September 18, 2013

Looking into the Future of Science and Education (SCIE - 6664S - 2)

Equity in Science Education

I have been teaching in my district for 18 years, during that time I have become somewhat educated on my districts diversity issues.  I work in a rural community made up of majorly white students that are economically disadvantaged.  Our students learning abilities present themselves as our biggest challenge of diversity.  In the last decade the DeSoto School District’s IEP students have increased in student performance at the proficient level on the state standardized test.  The scores have gone from 4.8 percent to 24.1percent, which is a growth of 33.5 percent in the last ten years.  In comparison our students that are living at or below poverty level also show great improvement.  In the last ten years the students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program have increased in student performance at the proficient level on the state standardized test.  These test scores went from 18.5 percent to 46.9 percent, which is a growth rate of 54.6 percent (DESE, 2012).  Time spent with these students addressing their needs has been time well spent.  This increase indicates the programs my district has implemented to assist these students have benefited them.

My district has changed over to the use of Differentiated Instruction and Standards Based Grading, the benefit of this change allows me to gear lessons for my students’ interests as well as their abilities and skills.  I will continue to incorporate lessons that diversify material and use strategies that assess each individual student for readiness, interest and learning style.  Learning is a central goal, unless learning is at the core of a multicultural perspective classroom activities will do nothing to create an equitable school environment for students (Nieto & Bode 2008). Exposing students to a variety of technology helps motivate them and shows them the relevance of what they are learning to possible future career options. There is no bigger turnoff than having to memorize facts and formulas that aren't made relevant to solving realistic problems (Garrett, 2008).

One of the ways I have addressed the incorporation of technology in my classroom is through our volcano and earthquake project and web quest.  I start out by introducing the objectives with a web quest; the web quest is a work packet with a series of questions dealing with earthquakes and volcanoes that have web address links posted with them. The learning process is diversified allowing students to choose from a variety of media types to learn the material using the internet.  Some of the answers are found in videos they must watch, there are interactive maps and diagrams, and of course informational articles to read. After the initial research is complete students create a resume and business card or a power point on the earthquake and volcano of their choice.  Students are given a set of criteria and steps to follow and instructed on what to include in their project. During this process I act as support while they develop their projects using our available technology and programs. This project allows the students to choose how they will present the information they gathered and learned and how they will apply that knowledge.

Reference

Garrett, N. (2008, May 30). Who are the next “real” American idols? STEM is key. Retrieved from http://wraltechwire.com/business/tech_wire/opinion/story/2958999/

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, (2000). MCDC Demographic

Profile. Retrieved from http://mcdc.missouri.edu/census2000

Nieto, S., & Bode, P. (2008). Affirming diversity: The sociopolitical context of multicultural education (Laureate custom edition).  Boston:  Pearson.