Bring the Life Back to The

Classrooms

A Capstone Project report on

Teaching the science to the Primary Classes in the US:

The Best practices to learn

A tool kit

With the introduction to science teaching

models in US

With instructional strategies

Submitted By:-

Narayan Singh

Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching Program Fellow

India to United States

August 2015 to Dec. 2015

Table of contents

Page No

Chapter Contents

1 Preface

1 The Nature, Scope and objectives

2 Defining the best practices

3 An introduction to the instructional strategies

4 National Curriculum framework and problems of science teaching

5 The inquiry based science teaching

6 Building a science talk

7 The Cross cutting connections

8 The Project based model of science teaching

9 Learning cycle :The 5 E instructional model

10 appendices

Preface

Education has been a great liberating force ever since the human civilization came into being.

Historically, the human civilization took a long stride with the education as a tool of

transformation. Because education opened the doors of communication that led to the exchange

of knowledge and slowly by coming closer and learning from each other. All the civilizations

progressed together facing many ups and downs. The science education was another wing added

to the fast forward progressive movement of the human civilization. The science gave wings to

the human thoughts and revolutionized the world that today we have made a giant leap beyond

the galaxies. Taking into account the science education is on the prime agenda across the globe.

The science and technology education thus offers the abundance the opportunity of exchange

between the countries of the world for mutual learning and progressing human civilization,

building relations between the nation to nation. Keeping in view the some issues in elementary

science education under the aegis of the Fulbright Fellowship Program, I was in search of the best

practices of science teaching in the Primary education in United States as it has made remarkable

progress in every sphere of life by virtue of the science and technology and has emerged as de

facto global leader. The given tool book is based on my experience of current trends and practices

in United States Science Education in elementary schools. I would like to say it more a discussion

paper and less a tool book because I believe that all the instructional strategies incorporated here

must pass through the hands of the experienced hands of educators of our state and should be

owned by them after thorough discussion by them instead of being imposed upon them. These

strategies should be enriched by their experiences so that it may be able to serve the purpose it

has been developed for. This is the first purpose of the present tool kit.

Secondly, working on my inquiry project i.e. The Teaching of science to the Primary Classes in

the United States: Learning the Best Practices has been a new kind of experience here. Defining

the Best Practices in teaching Science is not an easy task. The best practices cannot be a set of

the keys that answers all the questions relating to the teaching of science. The practices of

teaching science depend upon the factors and those factors are the context and the environment,

time and space situational objectivity and subjectivity depending on a real classroom processes.

As a final product it is supposed to be a tool to be replicated in a given specific environment

hence it has a larger responsibility to be an instrument with the result oriented outcomes. Hence

to make its outreach far and wide it has to work in a trickle down manner as a teacher’s tool kit

from the state level Resource group to the teacher’s resource tool kit in every school of Himachal

Pradesh. This seems to be nostalgic dream but as evident from the history of science itself that

for every reality we see today had a dream behind it and without dream no reality has ever been

imagined yet. I have introduced three main tools to implement the best practices of science

teaching effectively in my state educational environment. Firstly the strategies to implement

these practices in Multi grade teaching situations as most of our schools are based on Multi-

Grade Teaching system so without taking the concrete prevalent situation into account no

strategy can prove successful. Secondly on the basis of my experience of the Host country the

science can be taught together with other subjects, considering its importance I have analyzed

the prescribed curriculum contents of my state and have created templates of the content

analysis together with the teaching practice to facilitate the teachers how they can use the

strategy in their curriculum context. Thirdly, I have introduces some tools to assess the

effectiveness of the BSCS model of science instructions by concretely defining the model in our

own context and have introduced the common lesson plan of the two Models i.e. The Project

Based teaching Model and BSCS: 5 E instructional model. The teachers can develop further lesson

plans using the same template. Though it cannot be termed as a systematic study or research in

collecting and compiling the contents of this tool book however have tried to create a platform

of the teaching resource information and kept open ended with a scope of further scope of

developing it into a compendium of the International Best practices in science teaching to the

tiny tots which give them the razor sharp outlook to think critically, organize systematically and

connect objectively and construct creatively in their laboratory of life . The larger responsibility

still lies on the shoulders of the teaching fraternity to work together to attract the students

towards science,, engage them in the activities which promote experiential learning instead of

the spoon-fed learning, helping them in connecting their ideas to the objectivities of the various

phenomena around them and ultimately creating tons of scientists from our classrooms

contribute in the rapid transformation of our country into a balanced socio-economic power.

I have no much experience of neither of the research nor of the writing hence in this first attempt,

though I do not want to save my skin from the genuine criticism from the experienced faculty,

teachers researchers and scholars rather their valuable suggestions and criticism definitely would

encourage and incise me to improve it consistently, yet anything in this tool kit that makes it even

least useful as a resource to the Teachers Trainers in the context of Himachal Pradesh Govt.

School System , I would be really repaying my debt to my teachers and the students and peoples

of Himachal Pradesh at large as I owe many things to them.

Acknowledgement

सस सससससस सस ससससससससस

ततततततत तततत तततततत सस सससससस सस ससससससससस त तततततततततत तततत तततततततततत तततततततततततत त - ततततततततततत

Education that which does not create attachments is a good action. All other actions only drain

your energy. Only the education that liberates is the right kind. All other education is like sculpturing.

The citation above is From the Vishnu Purana, one of the eighteen Puranas written between 3rd

century to 10th century, as the fundamentals of the development of the Hindu Mythology. The

Picture below is from the School Chicago founded by John Dewey The great US educationist

of the twentieth century. Both carrying the same meaning

Chapter One

The nature scope and objectives

To begin with the quotation from John Dewey, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”

Clearly sets out the objective of the broader general education. Where the life is in education? It

can be expressively be found in the facilitation and freedom of learning .The freedom cannot be

determined by the system itself but the receptiveness or the response of the learners towards

the domains of knowledge and the process of facilitation of knowledge influx. The amount of the

influx of that knowledge depends upon the adaptability and acceptability of the facilitation of the

knowledge process by the learner. The life and school relation can be obviously seen at the

opening and closing of the school. We generally see the children rushing towards the school in

the morning but this rush is just to enter in the school well in time not because of the engagement

or the enjoyment in the school a little however may be because of meeting the peers and friends.

At the time of closing the children rush to home more eagerly though they know there is no

timeframe to enter their house. This generally depends upon the feeling of belongingness which

pulls everyone may be a child or the adult or whatsoever. That belongingness engages make

enjoyable and energetic making possessive, participatory and more oriented towards learning.

The terms used hereinbefore like belongingness, engaging, enjoyment etc. denote feelings and

the feelings are the one which differentiate between the man and machines. In other words the

work without feelings is to machines and with the feelings is human and that is it; the life in

education.

There is another scene as well. During my school visit in US, I asked a little 3rd grader, that why

she loves to come to school? She says that she is to take care of the plants she has planted a few

days ago and wants to see them growing every day. Moreover she is also worried about her

plants wellbeing as well. She says that some of her peer pulled one of the plant mischievously

which dried eventually, in her absence when she had not been in the school for 2-3 days. She

cries for that plant and complains to the teacher. The teacher verified the episode. I say that not

to worry about the plants, she can even grow them even at her home where she can take better

care, she expresses her agony that she can’t because she doesn’t have the space to grow a plant

at her home ,as it is a rented apartment.

In another class I ask a student about but he prefers between home and school the answer is

school because he wants to know more about stars and these days the Teacher is teaching about

the Galaxies through and showing the pictures as well. Since he wants to go to space it is

important to know about stars .These are a few stolen moments from the students in the US

which inspire me to teach in the new ways and also help me in defining my objectives to teach

me in a new way not me alone but for my peers as well because bringing life back to learning can

only be cherished through science education in many ways because it offers freedom to think

beyond the structured domains and encourages to explore and engages in activities consequently

lets the phenomenon to be elaborated and explained. Consequently I decided to design a tool

book for the teachers to teach science based upon my experiences in United States where as a

visiting scholar I needed to know the best practices in teaching science to the Primary Classes

with the tripod of objectives:-

1. To introduce the existing models of Teaching Science in US to the teachers

2. To contextualize these models keeping in view the current curriculum of Himachal Pradesh

3. To enable it as a resource book for the classrooms to support the inquiry based experiential

learning and other most effective and widely used science teaching models in the United States.

The tool book clearly defines its objectives as follows:-

This is a resource book to support the teachers how they can make learning more explorative,

engaging, experiential and enjoyable in other words gearing their Learning Cycle up with the

natural instinct of the young learning in mind, that’s why it has been titled as “Bringing the life

back in learning.”

The book also tries to provide the on net information to the teachers from where they can access

the resources in order to equip themselves professionally.

Though mainly focused on the experiences of United States it has been tried to relate it to the

available support structure and resources so as to optimize them instead of adding an additional

burden upon the teachers such as suggestive library readings so far as possible.

Scope:-

There may be myriads of the objectives which this toolkit can meet with other than the outlined

above and like any other book dealing with the tools of teaching science as it is based upon

certain principles of Teaching science thus it should have a testing validity as well and for that

the entire State of Himachal Pradesh India with its current curriculum has been chosen to test

the efficacy of the models of teaching science which have been incorporated in this tool kit.

Hence broadly the area of replication of the model would be the state of Himachal Pradesh.

The curriculum also changes with the learning needs, thus keeping in view the possible change

in future, only the theoretical issues of the curriculum content have been taken into account

subsiding the importance of the focal issues taken up in the science curriculum because the focal

issues are subject to change with the time and space. Moreover the area specific focal issues

have been the well addressed in the current curriculum, if not the scope of our tool kit frame

work does not allow us adequate space to present the critique of the current curriculum in the

state. However if some teacher or the reader want to learn about the issues those matching with

the current curriculum, to enable him to know how these were or are addressed in United States

,some relevant links have been provided to further the knowledge of such interested reader as

additional source of information. Thus enabling this tool book to have a broader outreach in its

content and context. However, all the examples related to the current curriculum in Himachal

Pradesh, in order to make the tool kit more supportive, to the current textual contents.

In US classrooms there is not only the individual teacher for each classroom but also assistant

teachers and the teachers like Music Teachers Art Teacher, Physiotherapists, Special Educators

and a big support structure around, comparatively the schools of Himachal Pradesh can be

termed as Teachers impoverished schools mostly running the classes on Multi-grade Teaching

(MGT) hence there is a big challenge of getting these practices implemented in in letter and spirit

.But keeping the problem in view the following model has been developed to make the tool kit

effective in Training ,planning and implementing stages.

