Problem Based Learning

The College of Saint Rose incorporates problem based learning in its program to prepare Childhood Education and Special Education/Childhood Education majors for teaching science. Elementary school teachers need to be able to use the scientific process in their own classrooms. It is in this environment that children truly begin to understand and appreciate the meaning of science. The scientific process is problem based, requiring critical thinking, active exploration, acquisition and application of critical knowledge, and team participation. The College of Saint Rose has created two science courses , SCI100 and SCI200, centered on problem based learning and specifically designed for future elementary school teachers.

SCI 100 & SCI 200

SCI100 and SCI200 cover topics in physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science based on the New York State elementary education standards. These courses, taught by experts in each field, incorporate problem based learning, laboratory activities, peer-led workshops, and service learning to not only teach science, but to foster an understanding of the value of science.

SCI100 and SCI200 are followed by a third course Teaching Science and Math 1-6 (EDU 386 ).

Goals of SCI100 and SCI200

• develop critical thinking skills by focusing on the problem based nature of the scientific process
•  introduce the various fields of science students may be required to teach
• present science from the perspective of scientists
• focus attention on science as a process for acquiring knowledge rather than simply a collection of facts
• present science as a process that can be conducted in a classroom

Who Takes SCI100 and SCI200

SCI100 and SCI200 are required courses for those undergraduate students that are majoring in Childhood Education (1-6) or Special Education/Childhood Education and have chosen a non-science concentration. Transfer students should consult with their advisor to determine their individual requirements. Other education majors may be able to enroll in SCI100 and SCI200. Interested students should consult with their advisors and Mary Cosgrove.

Laboratory Activities

The laboratory component of Science 100 and Science 200 provides opportunities for students to develop inquiry skills and improve their ability to reason scientifically. Using basic scientific techniques, equipment, and technology students conduct experiments and collect and analyze data. Some laboratory activities in Biology and Geology will involve field work so that the students can gain first hand experience with the concepts taught in these subject areas.

Peer-Led Problem Based Workshops

The workshops are problem solving sessions in which the students meet in small groups guided by peer leaders. The peer leaders are students that have either successfully completed SCI100/200 or are majoring/concentrating in a science field. The problems are designed by the course instructors and are based on challenging real scientific problems. Guided by peer leaders, the students propose and develop solutions as a group. The workshops provide the students with a deeper understanding of the scientific topics being studied and a better understanding that science is a process by which knowledge is gained. The peer leaders gain valuable pedagogical experience and reinforce their own knowledge.

Service Learning

Service learning is method of learning that provides a service to the community using an authentic application of the course concepts. Students reflect upon and evaluate their experiences and incorporate the new knowledge into their course work.

Service Learning is fundamental to the SCI100/200 program. Students have an opportunity to use the science they have learned in the classroom for the benefit of the community. SCI100/200 students have volunteered in local schools, environmental centers, museums, and discovery centers. They have worked with children and adolescents with autism and developmental disabilities. All of these experiences are positive, real, meaningful, and offer opportunities to solve problems in a real-world setting.