Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Development on IBSE curriculum

in China

Zhaoning Ye
Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast
University, Nanjing, China
Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning
Science, MOE
Education Center for Learning by Doing Science
Education Reform Pilot Program
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Research Center for Learning Science

School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering,
Southeast University, Nanjing, China
The Key Laboratory of Education Center for
Child Development Learning by Doing
and Learning Science, Science Education
MOE Reform Pilot Program

Learning by Doing Program

Educational research on IBSE and STEM education
National Teacher Training for trainers and teachers
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Learning by Doing (LBD) is a pioneer science education

reform program initiated jointly by the Ministry of
Education(MOE), China Association for Science and
Technology (CAST) and Chinese Academy of Science(CAS)
in 2001, which promotes Hands-on Inquiry Based Learning
and Teaching on Science and Technology in k-6 education,
aiming to bring out student centered instruction learning,
foster children's scientific way of thinking and of living,
cultivate qualified citizens with higher scientific literacy and
the progress of quality education for all.
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Protect the children's curiosity and inspire learning

initiative of science.
Stimulate imaginations and expand scientific thinking.
Access the important scientific concepts and the linkages
between the scientific concepts.
Learn the skills of science inquiry.
Improve the ability of cooperation and communication.
Promote the development of the language and
expression ability.
Train the students to learn the attitude of taking the
initiative to explore.
Foster the attitude of co-operation and seeking the truth
from facts.
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Orientation to every child and taking into

account difference between individual children.
Laying foundation for child to learn through
his/her lifetime, and more importantly, for
children to learn how to live.
Teaching contents should be derived from life
and drawn from the surroundings.
To guide the children to take the initiative to
explore and experience the process of inquiry.
Teachers are the supporters and guiders for the
children to learn science.
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Using encouraging assessment, including

formative assessment.
The scientists and educators will carry out the
science education jointly.
The power of communities and families will be
fully mobilized to support science education.
The modernized internet will be used to
promote the domestic and international
exchanges and cooperation.
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Wei Yu, inspiration by the 7 years exploration of Learning by Doing Program,

national meeting of LBD, 2008.10, Shanghai
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Module Name

Grade earth and

material and design and
life science environmental
physical science technology
science

Fruit basket Find the world

Kindergarten Air My boats
Water and ice Senses

Solid and liquid silkworm Weather Little architects

Grade12
Force and motion Plant growth Soil Simple machines

Sound Rocks and

Change in water Eco-systems minerals Making car
Grade 34
Electro circuit Ourselves Earth and Electric car
Cold and hot Sun
magnetic and
Protect the
Grade 56 electric Micro world Flight
environment
Light
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

1992 2001 2006 2017

National teaching National science LBD content National science
syllabus standard standard standard
(Grade 1-6) (Grade 3-6) (K-6) (Grade 1-6)
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

What is IBSE?
IBSE as being not a single pedagogical method,
but an approach having key features that can be
implemented in various ways.

IBSE shares some features with traditional science

education but differs from it in many respects that go
beyond the manipulation of materials to the key factor
of engaging students in identifying relevant evidence,
in critical and logical reasoning about it and in
reflection on its interpretation.

Report of the working group on international collaboration in the evaluation of inquiry-based science
education programs (IAP, 2006)
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Key distinguishing characteristics of IBSE are:

Students are developing concepts that enable them to

understand the scientific aspects of the world around
them through their own thinking using critical and logical
reasoning about evidence that they have gathered. This
may involve them in first hand manipulation of objects
and materials and observation of events; it may also
involve them in using evidence gained from a range of
information sources including books, the Internet,
teachers and scientists.
Report of the working group on international collaboration in the evaluation of inquiry-based science
education programs (IAP, 2006)
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Key distinguishing characteristics of IBSE are:

Teachers are leading students to develop the skills of

inquiry and the understanding of science concepts
through the students own activity and reasoning. This
involves facilitating group work, argumentation, dialogue
and debate, as well as providing for direct exploration of
and experimentation with materials.

Report of the working group on international collaboration in the evaluation of inquiry-based science
education programs (IAP, 2006)
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

1992 2001 2006 2017

National teaching National science LBD content National science

syllabus standard standard standard
(Grade 1-6) (Grade 3-6) (K-6) (Grade 1-6)

No inquiry Focus on: Focus on: Focus on:

inquiry inquiry inquiry
big ideas big ideas
Design and Learning
technology progressions
Technology and
engineering
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Big ideas What to teach?

Two
important key
factors Learning
How to teach?
progressions
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Understanding big ideas in science education

Wei Yu, inspiration by the 7 years exploration of Learning by Doing Program, national
meeting of LBD, 2008.10, Shanghai
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Understanding develops over time

To develop a thorough understanding of scientific explanations
of the world, students need sustained opportunities to work
with and develop the underlying ideas and to appreciate those
ideas interconnections over a period of years rather than
weeks or months. A Framework for K-12 Science Education

understanding is not something that is present or absent but

progresses in complexity with increasing experience.
Scientific ideas are often complex and progress depends
variously on expansion of experience, development of
reasoning and access to different ways of explaining
phenomena, properties and relationships.
Principles and big ideas of science education
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Using Formative
assessment and collect
Requirement Modify
feedback in teaching
practice
Analysis for instructional design
1.Teaching goals Lesson plan
2.Curriculum standard
3.Features of learner Curriculum Teaching strategies
4.Contents and learning
progressions Learning resources
5.Inquiry activities
assessment

Design the framework Design contents

of curriculum and materials
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Considerations when we develop the framework of

the curriculum

What are the teaching goals?

What is the relationship between subjects and
national standard?
Students age and lesson times
What are the features of students understanding?
What are the students misconceptions?
What are the teaching contents?
What kind of activities to choose?

Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program

Considerations
when we develop
contents and
lesson plans

Teaching
experience and
feedback can help
to modify
framework and A model of learning through inquiry

lesson plan Working with big ideas of Science

Education, IAP
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program
Learning by Doing Science Education Reform Pilot Program