1. The lessons of the science texts of 3rd .4th and 5th grades have been integrated in order on

the basis of the content under Project Based Learning Model, and that is what under the

MGT is done.

2. Multi-Disciplinary Integration (MDI) approach has been introduced in this tool book with

concrete examples, how science can be taught together with other disciplines?

Limitations:-

I am to outline three broad limitations of this tool book. First of all it consists some tools and

instructional strategies relating to the effective implementation of the best practices of teaching

science in United states, which I have developed, may be helpful in teaching science and adapting

some of the best practices in the context of Himachal Pradesh but I have no mechanism to test

the validity of these tools by means of any experimentation hence these are hypothetic until

tested in other words these tools do not have test validity, because these need to be tested in

the classrooms and students for whom these are devised .Secondly , I have just introduced the

teaching strategies and models merely for the sake of introduction for want of time and space. I

have created the templates of some of the strategies merely because our curriculum is too large

to fit everything in these templates, for the further development of the curriculum as per the

instructional models it needed a large number of resources and time which I avoided keeping my

limitations in mind. For The brief introduction of the models I would say that there was a limited

space in this tool book hence I incorporated only the essential basic things, moreover there is an

abundance of reading material in form of the books and online resources, the interested persons

can have an easy access to these resources. Thirdly I would say my work just an introduction to

the teaching practices neither a research work nor a tool book in true academic sense. I am going

it to present to the teachers of my state for discussion hence I would say it a “Discussion Paper”

more accurately.

Hence it is open for testing and critique with the limitations outlined herein above.

Chapter Two

Defining the Best practices

Defining the Best Practices: - The practice can be better understood as the way to perform

continuously, the regularity of doing something over and again, rehearsing it in continuity in

order to master it or attaining perfection in it. But the practice cannot be termed as the pendulum

movement or moving on the same way to and fro. It is following the same process in different

situations facing new challenges improving it in continuum. Thus the best practice can be termed

as the most practiced activity tested indifferent situations and challenged and found practicable

and result oriented. Thus the periphery of practices in science teaching can be like this .More

scientifically introducing more rigorous tests and challenges in order to make the practice more

perfect.

Here in United States there are three major things that I have observed are;

1) The ambiance of the science teaching environment because it is the part of culture here

thus Science enjoys the community support and concern as well.

2) Keeping in view the concern that the science teaching is the only way to make the nation

stronger, many organizations, institutions and individuals are continuously practicing

experimenting and improvising the practices in science teaching, resulting in emergence

of innumerable ways, methods, techniques, technologies daily, defining and compiling

them and analyzing them in order to implement in our context is the hardest task in itself.

3) US education enjoys the autonomy subject to the condition to perform or to perish

hence there is National common core, state specific standards and some individualized

Schools on the basis of model like charted schools, Project Based learning schools and

many more out of this periphery. Other than this many agencies educationists and private

concerns are developing a plethora of instructional strategies, lesson plans and modules

in science teaching, thus bundling the best practices from one quarter would be sheer

injustice on my part.

Hence the only option left with me is to incorporate two Models of science teaching which have

defined practices and may be new to our environment in Himachal Pradesh, they are;

1) The project Based Learning.

2) The Learning Cycle: 5E instructional Model.

And adding other set of the practices which may be the most suitable according to our science

teaching standards. Since here two models are being introduced the set of other best practices

like inquiry science, interdisciplinary integration, science talk after a brief introduction that how

these are practiced in United States at ground level and how they can be related to our

curriculum instructions in order to make science teaching effective. Thus my definition of the

best practice here is;

“The prominent instructional practices of science teaching in United States, which are

implementable in the prevalent conditions of Himachal Pradesh Primary schools; either as a

whole or with the partial modification whatsoever, without inviting any policy change for the

implementation thereof.”

Thus the two models mentioned hereinbefore do meet the criteria as give in the above said

definition. The both the Models are in practice in United States and I have visited the schools

which are named after the Practice like Project Schools and have had deliberations with the

educationists and the faculty and above all research studies supporting the models. Other than

this there are some fundamental science teaching theories like Inquiry Science which is

unavoidable to not have mentioned, and is a regular science teaching practice in the schools

other than the Models given hereinbefore with the examples how this is practiced in the schools.

The interdisciplinary teaching with the introduction to the cross-cutting concepts. . The

interdisciplinary approach is the part of the pre-service teachers training here and the student

teachers write reflection papers on it. Also is the most suitable in the context of Himachal Pradesh

where science teaching does not have an edge even on the side of the teachers because of the

shortage of the teachers, thus it is more valid for the reasons. The science talk is another practice

having valid reasons to introduce here because it is also meaningful in our cultural context. My

little contribution is just to relate and modify these practices, in order to make easier to

implement in our local and textual contexts, which can be a tool of effective science teaching in

our state. Thus I have named it to be a tool book of instructional strategies in science teaching.

Chapter three

An introduction to the instructional strategies to implement the best practice

After defining the best practices two question arise first, whether these practices are not known

to our teachers in Himachal Pradesh and second, how to implement these best practices in the

concrete conditions of Himachal Pradesh? The answer to first question is definitely, yes! If yes

then why these practices are in use or owned by the teachers? The answer of the first question

there are two aspects of the problem. First there are no enough number of teachers even to fulfil

the basic minimum requirements of routine instructions in many schools of the state then how

we can expect the honest application of these practices. Secondly the teachers need to be trained

about the instructional models with certain problem specific strategies.

In order to substantiate the first aspect, it would be quite appropriate to reproduce the excerpts

of a report of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) namely “Quest for quality in elementary education:

The challenges and way forward.” The report reads as follows,

“One reason for the low levels of quality is Multi- Grade situation in our schools. The ASER

(Annual Survey Educational Reports) data on multi grade situation in our schools is quite

alarming. On one hand there is a need to train teachers in a better way so that they can handle

multi grade situation in a better manner, on the other hand we need to take steps to reduce the

number of single teacher schools.” (Sample: 272 schools)

Table: Multi grade classes 2007-2011

% of schools with 2007 2009 2010 2011

Std.II children sitting with one or more classes

60.8 57.4 58.7 50.7

Std.IV students sitting with one or more classes

54.6 53.7 54.0 44.8

Moreover here is the data of teachers in schools as per ASER 2011 report which shows;

Table: Schools by No. of teachers: Year 2010 and 2011

No of teachers

2010 2011

No. of schools

% of schools

No. of schools

% of schools

1 37 16.7 45 18.7

2 80 36.0 98 40.7

3 39 17.6 46 19.1

4 24 10.8 20 8.3

5 17 7.7 18 7.5

6 11 5.0 5 2.1

>=7 14 6.3 9 3.7

Total 222 100 241 100

Thus the report itself is self-explanatory that more than 50% of the schools of Himachal Pradesh

are run by single or two teachers.

In answer to the second aspect regarding developing some problem and area specific strategies

The report further suggests;

“In our schools the students are enrolled as per class and the text books are also class based

but the teaching happens in multi-grade situations .This creates practical difficulty.”

Thus I have tried to create the templates of some problem specific and area specific strategies

which may be helpful in the effective implementation of the

The content analysis strategy for multi-grade teaching situations: - Keeping the facts given

herein above I analyzed the content of our curriculum standards and developed the template on

the basis of integration of the contents so that can be taught in a multi-grade situation. Here I

was able to develop the template because of the time and space constraints. I hope to develop

it back home with the consultation of the teaching fraternity and institutions involved in

curriculum development and teachers training. The template is given herein under upon which

the whole curriculum would be integrated along with the instructional model. The templates are

given with the models of Instruction.

The content analysis for Multidisciplinary integration: - The second strategy for which I have

developed the template is the content analysis of multidisciplinary integration. This situation will

also facilitate the teachers to integrate the science curriculum with other subjects and thus they

will able to teach science together with other subjects. This needs to be developed further but

may be guiding in multidisciplinary integrational strategies.

Unit No

Grade Subject Unit content Interconnection with Mathematics

Interconnection with languages

1 5th Science Displacement Area calculation Writing difficult words , listening/sharing stories relating to displacement

The common lesson plans: - Third thing, I have developed a template of common lesson plans.

Which suggests that how we can use two models of science instructions i.e. the “Project based”

and “Learning cycle.” The lesson plans are the instructional steps that most of the teachers do

not like practicing in our state. Thus the chances of hotchpotch of the process of an instructional

are very common. Hence the teachers should devise lesson plans unit planning in order to deliver

the instructions in order.

These are not quite new strategies nor I claim them to be but I hope that the teachers’

academicians’ researchers or the developers of the curriculum can take them into consideration.

Chapter Three

The national curriculum framework and problems of science teaching

In accordance with the definition the first question is to relate these practices to the ethos of our

National Curriculum Framework (NCF) adopted in 2010, about the science teaching. These are

the guiding principles of our curricular framework, as per the concrete conditions of our country.

The revised National Curriculum Framework opens with a quotation from Rabindranath Tagore’s

essay Civilization and Progress, in which the poet reminds us that a Creative Spirit and Generous

Joy are key in childhood, both of which can be distorted by an unthinking adult world.

Outlining the basic purpose of education the NCF states,

1. Connecting knowledge to the life outside and schools.

2. Ensuring that learning is shifted away from rote methods.

3. Enriching the curriculum to provide for overall development of children rather than

remain textbook centric.

4. Making examination more flexible and integrated into classroom life.

5. Nurturing an overriding identity informed by caring concerns within the democratic polity

of the country.

Thus the NCF has envisioned a broad spectrum learning which teachers can make possible

by fostering these values in their teaching learning stratagem. The knowledge to life

outside the schools can only be made possible through the inquiry, experience,

exploration, explanation, connection, elaboration, application and replication of skills and

that is the science teaching or the scientific method of knowing the world outside. Hence

our education needs to be more science oriented.

About the learning of the children the NCF suggests,

“The children learn in variety of ways –through experience, making and doing the things,

experimentation, readings, discussions, asking, listening, thinking and reflecting and

expressing oneself in speech, movement or writing, both individually and with others.

They require opportunities of all these kinds in course of their development.”

All that has been said above can be meaningfully implemented through science teaching.

I may be obsessed, one can say; but it is not true because it is not only about science

teaching but teaching all other disciplines in a scientific way. That’s why it is insisted in

the United States as well to integrate the science teaching with other domains of

knowledge. But this intermixing should not go in an inexplicit manner, why the answer is

there but we need to understand the and examine the disposition of the science teaching

in the primary schools;

“At the primary stage the child should be engaged in joyfully exploring the world around

and harmonizing with it. The objectives this stage are to nurture the curiosity of the

child about the world. To have child engage in exploratory and hands on activities for

acquiring the basic cognitive and psychomotor skills, through observation, classification

etc.to emphasize design and fabrication, estimation and measurement as a prelude to

higher skills. Further the science and social science should be integrated as

environmental studies with health as an important component. Throughout the

primary stage there should be no formal periodic tests, no awarding of grades or marks

and no detention.”

Apparently this is the most scientific and pedagogical disposition beyond doubt but the

true spirit behind it is neglected to some extent in its implementation. For example the

observation of the environment has been given an ample space in our curriculum

standards but some of the problems taken up may not relate to the children residing in

other parts thus they may not take interest in. On the other hand observation is a very

broad term which need to be given a concrete shape. The observational ideas too must

have some testing validity. If the observation alone can work then everything that teacher

tells should be true to the child because without having witnessed being a part of the part

of the process knowledge cannot be confirmatory. There should be the scope of the lab

testing in the schools. When we are talking about the joyful learning the science offers a

variety of opportunities in making the learning joyful in many ways. There should be small

hands on tools in the lab. My experience as a student and as a teacher confirm this

because as a student I used to play with the spring balance of my school and the pulleys

and other tiny tools of the lab and learned the principles of the working of these simple

tools without the help of any lecture from the teacher. As a teacher I usually find some

students talking some tools in hand and lost watching them. This is their experiential

learning. The child at a very early age is more interested in discovering the wonders of

how the toy works than just being playing with it. He/she breaks them and tries to find

out the working principles behind it. While talking of the observation the joyous part of

the observation should be taken into account seriously. More importantly the neglect of

the tests should also be taken into the consideration. Well if we are not going to evaluate

the child’s learning in science that me be a good idea but shouldn’t it become the part of

their learning? If we are not testing the kids do we not require the learning as Pre-

knowledge? Doesn’t it need to relate with the other disciplines like languages and

mathematics? All these questions and concerns need to be addressed. Moreover

nowadays our education system is under deep crisis. The reason? The implementation of

the Comprehensive and Continuous evaluation with no detention policy. This system was

introduced in our state in the year 2005 and was implemented thoroughly. The result is

in the drastic fall in the student’s achievement level. This led our state government to

take up the matter with the federal ministry of education to revoke the policy. The

discussions are underway but all the stake holders including the teachers were not in

favor of the policy. All the failure were not because of the policy but due to the stringent

measures by which the science teaching could have been tested at some parameters if

not evaluated regularly. The evaluation to the context was not supposed to be of the

heavy scientific principles and scientific explanation behind it which discourage the

learner at the very outset. But more lenient approach led to the neglect of the science

teaching as an independent discipline. Here I am not presenting the critique to the NCF

but pointing towards the fact that the curriculum built on the basis of the NCF need to be

revisited. If we cannot make any change the Project Based Learning Model or the Learning

Cycle Model is the answer with its periodic evaluation and progressive changes.

Chapter five

The Inquiry Based Science teaching

What is the Science? This general question haunts everyone. The science may be broadly defined

as a domain of knowledge which tries to give the answer of the problem in a systematic

reasonable and tested way also having the universal validity. It is a system of knowledge which

postulates that

Everything is testable.

The test should be valid and universally acceptable. Though it may have exceptions in time and

space dynamics.

The result of test is also further testable as nothing is permanent. Every new truth or discovery

replaces the old thus the development of science as a discipline is also a continuous process.

The science is not a subject or discipline but an outlook of seeing, interpreting, applying,

critiquing and creating.

The scientific outlook starts with the observation, inquiry, hypothesis, testing, evidences,

reasoning and further interpretation and application and modelling.

There has been always a perpetual struggle in every society unscientific versus the scientific

outlook. Hence the learner in very small age carry the beliefs of the culture they belong to

.Sometimes the students or an individual do not relinquishes the beliefs even if the formal

education is over because of the impact of the religious and cultural beliefs . No society or the

culture likes to change its beliefs readily until unless there are the objective conditions are preset

there. The teacher is also a part of the society hence he or she may not be accepting the scientific

outlook despite of teaching it. And if by any reason he/she believes the scientific outlook the fear

of exclusion from the society. Hence the teachers are advised to not to go into the sharp contrast

of the science versus religion or other unscientific beliefs. The teacher should focus on building

the scientific beliefs by inculcating the scientific inquiry and reasoning supported by the evidence

through the instructions. The teacher should devise instructional strategies that may be helpful

in building scientific explanation and concepts through evidence supported inquiry process. The

student comes in the school with two layers one is culture and another is ignorance. The teacher

need never to hurt the both directly but putting him/her in such an environment where from he

may be able to form his explanation on the basis of the inquiry and evidences.

The experience of the United States: - In United states though this not an independent model of

instructions in Science however it is a part of the routine classroom science teaching. This is

unavoidable because there is no science without inquiry. For better understanding we need to

define inquiry.

Inquiry is a process consisting of several systematic steps to find out the cause effect

relationship in a phenomena brief overview of the scientific method would then contain these

steps as a minimum:

1. Make a set of observations regarding the phenomenon being studied.

2. Form a hypothesis that might explain the observations. (Inductive Step)

3. Identify the implications and outcomes that must follow, if the hypothesis is to be true.

4. Perform other experiments or observations to see if any of the predicted outcomes fail.

5. If any predicted outcomes fail, the hypothesis is proven false since if A implies B, then not

B implies not A. (Deductive Logic) It is then necessary to change the hypothesis and go

back to step 3. If the predicted outcomes are confirmed, the hypothesis is not proved,

but rather can be said to be consistent with known data.

Now the question arises whether the student like 1st or 2nd grader would follow these

steps the answer is yes and No.

As an instructor we are going to facilitate in forming concepts not going to block the

rational thinking of a child. Hence the answer yes is more sensible than No. In the process

of inquiry the steps given before is not the ultimate key only which may be applicable

everywhere rather as a science teacher one has to be more psychological than natural

scientist. We should be able to define age appropriate problems and also should be able

to devise the age appropriate instructional steps. Here we should not adhere to follow

up all the steps rather should begin with three steps

1) Claim

2) Evidence

3) Reasoning

For claim it may be a question out of what we have just taught. The next step is

hypothesis on which we are making the claim. The third is the experiment that the

class does for the testing of the hypothesis. After testing the hypothesis a brief

discussion may be relating to the some of the doubts of the students then the further

process of explaining by the teacher clarifying whether there is any exception to what

they have proved experimentally. There is a cycle in science of claim, evidence and

reasoning which helps in forming the concepts. But teacher should be careful that it

does not take a minute in concept formation. The experimentation further needs

explanation connection comparison and contrast and many ifs and what’s.

The Experience of the United States shows that the teachers have a very particular

professional approach of science teaching on the basis of the inquiry. The little

children take keen interest in the experimentation in the labs and they are so much

trained to the effect that they go well prepared and follow the instructions of the

teachers obediently. The pictures give below are the best examples of the inside story

of science teaching in the classrooms of the country. When I asked one little 3rd

Grader whether you like the experiments the answer has been awesome” Yep”

because I like it and gives us joy. How? I asked the next question, because we see

here what we read there. I was spellbound!

This is

Figure: This is how the inquiry science works

The pictures are self-explanatory about the implementation of CER Model IN US

(Courtesy: Elementary School, Bloomington)

Since it takes a long time for the formation of the concept so the best way is to inject the

idea, and wait for the outcome before proceeding to next step. Not going in much

theoretical details, on the basis of my experiences in United States the following lesson

plan template is being devised for assisting the teachers in writing instructions for the

CER framework of science teaching

Template of the lesson plan on CER framework

STEP 1

Introduction

Unit

Lesson

Title

Subject Matter

Problem

STEP 2

Placing

Hypothesis

Hypothesis 1

Hypothesis 2

Hypothesis 3

Hypothesis 4

Hypothesis 5

STEP 3

Instructions for

Experimentation

Organizing Material

Precautions

Process

Observation

recording

Proved that

STEP 4

What is proved

Presenting Data

Matching with

hypotheses

Exceptions

Replication

Generalization

This is a template and we can find various problems which need to be tested in lab. The

teachers in the beginning of the unknit should plan carefully that what kind of

experiments can be conducted in the class and should write down in the weekly plan

section of the teacher’s diary. This kind of learning is somewhat permanent in nature but

for the best results it should be connected with other disciplines, problems or situations

so as to enable the students generalize the learning.

Chapter six

Building a scientific talk

By any reason, Indian students talk a lot inside and outside the classrooms. But most of the time

inside the classroom in presence of the teachers, I have found them timid. The reason was not

known to me before but when I Observed the classes in my host school in the United States

where the teachers listen to the talks of the students patiently. Moreover getting motivated by

the course material in Indiana University science class, on talk my head turned towards my own

classroom situations. I remember a conversation between two little friend outside the classroom

I listlessly listened to it, I remember. The conversation was going on the sudden appearance of a

bear in the nearby jungle and attacked the goat of his father. How the bear had been the friend

asked? It had two horns and sized bigger than the buffalo. Are you afraid of a bear, the friend

quipped? No, never had I been there I would have beaten it with my father’s stick. This has been

the conversation when I suddenly erupted and the talk was finished. But today I feel that I had

aborted that magnificently beautiful talk. I am sorry my little friend, today I realize. What a

magnificent picturesque description of bear with horns and the courage of my little student of

beating it with a stick. The children are the best and natural artists but what about us, as director

or facilitator??? I feel that I could have listened to that conversation to its end. Now I think that I

could have done nothing set aside the plans and would have insisted on completing the story. I

assume that would have also not worked because in presence of an adult the fantasy of

imagination might have been lost. Because I as a teacher in their natural world am a foreigner.

And till they do not accept me as their part how can they let me enter in their natural world and

share their fantasies and imaginations.

