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NATIONAL TEACHER COLLEGE Graduate School of Teacher Education 629. J. Nepomuceno St. Quiapo, Manila

GED 108 Comparative Models of Education Academic Year 2020-2021

Research Paper on the

Analysis of Best Practices in Teaching & Assessing Learning based on Relevant Models of Educational Reforms

Section: MAELFS-C1

Group Members: Barcelo, Mary Catherine Bernadette P. Gruta, Sr. Marychelle B. Pascual, Carlito Jr. V.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Title Page Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Definition of Terms 1. Education 2. Teaching 3. Assessment 4. Educational Reforms III.

IV. V. VI.

Best Practices in Teaching & Assessing Learning based on Relevant Models of Educational Reforms in Science 1. Singapore a. Best Practices of Teaching Science b. Practices on how Singapore assesses learning 2. Japan a. System Structure b. Standard and Curriculums c. Best Practices in Teaching Science d. Practices on assessing learning 3. China a. Chinese Teaching Methods b. Why do they use this method? c. China's 2020 Education Reform Strategy 4. Philippines a. Best Practices of Teaching Science b. Best Practices of Assessing Learning Conclusion Recommendation References

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I.

Introduction Today’s system has been shaped by the Philippines’ colonial and post-war history. Under the

Spanish, education was largely provided by missionaries and the study of religion was compulsory, but most Filipinos were not included. It was only in the 19th century that they were able to attend the universities that had been established two centuries earlier, and it was only when the US took control of the Philippines in 1898 that consideration was given to non-religious education, English-language teaching and free primary school education for all. The country was ill-prepared for the sudden expansion of education and did not have enough teachers to meet the new demand, so the colonial authorities established a teacher-training school and brought in 1000 teachers from the US to provide training. An emphasis on vocational and adult education was introduced in the early 20th century, while bilingual teaching – with maths, science and literature taught in English – was introduced under Ferdinand Marcos in 1974. The commitment to a bilingual education and universal access was enshrined in the 1987 constitution Education has continuously been inundated with unused thoughts almost learning and educating. Teachers and administrators are frequently besieged with recommendations for change. They are inquired to utilize new curricula, unused instructing procedures, and unused evaluations. They are coordinated to plan research for the new state standardized test or to report and survey students’ work through portfolios and execution evaluations. They are encouraged to utilize research-based strategies to instruct perusing and science. Among teachers there’s a certain criticism that comes with these waves of reformist exhortations. Veteran teachers frequently grin wryly when told to do this or that, whispering aside almost another faddish pendulum swing, closing their classroom entryways, discreetly going almost their commerce. The objective of educational reform is to accommodate the needs of the changing educational system of the world based on its subject content and how it can cater to the learners as well as the adaptation of the teachers how they can deliver the methodology, assess and evaluate the scholastic system of education. The purpose of educational reforms is to transmute school frameworks with the goal of nurturing the quality of Teaching and Learning in a country. The main objective of this research is to enumerate, define and analyze the best Practices in Teaching & Assessing Learning based on Relevant Models of Educational Reforms. It also included

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Japan, Singapore and China’s teaching and assessing learning based on their relevant models of educational reforms in the field of sciences II.

Definition of terms

1. Education Etymologically, the word "education" is derived from the Latin word ēducātiō ("A breeding, a bringing up, a rearing") from ēducō ("I educate, I train") which is related to the homonym ēdūcō ("I lead forth, I take out; I raise up, I erect") from ē- ("from, out of") and dūcō ("I lead, I conduct") Education is

the

process

of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs,

of

facilitating learning, and habits.

or

Educational

the

acquisition methods

include teaching, training, storytelling, discussion and directed research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators; however learners can also educate themselves. Education can take place in formal or informal settings and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational. The methodology of teaching is called pedagogy. 2. Teaching In education, teaching is the concerted sharing of knowledge and experience, which is usually organized within a discipline and, more generally, the provision of stimulus to the psychological and intellectual growth of a person by another person or artifact. There are two fundamentally different ways of understanding teaching. The first sees teaching as an instructor-centered activity in which knowledge is transmitted from someone who has acquired that knowledge to novice learners: teaching as knowledge transmission. The second sees teaching as a learner-centered activity in which the instructor ensures that learning is made possible for novice learners and supports, guides, and encourages them in their active and independent creation of new knowledge: teaching as assisted knowledge creation 3. Assessment In education, it refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students. 4. Educational reform Education reform is the name given to the goal of changing public education. Reform has taken many forms and directions. Throughout history and the present day, the meaning and

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methods of education have changed through debates over what content or experiences result in an educated individual or an educated society. Changes may be implemented by individual educators and/or by broad-based school organization and/or by curriculum changes with performance evaluations. III.

