Message-Id: <v01540b00b0f2c80876f1@[192.174.2.182]>
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 15:12:08 -0800
To: pinhole@exploratorium.edu
From: karenk@exploratorium.edu (Karen Kalumuck)
Subject: Summary of Advanced Integrated Science
Dear pinhole,
The following is a summary of the discussion at the Advanced
Integrated Science session on Jan. 17. Please excuse the somewhat "stream
of consciousness" flavor to it, but we did have alot of folks with many
different concerns, and jumped around a bit. If you were at the meeting
and feel that I've forgotten to include something important, please submit
an addendum to pinhole. Hope to see you all at the next meeting. ----Karen
Summary: Advanced Integrated Sciences Brainstorming Session
1/17/98
ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES:
The session began with a discussion of advanced placement courses -
why do we teach them? Some persons indicated a pressure from parents to
save a semester's tuition - is it a function of high school to save parents
money?
Some departments did not offer AP courses - curriculum is too
intense and not enough time to teach the course properly, with depth and
breadth.
Some felt AP courses do not allow inquiry; they are all cookbook;
some found the labs absurd and not reproducible; others could do them
reproducibly.
One teacher's school taught an advanced biology curriculum
(essentially AP) as a 2-year course.
Others found parents/students regard AP as a grade point boost, and
that there were separate funds, through GATE for AP courses
Some treat AP courses as honors courses, some teach to the test,
others do not, and others questioned the content versus the rationale for
AP courses.
Many found that their districts "drove" the offer of AP - that
offering "AP" courses looked good, even if it was not in the students' best
interest.
INTEGRATED SCIENCE (IS)
Some found that 9th grade integrated science, especially in SFUSD,
was mushy and watered down. Many others agreed, from their own experiences
and perceptions in their own districts.....many schools teach integrated
science as Non-college prep.
Peter Wilding, editor of "Coordinated Science" published by
Cambridge U. Press, helped design and teaches a rigorous, multi-year
integrated science curriculum at the high school level featuring topics
such as "Air and Water".
Redwood high school, a very "high powered" place, teaches rigorous
integrated science. GPA of students taking IS higher than those taking Bio
alone.
Some schools are offering courses strictly in line with the UC
requirements, and are using their course descriptions essentially as a
syllabus for their high school chem and bio classes.
Discussion ensued about communication skills, quantitative skills,
analytical skills and critical thinking and that it would not necessarily
be more opportunity for these in an IS course - it all depends how single
subjects are taught. Anytime students have an opportunity for "ownership"
of a project of their own design, interest and performance improves.
IS may be a way to get more students involved in sciences, provide
options to AP courses.
There could be several overall plans for integrated science. It
could be a 4th year of science after students have taken a year each of
bio, chem, and physics, or it could be a first sciences class, then
students would study the individual disciplines or the sciences could be
integrated for multiple years, in sequence, revisiting certain topics
throughout an individual year, and again in each subsequent year.
Many teachers were interested/had experience in the value of
research experiences for the students, even at a rudimentary level in their
classroom - again, the issue of ownership of a project for the students.
But how could one teacher coordinate many research topics?
Integrated science could also be a traditionally integrated
science, such as Anthropology, Astronomy, Evolution, Environmental
Sciences, Biotechnology (one example of such a current program was
discussed) etc.
One teacher has Environmental Science I and II at his school, which
focuses on air/land/water/and systems.
(Golden State) GSE exams, voluntary and paid for by the state, are
good ways of checking on the science skills of students.
Scope, Sequence and Coordination umbrella provides
integrated/coordinated science.
Lawrence Berkeley Labs has a grant to bring teachers into their
integrated science labs - for integrated science teachers only.
QUESTION: What is the role of high schools? To provide meaningful
education relevant to the students' lives or to get them into Harvard
(discussion of GPA, advanced courses attractive to schools, helping
students at "po-dunk" high school get into good colleges).
Some felt that an integrated sciences course could accommodate more
different learning modes of students.
There's a lack of consistency in the 9th grade IS curriculum in
SFUSD even within a single school.
"Legitimizing" IS: there was much concern in getting
districts/schools/teachers/students/colleges to accept IS courses - perhaps
getting a course designed to test IS learning is one way to help it become
mainstream! Getting more and more interested people (and students)
involved is another.
SUMMARY
The discussion was highly energetic, and many people shared their
ideas, personal experiences, frustrations and hopes. The next meeting will
be more focused, as explained below (this will also be submitted later as
a separate note and reminder of the next meeting):
NEXT MEETING
Saturday, Feb. 21, 9AM - 3PM will include a hands-on integrated
sciences portion. The rest of the meeting will focus on the following:
1) existing curricular materials for integrated science
2) how integrated sciences would fit with the national/state
science standards
3) examples of student research projects teachers have supervised
4) Curricular Design:
a: an Advanced integrated sciences course;
b: other types of integrated sciences
5) professional development
You don't need to have attended the first meeting to come to this one - if
you have any interest at all, I would encourage you to attend.
email me at: karenk@exploratorium.edu with any comments.
----Karen Kalumuck
Karen E. Kalumuck, Ph.D.
Exploratorium Teacher Institute
3601 Lyon St.
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-561-0313
karenk@exploratorium.edu