Now the question arises that what should I do as a teacher? In our environment where the classes

remain unattended due to many reasons the talking among the children is obvious. What

generally happens a teacher suddenly enters in the classroom and shouts shut up!!! Is it

genuine??

Sometimes the teacher like me erupts suddenly in the class and the natural flow of the talk is

disrupted should a teacher let it continue??

With our entry when the students are engrossed in talk start our topic by silencing them and try

to switch over to a new topic, is it the psychologically acceptable approach?

This is one scenario. The other scenario is, I organized a talk on a scientific subject. And gave the

students the opportunity to talk about. I am trying the students to build a talk around the subject.

What would be the reaction??

Do all the student participate in that talk?

Do they contribute with some of their personal experiences?

Do they ask question when the presenter gives them opportunity to ask question?

Are all the students mentally present in the class all the times?

These are general issues when a teacher wants to build the talk either structured or unstructured.

In an unstructured talk the teacher has to listen carefully rather should facilitate the unstructured

talk what the students say? What are their beliefs and how far are they from the scientific facts.

Then should prepare that how those unscientific beliefs are removed from the brains of the

students. It is again insisted that the beliefs do not go easily rather those can be removed slowly

from the scientific enquiry process only. For structured talk also the teacher should make an

environment of informal talk and should no stop them in between but should try that the

misconceptions about the talk come out easily. For discussion the teacher should be in the role

of a mediator. He should give and teach discussion prompt.to the students as follows:-

Discussion prompts

Scenario Prompt Extended Prompt

Agree I agree Because

Disagree I disagree Because

Add I agree In addition to

Getting clarification I heard you say Is that right

Extend talk ,give reasons I think this is true because

Thus beginning with these prompts the teachers should encourage those who do not participate

in the discussion also the views of the minority may be protected and given due respect. The

concepts do not change by virtue you see happening or getting it proved but also it requires

support of discussion and further clarification hence the talk is the best practice inside the

classroom whether structured or unstructured it should be valued, guided and directed towards

the reasoning !

Chapter seven

The crosscutting connections

One of the major reasons of discouraging science teaching in Himachal Pradesh has been the lack

of adequate numbers of teachers and overburden and lack of priority to science teaching

considering science less important to other subjects like languages and mathematics. This trend

came in the wake of the NCF guidelines to reduce the load of the books from the school bags,

hence teaching science and social science together as Environmental Science and with no

emphasis on evaluation. This scenario made science teaching somewhat unnecessary subject

making it a very less taught subject or just as formal and non- serious ways. For all the reasons

given hereinabove are not valid in any case but our purpose here is not to delve in any such

discussion but to suggest some way out that how science can be taught in such conditions . The

answer is it can be taught together with other subjects. How, we shall discuss some crosscutting

connections of science with other subjects, so that while teaching science the teachers may not

feel overburdened and the core ideas of other subjects related to science may be emphasized

while teaching science.

Language has three basic areas, literacy, rhymes and stories the purpose of two latter areas are

supportive to the first one .The teachers think that the language and science cannot go together

whereas there are crosscutting connections between the two. The language gives us thoughts

and science cannot exist without thinking. On the other hand science new meanings to our lives.

Sr. No. Subject Content Area Connection with science

1 Language Literacy The science also needs the literacy while practicing or writing something the linguistic development can take place. It may increase the vocabulary of some typical words in science which may be very much useful to the learner in later stage

2 Rhymes There may be a number of rhymes on science which can develop the language and science together

3 Stories The science can be supported and taught through stories because the action suspense and thrill of the stories attracts children the most. India has a rich treasure of stories while teaching stories the teacher can explain the magical powers of the heroes of the stories in scientific way. For example The Ramayana story is very popular in India. The teacher can explain and can relate the magical powers or the weapons with today’s weaponry. The Pushpak Vimana or the lighter aircraft of today was imagines much before in our religious writings. The Agnivana (Fire weapon) is today’s warheads. .teacher while telling story of Ramayana can show the pictures of modern weaponry relating with the story.

How many students know why they study geometry the answer may be in don’t know or the

answer may be vague, because generally the teachers do not relate the learning of mathematics

to the real life of the students. If we relate the mathematical knowledge to the real life

environment and make the mathematical calculations as a part of the scientific inquiry the

learning becomes purposeful and joyful thereby.

Sr. No. Subject Content Area Connection with science

Mathematics Numeracy In science we need to know numeracy for data recording and interpretation .At Primary level at least the knowledge of four fundamentals addition, subtraction, multiplication and division is essential. The thrill of scientific experimentation will motivate the students to learn numeracy.

Weight &Measures

No experiment can be conducted without the weights and measures. By simple weighing the weight of the student they can be motivated to know about the weight and measure. This also leads to a purposeful learning of mathematics

Geometry Geometry and science has a deep interconnection. For the teaching of earth, surfaces and shapes the knowledge of geometry is essential. On the other hand why we study geometry the science gives its best answer as purpose of learning made known.

This is just a template we can go deeper in the content areas but if we want to bring the life back

in our classrooms we need to teach purposefully and the science gives the purpose to the learning

.

Chapter Eight

The Project based learning Model

Definition: - If we dream of a teaching learning structure that gives the students, Challenges,

Inquiry, Thinking, Constructing, and Collaborating and creating joyfully by themselves, the Project

based learning is the answer to the question. This Model since is scientific in its inception,

characteristics, practices, purposes and outcomes. Its popularity has crossed all the geographical

and disciplinary boundary. It is not a methods of science teaching only but has occupied its space

among all the disciplines. It can be witnessed from the fact that there is a vast majority of the

Public and Private Project based schools in the United States. Back home it is a part of the

Teachers Training and an integral part of routine teaching learning practices in Principle. Here we

will examine the objective and subjective situations due to which the very basic purpose of this

fundamental teaching learning model was marred, but before that we need to go its history its

characteristics and also some researches and reviews to establish that how this model is relevant

still and what we need to do or to make change in thinking, perspective, practices and

objectivities of the system, because the science teaches us that the failure in expected outcomes

of an experiment or the process may not necessarily denounce the scientific principle itself rather

it requires the examination of the process itself. In other words the quality of a product much

depends upon the material and the process. In pedagogical contexts the students are the

products, the school system including the human and material and human resources are the

materials and the models of the teachings can be termed as the process. Here be kept in mind

that the PBL theory is law in general the models or the process refers to its application and

replication. In a nutshell here we need to examine the limitations or partial or full failure of the

following of the process in Indian context in general and in the Context of Himachal Pradesh

(India) in specific. That would help us in delving the applicability issues and would enable us to

devise the best set of the strategies for this tool book.

The History of the Project Based learning: - Confucius the great Chinese scholar and Aristotle were early proponents of learning by doing. Socrates modeled how to learn through questioning, inquiry, and critical thinking -- all strategies that remain very relevant in today's PBL classrooms.

The idea got a big push from the twentieth century great US thinker educationist and philosopher John Dewey Fast-forward to John Dewey. Dewey challenged the traditional view of the student as a passive recipient of knowledge. His emphasis was more on experiential learning. He contended for instead for active experiences that prepare students for ongoing learning about a dynamic world. As Dewey pointed out, "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."

Maria Montessori launched an international movement during the 20th century with her approach to early-childhood learning. She showed through example that education happens "not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment." The Italian physician and child-development expert pioneered learning environments that foster capable, adaptive citizens and problem solvers. Jean Piaget, the Swiss developmental psychologist, helped us understand how

we make meaning from our experiences at different ages. His insights laid the foundation for the constructivist approach to education in which students build on what they know by asking questions, investigating, interacting with others, and reflecting on these experiences. Source: The Edutopia the website of George Lucas Educational Foundation

What are the research support in favor of the PBL model:-

The broad and varied definitions of project-based learning make it difficult to identify a distinct body of research on its practice. In fact, only a few studies have measured the effects of project-based learning on student achievement. Boaler (2002) compared student mathematics achievement in two similar British secondary schools, one using traditional instruction and the other using project-based instruction. After three years, students in the project-based-learning school significantly outperformed the traditional-school students in mathematics skills as well as conceptual and applied knowledge. In fact, in the project-based-learning school, three times as many students passed the national exam. The Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt University (1992) evaluated the effects of a series of video-based adventure simulations it developed. "The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury" provides a structure for students to work collaboratively on simulated real-world problems that require applying mathematical knowledge and reasoning. Compared with a control group, students who used the Vanderbilt series scored higher in solving word problems and in planning. On tests of basic math concepts, both groups scored the same. Beyond academic outcomes, the Boaler and Vanderbilt studies both found that experience with projects reduced student math anxiety and resulted in more positive attitudes toward math. Boaler also found positive effects on equity: The link between performance and student economic level disappeared in the project-based school and increased in the traditional school. In his comprehensive review of the limited research on project-based learning, Thomas (2000) found some evidence that this approach enhances the quality of student learning compared with other instructional methods. He also cited evidence that project-based learning is effective for teaching processes such as problem solving and decision making, but much of this research lacked comparisons with other methods. The handful of studies that have measured the effects of project-based learning have looked at programs that were better developed than the vast majority of projects created and carried out by individual teachers. Research on these more typical versions of project-based learning has not focused on the results but instead has shed light on the challenges of implementing this practice in classrooms. Marx, Blumenfeld, Krajcik, and Soloway (1997) documented several challenges teachers face in implementing projects. Among these are the length of class periods and the pressure to cover curriculum topics. Because inquiry-based projects take more time than teacher-centered instruction does, their use raises the perennial question of breadth versus depth. Teachers also need skill in managing multiple activities. Many projects use technology—for example, to provide simulations, opportunities for Internet research, or collaboration with others in a remote location—which makes additional demands on the teacher. To use project-based learning effectively, teachers must fully understand the concepts embedded in their projects and be able to model thinking and problem-solving strategies effectively (Blumenfeld et al., 1991). Worthwhile projects require challenging questions that can support collaboration, as well as methods of measuring the intended learning outcomes. Without carefully designed tasks, skilled teachers, and school conditions that support projects, project-based learning can devolve into a string of activities with no clear purpose or outcome. (Courtesy Jane L. David edleadership@ascd.org.)

