Teaching biology.
Practices and strategies in teaching biology.
Very important to présent you personal expérience in concordance to the cours
Perhaps could be useful to read the following paper:
1-Which strategy best suits biology teaching? Lecturing, concept mapping, cooperative learning or learning cycle? ejse.southwestern.edu › article › ... › 8115
2-Best Practices for Honors Biology.doc
Best Practices for Biology Honors (9th Grade)
By Paola Ventura
These are some of the best teaching practices:
1. Science Fair Project and research projects. All students are required to complete a science fair project while taking biology.
2. Hands-on experiences. They provide visual and kinesthetic aids. Students carry out several experiments during each unit and demonstrations are also performed. Dissections
are also very important in understanding the relationship between anatomy and physiology while studying the human body. Stations throughout the class with specimens or resources are helpful.
3. Cooperative learning groups. Students carry out hands-on activities in carefully selected cooperative learning groups. Peer learning is a very important tool that enables students to develop leadership skills, allows different types of learners to contribute in their abilities.
4. Inquiry. Inquiry-based learning stimulates students to think and interact in cooperative learning groups and develops critical thinking. Teacher acts like a facilitator of information promoting high order thinking within the students.
5. Technology. A SmartBoard that is used when giving lectures, or to carry out interactive practice problems. Students also have access to class laptops with virtual labs which reinforce concepts learned in class and provide a fun and unique way of memorizing names and learning new concepts. In the same way, students have access to a homework page where they find from class notes to assignments or useful resources such as the online textbook version.
6. Real word applications. Students are always given useful applications that pertain to our society during every unit. In this way, students will remember the information, make useful connections and find meaning to the course. At the end of each lab session or unit, students are asked to apply the new concepts learned to current situations. This also instills scientific literacy by making students aware of the close relationship between school, society and technology, the importance of being a responsible citizen, and making wise decisions.
7. Student feedback. It is of essence that students receive feedback about their performance in class, so that they are aware of mastering objectives or the need of reinforcing some concepts.
8. Field Trips. Students visit exhibits and learn in a different environment; they have to complete tasks during the visit and respond to critical thinking questions.
9. Professional development. Different medicine and science related professions are announced in the class bulletin as well as different opportunities for students to join leadership programs in medicine or internship opportunities for any science branch.
10. Resources. Always have different resources like models, textbooks, manuals, laptops with software and internet access, a well-equipped library, and extra materials. A bulletin board can be used to post important due dates, have a space for “the scientist of the week or month”, and other helpful resources.
11. Self-reflection. Educators must constantly evaluate their lessons to identify any improvements needed and determine if objectives were met.
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