation. The learning activities also have their corresponding competence assessment tests, with questions purposely prepared using the PISA model. The last resource, the VideoLab, is a video in which the expert proposes a workshop on the history of science. 5. The Blended Model for professional development The training programme consists of 100 hours, 70 hours to be carried out on a dedicated online platform and 30 hours face-to-face (for the most part in science labs) in reference schools in the area selected by the regional school offices. The class groups of about 15 people, that meet both face-toface and online, are coordinated by a tutor selected and trained by INDIRE. The course follows the school year and is offered as in service teacher training. The tutor is a central figure throughout the whole process and is obliged to follow a long training phase (about 3 months of blended training) where the teaching contents, the technological and methodological aspects are expanded upon. The tutor is guided by an expert through the whole course. The characteristic feature of the programme is its peer collaboration dimension, both in the content research phase and in the phase dedicated to reflection on the experience. An expert use of technology facilitates the course and effectively favours the creation of communities of practice. The course, which takes inspiration from the research-action cycle, follows four phases for which goals, activities, face-to-face meetings, tools and documents to produce are assigned: PHASE I ANALYSIS AND SELF-ANALYSIS Under the tutor s guidance, the course participants together analyse the materials, compare their own knowledge and experience with that of the other participants and with the new didactic proposals. In this phase the participants identify their training needs. PHASE II PEER TESTING, CHOICE AND PLANNING Depending on the training needs, the tutor together with the participants choose the activities and topics to analyse and test with their colleagues in the school lab. The participants will therefore be able to choose the activities (or part of them) to adapt to their contexts in view of the class experimentation with their students. The resulting project, even though personal, will be the product of a shared study itinerary. PHASE III - CLASS EXPERIMENTATION The chosen learning activities will be carried out in class with the students during the same school year. The participants will have the continual support of the tutor even during this phase and they can share their classroom experience and any teaching problems that might arise with their colleagues. The participants share the problems they encounter during the experimentation in groups and subgroups. At the end of the phase tests on the single activities are carried out. PHASE IV FEEDBACK: The experimentation results are analysed and a shared self-assessment on the acquired professional competences is conducted. On the basis of this assessment, the participants will be able to plan how to continue the work with their class.

5 Apart from the colleagues and tutor s contributions, participants can also resort to advice from the authors of the materials by booking a videoconference session or in moderated forums where didactic innovations, strategies, contents and personal experience are discussed. 5.1 Preliminary results and conclusions The combination of a face-to-face course within the territory with an online course on a national level produces a result enhancement effect: 1. Continuity of the programme between one meeting and the next: the sharing and communication tools (forum, chat, videoconference, archives) allow online continuation of the work started face-toface; 2. By doing the individual study part online, the face-to-face part can be focused on hands-on activities, on resolving doubts and on in-dept analysis; 3. Enhanced communication: synchronous (videoconferences, chatrooms) or asynchronous tools (forums, blogs, wikis) allow anyone, at any moment to participate; 4. Enhanced sharing: sharing and documentation of the process can be organized by using the platform s archives; 5. Monitoring of results and selection of best practices; 6. Entrenchment in the local school system thanks to the fact that tutor and course participants all come from the same area; 7. Personalized programmes and time management; 8. Training both on the use of technology and on the school subject; 9. Development of communities of practice. These online and face-to-face dynamics can support opportunities for communities of practice, which if established within the schools and the territory, can foster processes for cultural change and innovation. References [1] PON is the National Operational Programme. [2] INDIRE (National Institute for Documentation, Innovation and Educational Research) has been accompanying the development of the Italian school system since its setting-up. It invests in training and innovation and fosters school improvement processes. The Institution forms part of the national evaluation system in matters of education and training. The Institute has a long experience in the use of new technologies for teacher training and it is a reference point for education research. [3] The project is aimed to the four Italian regions falling under the Convergence objective (Campania, Calabria, Puglia and Sicilia). The regions falling under the Convergence objective are those regions with a GDP per head of less than 75% of the EU average. [4] Risorse per docenti dai progetti nazionali website: _t=d [5] The Italian guidelines for the science curriculum of primary and lower secondary school (Indicazioni per le scuole dell'infanzia e del primo ciclo di istruzione) can be downloaded at: