Some Guiding Thoughts on Science Education Christie Brown, MELS [email protected] IEEE Region 7 Meeting Montreal, Quebec May 16, 2009

Some Guiding Thoughts on Science Education

Christie Brown, [email protected]

IEEE Region 7 MeetingMontreal, Quebec

May 16, 2009

Objectives

• To provide an overview the science and technology curriculum in Quebec.

• To share some of the challenges that schools currently face and how IEEE can help.

• To provide some suggestions on best practices and opportunities for working with teachers.

Council of Ministers of Education, Canada

• A vision for scientific literacy in Canada: Scientific literacy is an evolving combination of the science-related attitudes, skills, and knowledge students need to develop inquiry, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities, to become lifelong learners, and to maintain a sense of wonder about the world around them.

• Source: CMEC. Common framework of science learning outcomes: Pan-Canadian protocol for collaboration on school curriculum, 1997. p. 4


• Diverse learning experiences based on the framework will provide students with many opportunities to explore, analyse, evaluate, synthesize, appreciate, and understand interrelationships among science, technology, society, and the environment that will affect their personal lives, their careers and their future.



• Students learn most effectively when their study of science is rooted in concrete learning experiences, related to a particular context or situation, and applied to the world where appropriate.

• Learning is enhanced when students identify and solve problems.


From Engagement to Empowerment:Reflections on Science Education for Ontario

• Science through “doing” provides students with opportunities to develop, reinforce and extend their understandings of conceptual knowledge and procedural knowledge.

• Students need access to materials, tools, and equipment necessary to develop and practice skills of science.

• Students need opportunities to engage in a variety of activities that foster the (development) of a broad range of skills.

• Source: Little, C. & Erminia Pedretti. From engagement to empowerment: Reflections on Science Education for Ontario. Pearson, 2008. p. 34

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Context of Quebec Schools

• 69 Francophone school boards• 9 Anglophone school boards • 1 Aboriginal school board• Private schools:

• French (FEEP)• English (QAIS/AJDS)• Non-affiliated

• CEGEP (equivalent to Grade 12 and First Year University)

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Context in Quebec Schools

• New curriculum, based on competencies, currently undergoing implementation.

• Teachers who were familiar with teaching specific content are now asked to reach outside of their comfort zone. (solution: Training Teams across the province)

• Appropriate resources are not always easy to find (solution: Renovations of labs and workshops; partnerships created with organizations such as IEEE).

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How is a competency defined in Quebec?

• A competency is defined as the ability to act effectively by mobilizing (using) a range of resources.

• MELS, p. 17, 2006

10MELS, QEP, 2007. p.25

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12

Source: MELS, QEP, 2007

Competency

Key Features

Manifestations“Observable Stuff”

How competent we want kids to be

when they leave school

Developing competency

16

Earth & Material Space World

Living Technological

World World

(Ecology)

Year 2 – General Path

Biogeochem

ical

cyclesClim

ate

Zone

Lithosphere

Hydrosphere

Phy

sica

l P

rope

rtie

s of

so

lutio

ns

Che

mic

al

Cha

nges

Organiza

tion

of Matte

r

Electricity and

Electromagnetism

Transformation ofEnergy

Dyn

amic

s of

Eco

syst

ems:

Electrical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Materials

Carbon cycle

Nitrogen C

ycle

Factors that influence the

distribution of biomes

Marine B

iomes

Terrestrial biom

es

Minerals

Soil profile

Permafrost

Energy resources

Catchment area; Oceanic Circulation

Glacier and ice floe; Salinity

Energy resources

Density, biological cycles

Troph

ic re

latio

nshi

ps;

Prim

ary

prod

uctiv

ity;

Mat

erial

and

Ene

rgy

flow;

Chem

ical r

ecyc

ling

Power supply; Conduction, insulation,

and protection.ControlTransformation of energy

(electricity and light, heat, vibration, magnetism)

Characteristics of linking of mechanical parts

Guiding controls

Construction and characteristics of motion

Transmission systems (friction gears; pulleys

And belt; gear assembly; sprocket wheels and chain;

wheel and Worm gear) Speed Changes

Construction and characteristics of transformation systems

(screw gear system, connecting rods, cranks, slides, rotating

Slider crank mechanism, rack and pinion drive, cams

Constraints

(deflection, shearing)

Characteristics of m

echanical

Properties;

Types of properties (plastics,

Thermoplastics,

thermosetting plastics

Ceram

ics, composites

Modification of properties

Degradation, protection

Law of conservation of energyEnergy efficiency

Distinction between heat and energy

Electricity: (Electrical charge; static electricity

Ohm’s law; Electrical circuits

Relation ship between power and

electrical energy)

Electromagnetism: (forces of attraction and

Repulsion; Magnetic field of a live wire)

Rutherford-B

ohr Model

Lewis Notatio

n

Combu

stio

n, p

hoto

synt

hesis

and

resp

iratio

n

Acid-b

ase

neut

raliz

atio

n re

actio

n;

Balan

cing

simpl

e ch

emica

l equ

atio

ns

Law o

f con

serv

atio

n of

mas

s

Con

cent

ratio

n (p

pm)

Ele

ctro

lyte

s; p

H s

cale

; E

lect

roly

tic d

isso

ciat

ion

Ions

; E

lect

rical

con

duct

ivity

Study of Populations

Dynamics of

Communities

Biodiversity

Disturbances

Atmosphere

Greenhouse Effect; Atmospheric circulation

Air mass; Cyclone and anticyclone

Energy resources

Space

Solar energy flowEarth-Moon system(Gravitational effect) Climate Change; Deforestation

Drinking Water; Energy Challenge

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Earth & Material Space World

Technological

World

Year 2 – Applied Path

Lithosphere

Hydrosphere

For

ce a

nd m

otio

n

Chemical

Changes

Electrici

ty

Electromagnetism

Transformation ofEnergy

Manufacturing

Electrical Engineering

Materials

Mechanical Engineering

Minerals

Energy resources

Catchm

ent area;

Energy resources

DisturbancesTrophic RelationshipsPrimary ProductivityMaterial and energy flowChemical RecyclingFactors that influence the Distribution of biomesEcosystems

Power supply; Conduction, insulation,

and protection (resistance and coding,

Printed circuit).

