山西省临汾市解放路学校的吉青青老师汇报了本校在新学期开展的项目“新冠肺炎的防控”。首先,吉老师对课程星形图中政策、科学、伦理、安全和经济五个方面的具体内容进行了介绍。从星形图的设计可以看出,该议题与社会的各个领域之间均联系密切,具有较强的科学性和社会性。随后,吉老师介绍了12节课程的具体设计。本学期的课程以人类瘟疫历史的学习引入,随后探索病毒、免疫、传染病、疫苗等内容,并进一步以国际视野了解新冠肺炎对国家经济和社会的危害与防控措施。最后,吉老师介绍了目前已完成的三节课中学生的活动情况及成果。由于学生已经具有上学期SSI课程的学习基础,他们已经能够从星形图的各个角度来分析新冠病毒的相关问题,并从不同角度对世界大型瘟疫进行系统梳理。学生的梳理成果反映了SSI课程对学生的科学思维产生了一定的培养效果。
图1 临汾市解放路学校学生活动成果
Fig. 1 The Students’ Activity Result of Shanxi Linfen Jiefang Road School
张涛老师指出,该议题的设计形式多样,内容充实,但该议题的设计目前还需要提出一个驱动性问题,这样学生可以围绕一个有争议的驱动型问题进行讨论和研究,不断深入学习。针对已进行的教学,张涛老师肯定了该项目具体开展过程中让学生自己设计星形图的活动,认为该活动能够进一步巩固上一学期SSI课程对学生思维的培养。此外,张涛老师还具体指出了第11课的主题设计中对普通感冒还是流行性感冒的区分需要再进一步明确。
林静老师指出,如果让学生站在国家的角度进行考虑,那么课程中会涉及国家宏观政策、文化差异等复杂内容,并需要辩证看待,这样议题的难度会陡然提升,可能对学生过于困难,并且不易感知,建议可以将国家层面的讨论作为最后的拓展性内容,而非议题的主题。林老师同时肯定了该校SSI-L项目组由学科背景丰富的骨干教师组成,期待每位教师以自身所长探索SSI-L,并进行互相交流,逐步落实跨学科的内容设计。
彭梦华老师同样肯定了该议题充实的内容和细致的活动设计,并认为为本议题寻找一个争议点十分必要。彭老师提供了“封城还是不封城”、“隔离治疗还是群体免疫”、“新冠疫苗打不打”等具体的争议点,启发了议题的进一步完善。此外,彭老师建议在每一节课的内容中均融合跨学科的思想,而非仅涉及一门学科的内容。张涛老师对彭老师的建议表示肯定,并以制作口罩为例,提出在整个团队教学的过程中各学科老师应当紧密合作,促进跨学科知识的教学。
山东省威海市高新区一中世昌校区的孔鹏飞老师对本校议题“威海是否应该建设潮汐能发电站”进行了汇报。孔老师首先介绍了潮汐能的发电原理、威海市的地理条件与威海潮汐能发电站的建设基础,提出该议题具有一定的历史背景与较高的讨论价值。随后,孔老师介绍了议题的顶层设计以及具体的课时设计。由科学、政策、 安全、社会、经济五个方面组成的星形图展现了该议题所涉及的内容较为广泛,具有较强的社会性。本议题课程分为八个课时,由对潮汐能发电的原理、潮汐能与其他发电形式的比较作为引入;随后学生利用社会调研、查阅资料等多种方式了解潮汐能发电的安全性以及对社会的影响;最后,学生需要分析潮汐能发电的利弊、成本和收益,并在最终的听证会中展示自己的思考。此外,孔老师表示课题组仍然希望进一步对上学期“小石岛是否需要填海造陆”这一议题进行深挖,但是目前的思路和方向尚未清晰。
图2 威海市高新区一中世昌校区课程组织情况
Fig. 2 The Course Organization Situation Shichang Campus of No. 1 Middle School of High-tech Zone, Weihai
彭梦华老师认为,该议题与学生的日常生活环境联系紧密,能够体现城市特色,其中内容设计也考虑得比较充分,难度适中,与初中物理知识具有关联,值得肯定。彭老师建议该议题的思考面还能够再广一些,例如加入潮汐能对气候的影响、潮汐能发电设施建造等内容,促使学生能够更全面地思考该议题。彭老师也指出,该议题的思考重点应当是威海是否有合适的条件建设潮汐能发电站,而不是威海是否需要电力,思考的方向需要把握准确。
林静老师指出,该议题与学生所需要学习的能量核心概念紧密相关,并且使学生围绕海洋讨论“填海造陆”、“潮汐能发电”等“大举措”展开讨论,这是十分值得肯定的。同时,针对该校课题组对填海造陆议题存在的问题,林老师指出,对议题的进一步深挖仍需要回归对顶层设计的进一步思考和重新定位。同时也提出,由于前期的项目开展已经较为全面,深挖的难度较大。林老师建议课题组首先先进行潮汐能议题的研究,待各位骨干教师对议题的理解进一步提升后,再重新看待填海造陆这一议题。
张涛老师指出,该议题与上学期填海造陆相关的议题均与海洋相关,在内容知识上是一以贯之的,并且具有地域特色且有争议点。同时,张老师也提出该议题在具体活动的细节方面需要进一步考虑打磨,骨干教师需要进行一些调查,以事实证据为基础设计活动,并且一些细节设计需要进一步细化。同时,张涛老师也肯定了学校希望将一个议题深挖透彻的想法,并建议可以待潮汐能议题完成后再进一步研究。
SSI-L项目负责人、中国基础教育质量监测协同创新中心科学提升部主任林静老师对今晚的会议内容进行了总结并提出展望。第一,在目前的起步阶段,各校主要还在进一步探索议题的顶层设计,并取得了质性的进步与发展。从本学期二轮的初中和小学基地校在线研讨情况来看,各校教师已经步入了SSI-L研究的正轨,议题的确定与顶层设计初步彰显了SSI-L以跨学科融合背景促进学生核心素养发展、立德树人的价值定位。第二,各校在设计和实施议题学习时,要具体把握育人的大方向的把握。教学的设计需要真正指向学生素养的提升,切忌将SSI课程上成仅让学生增加知识的“讲授课”或将所有任务都扔给学生的“研究性课程”。基于这两点的把握,学校可进一步探索具体课堂教学中的困难与挑战。第三,各骨干教师需要思考学生是否真正进入到了议题的学习中。如果学生仍然是“被带着”或“被推着”学习,那么需要考虑课程设计上的细节是否需要调整。林静老师指出,待大家再经历本学期的SSI-L设计与实施后,相信本项目团队对于SSI-L的认识与理解会达成更高的水平,我们可侧重于关注具体课堂实践来研讨复杂开放议题的跨学科融合学习的课堂组织策略与教学评价策略等。
本次研讨对两所基地校项目的进一步改进与提升方向进行了详细深入的讨论,其中的部分建议对各校的议题设计和开展均具有借鉴意义。本次研讨也对各基地校团队的努力和取得的成果做出了肯定,并对未来的项目组发展做出了长远展望,为各校项目的进一步顺利开展提供了支持。
