Module 2 : SCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES
LESSON OBJECTIVES
- Discuss the concept of science education, and
- Identify science schools established to promote science education in the Philippines.
- Classify the contribution of indigenous science in the development of science and technology in
the PhilippinesCHAPTER II : SCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINESAt the end of this lesson, the
students should be able to:
The Concept of Science Education
EducationScience education focuses on teaching, learning, and understanding [Link]
science involves developing ways on how to effectively teach science. Thismeans exploring pedagogical
theories and models in helping teachers teach scientificconcepts and processes effectively. Learning
science, on the other hand, includes bothpedagogy and the most interesting aspect, which is helping
students understand andlove 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 [Link], nature must indeed
furnish its physical stimuli to provide wealth of meaningthrough social activities and thinking. It is not
surprising therefore that science education is important. In fact, Marx (1994) opines that science is going
to be one of the mostimportant school subjects in the future.
Science education is justified by the vast amount of scientific knowledgedeveloped in this area that
prepares citizens in a scientifically and fechnologicallydriven world. Science education provides skills
and knowledge that are necessary for aperson to live in what Knight (1986) describes as the age of
science and to develop acitizenry that will meet the goals of science in the society (Tilghman, 2005).
Developinga science culture is therefore an immense responsibility for schools.
Science Education in Basic and teriary education
In basic education, science education helps students learn important conceptsand facts that are
related to everyday life (Carale & Campo, 2003; Meador, 2005; Worth& Grollman, 2003) including
important skills such as process skills, critical thinkingskills, and life skills that are needed in coping
up with daily life activities (Chaille &Britain, 2002). Science education also develops positive attitude
such as: the love forknowledge, passion for innovative things, curiosity to study about nature, and
creativity(Lind, 1997). Science education will develop a strong foundation for studying scienceand for
considering science-related careers in the future. This is an investment for thecountry to develop a
scientifically cultured and literate citizenry.
In tertiary education, science education deals with developing students'understanding and
appreciation of science ideas and scientific works. This is donethrough offering basic science
courses in the General Education curriculum. Scienceeducation in the tertiary level also focuses on
the preparation of science teachers,scientists, engineers, and other professionals in various science-
related fields such asengineering, agriculture, medicine, and health sciences. The state
providesscholarships to encourage more students to pursue science courses.
Science School in the Philippines
One outstanding program for science education supported by the goverment is theestablishment of
science schools in various parts of the country. There are also severalgovernment programs
implemented by the Department of Education and few privateschools for science education,
Philippine Science Hign School System ( PSHSS )
This is a government program for gifted students in the Philippines. It is a serviceinstitute of the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) whose mandate is tooffer free scholarship basis for
secondary course with special emphasis on subjectspertaining to the sciences, with the end-view of
preparing its students for a sciencecareer (Republic Act No. 3661). The school maintains a dormitory for
all its [Link] its inception, the PSHSS continues to pursue its vision to develop Filipino
sciencescholars with scientific minds and passion for excellence. PSHSS students have provento be a
beacon of excellence, courage, and hope for the country. They have broughthonor to the Philippines
through their exemplary achievements in various internationalcompetitions and research circles.
When the students graduate from the school, theyare expected to pursue degrees in science and
technology at various colleges anduniversities locally or abroad.
Special Science Elementary School ( SSES ) Project
The Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) Project is in pursuance toDepEd Order No. 73 s. 2008, and
DepEd Order No. 51 s. 2010. This project started inJune 2007 with 57 identified elementary schools that
participated or were identified asscience elementary schools in the country. Since its inception, the
number have grownto more than 60 schools nationwide and this is now its sixth year of implementation
implementationThe SSES Project aims to develop Filipino children equipped with scientific
andtechnological knowledge, skills, and values. Its mission is to:
- provide a learning environment to science
- inclined children through a specialcurriculum that recognizes the multiple intelligences of the
learners,
- promote the development of lifelong learning skills; and-foster the holistic development of the
learners.
The subject Science and Health is taught in Grade 1 with a longer timecompared to other
subjects: 70 minutes for Grades I to III and 80 minutes for Grades IVto VI. The curriculum also utilizes
different instructional approaches that address thelearning styles and needs of the learners like the use
of investigatory projects.
