Science, Technology and Society Handouts

Aquinto, MRG 23’

Lesson 4: Science Education in the Philippines

Learning Objectives:
• Identify government science and technology programs to support science education in the country
• Review the contributions of science education in nation building

Science education should enhance learner’s curiosity, wonder and questioning, building on their natural
inclination to seek meaning and understanding of world around. Scientific inquiry should be introduced and
encountered by school students as an activity that can be carried out by everyone including themselves.
In the Philippines, the conceptual framework of science education envisions to develop scientific literacy among
Filipino learners.

The Concept of Science Education

Science education focuses on teaching, learning, and understanding science.
• Teaching science involves developing ways on how to effectively teach science. This means exploring
pedagogical theories and models in helping teachers teach scientific concepts and processes
effectively.
• Learning science includes both pedagogy and the most interesting aspect, which is helping students
understand and love science.
• Understanding science implies developing and applying science-process skills and using science
literacy in understanding the natural world and activities in everyday life.
Getting deeper into the discourse of science education, John Dewey (2001) stressed the importance of utilizing
the natural environment to teach students. Accordingly, nature must indeed furnish its physical stimuli to provide
wealth of meaning through social activities and thinking. It is not surprising therefore that science education is
important.
(John Dewey was an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer whose ideas have been
influential in education and social reform. He is regarded as one of the most prominent American scholars in the
first half of the twentieth century. Wikipedia)

In fact, Marx (1994) opines that science is going to be one of the most important school subjects in the future.
(Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist and
socialist revolutionary.)

Importance of Science Education

Science is useful because of its links to technology and industry which from a national perspective, are areas of
high priority for development. Some more of the importance of science education are:
▪ It provides ways of making sense of the world systematically ~ it develops students’ scientific inquiry
skills, values and attitudes such as objectivity, curiosity and honesty and habits of mind including critical
thinking.
▪ Important to nation’s cultural development and preservation of its cultural identity ~ science is most
useful to a nation when it is utilized to solve its own problems and challenges, keeping a nation’s cultural
uniqueness and peculiarities intact.
Science, Technology and Society Handouts
Aquinto, MRG 23’

Challenges in Science Education: Philippines Context

Some Filipino students have gained recognition for their high level of
accomplishments in the International Science and Engineering Fair, Robotics
Competition, and Physics Olympiad. However, the accomplishments of few
students are overshadowed by the consistently poor performance of Filipino students in
international assessments studies and nation assessment studies. Here are some reasons as to why (base on UP
NISMED, 2005):
Students have low retention of concepts
Limited reasoning and analytical skills
Poor communication skills
High percentage of Grade 6 and fourth year students in selected schools cannot apply concepts to real life
problem solving situation nor design an investigation to solve a problem

Factors for low performance of students (base on DOST-SEI 2006):

Quality of teachers
Teaching-learning process
School curriculum
Instructional materials
Administrative support

Science education in BASIC and TERTIARY education

BASIC EDUCATION
Science education helps students learn important concepts and facts that are related to everyday life including
important skills such as: process skills, critical thinking skills, and life skills that are needed in coping up with
daily life activities (Chaille & Britain, 2002).

Science education also develops positive attitudes such as: love for knowledge, passion for innovative things,
curiosity to study about nature, and creativity (Lind, 1997).

Science education will develop a strong foundation for studying science and for considering science- related
careers in the future. This is an investment for the country to develop a scientifically cultured and literate citizenry.
Focused of Science Education in Basic Education level:
➢ Enhance students scientific thinking through learning activities that involves: planning, designing,
measuring, observing, evaluating procedures, examining evidence and analyzing data

TERTIARY EDUCATION
Deals with developing students’ understanding and appreciation of science ideas and scientific works. This is done
through offering basic science courses in the General Education curriculum.
Focuses on:
➢ the preparation of science teachers, scientists, engineers and other professionals in various science-
related fields such as engineering, agriculture, medicine and health sciences.

The state also provides scholarships to encourage more students to pursue science courses.

SCIENCE SCHOOLS in the PHILIPPINES

One outstanding program for science education supported by the government is the establishment of science
schools in various parts of the country. There are also several government programs implemented by the
Science, Technology and Society Handouts
Aquinto, MRG 23’

Focused of Science Education in the Philippines:

