1. Facilitating Learning in the Science Classroom
Chapter 3
Facilitating Learning
in the Science Classroom
Facilitating Learning

2. Case to Consider: Helping Jeanne participate in class
After reading the chapter 3 case, discuss these questions:
What do you think Mr. Peterson could do to help Jeanne interact more productively with her peers?
What can the teacher do to promote the participation of all biology students?
Given what you know about Mr. Peterson’s methods and beliefs, how might he better facilitate learning for Jeanne and her classmates?
Facilitating Learning

3. How to Read This Chapter
This chapter focuses on the role of the teacher in facilitating learning in the science classroom. Topics include: Leadership in Teaching, Student- centered and Teacher-centered Instruction, and Teaching for the Beginning of the Year, and you can explore them in any order.
A key concept of this chapter is leadership in the social processes of the classroom.
Inquiry activities will direct you to observe and interview an experienced science teacher and to use web-based video vignettes to analyze science teaching. You might find it worthwhile to develop a classroom management/lab safety plan, and instructional plans for the first day and early weeks of a science course.
Facilitating Learning

4. Invitations to Inquiry
What role do you envision for you and for your students?
How do teachers facilitate learning in “teacher-centered” and “student-centered” instruction?
What are some effective methods of facilitating laboratory and small group work?
How will you design a smooth-running science classroom?
How will you ensure the safety of your students in all facets of their science learning activities?
How can teachers promote high-level thinking for their science students?
Facilitating Learning

5. Facilitating Learning
Chapter 3 Map
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6. Facilitation and Leadership in the Science Classroom
Leadership is a social influence process whereby a teacher works with students to achieve learning goals.
Our model of leadership is that advocated by Harry and Rosemary Wong, in their book, The First Days of School.
To understand this concept more fully, you should participate in Inquiry 3.1.
Facilitating Learning

7. Inquiry 3.1: Effective Teacher Project
This has been a popular project with students in our program. During an internship, or in connection with a university course, you can interview a teacher to find out how he or she manages the classroom using the Wong scheme for effective teaching attributes (Table 3.1)
Collect “data” such as interviews, digital pictures, sketches, samples of student work, etc. to help answer the leadership attribute question you are investigating.
Prepare a presentation, accompanied with a multimedia slide show, a web site, or a low tech three-panel board display.
Facilitating Learning

8. Effective Management Behaviors
What do you know about the following group management behaviors? Turn to a peer and identify an example of each in the science classroom.
With-it-Ness
Overlapping
Smoothness
Momentum
Group Focus and Individual Accountability
Facilitating Learning

9. Management Plan and Science Laboratory Activities
Preparation
Group size
Roles
materials
Pre-Lab Discussion
Goal and purpose
Expectations
Interpersonal skills
Time constraints
Activity Monitoring
Look and listen
Note progress
Discussions with groups or individuals
Post-Lab Processing
Interpretive discussion
Group processing
Facilitating Learning

10. Management Plan for Lab and Small Group Activities
The phases will help you facilitate laboratory lessons and small group activities.
Plan a lesson for a lab activity that incorporates these phases.
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11. A Humanistic Perspective
In practical terms of science teaching, our approach is humanistic when we:
view our learners as individuals with distinct talents and interests to be applied to the learning tasks;
integrate the humanities in our science instruction, including various literary and art forms, and historical or social connections; and
use humane teaching methods that offer learners some degree of input regarding instructional design as well as opportunity for personal involvement in experiences that interest them.
Evaluate the strengths and limitations of this philosophy and the degree to which it resonates with your perspective on science teaching.
Facilitating Learning

12. Student-Centered Facilitation
Dewey:
Educative Experience
Noddings:
Ethic of Care
Rogers
Person-centered Attitudes
Vygotsky
Social Constructivism
-Knowledge develops through human interaction
-Teachers mediate learning by helping students understand what they could not grasp on their own (ZPD).
Facilitating Learning

13. Facilitating Learning
Cooperative Learning
Five key management behaviors for small group work:
Positive Interdependence
Individual Accountability
Face-to-face Communication
Interpersonal Skills
Processing--shown here
Giving teams time to ask, “What do we do well together in our team?”
Facilitating Learning

14. Facilitating High Level Thinking Tasks
Read the excerpt from Peter’s class in which there is an exchange between Peter (the teacher), and Jeffrey (one of his students).
How could high level thinking be facilitated in this case?
Facilitating Learning

15. Inquiry Activity 3.2: Windows into Science Classrooms
In this activity you will analyze science teaching via a lesson from Case Studies in Science Education or Teaching High School Science.
Summarize your results as a written report to be discussed with your teaching peers (use the questions in the Minds-On Strategies section).
Facilitating Learning

16. Effective Teaching for the Beginning of the Year
Work with a peer and discuss the management procedures you are currently using, or ones you have seen that think are valid and appropriate. How do you deal with:
Room Arrangements
Establishing Rules
The beginning and end of class
Handling materials and equipment
Students in a Russian class at
Moscow School 710.
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17. Facilitating Learning
Inquiry Activity 3.3: Developing a Classroom Management and Lab Safety Plan
Organize your thoughts and vision of a smooth-running science classroom.
To provide structure we offer Table 3.4 as a template to guide your plan.
Consider the Minds On Strategies questions and how you will present teach these expectations .
Facilitating Learning

18. First Day Lessons--2 Models
Using these principles, and after reading the two models of first day lessons, design a First Day Lesson for a middle or high school subject of your choice.
First Day Principles:
Establish the teacher as the leader of the class
Provide opportunity for teacher-student interaction.
Present academic and behavioral expectations; consequences and reward system
Involve the students in an interesting activity
Establish appropriate opening and closing lesson routines
Facilitating Learning

19. Inquiry Activity 3.4: Planning for Three Weeks
In this activity you will make brief plans (on a chart--Table 3.7) for three weeks of instruction.
If you are in an internship, you should share these with your mentor; if you are an in-service or graduate course, meet with a peer and present your plans for feedback.
How coherent are your plans? After feedback, how would you change them?
Facilitating Learning

20. Extra Activity: Preparing a Science Equipment Order
In this activity you will go online and make an equipment order for a $1,000 budget for a middle school team (of 4) or high school science department (of 8).
After you brainstorm and prioritize, visit online sites and create a mock order.
Did you have adequate funding for your needs?
Facilitating Learning

21. Safety in the Science Classroom
What principles would you identify to create a safe science learning environment?
What does the Laboratory Safety Institute contribute to your understanding of safety?
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22. Facilitating Learning
Wisdom of Practice
"How do you manage your classroom and what is the most important piece of advice you would give a prospective teacher concerning classroom management?"
Carol Myronuk (Canada) reports: Initially, I gather and give out lab equipment, materials and supplies, to demonstrate an efficient distribution system. As soon as possible, students take responsibility for organizing lab distribution, collection and cleaning of equipment, recycling and disposal of materials, and general inventory.  "Mean what you say and say what you mean.”
What would your response be to the question?
Facilitating Learning

23. Facilitating Learning
Problems and Extensions
What beliefs might support a teacher-centered approach versus a student-centered approach?
Prepare a lesson for the first day of one of the following classes: biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, physical science. Discuss the “teacher-centered” and/or “student-centered” aspects of the lesson. What impression will you want to make on your students on the first day?
What academic and behavioral expectations will you have for your students and how will you help your students embrace these?
Facilitating Learning