Characteristics

The Project based learning is an offbeat teaching learning Model where the problem is the

dynamics of teaching learning structure. Here the Problem is in the upfront that that of the theory

is unlike any other modal of teaching and learning. The set of the instruction begins with the

Problem directed instructions, Goal specific instructions such as the team, material, time

outcome reflection and evaluation also in the midst there may be some more problems in

disguise where the teacher may work as a facilitator and students learning more from the

experiences than by cramming anything. Thus in this way the learning becomes joyous. This

model has two kinds of characteristics first general characteristics and second specific

characteristics.

General Characteristics

Exploratory :- The students encounter with the structured and unstructured problems thus they

explore the domain and experience learning themselves this learning is compatible to their

cognition and recognition and is more simulative than in any other kind of learning and most

importantly is joyous.

Expository:-The knowledge becomes expository and real through the pains and gains thus the

students are more confidant to elaborate the facts and the phenomenon and is long lasting in

their memories. The experience by doing makes the learner more adaptable to face challenges

so all the additional experiences of adversities while exploring the problem becomes the

expository knowledge to them.

Confirmatory: - The problem is upfront and exploring it for the solution and finding the laws or

the principles behind it is the key feature of this model. In this model the learner confirms the

facts and phenomenon by exploring and doing themselves thus the outcome is confirmed by the

learner itself.

Collaborative: - This modal has many phases of collaboration at various stages even if the learner

is single it barely happens though. The learner encounters with the situations outside

environment thus has to collaborate at various stages. As a team when the learning is multi-

tasked the team members have to collaborate at the final stage thus the learning multiplies with

the collaboration. For example if there are four teams in a class working on four different tasks

of a unit need to share the learning at the final stage thus it promotes collaborative learning and

exchange learning.

Creative learning:-

The creativity is one of the magnificent characteristics of this modal. The students have to create

some model or the prototype thus this part reflects the creativity in the learners. This is the

distinct feature of this model that allows the students to work beyond the boundaries. This gives

them more independence than in the experimentation as well. In experimentation one has to

follow the set procedure whereas in this modal they enjoy the freedom of creativity as well. But

this creativity more applies to the environmental studies than that of the pure physical sciences

thus this method is the best method or the Primary level students.

The Planning and instructional strategies for PBL in Primary classes:- There are abundant

resources in Project Based teaching but keeping in view the scope of the present discussion paper

I am focusing on what I observed through my school visits in United States and secondly the

relevant workable strategies in our curricular context. In first leg I will discuss how the model

operates and secondly how we can connect it our curriculum. Let’s discuss it on the first thing

first basis.

The Problem: - The project based learning is a problem based learning hence it starts in a quite

opposite way. Here the teacher does not explain the lesson upfront or delivers lecture, rather

identifies the problems and develops the instructions for the projects based on the problems

where the students work collectively on those problems and find solutions themselves. The

teacher is in the role of a facilitator in the process and as an evaluator at the end of the project.

He/she focusses on “What is the Problem” This is the part of instructions to clearly explicitly

instruct the students about the problem connecting to their previous knowledge. Since the

problem is the upfront part of the instructions it should be borne in mind that the problem is

clearly defined to the students. For example teaching the lesson on crops as in the book of EVS

of grade 5,

The question can be?

Where the seeds disappear after we sow them?

How can we prove that the plant belongs to the seeds sown?

Can we sow them every time we like or they have some time requirements?

These may be the four project questions to be assigned to the four groups of a class or if we are

teaching them in Multi-Grade-Teaching situation in a school.

The Unit planning and time frame: - Since this is a learning by doing methodology, we cannot

skip the project work .But every project requires a definite time frame to compete the process.

For example the crop cycle takes three months’ time so what will the students be doing all that

time. The answer lies in the time frame settings in the instructional design. The time frame may

be of two types in first type the students will observe the growth of plants regularly the teacher

will give them the observational instructions and will proceed with the other unit. He will talk on

the project on the scheduled days i.e. after 15 days and may assess the observational assignments

as per the rubrics till the crop cycle is over thereby the end of the project as well. In second the

teacher starts working on other similar unit so that he may be keep talking about or tracking the

progress of the students of the previous project in continuity. In a Project school in the host

country the students of the 8th grade worked on aquaponics throughout the academic year. But

this is no workable in our situations, but when we asked the questions to the students on

aquaponics the answers were amazingly awesome with expertise of the subject matter. Because

they had dealt with each aspect of the project. In our scenario the teachers can assign one project

and can switch over to the next but preferably on relating subject matter. Like The chapter on

crops and jungle can go together one after another. The planning for the time frame is needed

once only and slight modifications can be made after the experience of the previous session. The

unit planning for the projects should be on the basis of the content area and time frames.

The Groups formation:-The collaborative learning is the key aspect of the PBL. The students work

in groups. The groups can be formed on the basis of the class or in multi-grade situation the

groups can formed on the basis of the common content area. The second issue in formation of

group is to form group on the basis of the level of the achievements and interests. This method

keeps them at the same level thus they are able to understand and work together more

comfortably. The teacher may also be able to track the progress of the students if the groups are

formed this way. The groups formed on common learning and interests may be helpful in

developing hobbies and interests along with common developmental goals. But some

educationists do think that the groups should be formed on the random basis so that the students

come out of their comfort zones and may be able to cope with any situation. I think the second

way is more important for adaptability and to face the unpredictable situations in life.

The roles and responsibilities in group: - After the group formation the next task is assignment

of roles and responsibilities to the group members. The schools I visited in US do this in different

ways and but every school was particular about assigning the roles and responsibilities, because

for individual assessment the roles and responsibilities count. Nobody can escape this. In my

question in a school that do the bullying students usually work. The teachers explained that those

students are given the role of evaluator and maintaining discipline so that their habit of bullying

is controlled psychologically. Well main roles can be assigned in two ways one is on the basis of

task analysis i.e. how many steps are there in the task? Secondly the quality control. Since there

is an intra-group competition for excellence the tasks are assigned on the basis of the quality of

the project work. There may be the role of mediator, spokesperson, evaluator worker and many

more on the basis of my observation in the classes in the host schools, I can say. More rationally

the teacher should keep in mind that the tasks are given to every student and no student is able

to skip thus practicing the principle of collective decision and individual responsibility in an

organizational way.

Materials: - Most of the projects require materials hence the teacher should take care that the

adequate material is arranged on the tables. Make sure that the students know how to use the

material. The safety concern should also be well addressed. The teacher should make sure that

the list of the material and safety guidelines should be handed over beforehand. It should be the

part of the instructional planning that the material is readily available beforehand in the school.

Children should be advised to hand over the material to an assigned person after the completion

of the project so that we may be able to reuse the material. The disposable materials should be

disposed of at an appropriate place.

The role of the teacher: - In this model the main tasks are performed by the students. The teacher

is in the role of a facilitator. However it should be borne in mind that the PBL is a model which

gives the students a chance to learn from the problems independently but it should be clearly

borne in mind that the teacher has always a key role. Exactly like a key to open the locked the

doors of ignorance of the students. The teacher should first of all instruct the students clearly

and explicitly. He should define the problem and should encourage the students to explore the

problem and make them ready to face the challenge themselves. He should teach the students

the group dynamics. How a group works and how an individual should work in a group. He should

orient the students to handle with the tools along with the maintenance and up keeping of tools.

He should be vigil about how the group work and try to facilitate and help them when and where

they need the help of the teacher. Finally he should evaluate the work as per the rubrics and

should ensure that the learning has been actually occurred.

The final product and its relation to the curriculum standards:-The project should end with a

fruitful product. The product for primary classes could be an essay, Chart, Diagram or model. The

final product should reflect what the students have learnt from the process. What is their learning

outcome? Did it meet the objective? The teacher should give the students be given the right to

decide what the final product could be. However the teacher can guide the students logically

that why the suggested product could not be the suitable one. Moreover the product should have

direct relationship with the curriculum standards. It should be made explicitly clear that how the

product meets the curricular standards. It is the only method through which we can clearly

evaluate whether the students are meeting learning goals or not?

The Peer review: - After the project activity there should be peer review at two levels within the

group and intragroup for the refinement before presentation. The teacher should fix the norms

for the peer review. The peer review teaches the students to think systematically logically and

criticality. There are some suggested review prompts which the teacher can teach the students

while reviewing the product.

It’s all right but you need to add this point.

You have exaggerated the point. Does it really happen?

You could have made this chart more colorful and beautiful. You have missed the…………………….

Your model does not look like the real one because……

Giving reason even if you appreciate and critiquing with reasons always.

The presentation: - After the peer review there comes the presentation. For the presentation we

can make it an event. The teacher should help the students in making the presentation. For the

presentation we can invite some guest also. After the presentation the work of the students

should be displayed in the place specifically designed or assigned therefore that gives the

students encouragement.

Table with to do list for the teachers and students

Sr. No.

he steps The Roles Remarks

Teacher Students

1 Problem presentation To present the problem before the students

To listen and understand clearly

2 Instructions The teacher should clearly instruct the students regarding the steps of the project

The students should clearly try to understand the steps of the project.

They can ask the teacher if they have not understood

3 The group formation The teacher should form the groups

Should group themselves as suggested

Remember with whom you are

4 The roles and responsibilities

The teacher should define The students should follow

5 Material The teacher should make the material available to each group

Hand over to a member

6 Working on project The teacher should observe the students vigilantly

The students should work collectively and diligently

Students can seek the help of teacher.

7 Peer Review The teacher should listen carefully and teach how to review a work critically

The students should review the work self critically and should focus on quality issues.

8 The presentation The teacher should guide the students how to make a presentation

The students should make the presentation in accordance with the standards of a presentation

9 The final product sharing The teacher should guide about final product

The students should create and share with other groups

It may an essay ,chart or model

10 Connecting with the standards

The teacher should connect students learning with the standards

The students should relate their knowledge to the curriculum

The problems and scope of the successful implementation of the Model in Himachal

Pradesh:-

We have discussed the model not going in much details but just an introductory detail of the

model to facilitate the teachers, which fit in the scope of a tool book. Though it is the best practice

which should be adopted by every school but it has some practical limitations too which we need

to discuss and reach to a reasonable understanding that how this model can be practiced in

Himachal Pradesh.

