“Free-
Choice Science Education: Support in Gearing Scientific Literacy and
Development”
Dhel Rajsol B. Dilangalen
Introduction
Science
education comes in two ways as traditional science and a “techi” science. Simply,
from the day the Philippines receives its independence to come up with a
science education curriculum, I may say that it all started with “we must dwell
on how the world dictates as it changes”. According to Osborne (2006) he argues
that a science curriculum for all can only be justified if it offers something of
universal value for all. True, but the question is that, can the curriculum
really is the basis of making science literacy to be realized. Fensham (2002)
argues that academic scientists and science educators have been major players
in the shaping of the school science curriculum and that their efforts have not
led to appropriate programs for scientific literacy. When it comes to the word
“science literacy” there are too much things to do and effort to exert as to
what extend we can do to achieve this. But, Shamos has claimed that science
literacy is a myth (Shamos, 1995). He said that the meaning of science literacy
as the true science literacy can’t be achieved in the first place, that the
attempt is a misuse of human resources on a huge scale. Moreover, he suggest
that science education should have given emphasis in developing an appreciation
of science as an ongoing cultural enterprise that everyone must be aware of
what the society is doing and will be doing. The perspective of free-choice
science education comes in. Free-choice science education is self-paced,
charitable, mostly free, non-sequential, and social; it takes place outside the
corner of the school and is facilitated by museums, science centers, print and
electronic media (Falk, 2001). This paper will discuss in the context of free-choice
science education, as supported by my experiences and with the help of related
references.
Summer
My summer was and always be the most memorable
season when I was still in grade school. I was really into books and
encyclopedias and alike, but more into play- even though I was performing well
in school; I went to interschool competition and won quiz bees. My every summer
was field with summer camp. The camp was more of hands on learning,
where a group of volunteers were in charged as “kuyas and ates” and for two
weeks we experienced enrichment programs especially science and technology
related topics, as to its applications and uses. My sense of imagination of the
world around me had made me more comfortable, but to the extent that curiosity
had gulped me to find the answer of my queries. I started to speculate and
match my ideas to a certain phenomena, ideas of one to the ideas of the others.
This
experience is also true to my student, who happen to be home schooled, he
always asked questions that he might curious of, he asked too many questions in
science the “why’s” and “how’s” and every time he is contented with the answers
it is his way to test whether it is true or not. According to Bloom (1992)
children’s thinking is extremely fluid, progressing via a rich selection of
episode knowledge, metaphors, interpretative frameworks and emotional, ethical
and aesthetic commitments. In addition, this progress is essential to the
meaningful learning of the learner that at this stage everyone seems to be like
superman.
Volunteerism:
Passion to Teach
2002,
I passed the University of the Philippines College Admission Test for Diliman
Campus for a degree in geology. But, unfortunately my father had refused me to
go to UP. But instead he sent me to Ateneo de Davao University to take a degree
in nursing. Staying in the Ateneo had made me rebellious; sometimes I opt to
stay outside the campus and left my class unattended. Luckily, I received a
scholarship from CHED and they told me to shift in secondary education major in
science and never in my wildest dream that I will be become a teacher!
2004,
I volunteered to the community extension of the Ateneo, I was part of the
NSTP-CWTS volunteer as the program head. We plan the activities in line with
the student who are taking the course, look after to the welfare of the
community as the benefactor, serve a link between the school and community and
assist the needs of the students and the community.
2005, I was chosen by the school to be the
Ateneo teacher volunteer and a catch-up science program provider for
Educational Research and Development Assistance (ERDA) foundation Inc “ Ang
Bright mo Kid 1” in Kiblawan, Davao Del Sur in summer for three weeks . The
experience had opened my heart to the importance of education to those students
who went to school and work in the sugar cane at the same time, just to feed
their families. Being their teacher was not easy, more than a hundred of them
stayed with me every day. They walked kilometres just to arrive at the school
where I am staying. We had lessons in science, fun activities and a lot of
interactive playing. This was the point that I remember why I really love my
summer when I was in grade
school- it is because I was learning
without someone forcing me and telling me that I should learn this and that.
According to Falk (2001) weekend or summer visits to beaches, museums, and
national parks provide learning opportunities for both school children and
adults. Informal science educators call science learning outside schools
free-choice science education. In addition, John Dewey (1996) said that it was clear that the scientist, like all
humans, does not rely exclusively on
cognition, but also on values and aesthetic meanings during work. Likewise,
science education in attainment to what is said to be developed has not only
boxed to the classroom, rather to what extent the experiences was.
Concluding
Comments
Scientific
literacy requires innovativeness, as science continues to expand and develop so
does the requirement on how much we must learn. The science curriculum needs to
understand on a range of the students’ capacity to understand the way science
works in modern-day setting, more to the ways facts are used to establish
knowledge claims. Free- choice science education plays important role to access
new ideas and wide range experiences in terms of personal appreciation of the
world behind science.
References
Dewey, J.
(1996). Essays. In L. Hickman (Ed.), Collected work of John Dewey,
1882–1953:The electronic edition. Charlottesville, VA: InteLex Corporation.
Falk, J.H.
(2001). Free-choice science education: How we learn science outside school.
New York:Teachers College Press.
Fensham,
P. (2002). Time to change drivers for scientific literacy. Canadian Journal
of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education,
Simon, S.,
Erduran, S., & Osborne, J. (2006). Learning to teach argumentation:
Research and development in the science classroom. International Journal of
Science Education,
Shamos,
M.H. (1995). The myth of scientific literacy. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers
University Press.
Bloom, J.
(1992). The development of scientific knowledge in elementary school children:
Acontext of meaning perspective. Science Education.