Best Practices in Teaching & Assessing Learning based on Relevant Models of Educational Reforms in Science of Singapore, Japan, China and Philippines

A. Singapore Singapore has become phenomenal in quality education as showed by its learners’ outcomes on international assessments including the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Because of this gigantic leap of progress in the International

assessments, beating America and other European countries, many educators and researchers around the globe studied the educational system of Singapore and have begun to adopt its educational practices and methodology.Singapore’s PISA Performance in Science are above-average, stronger than average epistemic beliefs and above-average percentage of students expecting to work in a Science-related occupation. Also Singapore students excel in all aspects of science assessed. Professor Tan Oon Seng, on his paper Singapore and Pisa, he elaborated some teaching instructions in Science that helped Singapore in acing the PISA Science Test. According to him, in teaching science, it does not only covers the types of strategies that teachers use, but also the time allocation for each type of strategy to be used and the content to be learned. In PISA 2015, students’ reports were utilize to examine teachers utilization of three key science teaching strategies

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Best Practices of teaching science in Singapore 1. Teacher-directed Instruction (Simmons, et al., 1999; OECD, 2016) • The teacher serves as the primary source of most of the content knowledge to be transmitted to students (Simmons, et al., 1999; OECD, 2016) • The teacher takes the key responsibility to organize and impart content knowledge to students. (Simmons, et al., 1999; OECD, 2016) The teacher serves as the sage of the stage. • The teaching style focuses on teacher providing explanation, whole-class discussion and demonstration of science principles to students (Simmons, et al., 1999; OECD, 2016) • Teacher-directed instruction, which is directed towards content mastery and examination preparation, is correlated to (OECD, 2016) and is predictive of student academic achievement (Hogan, 2014). 2. Adaptive Instruction • Adaptive instruction offers flexibility to teachers in tailoring their teaching approach according to students’ needs, knowledge and ability (Hofstein & Lunetta, 2004) • Characteristic activities of adaptive instruction: (1) teachers’ provision of support to students struggling academically; (2) modification of lesson structure for topics that are challenging for students, and (3) tailoring of lessons according to the students’ knowledge and needs (OECD, 2016). • Adaptive instruction is positively correlated with students’ academic achievement and epistemic beliefs (OECD, 2016) 3. Inquiry-based instruction • Inquiry refers to the way in which scientist study the natural world, propose ideas, explain and justify assertions based on evidence (Hofstein, & Lunetta, 2004) • Characterized by the following activities: (1) designing and carrying out experiments; (2) presenting findings; (3) drawing conclusions from experimental evidence; (4) students explain and argue about their ideas; and (5) teachers linking scientific ideas to real-life settings and daily life (OECD, 2016). • Adaptive instruction is negatively correlated with students’ academic achievement and positively correlated with students’ epistemic beliefs (OECD, 2016). Practices on how Singapore assesses learning

In Singapore, as shown in the diagram below, assessing students work is fundamental part of the interactive teaching and learning process. It is a continuing progression through which educators collect the outcome and output of their student’s learning to inform and support teaching. An important resource

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of assessment is feedback and evaluation, which should be suitable and comprehensive. Students should be advised about where they need to progress in their study habits and take actions to improve.

1. Integrating classroom assessment and instruction In this assessment, the teachers integrate the assessment into the speech and scientific activities in the classroom. For example, the teacher can see how students solve a problem and have them explain the strategies used to solve it. Teachers also get the students involved in evaluating their own work and inviting them to reflect on their own learning, including what they think they can, or should, do to improve it. The teachers in Singapore also constantly ask their students questions to encourage learning based on previous knowledge. This question and answer dynamic allows the teacher to correct a misconception or reinforce a good idea. Open-ended questions also encourage the students to consider alternative approaches. They reserve a lot of time in their classes for this kind of dynamic, allowing students to formulate their thoughts, communicate, share their ideas and listen to the ideas of others. Through this process, students learn to articulate their thinking to deepen their understanding and develop confidence in discussing mathematics. Learning assessments require new forms of evaluation in the classroom, they imply changes in a teacher’s roles as well as student expectations. By integrating assessments and instructions students will be more committed, and more responsible, for their learning. 2. Science Practical Assessment (SPA) In 2004, Singapore embarked on a radical shift to a School-based Practical Assessment (SPA), breaking a long tradition of the once-off summative practical examination. In SPA, the practical skills were divided into 4 categories: Planning, Manipulation, Analysis and Evaluation. Each skill had to be assessed twice on different topics in the 2-year A-Level course. Centers could select from a pool of

