Yu Ni

GA

Editor's Note: Meeting the Challenges of Communicating Science

Fri, Dec 01, 2017 10:29 PM
Communicating

After I read this article, I know that some students will feel challenged when they read or write in science. However, “Writing with a purpose and communicating findings to their audience requires experiences that help students develop understanding.” (Froschauer, 2016)Thus, teachers should help students experience science is important. When students have prior knowledge about the new ideas, they will understand science better. In addition, teachers should help students find the appropriate levels readings which can teach students new vocabularies in science more easily. The author finds that students have more interests in more print resources which are scientifically accurate. I also know that students must be able to communicate in science by reading, writing and speaking. These skills are necessary for students. Hence, teachers should pay more attention to develop students these skills by using suitable science context. When I was junior high school students, I felt science is boring and difficult because there are so many technical vocabularies in the science book. I prefer my teachers to do more experiments in the class then introduce new knowledge about science. In the future, I would like to choose appropriate contexts to teach my students which have some diagrams, pictures and several new words.

Perspectives: Assessing for Science Learning

Fri, Dec 01, 2017 10:25 PM
Using technology to enhance learning

After I read this article, I learned what the formative assessment is and what strategies for formative assessment are. I like this article because it is well-organized. It has four parts to solve four questions. From the first part, I learned the difference between formative assessment and summative assessment. The summative assessment is used at the end of the semester to grade students. However, Lee and Abell (2007) say, “formative assessment is used to gain information that improves instruction and advances student learning,” which contrasts to summative assessment. From the second part, I learned that formative assessment is important for science. Teachers could get feedback from the assessment to adjust their lesson plans to match individual student needs. From the third and fourth parts, I learned that using open-ended questions is easier to assess students’ understandings about science. Students should explain their reasons so teachers can discern students’ misunderstandings. In addition, formative assessment can provide information about students’ prior knowledge and learning difficulties which can help teachers improve their instructions. There are some suggestions for improving formative assessment in elementary science classrooms. I think that they are all useful for me. For example, teachers should design varieties of formative assessments that involve different types of student performances.

Perspectives: Societal Issues in Science

Fri, Dec 01, 2017 10:23 PM
STS issues

After I read this article, I learned that when students investigate local issues in science, they can improve their critical-thinking skills and problem solving skills. They make use of all available resources to solve their problems. Thus, Brown and Abell (2009) say, “students had more positive attitudes toward science, applied science in complex situations, and reported talking about science more in their homes and in the community,” which benefits students a lot. In addition, studying societal issues in science can enhance the sense of citizenship of the students. For example, students will turn off lights when not in use after they learn about global warming. They can use their knowledge in their lives. There are several strategies for teachers to teach societal issues in science class. First, teachers should come up with some societal issues which are meaningful and relevant to students’ lives. Next, it is important to offer students an open and supportive learning environment. Thus, students can discuss their problems with their group members. In this way, students can not only increase their knowledge, but also enhance their communication skills. In my future class, I will try my best to create a warm and active climate for my students. I like this strategy.