Teaching Standard E:
Teachers of science develop communities of science learners that reflect the intellectual rigor of scientific inquiry and the attitudes and social values conducive to science learning.
The community of science learners includes the novice as well as the expert. Science teachers should seek to draw their students into this community since even the beginning student can make important contributions to the field. Additionally, as the students become part of the science community, they will have the opportunity to observe experts in the field, allowing them to observe good habits and behaviors.
The science teacher can develop a community of science learners in many different ways. For example, by structuring assignments to require collaboration between students, the teacher is helping students to create their own learning communities. This is particularly important for the reserved student who may have difficulty joining existing communities of learners. The science teacher should also model and emphasize the skills, attitudes, and values of scientific inquiry; this includes modeling, and expecting the students to follow, acceptable rules of behavior during discussions both inside and outside of the classroom or laboratory. By encouraging open and fair discourse, the science teacher can teach respect for the diverse ideas, skills, and experiences of all students; the teacher should then expect students to exhibit the same level of respect for their classmates as well as for the teacher.
As my teaching style has shifted to a more student-centered classroom, I have found myself placing more emphasis on establishing a community of science learners, since working in groups can benefit the students in both the long-term and the short-term. Regardless of their career goals, most students will eventually find themselves working in various sized groups. In the workplace, the ability to work well within a team can be crucial for successful employment. Therefore, to address students’ long-term career goals, it is important for them to learn workplace skills, such as working in groups, in addition to learning the language and facts of the discipline. Encouraging group work can also benefit students in the short-term since many students learn better in the group setting than they do in isolation.
There is an additional benefit to be gained from developing communities of science learners. Teaching science is not just about “the facts”. It is also about preparing skilled individuals who can contribute to their profession and their community. If students feel connected to the broader science community, they are more likely to remain in the field and they are more likely to contribute to their local communities.
In order to encourage students to work in groups, I have begun to require more in-class group work; specifically while working on case studies (see the sample case study for Cell and Molecular Biology). The use of in-class groups has the added benefit of encouraging open discourse, since many students feel more comfortable expressing their ideas in small groups rather than in front of the whole class. This allows students to practice the active exchange of ideas that is typical of science.
To encourage student collaboration, I also deliberately assign group work as seen in the small-group microbiology research projects previously mentioned. These research projects allow students to practice the scientific method, while enhancing their oral and written communication skills.
In addition to facilitating group activities, I encourage students to take ownership of their learning through the use of the disease projects and the previously mentioned student-created rubric. Finally, the service-learning project at G.E. Peters Adventist School encourages our senior science majors to make connections with the local community while sharing their science knowledge with non-scientists.
While developing a community of science learners in the classroom, the science teacher should also remain connected to the larger educational community. I have done this by contributing to the Columbia Union College* learning community, and by supporting the development of science programs at the elementary school level.