➢ Development of scientifically, technologically, and environmentally
literate and productive members of society
➢ Students must posses effective education and interpersonal and life-
long learning skills as wells as scientific values and attitudes
➢ Should encompasses methods of inquiry
Scientific attitudes that should be developed:
1. Critical thinking- development of inquiry skills contributed towards development of critical thinking in
learners
a. Not taught directly ~ developed through inquiry activities that students engage in and through
their attempts to explain the outcomes of their investigation using evidence and logical argument
(when making comparison they should be able to recognize that it is unfair, because the
conditions where not kept the same)
b. Learn to rely on evidence to support their answers (elementary level)
c. Opportunities that in context that encourages students to satisfy their curiosity, demonstrate
honesty, skepticism, and persistence, and show willingness to engage in thinking (secondary
level)
2. Curiosity- ability to use imagination
a. Someone who tries to think if there is something new or different in doing things
b. Ability of putting two things together, or seeing connections between ides that seem unrelated,
changing one’s perspective
3. Intellectual Honesty- truthful; recording each and every observation and not selecting only those that
support one’s hypothesis
4. Accuracy- free from mistake or blunders as the result of being careful
5. Objectivity- able to deal with facts or conditions as they are, without being swayed by his personal
feelings, prejudices and expectations
a. Always validates observations and explanations
6. Independent thinking- one who tries to answer questions on his own, using his own observations and
experiences
a. Does not simply accept ideas and opinions of others
b. Looks for relevant data and information and then makes up his own mind
c. One does not make conclusion based on what others think or say.
7. Active listening- two-way communication
a. Even if one hold’s an opposite view point, an active listener must exert every effort to understand
what other people are saying~ must be able to state in his own words what they have said
8. Assuming responsibility- will not simple accomplish what he is assigned to do, he will carry it out to the
best of his ability
9. Taking initiatives- simply goes ahead and do something himself without being told
a. Does not wait for memo, orders, or request
b. When confronted with problem, he analyze, makes a decision, and acts on it
10. Perseverance- persists despite difficulties, keeps on trying in the face of failures, carries on regardless of
disappointments
a. A persevering people treat each difficulty, failure, and disappointment as a learning experience
b. Do not quit
Department of Education and few private schools for science education.
• Philippine Science High School System (PSHSS)
• Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) Project
• Quezon City Regional Science High School
• Manila Science High School
Science, Technology and Society Handouts
Aquinto, MRG 23’

• Central Visayan Institute Foundation

Philippine Science High School System (PSHSS)

• government program for gifted students in the country.
• under DOST, offering free scholarship for the secondary course with special emphasis to science
subjects.
• with end view of preparing its students for a science career (RA No. 3661)
• provides a dormitory for students.
• continues to pursue its vision to develop Filipino science scholars with scientific minds and passion for
excellence.

Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) Project

• in pursuant to DepEd Order No. 73 s. 2008, and DepEd Order No. 51 s. 2010.
• started in 2007 with 57 identified elementary schools as science elementary schools in the country.
• SSES Project aims to develop Filipino children equipped with scientific and technological
knowledge, skills and values.
MISSION:
➢ Provide a learning environment to science-inclined children through a special curriculum that
recognizes the multiple intelligences of the learners;
➢ promote the development of lifelong learning skills;
➢ foster the holistic development of the learners.
➢ The subject Science and Health is taught in Grade I with longer time compared to other subjects 70
minutes for Grade I – III and 80 minutes for Grade IV to VI.
➢ Curriculum also utilizes different instructional approaches that address the learning styles and needs of
the learners like the use of investigatory projects.

Quezon City Regional Science High School

• established on September 17, 1967
• originally, it was named Quezon City Science High School.
• turned into a regional science high school for the National Capital Region in 1999.
• curriculum is focused on science and technology.
• additional subjects in science and technology that students should take.
• venue in providing maximum opportunities to develop spirit of inquiry and creativity.

Manila Science High School

• established on October 1, 1963 as the Manila Science High School (MSHS).
• first science high school in the Philippines.
• the organization and curriculum puts more emphasis on Science and Mathematics.
• aims to produce scientists with souls.
• Humanities courses and other electives are included in the curriculum.
• encouraged to participate in various extracurricular activities.

Central Visayan Institute Foundation

It is the home and pioneer of the prominent school-based innovation known as the Dynamic Learning Program
(DLP). DLP is a synthesis of classical and modern pedagogical theories adapted to foster the highest level of
learning, creativity and productivity. The school takes pride in its Research Center for Theoretical Physics (RCTP)
establish in 1992, which organizes small international workshops.
Science, Technology and Society Handouts
Aquinto, MRG 23’

Science education deals with the teaching and learning of science and in helping the
public develop science literacy. This is important in the promotion and development
of science and technology in the country. Science education deals with the
development of people in science, which is the heart of science, technology and society.

TASKS / ACTIVITIES:
1. What’s your opinion on the educational status of science in the Philippines in:
• Basic education
• Tertiary education
2. If you are to ask, would there be anything that you would like to add or remove in the Science
education in tertiary level? Why or why not?

References:
Serafica, J. et.al. (2018). Science, Technology, and Society. Rex Printing Company, Inc., First Edition, 2018.