1. The training requirements: - At the very outset the question of the trained Resource Persons

come up, that who will impart the training to the in-service -teachers and what kind of the

training support is required. The training structure in the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, an initiative in

India under Education for All is very much strong. There is a State Resource Group at state level

and at District level and also at the Block level. They impart the training to the teachers at their

respective level. The state Resource Group imparts the training to the Distt. Resource Group and

the Distt. Resource Group to the Block Resource Group and the Block Resource Group to the

general teachers for 10 to 20 days scheduled training calendar per year. Thus this training can be

imparted with the help of this tool book and using online resources as well. Since it would be a

big initiative the implementation of can be done by selecting an Action Research Model just the

cluster of some schools or the Block. The areas and size of the Cluster, Block or the District are

defined in this tool book elsewhere

2. The shortage of the teachers: - The budgetary cuts and clench fisted expenditure has always

resulted in under the mark quality in education. Himachal Pradesh though claims to have the

People Teacher Ratio above the national average yet its distribution is still uneven and except a

minuscule exceptions there is no per class teacher and almost all school run on a Multi-Grade

Teaching. For every innovation in education it has been the first biggest issue so far. This scenario

cannot be changed in a while but the changes can be made in the teaching Modals or the

pedagogical instructions. Here we are creating a template of the lesson plan for teaching science

to the Primary class in Himachal Pradesh which can be used in Multi-Grade Teaching. The PBL has

an inbuilt characteristic of integration and collaboration which we can make use of. The PBL has

also a scope of multidisciplinary teaching, we also can make use of this characteristic where we

face the shortage of the teachers.

3. The lack of infrastructure: - This is a big question in the quality dimension in education. There

may not be lack of infrastructure but it also reflects the poverty of the planning in two ways,

firstly The PBL might have been originated in the United States but it is a widely accepted teaching

methodology and also is the part of the Pre-Service teachers training. Despite of the fact while

ordering the material for teaching learning a crisp and concrete proposal is not prepared that

why do we need a specific thing in teaching . There should be an institutional level planning for

the material requirement. In Himachal Pradesh there is a School Development Plan Cluster

Development Plan and Block development Plan which can serve this purpose. Also there are

annual grants and the school heads are independent to make purchases as per their

requirements they just need the approval from the school Management Committee. Here the

question arises that how many Members of an SMC are oriented to the Pedagogical issues or are

they capable in debating that the material required is really much needed to meet the

pedagogical requirements? They mostly pass the resolution and make purchases without any

supervisory mechanism comprising the Teacher Trainers or the educationists to give final

approval to such purchases by establishing justification for such purchases .In a nutshell there

should be mechanism to purchase the material with the consent of the educationists who may

justify the purchase being of an instructional requirements. The second leg in this matter is that

the science teaching at primary level is not much encouraged hence the material purchase is

biased on this count. Here we need to strongly advocate the PBL for primary level and need to

motivate the school administrators in this regard so that an environment to this effect may be

created and the adequate infrastructure may be created in the schools to implement the PBL

successfully.

4. Lack of motivation among the teachers: - The lack of the motivation among the teachers is

still a big issue. There may be several reasons behind it. The lack of training, lack of

professionalism and accountability. Shortage of staff, deployment for the other non-teaching

assignments and many more. But there is another scenario emerging for the Govt.run schools

the Private schools are posing a challenge of the survival. By attracting the big chunk of the

students by the private schools in the pretext of the quality in education and parents support in

the pursuit of the better education in these private schools comparatively, many of the schools

in urban areas are almost at the verge of no enrolment thus they pose threat to teachers staffing

plan in those areas. Many schools are closing because of no enrolment. We can give a waking call

to teachers either to innovate or to perish. The PBL may be the best Modal to bring the students

back to the govt. schools we may also get public support for this because the Public (Govt. Run)

schools still are the cheapest mean of education.

5. Orientation of the administrators:-Last but not the least but the practical requirement of the

implementation of the PBL partially and experimentally though cannot be successfully

implemented. There are several issues like pedagogical, curricular, financial and administrative

without having the nod from the govt. it cannot be implemented in any case. Therefore in the

project proposal it was clearly stated that the orientation of the educational administrators need

to be organized as a top priority while making innovations in education in Himachal Pradesh. The

question of the funding and participation still need to be addressed. May be it may be taken up

as a part of the alumni grant.

The instructional strategies for the implementation of the PBL in the schools of Himachal

Pradesh

In the present scenario of Himachal Pradesh for the implementation of the PBL to devise

instructional strategies we need to analyze the content of the syllabus of science We have

discussed the practical issues with the best possible solutions herein before, now we need to

make a content analysis of the current syllabus of science in Himachal Pradesh which can be

adapted for the PBL modal in two ways firstly the Multi-Grade teaching situation and secondly

the multi-disciplinary integration way .

The template of content analysis format for MGT in PBL Modal

Sr. No.

Class Name of the Chapter

Content area Instructional assignment

Material required

Group Work or the division of labour

5th Karan’s family

Introduction to family with the problem of displacement

The relatives and friends reason of liking and emotional effects departing with them through anecdotal records.

Notebook and pencil and usual classroom stationery

4th Relatives Introduction of the relatives other than the primary family

How they are our relative’s .Puzzles relating to the relationship like what is your Grandma’s son to you?

3rd My family Introduction to family

Name of the relations and relatives in order of preference and why you like them? Are you dependent upon them? Why?

In teachers training workshops such templates can be developed where the chapters for the

integrated classes can be developed with the similar content area for teaching in a multi grade

situation. One of the best use of this template can also be used in the writing of the teacher’s

diary and Lesson Plans. The Teachers Diary and lesson Plan are a mandatory in the classrooms in

HP. the teachers diary is not written in a systematic way for want of the systematic organization

of the classroom transactions. Thus the lesson plans and the Teachers diaries are missing its real

purpose. If we write an MGT plan in Teachers Diary and PBL instructions the Lesson plans these

things can may not be missing in ground level. In US teachers are very much particular about the

Lesson plans.

Interdisciplinary integration:-

The PBL offers an ambiance of learning through its flexible modus operandi. The learning through

model can be applied to other disciplines also. It can be easily integrated with any other discipline

and other domains of knowledge .The teacher can develop the set of instructions to integrate

the mathematics with science. For example the above template can be modified a bit to integrate

with the mathematics as per the example given below. The logic behind the relations can develop

the logical reasoning among the students. Thus the learning through this method can be easily

integrated to other disciplines can enrich their knowledge in other domains as well. Given below

template of instructions integrates the lesson with mathematics

The template of content analysis format for Multidisciplinary /Multi grade teaching in PBL

Model

Sr. No.

Class Name of the Chapter

Content area Instructional assignment towards the integration of mathematics

Material required

Group Work or the division of labor

5th Karan’s family

Introduction to family with the problem of displacement

Can you confirm the circumference of the Poung Dam and calculate the sq. Kms of the land submerged ( in PBL the circumference and land submersion need to be calculated with the help of the cardboard)

Notebook and pencil and usual classroom stationery

4th Relatives Introduction of the relatives other than the primary family

If your father is 3 times older than you and you are 19 after 11 years how old would your father be and how many times older than you

3rd My family Introduction to family

No of the family members and their age calculation and also calculating the age difference.

There may be myriad of examples but in PBL when we are relating learning to their family and

natural environment surrounding them it attracts them thus brings back the learning in their life.

The teachers will also have new experience every day and may also get rid of the redundant

teaching.

Integrated Lesson Plan for 5th Grade under PBL and 5E

Learning Models

Sr. No. 1 Objectives Material required

Cross-cutting concepts

Grade

Subject

Unit

Chapter

Project Title The ecological impacts of Dams

Instruction step 1

Knowledge domain / Engaging

1 Writing the name of the major dams of district Chamba.

The knowledge of the dams of the district

Maps of the dams

2 Finding out the biggest dam

Area calculation Notebooks

3 To land submerged To find out the loss caused by the dam

Instruction Step 2

Exploring

1 Meeting the persons affected for anecdotal records

2 Meeting the Vill. Revenue officer to know how they measure land and also value land to ascertain the compensation in lieu of land loss.

The students can calculate the area of their field.

3 Meeting the forest officers how they calculate the loss to the trees and accord sanction to the projects

4 Meeting the environmental

scientist to know that how much oxygen a tree produces. What are the other ecological impacts of damming

5 Meeting the engineers to know why they build dams and what are their benefits to :- 1 The local peoples 2 The country

Instructional step 3

Explain

1 The estimated loss of trees

2 The number of persons displaced

3 The benefit to the local peoples

The benefit to the nation

Instructional Step 4

Elaborate

1 To assess the loss of a proposed dam nearby and to write a report about it.

2 To calculate the area of the arable land / grass land and to value the cost of land you have

Can you increase the value of the land you own? Write how?

Chapter Nine

The learning cycle: 5 E instructional Model

Introduction: - The science has proved itself as the engine of the socio-economic development

of the society. It has radically changed the whole globe .It has dramatically influenced every

dimension of human life. Conceding the importance of the science the science education has also

been given the utmost importance. Philosophers from time to time have been creating new

model of teaching or instruction for better understanding of the scientific concepts .The

understanding implies to the intangible force of thinking if applied scientifically that overtures

the concepts, unlocks the myths and transcends the experience. The 5 E instructional Model is a

systematic model which develops our understanding of scientific phenomenon .It advances the

learning in a cyclical way or the spiral way systematically cohorts psychological principles of

learning . We need to go in the brief historical account of the development of this model for

developing a better understanding of the model. In US it is a part of the routine teaching practices

and the simultaneous researches are also going on its various aspects. May be over the time

some new model may emerge but still this is an unparalleled method not only applicable to the

science teaching but also for the other disciplines .

The History of the development of the Learning Cycle:-

John Dewey a twentieth century great educationist philosopher and psychologist was the person

who strongly influenced the US education. He believed the learning by doing is more practicable

and conducive for learning than the traditional lecture method F Herbart a German philosopher

also greatly influenced US education. He believed that the primary goal of education is character

building. Herbart believed that the in the process of building character the cognitive thoughts

play an instrumental role hence the process of education should be related to the cognitive

domain of human beings .He believed that there are two fundamental ideas for educational

dynamics the interest and the conceptual understanding. For interests he contended that there

are two reasons one is the direct experience with the natural world and other is social interaction.

For the instructions the teachers can use the objects from the natural world and should make

connection to the prior knowledge. Herbart believed that the teachers recognize the social

interest of the students hence teaching should incorporate the opportunities for social

interactions among the students and the students to teachers. The Harbertian Model remained

in use in educational instruction for more than a hundred years.