Quezon City Regianal Science High School
SchoolThe school was established on September 17, 1967. Originally, it wasnamed Quezon City Science
High School. It was turned into a regional science highschool for the National Capital Region in 1999. The
school was a product of a dream to establish a special science school for talented students in
science and [Link] focus of the curriculum is on science and technology. The school still
teaches thebasic education courses prescribed by the Department of Education (DepEd)
forsecondary education. However, there are additional subjects in sciences andtechnology that
students should take. The school envisions to serve as a venue inproviding maximum opportunities
for science-gifted students to develop spirit of inquiryand creativity. The school is well-supported by the
local government unit and by theParents and Teachers Association (PTA). The school is under the
Department ofEducation.
Manila Science High School
SchoolThe school was established on October 1, 1963 as the Manila Science HighSchool (MSHS). It is
the first science high school in the Philippines. The organizationand curriculum of the school puts more
emphasis on science and mathematics. MSHSaims to produce scientists with souls. In order to do this,
humanities courses and otherelectives are included in their curriculum. Students are also encouraged to
participate in various extracurricular activities. The school administers an entrance exam, the
ManilaScience High School Admission Test (MSAT), for students who wish to enroll. TheMSAT
has five parts: aptitude in science, aptitude test in mathematics, problem-solvingtest in science,
problem-solving test in mathematics, and proficiency in English. Theschool prides itself from producing
outstanding alumni and for winning various nationalcompetitions.
Central Visayas Institute Foundation
It is the home and pioneer of the prominent school-based innovation known asthe Dynamic Learning
Program (DLP). The DLP is a synthesis of classical and modernpedagogical theories adapted to foster
the highest level of learning, creativity, andproductivity.
The school takes pride in its Research Center for Theoretical Physics (RCTP)established in 1992, which
organizes small international workshops to foster theinformal but intense exchange of ideas and
perspectives on outstanding problems inphysics and mathematics.
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES
This lesson focuses on indigenous science and technology in the [Link], especially during
the early times, tried to invent tools that will help them ineveryday life. They also developed alternative
ideas in explaining various phenomena and in explaining the world around them. This system knowledge
is called indigenousknowledge, which is the foundation of indigenous science.
Indigenous Knowledge System
SystemIndigenous knowledge is embedded in the daily life experiences of youngchildren as they
grow up. They live and grow in a society where the members of thecommunity prominently practice
indigenous knowledge. Their parents and other olderfolks served as their first teachers and their
methods of teaching are very effective intransmitting cultural knowledge in their minds. The lessons
they learned are intimatelyinterwoven with their culture and the environment. These lessons comprised
of goodvalues and life stories of people on their daily life struggles. Their views about natureand their
reflections on their experiences in daily life are evident in their stories, poems,and songs.
Some examples of indigenous knowledge that are taught and practiced by theindigenous people are:
- predicting weather conditions and seasons using knowledge in observing animals' behavior and
celestial bodies;-using herbal medicine;
- preserving foods;-classifying plants and animals into families and groups based on cultural
properties,
- preserving and selecting good seeds for planting;-using indigenous technology in daily lives;
- building local imigation systems,-classifying different types of soil for planting based on
culturalproperties;producing wines and juices from tropical fruits, and
- keeping the custom of growing plants and vegetables in the yard.
Indigenous Science
Indigenous science is part of the indigenous knowledge system practiced bydifferent groups
of people and early civilizations (Gnbbin, 2001; Mkapa, 2004, Sibisi,2004). It includes complex arrays
of knowledge, expertise, practices, andrepresentations that guide human societies in their
enumerable interactions with thenatural milieu: agriculture, medicine, naming and explaining natural
phenomena, andstrategies for coping with changing environments (Pawilen, 2005). Ogawa
(1995)claimed that it is collectively lived in and experienced by the people of a given culture.
