Evidence-based science education:
Some experiences from Singapore
A/Prof R. Subramaniam,
Honorary Secretary
Singapore National Academy of Science
and
Associate Professor of Science Education
National Institute of Education
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore
Evidence-based science education
• Affords teaching and learning experiences
that can ignite interest among students as
well as make the learning of science more
meaningful
• Draws upon research findings that can
inform pedagogy
Education system in Singapore
• Latest global education rankings, released by
the Organization of Economic Co-operation
and Development in May 2015, put
Singapore at the top.
• There are several reasons why Singapore's
education system is regarded highly.
• One of the reasons is the pronounced
emphasis placed on science and
mathematics
Evidence-based approaches in science education
in Singapore
• Approaches to teaching and learning in
science that promote interest, engagement
conceptual understabding and inquiry
• Quite a number of approaches are used in
Singapore to ensure that the teaching and
learning of science are informed by evidencebased approaches
• These approaches help to also promote
curiosity and foster conceptual understanding
Why infuse evidence-based
approaches in science education?
•
•
•
•
Interest in science, especially physics, is declining (Oon & Subramaniam,
2011, 2013), even in Singapore
Students’ program preference for university enrolment does not include
science as first choice Oon & Subramaniam, 2015)
Attitudes towards science (Caleon & Subramaniam, 2008) are important in
influencing students’ interest in the subject
Creative teaching can spice up science lessons and pique interest levels
Caleon, I. & Subramaniam, R. (2008). Attitudes towards science of intellectually gifted and mainstream upper primary
students in Singapore. Journal of Research in Science Teaching , 45,(), 940-954..
Oon, P.T. & Subramaniam, R. (2011). On the declining interest in physics among students - from the perspective of
teachers. International Journal of Science Education, 33(5), 727-746.
Oon, P.T. & Subramaniam, R. (2013). Factors affecting Singapore students’ choice of Physics as a tertiary field of
study: A Rasch analysis. International Journal of Science Education, 35(1), 86-118
Oon, P. T. & Subramaniam, R. (2015). University program choices of high school science students in Singapore and
reasons that matter in their choices: A Rasch analysis. International Journal of Science Education, 37(2), 367-388
Example 1: Use of demonstrations
•
•
•
Students find many science concepts difficult to understand
There is a limit to what traditional explanations can do to foster conceptual
understanding among students
However, if demonstrations are used, the concepts become easier to understand
owing to the scaffolding provided and, at the same time, elements of fun, interest
and inquiry can be fostered in the lesson (Caleon & Subramaniam, 2005; 2007;
Subramaniam & Chew, 2007)
Caleon, I. S. & Subramaniam , R. (2005). The impact of a cryogenics-based enrichment programme on
attitude towards science and the learning of science concepts. International Journal of Science Education,
27(6), 679-704
Caleon, I. S. & Subramaniam, R. (2007). Augmenting learning in an out-of-school context: the cognitive and
affective impact of two cryogenics-based enrichment programmes on upper primary students. Research in
Science Education, 37(3), 333-351, 1.268.
Subramaniam, R. & Chew, C.M.K. (2007). Science Inquiry through Engaging and Effective Demonstrations ,
Singapore: Marshall-Cavendish
Example 2: Use of higher order questioning
during teaching to promote thinking
• Use of questions is very important in lesson
development
• Incorporation of questioning into lesson delivery helps
to stimulate thinking in students as well as promotes
inquiry
• However, for questioning to be effective, it has to be
pitched at the higher levels of the revised Bloom’s
Taxonomy
• Questions based on everyday contexts are especially
effective as these can promote interest and
engagement
• Let us take a look at few thinking questions in school
science
Thinking question for topic on
atmospheric gases
• What happens when the percentage of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is
doubled?
Thinking question for topic on
gravity
An object is thrown vertically upwards with a nonzero velocity. If gravity is turned off at the instant the
object reaches its maximum height, will the object
proceed to move in a straight lime?
The velocity of the object at the maximum height just
before gravity was turned off is zero. Beyond this
time, there are no forces acting on the object.
According to Newton’s First Law, the object should
stay at rest in this position forever
Thinking question in general
science
• In an open air stadium, about 50,000
people were enjoying a rock concert. After
some time, it was noticed that a few
people have fainted. What could have
been the likely reason?
Example 3: Promoting inquiry via
problem-based approach
•
•
•
•
Problem-based approaches are also useful in promoting inquiry as well as
stimulating creative thinking among students.
By setting an open-ended problem that has no fixed solution and that
admits of a variety of solutions, students get to apply unorthodox thinking in
the process of solving the problem.
A recent problem-based activity that students enjoyed was the structural
challenge – given 4 sheets of full newspaper spreads, Scotch tape, and a
few rubber bands, students need to work as a group and come up with a
structure that can balance a cup half-filled with water when it is situated at a
height of 10 cm (Amir & Subramaniam, 2014). Quite a number of physics
concepts need to be understood in the solution to the problem
Brainstorming allows group creativity to flourish, and this is superior to
individual creativity.
Amir, N. & Subramaniam, R. (2014). The Structural Challenge: A simple design-based science
activity to foster creativity among kinaesthetic learners. School Science Review, 95(353), 73-78
Promoting inquiry (cont’d)
Example 4: Fabricating products
based on scientific principles
• Science concepts, especially in physics,
present immense scope to create products
that creatively illustrate their workings
• When students engage in such fabrication
activities, inquiry is also involved as iterations
in design, problem-solving, and troubleshooting need to be engaged in
• Such products can even have commercial
value, and is also a great opportunity to
promote enterprise education as well
Fabricating products based on
scientific principles (cont’d)
• Examples of products include density cup
(Subramaniam & Toh, 2004), magic rope
(Subramaniam, 2006), etc.
