Integrated Science Process Skills

Last time, we talked about operational definiton of basic science process skills. Now we will definite all of the phase of integrated science process skills operationally. Integrated science process skills consists of controlling variables, defining operationally, formulating hypothesis, interpreting data, experimenting, and formulating models.
1. Controlling variable means that students being able to identify variable that can affect an experimental outcome.
2. Defining operationally means that students stating how to measure a variable in an experiment.
3. Formulating hypothesis means stating the expected outcome of an experiment.
4. Interpreting data means organizing data anddrawing conclusions from it.
5. Experimenting means being able to conduct an experiment, including asking an appropriate question.
6. Formulating models means creating a mental or physical model of a process or event.

Several studies have investigated the learning of integrated science process skills. Allen (1973) found that third graders can identify variables if the context is simple enough. Both Quinn and George (1975) and Wright (1981) found that students can be taught to formulate hypotheses and that this ability is retained over time.

Others have tried to teach all of the skills involved in conducting an experiment. Padilla, Okey and Garrard (1984) systematically integrated experimenting lessons into a middle school science curriculum. One group of students was taught a two week introductory unit on experimenting which focused on manipulative activities. A second group was taught the experimenting unit, but also experienced one additional process skill activity per week for a period of fourteen weeks. Those having the extended treatment outscored those experiencing the two week unit. These results indicate that the more complex process skills cannot be learned via a two week unit in which science content is typically taught. Rather, experimenting abilities need to be practiced over a period of time.

Further study of experimenting abilities shows that they are closely related to the formal thinking abilities described by Piaget. A correlation of +.73 between the two sets of abilities was found in one study (Padilla, Okey and Dillashaw, 1983). In fact, one of the ways that Piaget decided whether someone was formal or concrete was to ask that person to design an experiment to solve a problem. We also know that most early adolescents and many young adults have not yet reached their full formal reasoning capacity (Chiapetta, 1976). One study found only 17% of seventh graders and 34% of twelfth graders fully formal (Renner, Grant, and Sutherland, 1978).

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Basic Science Process Skills

Well, from the article before we've talked about assessment in student skills espescially for science process skills. We're already know that there are two categorized of “Science Process Skills”, basic and integrated science process skills. First, basic science process skills have been developed with six phase. There are observing, inferring, measuring, communicating, classifying and predicting. Second, integrated science process skills that developed by the basic one which have some phase like controlling variables, defining operationally, formulating hypotheses, interpreting data, experimenting, and formulating models.

One of important things is we must definite all of those terms operationally, so we can determine circumscription of them. On basic science process skills, we have observing, inferring, measuring, communicating, classifying and predicting.
1. Observing means that researchers/educators/teachers driving students for using their senses gathering information about an object, event or phenomena.
2. Inferring means that students must arranging an educated guess about an object, event or phenomena based on previous phase (observing). Measuring means that researchers/educators/teachers escorting students for using both standard and non standard measures or estimates to describe the dimensions of an object, event or phenomena.
3. Communicating means that student must using words or graphic symbols to describe an action, object, event or phenomena.
4. Classifying means grouping or ordering objects, events, or phenomena into cateogies based on properties or criteria.
5. Predicting means stating the outcome of a future event based on a pattern of a evidence.

Numerous research projects have focused on the teaching and acquisition of basic process skills. For example, Padilla, Cronin, and Twiest (1985) surveyed the basic process skills of 700 middle school students with no special process skill training. They found that only 10% of the students scored above 90% correct, even at the eighth grade level. Several researchers have found that teaching increases levels of skill performance. Thiel and George (1976) investigated predicting among third and fifth graders, and Tomera (1974) observing among seventh graders. From these studies it can be concluded that basic skills can be taught and that when learned, readily transferred to new situations (Tomera, 1974).

Teaching strategies which proved effective were: (1) applying a set of specific clues for predicting, (2) using activities and pencil and paper simulations to teach graphing, and (3) using a combination of explaining, practice with objects, discussions and feedback with observing. In other words-just what research and theory has always defined as good teaching.
Other studies evaluated the effect of NSF-funded science curricula on how well they taught basic process skills. Studies focusing on the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) and SAPA indicate that elementary school students, if taught process skills abilities, not only learn to use those processes, but also retain them for future use. Researchers, after comparing SAPA students to those experiencing a more traditional science program, concluded that the success of SAPA lies in the area of improving process oriented skills (Wideen, 1975; McGlathery, 1970). Thus it seems reasonable to conclude that students learn the basic skills better if they are considered an important object of instruction and if proven teaching methods are used.

What have we learned about teaching integrated science processes? We cannot expect students to excel at skills they have not experienced or been allowed to practice. Teachers cannot expect mastery of experimenting skills after only a few practice sessions. Instead students need multiple opportunities to work with these skills in different content areas and contexts. Teachers need to be patient with those having difficulties, since there is a need to have developed formal thinking patterns to successfully "experiment."

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