Panel #5: Problem Solving

Problem solving is not the most important goal in secondary science education. Effective science curriculum incorporates investigation and experiment, inquiry-based learning, and the nature of science to adequately equip the young minds to become independent analytical thinkers. California Content Standards for 8 th grade Physical Science states: " Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. " This is achieved through guided planning and conducting scientific experiments and testing the hypothesis. The teachers need to explicitly instruct the basic skills needed to practice the nature of science. Without a highly qualified instructor specifically trained in the area of laboratory skills, the student growth in this standard is limited. According to the National Center for Education Statistics published in 2006, only the 4 th graders have made a progress on the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science exam. The eighth graders remained stagnant, while the 12th graders actually declined. This downward trend is a serious concern for our future in the global competition. H. Wenglinsky and S. Silverstein recently conducted a study in the Columbia and they concluded: " Of the many steps needed to improve science education, none is more important than improving teacher training. Professional development that focuses on improving teachers' laboratory skills and stimulating them to implement more hands-on, constructivist practices in their classrooms