Stem and a Framework for Learning
The purpose of teaching and schools is in the midst of change. In the past, transmission of knowledge was of utmost importance. Knowledge meant power and opportunity. We observe that “…new realities demand people with different competencies than those … i
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21. STEM AND A FRAMEWORK FOR LEARNING
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of teaching and schools is in the midst of change. In the past, transmission of knowledge was of utmost importance. Knowledge meant power and opportunity. We observe that “…new realities demand people with different competencies than those … in the agrarian and industrial era. Multi-literate, creative and innovative people are now seen as the drivers of the 21st Century and the prerequisites to economic success, social progress and personal empowerment” (C21 Canada, p. 4). Perhaps it is not knowledge itself that is important but rather skills for being able to find a missing piece of information and using it to solve a problem. We do not consider ourselves as only teachers of Science content knowledge. Rather, we specialize in using science curricula to challenge students and provide instances to grow their brains. There is a subtle but important difference. Over the past seven years we have dramatically changed the way we teach the New Brunswick Physics curriculum. We were exposed to research from Guskey and Bailey (2001), O’Connor (2007), Reeves (2000, 2004, 2011), Marzano (2010), and Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, and Chappuis (2007) that was challenging the system in which we worked. We recognize that today’s students have different needs than those ten years ago. This chapter describes research that informs our practices and how it manifests in our classes based on our Guiding Thoughts. We also document a small sample of our students’ success. Research That Has Changed Our Pedagogical Framework We have adopted these Guiding Thoughts in order to inform our teaching of secondary science. • Our content is not as important as the skills that we teach using the content. • It does not matter when they learn “it” so long as they do by the end of the semester. • Some content is essential. Some skills are essential. Teachers need to identify what is essential. • All students must master all essential skills and content in order to pass a course. • Students need to find their own real life problems to solve. Teachers need to point students in the right direction, keep them out of too much trouble, and get out of their way. J. B. Cummings & M. L. Blatherwick (Eds.), Creative Dimensions of Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century, 219–227. © 2017 Sense Publishers. All rights reserved.
I. FOGARTY & C. L. RYAN
• Not everyone expects to become a physicist (or scientist). Different students take physics for different reasons such as post-secondary requirements, personal interest, or needing a credit to graduate; all students are in the same class. • One of the best ways to learn about science is to act like a scientist or engineer. • Students achieve more when they take ownership of their learning and can be creative in defining their direction in challenging problems. The reader must understand that current research has helped to mold these themes as research informs teaching practice. The conversation around the research which informs our teaching has spanned
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