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assessment tasks provided by the examination board. As with any coursework, there were internal moderation at the school level and external moderation at the national level to ensure comparability within and across centers respectively B. Japan Japan is one of the world’s most compelling success stories in education. The country features consistently among the world’s top-performing systems in OECD PISA*, the leading international test of competence among 15-year-old school students, with regard to the quality of learning outcomes, equity in the distribution of learning opportunities and value for money a. System Structure The school system in Japan consists of three years of optional kindergarten, six years of primary school, three years of lower secondary school and three years of upper secondary school. Children are required to attend school for a minimum of nine years – six years of primary and three years of lower secondary education. Students who have completed lower secondary school, at about age sixteen, may choose to apply to upper secondary school. Roughly 98 percent of Japanese students elect to continue on to upper secondary schools, and each type of school has its own admissions processes and requirements. There are three types of upper secondary schools in Japan: senior high schools, colleges of technology and specialized training colleges. The graduation rate from upper secondary school is 94 percent. Of the students continuing into upper secondary, the vast majority (over 97 percent) enroll in senior high schools which provide general, specialized and integrated courses. General courses are intended for students who hope to attend university, or for students who wish to seek employment after high school but have no particular vocational preference. Seventy-five percent of senior high school students enroll in general courses. Specialized courses are for students who have selected a particular vocational area of interest; about 19 percent of senior high school students choose this path. Integrated courses allow a student to choose electives from both the general and specialized tracks, and roughly 6 percent of senior high school students choose this option. The small percent of students who do not attend senior high schools go to either colleges of technology or specialized training colleges. Colleges of technology require their own set of entrance exams. They provide five-year programs in engineering, culminating in an associate’s degree. Some colleges also offer additional two-year “advanced courses” for students wishing to earn bachelor’s

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degrees. Most students go on to full employment after graduation, though a portion elect to continue on to university. Specialized training colleges provide vocational education in eight fields: technology, agriculture, medical care, personal care and nutrition, education and welfare, business, fashion and general education. These colleges are open-entry and do not require a specific entry exam. Graduates receive a diploma after completing the high school portion and can continue into post-secondary courses to earn advanced diplomas. Many primary and secondary schools are open six days a week and many students spend additional hours in “cram school,” or juku, to prepare for exams and to drill on the concepts they learned in the classroom. Juku are essentially a shadow school system in which students may spend up to 12 hours a week, particularly in the months leading up to upper secondary and university entrance exams. MEXT has tried many different strategies to try to reduce the number of hours students spend in juku schools over the past decade but they have not been particularly effective. Students also continue to be assigned several hours of homework a day and summer vacation remains short. The cumulative effect of these additional hours spent learning is that Japanese students complete the equivalent of several more years of schooling than students in other nations. b. Standards and Curriculum The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), in conjunction with university professors and the Central Council for Education, establishes broad guidelines for the content of each school subject from preschool education through senior high school. The curriculum for each grade level is carefully calibrated to pick up each year where the previous grade left off, and to ensure preparation for the following grade. Ministry specialists prepare teacher guidebooks in each subject with input from experienced teachers. While teachers may make adaptations, they are expected to follow the national curriculum. This national curriculum is revised about once every decade. It is currently being revised and a new curriculum will be rolled out in stages starting in 2020. The current curriculum was revised in 2008 and was fully implemented in 2013. That revision represented a shift from the previous decade when curriculum was “loosened” and requirements reduced to allow more flexibility for schools and to reduce the “burdens” on students. After a dip in both PISA and TIMMS scores following those changes, the 2008 revisions reversed direction and added more instructional time and increased the content and

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complexity of subject matter. It also required students to begin English in primary school. While the reform did move Japan back towards its more traditional curriculum, it also maintained teaching of integrated subjects and a focus on applying knowledge. The latest proposals for revision include adding history, geography and public affairs as compulsory subjects in senior high schools and adding an optional course for high school students that allows students to choose themes from mathematics and science for independent research. Textbook publishers produce books that adhere very closely to the national curriculum, and MEXT must examine and approve each book before it is made available for schools. Local boards of education then select which Ministry-approved texts will be used in schools. Currently, Japan’s primary school curriculum is divided into three main categories: compulsory subjects, moral education and special activites. Compulsory subjects are Japanese language, Japanese literature, arithmetic, social studies, science, music, arts and handicrafts, programming and PE. English is currently required in fifth and sixth grade, but it is taught through informal activities rather than as a graded subject. Beginning in 2020, English will be a graded subject for fifth and sixth graders, with informal activities starting earlier in third and fourth grade. Moral education is intended to teach students to respect one another and the environment, to understand the importance of life, to respect the rules of society and to learn general self-control. Special activities refer to activities and ceremonies that emphasize teamwork and cooperation such as graduations, field trips or school concerts. The compulsory subjects are continued in lower secondary school, with the addition of fine arts, foreign languages and a greater array of electives. According to Andreas Schleicher, OECD director for education and skills and special adviser on education policy to the secretary-general, congratulated Japan on its results but advised increasing efforts to nurture aspiration in science. “Japan is one of the strongest performing education systems, coming out of the PISA assessment with great stre...