Improving Science Education by Your School for Your School

Pramuan Siripunkaew, Ph.DSenior Expert in Science Education

psiri@ipst.ac.thThe Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and

Technology (IPST), Thailand

Introduction• A key success factor in improving science

education in any school, is systematic professional development (PD) that can create change in teaching and learning. This change must be intrinsic in order to be sustainable.

• What is an effective PD strategy that can create CHANGE in the classroom?

IntroductionSome schools invited experts to train the teachers for a few days.

How much do they change?

Some schools supported teachers to participate in conferences. How much do they change?

Introduction

Introduction

Introducing “Improving Science Education by Your School for Your School”, an effective and sustainable PD strategy developed by the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) Thailand, under IPST Development of Teacher Leaders Project.

• Identify expert teachers in your school for each key development focus, for example:

• inquiry-based learning• project-based learning,• problem-based learning, etc.

• Expert teachers can work together to provide effective in school professional development for other teachers (novice) through the following model:

“Improving Science Education by Your School for Your School”: The Model

Professional Development Driving Team (PDDT)

Training novice teachers

Change ways of teaching/learning

Students’ achievementTeachers’ promotion

Classroom observation

Reflection/Feedback for improvement

Need Assessment/Identify problem/issue

Mentoring

The model was piloted in Bangpae school and rolled out in 45 schools in 2012.

“Improving Science Education by Your School for Your School”: The Model

6 steps to Improving Science Education by Your School for Your School Step 1 : Setting up School

Professional Development Driving Team (PDDT) comprising principal /deputy principal, head of science department, and expert teachers.

“Improving Science Education by Your School for Your School”: The Model

Step 2: Conduct need assessment from science teachers and motivate them to participate voluntary in the PD program.

• The ratio between an expert teacher and novice teachers should not be more than 1:3

“Improving Science Education by Your School for Your School”: The Model

Step 3: Conduct 2 day-workshop on designing learning activities and developing effective lesson plans for novice teachers.

• Encourage them to write their own lesson plans and submit to the PDDT for improvement.

“Improving Science Education by Your School for Your School”: The Model

Step 4: Make suggestion to improve the lesson plans of each novice teacher.

“Improving Science Education by Your School for Your School”: The Model

Step 5: PDDT observe novice teachers’ classroom and provide feedback for improvement .

• The feedback period may take approximately 15 minutes for each novice teacher.

“Improving Science Education by Your School for Your School”: The Model

Step 6: Organize a meeting to help tackle common problems faced by the novice teachers.

• The meeting usually takes about one and a half hour.

“Improving Science Education by Your School for Your School”: The Model

• Follow Steps 4-6 for 3 rounds in one semester.• Evaluate how the teachers change ways of

teaching. This is evaluation for improvement (Formative Assessment).

• Continue to the next semester. Finally within two semesters, novice teachers

gain more experiences in teaching and facilitating students’ learning (IPST, 2014).

“Improving Science Education by Your School for Your School”: The Model

Outcomes• Within one year, novice teachers showed

certain characteristics of experienced teachers.

• They may become expert teachers in a few years if they continue to practice the ways they have learned.

• Within 2-3 years, science education in the schools will be considerably improved in a sustainable way.

Outcomes• The students enjoyed learning science and

doing science.

Outcomes• Some students were selected to present

science projects at national and international competitions.

Outcomes• The students’ achievement increased

continuously.

2011 2012 2013 2014

424446485052545658

O-NET Score of G-9 students from Samakeevitayakom School

• The teachers are qualified to submit their work for promotion.

Conclusion• Improving science education in school,

science teachers need to change way of teaching and learning.

• It is an effective and sustainable process to provide professional development by your school for your school through the PD model if your school has a few expert teachers.

• Within 2-3 years your school will have enough expert teachers to improve science education.

Acknowledgement Thank you for schools which offered information and pictures

attached on this presentation. • Jomtong School, Chiangmai Province• Kantharalak School, Srisakate Province• Khonkaenvitayayon School, Khonkaen Province• Maejam School, Chiangmai Province• Maejedeevitaykom School, Chiangrai• Phayakkaphumwittayakarn, Mahasarakarm Province• Samukeevitayakom School, Chiangrai Province

Thank Youfor

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