Then Came up the John Dewey Model with more improvement in the Herbart Model. John Dewey

Outlined. Defining the problem, noting conditions associated with the problem, formulation of

hypotheses for solving the problem. Elaborating the value of various solutions and finally testing

the idea.

Rodger W. Bybee (Creating Teachable

moments)

In 1950 a variation of John Dewey’s Model emerged in science methods textbooks ( Heiss,

Obourn and Hoffman, 1950) The authors based their Learning Cycle on Dewey’s complete act of

thoughts with Exploring the unit, Experience getting organization of learning and application of

learning.

In 1950 one more physicist Karplus who was concerned about the science teaching studied with

Jean Piaget in 1961. In 1962 Karplus and J, Mayron Atkin proposed a systematic approach to

instruction. The proposed Learning cycle with three phases Exploration, Invention and Discovery.

This model became foundational aspect of Science Curriculum improvement study (SCIS) a

project led by Robert Karplus and Herbert Thier.

In 1980 The Biological Science Curriculum studied (BSCS) team led by Rodger W. Bybee worked

on the learning cycle and finally developed the 5 E instructional model to present form. Since

then it is more popularly known as 5E instructional model and has been widely accepted as per

the researches have shown below.

A number of studies has shown that the learning cycle has many advantages when compared

with other instructional approaches. These studies are summarized in Abraham and Renner have

investigated in form of acquisition of information in the learning cycle.

The BSCS 5E instructional model: creating teachable moments by Rodger W. Bybee.

This model is a balancing model between the learning by doing and using psychological aspects

in instructions and is widely practiced model not only in United States but also has crossed the

borders.

The historical account of the Model shows us the various ways and approaches it has reached

to its current stage of development and is being implemented in various states and the schools

of the United States, the report reads as follows,

This report summarizes recent research on the sequencing of science instruction, including

laboratory experiences, in order to facilitate student learning. Specifically, the report provides a

rationale and empirical support for the BSCS 5E Instructional Model. One reason for reviewing

the historical development and research base for the BSCS 5E Instructional Model is its

ubiquitous use in education today. This widespread use falls into three primary categories of use:

1) documents that frame larger pieces of work such as curriculum frameworks, assessment

guidelines, or course outlines; 2) curriculum materials of various lengths and sizes; and 3)

adaptations for teacher professional development, informal education settings, and disciplines

other than science. A simple internet search, using a popular search engine such as Google,

reveals the wide and varied applications of the 5E model. In spring 2006, this type of search

showed the following range of uses:

• More than 235,000 lesson plans developed and implemented using the BSCS 5E Instructional

Model;

• More than 97,000 posted and discrete examples of universities using the 5E model in their

course syllabi; • More than 73,000 examples of curriculum materials developed using the 5E

model;

• More than 131,000 posted and discrete examples of teacher education programs or resources

that use the 5Es; and 2 • at least three states that strongly endorse the 5E model, including Texas,

Connecticut, and Maryland.

Thus it shows that how much effective this model is and how it is gaining ground across the

United States.

The description of the Model in context of Himachal Pradesh

The 5 E instructional model is based upon the analogies of 5 Es’ here we need to establish that

how each ‘E’ is embedded systematically according to the scientific principles of learning. For

making it more practicable I have added tools of testing the validity while teaching in classroom

on the basis of my experience of teaching for more than fifteen years and also acing as a teachers

trainer in my state. The appropriate place of testing these tools can be the classroom but while

going to classroom with certain tools will be more helpful for the teachers than going empty

handed. May be by the time as we know from the history of the development of the 5 E model

there may be big changes in the tools provided here but the pioneering work never goes

unrewarded. At least this can be a reason for someone for critiquing testing the validity of these

tools and developing new ones replacing my tools I reiterate.

Engaging: - Generally every teacher tries to engage his /her students during the classroom

transaction process but the engagement need to be defined because whether we accept the

evaluation or not in principles but where there is the investment of resources the outcome

cannot be avoided. In a school a lot of the resources including human or the material are at stake

in order to generate a quality human resource hence the every activity inside the periphery of

education is measurable .Hence the teaching or the application of a model cannot be left to the

willingness of the teachers and the students. On the other hand the natural learning principles

should also be taken into account. Thus there should definitely be the engagement of the

students but it should be stimulated one than the driven engagement. That is what happens in

most of the classrooms during science teaching in specific context of the schools of Himachal

Pradesh despite of the fact that there is no dearth of the stimuli in the environment and the

science in the elementary schools of Himachal Pradesh is more an environmental study that that

of any physical science true to the aspirations of the National Curriculum Framework. Until unless

there is no engagement in science teaching it can never be termed as science teaching. It is the

science teaching only which has a potential of engaging the students. Before we analyze the

content of the text book currently in use in the schools of Himachal Pradesh we need to systemize

the engaging process for two reasons;

1. To give a better understanding of the engaging process.

2. To make it measurable in terms of assessment which teacher may be apprehending as

the wastage of time by over engaging the students in science only neglecting other major

subjects.

The best defining parameters have been given as follows,

1. Definition

2. Requirement

3. Indicators

4. Measurement

Defining the engagement: - The engagement of the students reflect in the teachable moments.

No teachable moment can happen without the active engagement of the learner. The teachable

moments are the best moments when the student shows full readiness towards learning. He/

She ready for learning mentally, physically and emotionally .How teacher can create teachable

moments? For the answer we need to quote Rodger W. BYBEE

“As a classroom teacher you do not have to wait for something out of their blue you can create

teachable moments by using sequence of lessons that includes engaging experiences and

activities for the students, but the experiences should be beyond student’s immediate grasp.

Imagine using an instructional sequence that begins with an experience of high interest but is

beyond students understanding, and then the lessons provide opportunities for students to

sort out their ideas and try to explain the initial situation as the sequence continues. This leads

you to the moment to help the students gain knowledge and understanding of the experience”

Requirement: - The requirement of student’s engagement starts with the engaging questions.

Every question is engaging though then why the students do not perform well? The questions

may be engaging doubtlessly but the instructions may not. It is the instruction that engages the

students with question by relating it to their life, environment, interests and problems. The

teachers generally do not distinguish between the curriculum and syllabus. They focus on syllabus

not on the building of the curricular understanding the lessons or the units in a book should be

integrated to the area specific environment. For example in another lesson where question of

felling tree is focal I gave the students project work relating to the study of felling tree, In this

lessons they were asked to find out the sites where the trees were recently cut and how did it

impact the environment to one group and the other group was assigned the task to discuss with

their parents that who and why people cut the trees? The answers from both the groups have

been amazingly interesting .One girl told that she misses the sparrows and the birds after the

tree nearby her house was cut. Others told that their parents cut trees because they need to

build the house, they go in the forests sneakily and cut trees according to their needs because

the government does not allow them to cut trees legally. The other child told the story that since

his father is unemployed hence he cuts trees for selling and getting money. What I did here just

change in the pattern of the lesson plan focusing it to their home environment. I found all the

groups more engaged in the discussions and deliberations than any day else before because they

were more familiar to their environment and they loved it. That’s why I say bringing the life back

in classrooms. In case of Karan’s family chapter of grade 5 we need to develop lesson plans and

instructions relating to our own environment the child may be more attracted if we show the

pictures of a local dam than that of the given one in the lesson. The lesson plans should be

prepared with context or the area specific and so the instructions relating thereto. The questions

relating to their familiar environment may be more attractive where they may engage in finding

answers but the answers to all the similar problems are the same generally hence stymied

instructions can keep themselves engaging and eager to figure out the problem.

Indicators: - Let’s make the indicators of the engaging less technical by just observing

their curiosity promptness to talk about and ask questions about. Readiness to learn

about and completing the assignment in a given timeframe. If the teacher still insist to

measure the engagement the following table may be helpful in measuring the level of

engagement. The indicators may be the readiness, promptness, and questions positive

emotions and the motivation level.

Measurement of the indicators: - The achievement or the engagement should be

measured

The indicator for the teachers to evaluate the student’s engagement

Sr. No

Name of the student/Group No.

Questions asked during previous Unit

Questions asked during this Unit

Promptness in responses

Promptness in completing assignments

Time taken in completing the assignment

1 Group A

2 Group B

3 Group C

4 Group D

Here through this tool we can measure how much engaged are our students in the

assignment. Here the performance outcome has not been defined because at the level of

engagement the learning outcome is not expected. The engaging also has some stages

hence we should we watchful of these stages the instructional stage, the perplexing stage,

the performance stage inquisitive stage. In instructional stage we should keenly watch

whether the learner is attentive towards the instructions if not the engaging stage is

aborted at the starting point itself. There may be other stage after the instructional stage

where the learner is perplexed and jiggles .This stage is also important because this shows

anxiety fear and concernedness of how to perform. If this is not happening in the

classroom it may be due to lack of interest or not having followed the instructions. If the

teacher does not intervene here the engaging can never happen. The performance stage

is when after the perplexing stage is over and the student focusses on the problem.

Inquisitive stage is the final stage where the new questions erupt in the mind of the

learner. If this is not happening then the teacher must review what wrong has gone in

instructions.

Explore: - Exploration adds wings to the thoughts in science and gives the meaning to the

engaging. In the early stage of the development the exploration has been the first step

in learning cycle. The engaging questions motivate the person to explore.

Definition: - Exploration has been a part of Piagetian psychological model of learning.

After continuous researches and studies under the BSCS model Rodger W. Bybee has

defined the exploration as follows:-

“The explore phase should send the students in a direction that will help them begin

resolving any disequilibrium of the teachable moments from the engage phase. It may

also be the case that some students not originally engaged will be engaged by the explore

activities.”

The teachers should create a set of instruction following which they may proceed further

in the direction of the right answer of their question. In Exploration we should also give

them due freedom to the extent they do not deviate from the main objective. It may be

noted that this phase has a potential of the creativity as well. Besides this the learning in

this field can be useful in creating connections to the other disciplines and may also to

their previous knowledge so this can be a complimentary and supplementary phase of

their learning.

Indicators: - The exploration does not happen in a vacuum nor it is an unguided kind of

activity which may not yield any result and may end up in a sheer wastage of time, but it

should have some indicators to measure whether this is going towards a right direction

and learning is occurring. For our tool book keeping in view our objective conditions we

are devising indicators of exploration

Sr. No. Unit Name Name of age and curriculum appropriate activity

Connectedness of the activity to the Previous knowledge

Connection to other domains /disciplines

While preparing lesson plans we can use this table. The limit of the exploration should be fixed

by the teacher.

