Goals and Purposes of Science Education in the Philippines

From elementary until high school, I studied in a private sectarian school run by nuns. I was not on top of my class when I was in elementary, not to mention most of the time listed among the students at the end of the list. Nevertheless, things changed in my highschool, I strived harder and put much effort into my studies. My Science classes during those times were my favorite. I can still remember vividly how my classmates and I remember every term and definition my teacher provided. During exams, we study together, blurting out either the terms or the definitions. My high school was one of my best times studying because, in introspection, I was motivated to study and always work hard to be on top of my class.

Moreover, what inspired me at that time was my Science teacher. It is still apparent to me how I am always engaged in memorizing the terms because of my astonishment at her writing. All the terms and definitions were well-written on the board, and she explained every concept in great detail. Sometimes I tell myself that I want to be like her when I grow up – a fountain of knowledge. Subconsciously, maybe that is one of the reasons I am pursuing my teaching career in Science.

Looking back to my experience in learning Science, I would instead associate this to one of the pillars of learning Science mentioned by Macedo (2006 as cited in United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, n.d.) that students should have a rudimentary understanding of concepts in Science “to explain and understand the world around them, and how to change it” (p. 21). However, this learning of Science I had experience is mere arbitrary abstractions and does not encompass the entirety of learning Sciences. Duschl et al. (2007) argue that for students to be proficient in Science, they should “know, use, and interpret scientific explanations of the natural world; generate and evaluate scientific evidence and explanations; understand the nature and development of scientific knowledge, and participate productively in scientific practices and discourse” (p. 36). Thus, science education should constitute not only the content of Science but also the process of Science. As defined by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (1996), scientific literacy is “knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes required for personal decision making, participation in civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity” (p.22). The study of Science should allow students to think, inquire, research, and answer questions about the natural world. It should develop students’ creative thinking and critical thinking skills.

Furthermore, it should cultivate problem-solving skills by exposing students to real-life scenarios to explore the concepts being studied. For example, in a unit about Biodiversity, students could visit a nearby botanical garden, body of water, or terrestrial where they can conduct an investigation about various species and measure biodiversity index. They could then connect this investigation to a more extensive study of biodiversity and investigate the state of biodiversity in different parts of the world. Finally, they could dig deeper into this content of Science by reflecting on how the problem of biodiversity loss can have environmental, political, social, or economic impacts.

The Philippine Education System values learning Science’s association to technology and industry (SEI-DOST & UP NISMED, 2011). It also emphasizes the role of Science education in cultural development. Related to this, Taber (2017) argues that Science should be taught in the classroom to prepare future scientists or engineers related to citizenship in this modern technological world. Thus, for students to be technologically proficient and culturally adroit, science learning should be strengthened among Philippine classrooms. SEI-DOST & UP NISMED (2011) mentions that though some students are exceptional in learning Science as evident of accomplishing outstanding awards in the field, both in national and international level, still a large number of students fall behind in the Science content of National Achievement Tests. Based on my previous experience of learning Science, I firmly believe that in order for students to appreciate Science and learn in real-world scenarios, one goal of Science education in the Philippines should center on community-related explorations where students utilize their content learning in the community setting. In this way, teachers and students can use readily available resources and understand how the world works in their setting. In addition, this strategy can make pertinent connections between science concepts and processes, thus making learning more relevant, current, and meaningful.

As a science educator, I believe that Science education is an integral part of learning. In order to understand how the world works, every individual should have a basic foundation in Science. However, we have to consider that not everyone will become a scientist, biologist, chemist, or physicist in the future. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that knowledge and skills in Science can be utilized in other careers or professions. Furthermore, it allows a person to be culturally and technologically adept, making Science essential for countries’ cultural and economic development. Thus, every student should have an in-depth understanding of Science. Therefore, science educators have an essential role in cultivating scientific literacy among all their students to have a basic understanding of Science and be active participants of the larger community that is culturally sensible and economically adept. Furthermore, to develop students with the knowledge and skills in various branches of Science, educators should cultivate scientific thinking and encourage students to do Science through investigations, observations and explorations through inquiry-based, project-based, and problem-based learning.

References:

Duschl, R. A., Schweingruber, H. A., & Shouse, A. W. (Eds.). (2007). Goals for science education (Chap 2). In Taking science to school: Learning and teaching science in Grades K-8 (pp. 26-45). Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. https://www.nap.edu/read/11625/chapter/4

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (1996). National Science Education Standards. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://www.nap.edu/read/4962/chapter/4

SEI-DOST & UP NISMED. (2011). Science framework for Philippine basic education. Manila: SEI-DOST & UP NISMED. https://www.sei.dost.gov.ph/images/downloads/publ/sei_scibasic.pdf

Taber, K. (2017). Reflecting the nature of science in science education (Chap 2). In K. S. Taber and B. Akpan (Eds.), Science education: An international course companion (pp. 23- 35). Rotterdam, Netherlands: Sense Publishers. https://www.sensepublishers.com/media/3012-science-education.pdf

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. (n.d.). Current Challenges in Basic Science Education. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000191425_eng