Perspectives of Hands-On
Science Teaching

David L. Haury and Peter Rillero, 1994



4. How can practicing teachers gain experience with hands-on methods?

While the majority of teachers may be supportive of hands-on learning, many are concerned with their limited backgrounds in science (Tilgner, 1990; Symington & Osborne, 1983). A lack of adequate preparation becomes an obstacle to teachers attempting to implement science programs (Morey, 1990). Most teachers report a need for help in learning new teaching methods and obtaining information about instructional materials (Finan, 1990; Koker, 1992). How can the needed knowledge and experience be obtained?

Teacher Responses

• Gaining experience with the hands-on approach is critical to feeling comfortable with this teaching strategy. Ideally, this experience would be obtained before exposing students to hands-on lessons. One way I continue to be introduced to hands-on ideas is by annually attending both our statewide science conference and the regional NSTA conference. Having funding provided is great, but even if that can't be secured, it is well worth the expense. A wealth of ideas in the form of workshops and presentations are included and are often presented in such a way that you participate in the activities, thereby gaining that valuable experience. Additional avenues for this experience include summer workshops or classes, peer coaching, and just diving in with your students using the multitude of resources available focusing on hands-on activities. Jeff Gunn, Cheldelin Middle School, Corvallis, OR
• There are several ways teachers can gain experience with the hands-on approach. 1) Watch other teachers in your building who use this method. 2) Talk to teachers who use activities or teach hands- on science. Many times you can get ideas on activities, materials, classroom management and resources that can ease your way into this approach. 3) Find activities that correlate with a concept you are currently teaching. Try the activity and observe the students' reactions and their knowledge of the concept after the activity. 4) Go to workshops and inservice activities that promote the use of hands-on. Cooperative learning workshops would also encourage implementation. Elizabeth A. Henline, Mt. Orab Elementary, Mt. Orab, OH

Developer Thoughts

• It would seem that the answer to this questions is simple: Practicing teachers gain experience with hands-on methods by using hands-on science in their classrooms with their students. A more difficult question is how teachers are prepared to enter into the experience. Their are several answers.

Teachers can prepare themselves to teach hands-on science as individuals - without guidance. Many resources are within the financial reach of teachers and they can gather their own materials and plunge in. This avenue is not the most productive, but can work.

Teachers can prepare themselves to teach hands-on science by participating in courses, institutes, workshops, and projects with other teachers under the guidance of experts in the area of science methods, curriculum, and resources. Such preparation, accompanied by some practical experience teaching science is often the most effective way to gain proficiency with hands-on science in the shortest time.

The most effective way to revolutionize the teaching of science is to involve a complete school staff in the process of curriculum reform so that they have investment in the course of study and support from the other teachers in the school. The staff should make a commitment to hands-on methods and seek the resources and guidance needed to bring the curriculum objectives to reality. The school should provide the teaching materials and the inservice training necessary to implement the program. Periodic staff meetings to share successes and troubleshoot problems should be a regular part of the business of education. A recognition of the fact that a vital science program will require continual inservice and updating is essential. The job is never done - science education is dynamic. Larry Malone, FOSS Project, Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, CA

• You become a quality hands-on, material based, inquiry approach, student-centered teacher by becoming that kind of learner! Roll up your sleeves, dig in, get your hands-on, and allow your childlike curiosity to support your wonder and investigations into things that truly interest you; especially the most common events and things in everyday life. Do not let habituation set in! Push yourself to always be searching, testing, open-minded, and a critical thinker. Do not be afraid to invent ideas based on real evidence and have your own unique ways of seeing things. Treat knowledge as tools to continue to grow ever more profound ideas and not as a final answer or as a weapon to squash other's equally profound ideas.

As a teacher, you should strive to value the serious thinking of your students and encourage dialogue to discuss different ways of explaining things. Encourage the growth of ideas by focusing on new learning opportunities presented by each new idea. Finally, invite your students to join you in your learning adventures as active and confident colleagues in learning. Bill Schmitt, Content Director, Galaxy Classroom, Los Angeles, CA

• There are several ways that teachers gain experience with hands-on methods. One way is to attend a short workshop at a convention, such as NSTA, or participate in a summer institution sponsored by a publisher of a hands-on curriculum or by a professional association. Often you can use state Eisenhower funds to support this type of education.

Another method for gaining experience is to identify a variety of hands-on activities. You can gather these activities piecemeal in journal and activity books, or by finding coherent units in published curricula, or soliciting suggestions from other teachers. After identifying some activities that interest you, try them out by yourself and then with students.