According to Cajete (2004), indigenous science includes everything,from metaphysics to philosophy and
various practical technologies practiced by indigenous peoples both past and present. Iaccarino (2003)
elaborated this idea by explaining that science is a part of culture, and howscience is done largely
depends on the cultural practices of the [Link] beliefs also develop desirable values that are
relevant or consistent to scientific attitudes as identified by Johnston (2000), namely:(1) motivating
attitudes; (2) cooperating attitudes; (3) practical attitudes;and (4) reflective attitudes. These cultural
beliefs therefore can be goodfoundation for developing positive values toward learning and doing
science and in bringing science in a personal level.
Pawilen (2005) explained that indigenous science knowledge has developed diverse structures and
contents through the interplay between the society and the environment. According to Kuhn (1962),
developmental stages of most sciences are characterized by continual competition between a number
of distinct views of nature, each partially derived from, and all roughly compatible with the dictates of
scientific observation and method.
Sibisi (2004) also pointed out that indigenous science provides the basics of astronomy, pharmacology,
food technology, or metallurgy, which were derived from traditional knowledge and practices
Pawilen (2006) developed a simple framework for understandingindigenous science. Accordingly,
indigenous science is composed of traditionalknowledge that uses science process skills and
guided by community values and culture.
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE
Uses Guided by Composed of
TRADINIONAL
COMMUNITY CULTURE AND VALUES
Science process skills KNOWLEDGE
The Concept of the Indigenous People
1. Indigenous science uses science process skills such as observing,
comparing,classifying, measuring, problem solving, inferring, communicating, and
predicting.
2. Indigenous science is guided by culture and community values such as the following:
The land is a source of life. It is a precious gift from the creator-The Earth is revered
as "Mother Earth." It is the origin of their identity as people.-All living and nonliving things are
interconnected and interdependent with eachother.-Human beings are stewards or trustee of the land
and other natural [Link] have a responsibility to preserve it.-Nature is a friend to human
beings--it needs respect and proper care
3. Indigenous science is composed of traditional knowledge practiced and valued
bypeople and communities such as ethno-biology, ethno-medicine, indigenous farmingmethods, and
folk astronomy.
Indigenous science is important in the development of science and technologthe Philippines.
Like the ancient civilizations, indigenous science gave birth to thedevelopment of science and
technology as a field and as a discipline. Indigenous SUMMARYscience helped the people in
understanding the natural environment and in coping witheveryday life. UNESCO's Declaration on
Science and the Use of Scientific knowledge(1999) recognized indigenous as a Historical and valuable
contribution of scince and Society Science education deals with the teaching and learning of science
and in helpingthe public develop science literacy. This is important in the promotion and developmentof
science and technology in the country. Science education deals with the developmentof people in
science, which is the heart of science, technology, and society This lesson focused on discussing the
concept of science education andintroduced science education in the Philippines from basic
education to tertiaryeducation. To promote science education, science schools were established to
developgifted students in science and mathematics, such as the Philippine Science High SchoolSystem
(PSHSS), Manila Science High School, Quezon City Regional Science HighSchool, and the Special Science
Elementary Schools Project Science programs andprojects were organized and developed to nurture
innovation in science in the country,and to encourage individuals to pursue careers and research in
science and technology.
This lesson discussed the
concept of indigenous
knowledge and its
influence to
the development of
indigenous science. The
communities in the
Philippines have
This lesson discussed the concept of indigenous knowledge and its influence tothe development of
indigenous science. The communities in the Philippines have maintained vast amounts of
indigenous knowledge, cultural practices, traditions, andbeliefs. These include beliefs and practices
ranging from different areas such as health,environment, peace and order, agriculture, food
production, astronomy, music, [Link] indigenous knowledge system of the people served
as the foundation forthe development of indigenous science Even before the time of the Spanish
colonization in the Philippines, variouspeople and communities already practiced science. They
invented tools and builtstructures, studied the medicinal uses of plants, observed heavenly bodies to
predictseasons and weather, and used indigenous science in agriculture. These areconsidered
indigenous science, which is one of the foundations of modern scienc
Marx, G. (1994). "Shortcut to the Future." In B. Jennison and J. Ogbom, (Eds.), Wonder and Delight:
Essays in Science Education in Honor of the Life and Work of Eric Rogers 1902–1990. (pp. 5-18).London:
Institute of Physics Publishing.
