Science Education News (SEN) Journal 2018 Science Education News Volume 67 Number 4 | Page 33

ARTICLES Engaging students in Chemistry By Sue Colman Getting the message out there how many children are characterised as being disengaged and disconnected from school learning. This issue is further highlighted by Goss & Sonnermann (2017) exploring how several children are disengaged in classroom learning as he explains how more than 40% of children ineffectively participate in their own learning. Children’s disengagement can be accentuated through their constantly disrupting themselves and others in their learning, but some students are disengaged in their learning without showing signs of disrupting others. Goss & Sonnermann (2017) highlights this, examining how ‘nearly one in four students are compliant but quietly disengaged’ (p.15). Our students vote with their feet. If we don’t engage the students we will lose them from our course, but more importantly we will have further citizens, all potential voters, that do not understand the pseudo-science being presented to them. This is called 'the information age', but my question is: How prepared are our young people to discern the quality and accuracy of the information they receive? So we come back to the initial question: how do we engage our students in our courses? Well, in the current system where we assess continuously we can pressure students to attend and engage. Then we can assure them a pass, and assume we have done our job! The problem of student engagement can be affected by various factors, including lack of interest in school programs, family issues at home or school, low quality teaching practice, and difficulty in school work (Goss & Sonnermann, 2017). Murray et al (2004) furthers this, indicating that children being disinterested in the work can also impact student disengagement and there being limited choices in their learning. The issue of student engagement is a significant challenge that teachers face in their classrooms today, as Goss & Sonnermann (2017) explores how teachers believe managing disengagement and student misbehaviours is one of the biggest challenges for teachers. They explain that ‘nearly one-third of teachers are highly stressed by the challenges of engaging and reengaging students in class’ (p15). In my opinion this is of little value. We have them for a relatively short period of time, and what will they remember after they leave? Or more importantly, will they want to further their studies in this area? Now let’s consider what ‘to engage’ means. The Webster definition of ‘engaging’ is ‘tending to draw favourable attention or interest’. This process involves an interaction, and our aim as the teacher must be to have each individual student engaged with us. There are constraints, but even in distance education this can be achieved. Early on in my career I taught Chemistry by distance; it was a challenge. One interesting anecdote occurred; two students attended the same practical group at university, and the lecturer said that they should have known each other. In fact they had no idea, and each thought they were my only student. The lecturer was very surprised but noted that both students were very eager to learn. It is always good to get positive feedback! Nearly one third of all teachers are highly stressed by the challenges of engaging and reengaging students in class. The learner-centred approach recognises that a child’s prior knowledge plays such an important part in a student’s learning it should be extended to our older students in senior courses. It comes with an assumption that our students are not blank slates but come with knowledge, ideas and interest, which must be built upon and fostered, and above all respected. What do we know about student engagement from the literature? • The Grattan Institute report finds: In Australia, many students are consistently disengaged in class: as many as 40 per cent are unproductive in a given year. https://prezi.com/l9fdll8kvaet/problem-based-learning Teachers implement problem-based learning by choosing a topic that will interest and engage the children or a topic that the teacher is interested for the children to learn more about. In selecting a topic, teachers should ensure that what the children learn about relates to the curriculum content, and use questions to provoke the children’s thinking about the project’s topic that will be explored (Patton & Robin, 2012). • A similar study in the UK found: This is especially true of the middle-of-the-class youngsters in Years 8 and 9, who cause no trouble and win no prizes. • An issue raised in the online Journal, ‘The Conversation’: What is the use of science knowledge if you are never inclined to use it once you leave the reward systems of schooling? In “Problem Based Learning” by Bethany Sterrey on Prezi https://prezi.com/l9fdll8kvaet/problem-based-learning/ Grattan Institute, 2017. “What educators can do is engage students by harnessing their ideas, interests, curiosity, abilities, talents, and skills, and “In Australian classrooms today Murray et al (2004) examines 33 SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 67 NO 4