Subramaniam, R. and Toh, K.A. (2004). 'Magic' cup
defies the laws of physics. Physics Education, 39(4),
334
Subramaniam, R. (2008). Magnetism gets
mysterious. Physics Education, 43(5), 467.
Fabricating products based on scientific principles
(cont’d) - Orchid Hybridization Program
• Conceptualized in our institute/university
• Nurtures scientific temper and
technopreneurship among students
• Trains teachers in simple genetic
techniques first
• Students then taught to create new strains
of orchids
• Rewards available
Rewards in Orchid Hybridization
Programme
• Students can register new strain of orchid
at the Royal Horticultural Society in
London
• Can name it after themselves
• Can name it after their school
• Can sell it to orchid nurseries
• Can auction it in order to raise funds for
the school
• Can sell it to organizations wishing to
boost their corporate identity further
Orchid named after a school
DNA test kit developed by school
students in Singapore
Fabricating products based on
scientific principles (cont’d)
•
•
Science affords enormous scope for a
person to become entrepreneurial and
enterprising (Tan & Subramaniam, 2002)
Those who are creative, entrepreneurial
and inventive will ride the new wave in
the economy
Tan, W. H. L. & Subramaniam, R. (2002). Science and the
student entrepreneur. SCIENCE, 298(5598), 1556-1556.
Example 5: Hybridizing the subject of
Design & Technology with Physics
• In Singapore, Design & Technology is a
compulsory subject at lower secondary level but
optional at upper secondary level
• Common perception is that it is a craft-based
subject
• A recent intervention saw the subject being used
to create artifacts based on physics principles
• Such creative fusion of subject areas opens up
opportunities for working at the interfaces of two
different subjects. This has drawn significant
attention from the educational establishment in
Singapore
Hybridizing the subject of Design &
Technology with Physics (cont’d)
•
•
•
•
Students find the approach of creating artifacts based on physics principles using the
workshop facilities in the Design & Technology Laboratory as meaningful, engaging and
interesting (Amir & Subramaniam, 2012)
While previously they made a simple pencil holder, now they make a pencil holder based
on physics principles
Other products made in the workshop include variations of a centripetal toy (Subramanian
& Toh, 2004; Amir & Subramaniam, 2006), an inexpensive candy floss kit (Amir &
Subramaniam, 2009) and a Pythagoras Theorem demonstration kit
The hands-on nature of the activity and the elements of inquiry afforded in the group
activity have interested NT students in the learning of scence
Subramaniam, R. & Toh, K.A. (2004). Three-dimensional puzzle helps teach centripetal force.
Physics Education, 39(3), 239-240.
Amir, N. & Subramaniam, R. (2006). Making Physics toys fosters creativity. Physics Education,
41(1), 18-20.
Amir, N. & Subramaniam, R. (2009). Making a low cost candy floss kit gets students excited
about learning physics. Physics Education, 44(4), 420-429.
Example 6: Linking schools with
science centers
• Science centers promote science in a fun and creative manner (Tan
& Subramaniam, 1998)
• A lot of concepts in science become amenable to comprehension
through exhibits and enrichment prpgrams at the science center
(Dairianathan & Subramaniam
• When schools work with science centers, students’ attitudes towards
science can be enhanced
• Setting up a science center need not involve massive funding (Tan
& Subramaniam, 2003)
•
•
•
Tan, W. H. L., & Subramaniam, R. (1998). Developing countries need to popularize
science. New Scientist, 2139, 52.
Dairianathan, A., & Subramaniam, R. (2011). Learning about Inheritance in an
out‐of‐School Setting. International Journal of Science Education, 33(8), 1079-1108.
Tan, L. W. H., & Subramaniam, R. (2003). Science and technology centres as agents
for promoting science culture in developing nations. International Journal of
Technology Management, 25(5), 413-426.
Example 7: Diagnostic testing for
identifying misconceptions
•
•
•
Students come to class with several misconceptions
Traditional teaching is not effective in identifying and remediating misconceptions
Diagnostic testing can help to identify misconceptions and lay the foundation for conceptual
change (Caleon & Subramaniam, 2010a, 2010b; Sreenivalulu & Subramaniam, 2013, 2014) ; Loh,
Subramaniam & Tan, 2015)
•
Caleon, I. S., & Subramaniam, R. (2010a). Do students know what they know and what they don’t know?
Using a four-tier diagnostic test to assess the nature of students’ alternative conceptions. Research in
Science Education, 40(3), 313-337.
Caleon, I., & Subramaniam, R. (2010)b. Development and Application of a Three‐Tier Diagnostic Test to
Assess Secondary Students’ Understanding of Waves. International Journal of Science Education, 32(7),
939-961.
Sreenivasulu, B., & Subramaniam, R. (2013). University students’ understanding of chemical
thermodynamics. International Journal of Science Education, 35(4), 601-635.
Sreenivasulu, B., & Subramaniam, R. (2014). Exploring Undergraduates’ Understanding of Transition
Metals Chemistry with the use of Cognitive and Confidence Measures. Research in Science Education,
44(6), 801-828.
Loh, A.L.S., Subramaniam, R. & Tan, K.C.D. (2014). Exploring students' understanding of
electrochemical cells using an enhanced two-tier diagnostic instrument. Research in Science &
Technological Education, 32,(3), 229-250.
•
•
•
•
Recommendations
• Evidence-based science education needs
to embrace multi-faceted approaches, all
of which have support in the science
education literature
• Some of these include: action research by
teachers, diagnosing of misconceptions,
remediating of misconceptions through
conceptual change strategies, etc
Summarizing comments
•Evidence-based science education affords
tremendous scope to enthuse students in
the learning of science
•There are several ways in which this can
be approached
•A few examples from the Singapore context
have been shared in this presentation