Typical Controls (unipolar, bipolar, unidirectional

Bidirectional)

Transformation of energy

(electricity and light, heat, vibration, magnetism)

Other functions (condenser, diode, transistor,

Solid state relay

Constraints (deflection, shearing)

Characteristics of mechanical properties

Heat treatments

Types and properties:

Plastics (thermoplastics, therm

osetting, plastics)

Ceramics

Composites

Modification of properties (degradation,

protection)

Adhesion and friction of partsLinking of mechanical parts (freedom of movement)

Guiding controlsConstruction and characteristics of motion,

Transmission systems (friction gears, pulleys and belt,Gear assembly, sprocket wheels and chain,

wheel and worm gear)Speed changes, resisting torque, engine torqueConstruction and characteristics of motion:

Transformation systems (screw gear system, connecting rodsCranks, slides, rotating slider crank mechanism,

Rack and pinion drive, cams, eccentrics)

Law of conservation of energyEnergy efficiency

Distinction between heat and energy

Electromagnetism: (forces of attraction and

Repulsion; Magnetic field of a live wire)

Magnetic field of a solenoid

Electromagnetic induction

Electricity

: (Electric

al charge; s

tatic electric

ity

Ohm’s law; E

lectrica

l circ

uits

Relation ship betw

een power and

electrical e

nergy)Com

busti

on, o

xidat

ion

For

ce;

Typ

es o

f fo

rces

Equ

ilibr

ium

of

two

forc

esR

elat

ions

hip

betw

een

cons

tant

sp

eed,

dis

tanc

e an

d tim

eM

ass

and

Wei

ght

Dynamics ofEcosystems

Atm

osphere

Air m

ass; Cyclone and anticyclone

Energy resources

Space

Solar energy flow

Earth-Moon system

(Gravitational effect)

LivingWorld

Flui

ds

Arc

him

edes

Prin

cipl

eP

asca

l’s L

awB

erno

ulli’

s P

rinci

ple

GraphicalLanguage:

Multiview orthogonal projection(general drawing)

Functional dimensioningDevelopments (prism, cylinder, pyramid, cone)

Standards and representations(diagrams and symbols)

Manufacturing:

Characteristics of drilling, tapping, threading,

And bending

Measurement and Inspection:

Direct measurement (vernier calliper)

Control, shape, and position (plane

Section, angle)

Technologies: Medical, Information, Agricultural,

Automotive

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Food Production

Residual Materials

Approved Version

19

Food Production

Residual Materials

Approved

Version

20

General Education Path and Applied Education

Path

OPTION 2555-3066 credits

(150 hours)

555-4044 credits(100 hrs)

557-3066 credits

(150 hours)

557-4066 credits(150 hrs)

558-4044 credits(100 hrs)OPTION

558-4022 cr

(50 hrs)OPT

Cycle One Secondary III Secondary IV Secondary V

Physics4 credits(100 hrs)

Chemistry4 credits(100 hrs)

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (S&T) OPTION

OPTION 1

APPLIED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (AST)

BRIDGE

Same for all

students

Documents available in Spring 2009

Minimum to Graduate

Required to enter Pre-U SCIENCES

in CEGEP

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Competency 1

This competency is identical in both paths.

This competency is developed through activities which require students to use either the scientific method or the design process.

Seeks answers or solutions to scientific or technological problems

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Competency 2Makes the most of his/her knowledge of science and technology

General Path: Grade 10

-Focuses on ISSUES analysis

Issues:- Climate Change- Deforestation- Energy Challenge- Drinking Water- Waste Management (Opt.)- Food Production (Opt.)

MELS. General QEP, 2007. p. 46-53

Applied Path: Grade 10

-Focuses on the analysis of technical applications.

Examples of Technologies:- Medical- Transportation- Agricultural- Information and Communication

MELS. Applied QEP, 2007. p. 24

Note: The forms of analysis are the same 10 ways seen in Cycle 1.

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Technology Oriented

GENERAL PATH

25

APPLIED PATH

Technology Oriented

26

Competency 3Communicates in the languages used in science and technology

This competency is identical in both paths.

In order to know whether the student has understood something - be it a concept, a skill, or a method – they must communicate this to us in an observable way…

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Questions to be answered:

1) What is your intention with a given activity?

• Targeted Competencies• Targeted Content

2) What do your students already know?

3) How will you evaluate them?• During the activities?• At the end?

Challenges and Opportunities

• Some challenges:• Degree of comfort level for teachers with the technology

component.

• The availability of good resources is not always obvious.

• “Time”

• The Opportunities: • Teachers are strongly encouraged to use community

expertise to bring the “real world” into the classroom.

• Exploration of engineering in general with the students

• Conventions and conferences

• Invitation to a Science Symposium next year (09-10)…!

How to establish contact?

• School board consultants have direct access and are most often open to encouraging community support.

• Ministries will generally have their curricula on their website (http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca)

• You need to make it relevant:• How does it connect to the level being taught?• How will this help my students to learn and develop

competency?

Questions or Comments?

Christie BrownMath, Science and Technology

Services à la communauté anglophone

Ministère de l’éducation, de loisir et du sport

514-873-3339, 5277

Best way to reach me:

• [email protected]