A third option is to look for intern or summer job possibilities in hospitals or industrial laboratories. Working side by side with bench scientists provides a very real experience with hands-on methods. Fourth, consider employing a consultant to work with the teachers. This consultant could be a lead teacher in a building or district, a local curriculum developer, a science education professor, or a nationally recognized expert. Janet Carlson Powell, Senior Staff Associate, BSCS, Colorado Springs, CO

States frequently offer a wide variety of ways for teachers to gain experience in the hands-on approach. Though the following response pertains specifically to Indiana, similar programs are offered in other states.

• Regional workshops are conducted throughout Indiana. The majority of higher education institutions conduct inservice training programs. Projects WILD and LEARNING TREE have reached over 20,000 teachers with hands-on workshops. Hoosier Association of Science Teachers, Inc. (HASTI) designs a special block of environmental education each year during their annual conference. The Environmental Education Association of Indiana (EEAI) reaches 200 teachers each year during the annual conference. Regional education service centers also conduct workshops. Joe Wright, Environmental Science Consultant, Indiana Department of Education

Notes from the literature

• In a survey of the members of the National Middle Level Science Teachers Association, the major need identified was the need to develop science teaching techniques (Koker, 1992).
• "Hands-on science teaching has been widely promoted through textbooks, activities manuals, methods courses and workshops for inservice teachers; and it is a key component of student-centered instruction. However, this mode of teaching is far from universally employed by teachers; perhaps because it is so different from the type of instruction they experiences in their own school and college science studies" (Prather, 1993, p. 61).
• Elementary teachers in the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) who reported in a survey that packaged science kits and teacher guides would be the most useful approach to improving science instruction (Teters & Gabel, 1984).
• The experience that teachers gain from hands-on learning opportunities has important benefits. A hands-on activities course which promoted social interaction lessened student-teachers' science anxiety and increased content knowledge (Hall & McCurdy, 1989).
• Videotapes can be an effective way to show teachers appropriate methods for using science kits (Winnett, 1988).
• Universities frequently hold preservice and inservice workshops. For example, the University of Miami held summer workshops entitled "Teaching Science With Toys" (Taylor, Williams, Sarquis, & Poth; 1990).

"How does one keep up with new developments in the profession of teaching? Taking college coursework, being active in professional organizations, participating in inservice activities and workshops, serving on committees considering the adoption of new textbooks or developing new curricula, are several of the possible means for maintaining an awareness of new scientific and methodological advances" (Rillero & Roempler, 1993, p. 10). However, one of the most effective methods of continuous growth as a teacher is regular reading of professional journals.

• Hands-on science museums may be an effective way for teachers to get experience with hands-on learning (Ault & Herrick, 1991). Doherty (1992a) describes the experiences of the Exploratorium which has been open since 1969. "From the very beginning, these teachers asked us to help them learn the science behind the exhibits. In response, the Exploratorium created two teacher- training programs: the School in the Exploratorium, for elementary school teachers, and the Teacher Institute, for middle and high school teachers. These programs teach science using hands-on discovery - the same method we encourage them to use in teaching science to their students" (p. 2). Ault and Herrick (1991) present another reason to use hands-on science museums to aid in teacher preparation. "The role of informal learning is not just to accomplish objectives of attitude and conceptual change through thoughtful exhibitry, but also to foster practice and success in science teaching and learning within families and social groups. After all, family, museum, and school together share responsibility for the science environment of each child. All parties in this shared responsibility have much to learn, yet only the teacher is pivotal to all three. For this reason we encourage other teacher education programs to explore the integration of exhibit evaluation and teacher preparation in science" (p. 105).

Summary

There are many existing avenues for teachers to learn about and gain experience with hands-on teaching, including workshops, visits to science museums, and other teachers. State, regional and national conferences provide exposure to methods, materials, and a wider community of peers. We agree with Larry Malone that the best way to obtain experience in using hands-on materials is for teachers to start using them in their classrooms with his or her students. The responses of students to hands-on experiences will be infectious, and concerns about materials and instructional strategies will diminish over time. Like everyone else, teachers learn best by getting involved, trying things out, starting out with what is simple and interesting, and continually searching for new ideas, experiences, and resources.

However, paths for teachers to gain experience in specific programs need to be better developed. Administrators need to give teachers time, resources, and encouragement to participate in some of the available programs and prepare classroom activities. Just as an activity-based approach to instruction requires materials, activity-oriented teachers require direct experiences from which to build a personal repertoire of activities and techniques. If we endorse learning through activity for school students, we must also recognize the value of learning through activity among teachers. We all construct meaning from the experiences we have.

Posted to the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory's
Pathways to School Improvement Internet server on June 30, 1995.

Contact: info@ncrel.org