What makes for a quality science curriculum?

The author argues that the science curriculum needs updating frequently to stress the best objectives, learning opportunities, and evaluation procedures. He further posits that there are selected parts of science instruction that need modification or change.

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What are selected parts of science instruction that need modification or change?

1. Pupils should have ample opportunities to use a hands on approach in learning. When science experiments and demonstrations are in the offing, pupils with teacher assistance should plan and implement each experiment. Scientific equipment should be available as well as pupils/teachers bringing items from home to experiment and demonstrate vital concepts and generalizations. Thus, in a thematic science unit on "Batteries and Bulbs," each committee may be given a small battery, a bulb, and a piece of copper wire. Within the committee, pupils may manipulate the three above named objects so that the bulb lights up. They need to explain what a complete circuit is. A second battery may be provided to the committee in order to determine how to make the bulb burn brighter. A hands on approach in science is used in learning.

2. Pupils should attach meaning to what is being learned. Memorization of content is not adequate. Thus, depth learning needs to be stressed. Whatever is taught must be taught well. At the same time, pupils must be willing to reach out, cooperate, and contribute. Learning opportunities are successful to the degree that both the teacher and pupils work together for the success of any lesson or unit of study. The teacher, alone, cannot be effective in teaching unless pupils are challenged and attentive. The pupil, too, must desire that teachers be successful, by not disrupting nor hindering quality teaching. Parents, also, should cooperate to see that their offspring become good citizens with ethical behavior. Meaning in learning may then accrue with depth teaching and attentive learner behavior. In the unit, then, on "Batteries and Bulbs," a variety of learning opportunities should be in the offing so that pupils truly understood viable facts, concepts, and generalizations. Perhaps, in sequence, pupils are meaningfully engaged in actual parallel and series wiring in developing a complete circuit. Thus, pupils should understand the "how" and "why" of parallel and series wiring as they are actively involved in learning by doing.

3. Pupils need to perceive purpose in learning. Purpose indicates that pupils accept reasons intrinsically for learning. If pupils are studying the concepts of "magnetism" and "electricity", can they see reasons for these learnings? The science teacher may explain in a few sentences what the purpose is. Or, he/ she might ask questions of the learner so that the latter may clarify reasons for learning about "magnetism" and "electricity." Here the pupils may use bar magnets to establish ideas pertaining to the north and south pole of a magnet.

Thus, a bar magnet may be suspended with the use of a tied string dangling in the air. A second bar magnet may be used to notice which side attracts and which repels when the opposite sides are near to the dangling bar magnet. Pupils then realize, through a series of experiments and observations that "like poles repel" whereas "opposite poles attract." Purpose for these learnings may then be emphasized through their many uses in society such as magnetic properties used to lift old cars and car bodies onto trucks for recycling.

4. Pupils need to attend to and be interested in learning. Interest is a powerful factor in learning. The science teacher needs to use learning opportunities which arouse pupil interest. Real problems using science equipment as materials of instruction plus quality methods of instruction should aid pupil interest in learning. Teaching to vital objectives can be interesting and challenging to pupils. The role of the teacher is to attempt to secure learner interest. The pupil's role is to respond with cooperation and responsibility. Working together, pupils and the teacher, the former may reach out to learn as much as possible.

5. Pupils need to reflect upon what has been learned so that retention and evaluation may be more optimal. When rehearsing content and skills being learned, the pupil notices what had been and what has not been learned. Content and skills that are vague and hazy may be identified by the learner and remedied through a variety of concrete, semi-concrete, and abstract learning opportunities. Meta-cognition is involved when pupils identify clarity in achieving science objectives versus that which needs more attention to reduce gaps in learning. Individually or in groups, pupils may fulfill needs in achievement and learning.

6. Pupils need opportunities to work individually as well as cooperatively with others. Why? Life consists of being able to do things individually as well as collectively. Thus, a pupil may work by the self as well as with others using the project method. Thus in a science unit of study, a pupil individually or collectively may work on a term project involving a biography on the nineteenth century scientist Michael Farraday. The life and times of Farraday will be inherent to the project as well as his dise veries in magnetism and electricity. Pupils will also do depth learning on Michael Farraday' s contributions in his day and presently to the world of science. His applying science concepts to the world of work stresses technology.

7. Pupils need to study how theories of magnetism and electricity help to improve the lot of human beings. The role of science in technological endeavors need to be studied by pupils in a hands on approach in learning. After adequate background knowledge has been obtained, pupils with teacher guidance may brain storm the different uses of science to benefit human beings in the form of technology. Ideas presented may be typed using a word processor. The results may be bound and become a part of a class journal pertaining to the science unit on magnetism and electricity.

8. Pupils need to become motivated individuals. Success in achieving objectives in thematic science units of study assists in pupils becoming motivated individuals. With successful achievement, pupils strive to attain more challenging goals of instruction. The challenge plus success in learning makes for motivated pupils. Failure, the opposite of success, hinders pupil achievement. To fail is an awful and negative feeling. Rather, there should be feelings of desiring to grow, attain, and accomplish. The objectives of science instruction need to be set at a level whereby pupils individually may be successful individuals in goal attainment.

9. Pupils need to have esteem needs met. Pupils are not automatons, but rather human beings. They possess the affective dimension in the total person. With affection needs, learners need to be rewarded through oral praise for what was done well. Within a thematic science unit, pupils may be rewarded for group participation, for individual work, for contributions in the project method, for experiments and demonstrations performed, and for getting along well with others.

10. Pupils need to experience a quality evaluation program to ascertain achievement. To determine pupil achievement in science, a variety of techniques need to be used. Thus, teacher observation, portfolio development, testing, project quality, and oral presentations, among others, provide opportunities for pupils to secure feedback on what has been learned and what is left to learn.

Conclusion

Pupils deserve a quality science curriculum. Science learnings then provide opportunities for pupils to achieve vital objectives. The quantity or quality of learning must be determined from valid and reliable means of evaluation.

The psychology of learning in the ten enumerated items in the manuscript provide guidance and direction for teachers and pupils to assist the latter to achieve optimally.

Dr. Marlow Ediger, Professor of Education.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dr. Marlow Ediger, Professor of Education, Route 2, Box 38, Kirksville, Missouri 63501-9802