Measurement: -

Evaluation is a continuous and comprehensive process hence no component of learning is above

evaluation. So the exploration in the science teaching must be measured discreetly even if it is

just a component of the whole learning cycle. The teacher can use following format to record his

observations in the teachers Diary

Sr. No. Name of the group/ Student

Specification of the exploratory activity

Whether the objective met if not /why?

Learning connections with other disciplines

Thus while designing our instructions we should consistently be watchful that only can yield

better results from this model.

EXPLAIN

Explain: - This third pillar of the Learning cycle is not only important because of it nucleic position

in learning cycle but the whole success story of the science teaching lies on it that, How our little

scientists think, act, connect and build explanations around the phenomenon they learn or are

not having learnt but still the questions churning in their mind. The whole essence of the scientific

thinking or teaching the scientific thinking in the classrooms moves round the explanations we

make or we think about our natural world around us.

Definition: - An explanation may be a set of statement or statements based upon hypothesis,

arguments or facts supporting the statement establishing cause and effect relationship of a

phenomenon. According to Rodger W. BYBEE;

“The term explanation means the act or the process in which the concepts, processes or skills

become plain, comprehensible and clear. The purpose of this phase includes introducing

concepts and practices that may be used to interpret experiences and propose explanations”.

In pedagogical context the learning by the learner is the extent of the explanation.

Requirements: - The explanation in science is not formed subjectively rather it is formed on the

basis of the answers of the question like what, why, how, when, where etc. additionally there

may be certain exception of the law. The explanation built on the basis of law with the exceptions

and concurrently emergence of some new thought are some complex paradigms in the process

of an explanation. This shows the ever-changing nature of the science. So building correct

explanation in the changing dynamics is the first requirement. Secondly in science the

explanation play a vital role in the formation of scientific concepts thus this is a two way process.

First part deals with the inherited concepts or prebuilt explanations in the mind of a child which

he learns from the environment and the second part is how the teacher corrects those concepts.

In learning cycle the teacher thoughtfully instructs the children to explore the phenomenon

which may be helpful in scientific concept formation. As a first the students make explanations

and afterwards as a requirement of the process, teacher corrects the misconceptions leading to

unscientific thought formation.

Indicators: - There may be several indicators to whether the learner making the explanation, is

scientific or not if scientific then the principle behind it and if not then assigning the reason

thereof. In modern days the explanations are not sufficient rather some models need to be

created to show how some law work. And in elementary stage the scientific explanation alone

may not work so the Models are widely used to explain how the scientific law works. For better

explanation the models can also be used. Or the models should be displayed by the teachers to

assess how the law works behind the given model. If the students explain correctly the process

indicates the success. Talking more scientifically at least the student should be capable to explain

the in connecting and comparing the two different phenomenon establishing relationship and

differences and also the cause and effects.

Measurement: - The explanation should be evaluated and measured because the explanation is

the part of the concept formation process. The Flawless explanation depicts the correct concept

formation whereas the vague explanation shows that the learner has not either received the

correct information or the thought process is not correct to explain the phenomenon. The

explanation part can be easily measured through various tools like experimentation, model

display or model creation etc.

ELABORATE

Definition: - This is the fourth pillar of the learning cycle. Elaboration is one step beyond the

explanation. It is the skill level learning according to Rodger W.Bybee it is the expanding and

adapting of learning. The educators have explained learning in three broad categories:

transmission, maturation and construction. Elaboration is the maturation of learning. In

explaining the learner may describe the models learnt but in elaboration it is expected to create

model to explain the learning more explicitly. In this stage the learner not only explain the

problem but also design problems and fined solution themselves by added information and

adding more complex problems for solution. This stage can be said replication of the learning

.whereas in explaining stage they are supposed to explain the given problems with solution.

Requirements: - This step requires the age appropriate theoretical understanding of what

he/she (student) has been exploring and explaining. The explanation can be superficial but the

elaboration has some higher expectations like further expansion of the experience to the skill

level. For example in mathematics if the learner is engaged in multiplication may use

multiplication table for the single digit multiplication but may not be knowing how does it

happen? In exploration when teacher teaches him the benefits of multiplication more useful than

addition for example 2+2+4 and 2*2=4 and further instead of calculating 2+2+2+2+2=10 if the

learner multiplies 2*5=10 the simplest and shortest multiplication and multiplying higher

numbers is explores the two digit and multi digit multiplication is exploration. In application of

explanation skill the learner explains the formulas working behind the multiplication or the rules

of the multiplication. But in elaboration the learner is expected to create problems at his own

and explains those problems with solution. This is not a utopian thought but I have witnessed it

in my classrooms a number of times. That is the situation when the life comes back in the

classrooms, and in such class where the students are themselves designing problems and finding

and elaborating solutions without the least help from the instructor that class can be the best

example of the learning cycle model. In the context of our classrooms in Himachal Pradesh where

the teachers have to handle more than one class at a time or perform other duties can be the

most benefitted from the Learning Cycle Model and the students reached up to the level of

elaboration may assist the teacher in mentoring the peers.

Indicators: - In instructions we cannot skip by just defining or explaining a bit. As an instructor

elaboration in the inexplicit terms has no instructional meaning. Keeping in view the curriculum

of my state I suggest a few indicators to the educators of my state. Elaboration is a situation when

the students own the problem and solve by themselves. When they are in a position to mentor

their peers. When they are able to replicate the learning in another anonymous situation or

environment like if they find a little plant dying without the water can they state what would

happen to a big tree if not gets water ? Here a little plant may die in a few days but the big tree

may take years together to dry and it may be beyond their experience but we can get them

delving to find the answer of this question. It may not be their age appropriate question as well

but if all the trees require the same things for surviving then why the little plant succumb so soon

this may give them another round of exploration and explanation but we should try to seek the

answers of the unknown or the stymied question as well. In mathematics if they solve the

question with statement that may be the elaboration in simple terms.

Measurement: - As stated earlier the evaluation of every step in required in order to review and

improvise the instructions and also checking how the instructions of the model are going on. The

questionnaire designed in every unit is cyclical from the lower order to the higher with the

addition of new situation every time. Hence if we see that the students are able to perform as

per the expectation then everything is going in right direction and if not then? If everything is not

expected then we should revise the instructions because whole the learning may not be

concurrent. Every concept does not develop in a day. In one component they may be at the

elaboration in the other they be at the exploration level and in some other they may be at the

level of explanation. For example they be in the elaboration level in single or double digit

multiplication but may be still exploring the three or more digit multiplication they may be in a

position of explaining the three or more digit multiplication but may not be able to design

problems by themselves.

Thus we can say that the concept formation has also many stages and components and it is not

necessary that the understanding or the application of all the concepts altogether is possible.

Generally when everything does not go as per the expectations of the teacher the teachers blame

students for not following the instructions properly or sometime they try to negate the role of

the continuous evaluation. I think we need not to negate the evaluation, the students should be

evaluated but why? They should more be evaluated for the improvement of the instruction of

the instructor. We evaluate the students for their learnings and may give them any name as to

why they did not learn what we taught not for how we have taught?

Evaluation

Definition: - There may be myriads of the definitions of evaluation in the specific contexts but

more general understanding of an evaluation is the measurement of the output of a product in

terms of relative resource inputs. If this definition seems to be more rigorous then we take up

another lenient pedagogical definition measurement of the achievement the students of a given

time frame or the contents delivered. In the learning cycle the evaluation is for the assessing the

understanding of the learners and applying it further in advancing their learnings. Though the

teachers can evaluate the students at the end of every stage from engaging phase to elaboration

phase but the final evaluation should become a base from one unit to another or from one

concept to another .In 5 E instructional model the student come across with very phase of the

cyclical development of learning that is a long churning process in itself the evaluation should be

more scientific and genuine than mechanic in the terms of the time taken and stages surpassed.

Therefore the tools of evaluation must consist of all the components of learning cycle like

exploration and explanation and elaboration.

Requirements: - Again coming to the point the evaluation is also an integral part of the

instructions hence it also needs some specific strategies. There are largely two schedules of the

evaluation the observational schedule and the questionnaire. For observational schedule the

evaluation should not be subjective. In most of the cases the teachers prefer just memory based

observation as they memorize what are the students doing. But while grading on the basis of

memorized observation the chances may be there that if the teacher misses something or may

be biased on some count. So the observational evaluation should be based upon certain concrete

parameters like when exploring are they following the instructions properly? Are they working

within the framework? Are they working according to the group dynamics? Are they sharing their

learnings among the group properly? For questionnaire part of the evaluation we should take

care that all the components of the learning stages are taken into account and the questions are

also cyclical in developmental order, Every time new but with new and higher problem this is not

new for the educators but should be implied as per the norms.

Indicators: - Now the question arises that the evaluation itself is an indicator of the students

learning then why the indicators for evaluation. Moreover there are thousands of the tools of

evaluating the students then what is the use of the indicators. The answer lies in the application

of the model and its honest replication in the concrete conditions of Himachal Pradesh which are

given in the table below:-

Sr. No. Stages Instructions Follow up Evaluation

1 Engagement

2 Exploration

3 Explanation

4 Elaboration

We may develop new tools for the more scientific tools but initially the teachers can analyze this

general indicator to assess the effectiveness of his instruction as well.

Measurement: - The evaluation is not such kind of tool that cannot be measured. Rather the

evaluation is a more scientific tool and in science nothing can skip measurement. But here the

measurement of the evaluation can done in terms of the instructional evaluation, not the

student’s evaluation. In other words since it is going to be a part of pilot project hence the

achievement of the students would be termed as the success of the instructional model itself. In

this tool book since this model need to be replicated in Himachal Pradesh where it may be new

to the educators as a model in itself hence the evaluation of the instructional outcomes on the

basis of this model would in the critics .The measurement of this model can be done in a session

but it requires some more time to be the accepted part of the instructions. However for the

schools adopting this model may measure the success of this model by comparing it with the

achievement of the preceding years.

Stages in 5 E instructional model

Sr. no

Phase Stages

1 Engage Inquire, Have answer Do not have answer

2 Explore Problem Environment Associating and finding answer

Explain Think , connect, exemplify

Elaborate Make model,compare,contrast,apply in new situation