At 7:00-8:30 pm of April 14, 2021, the middle school team of SSI-L project hold the second online seminar of this semester in the Tencent conference room. The main content of this seminar was about the plans for two partner schools, being Shanxi Linfen Jiefang Road School and Shichang Campus of No. 1 Middle School of High-tech Zone, Weihai, Shandong. The seminar was hosted by Zhang Tao, the Head of Middle School Section and the Director of the Middle School Teaching and Research Department of Shandong Weihai Education and Teaching Research Center, and was commented by Peng Menghua, the subject guidance expert, and Lin Jing, the project leader. More than 30 backbone teachers and subject guidance experts from 10 partner schools in the middle school section participated in this seminar.
Ji Qingqing, from Shanxi Linfen Jiefang Road School, reported the project of “Prevention and Control of COVID-19” implemented by the school in the new semester. First, Ji introduced the detailed content of the star chart in the course from five aspects, including policy, science, ethic, safety, and economy. As can be seen from the design of the star chart, this topic has close relationship with all aspects of society, with strong scientific and social nature. Subsequently, Ji introduced the detailed design of the 12 classes. The course of this semester starts with the study of human plague history, followed by contents of exploration in the fields of virus, immunization, infectious diseases, and vaccines, and the harm of COVID-19 to national economy and society and its prevention and control measures are also learned with an international perspective. Finally, Ji introduced students’ activities and results in the already finished three classes. Due to that those students have had the learning basis of SSI courses in the last semester, they can analyze the related issues of COVIC-19 from each perspectives of the star chart, and systematically sort out the world’s large epidemics from different angles. The students’ results showed that SSI courses have certain effect on the cultivation of students’ scientific thinking.
Zhang Tao pointed out that the design of this topic is various in forms and has full contents, but currently it is still necessary to propose a driving question for this design, so that students can discuss and research focusing on this controversial and the driving question, and keep on studying. Regarding the already finished teaching, Zhang Tao has confirmed the activity of asking students to design star chart on their own during the detailed implementation of the project, and he believed that this activity can further enhance the cultivation of students’ thinking in the SSI course of last semester. Additionally, Zhang Tao pointed out that in the themed design of Class 11, it is necessary to further clarify the distinction between the common cold and the influenza.
Lin Jing pointed out that, if asking students to think from the country’s perspective, the course will involve complex contents including national macro policies, and cultural differences, which should be considered with a dialectical view. In this way, the difficulty of the topic will increase sharply, too hard for students to learn and perceive, so it is suggested that the discussion at the national level shall be the final extension. In the meantime, Lin confirmed that the SSI-L project team of the school was constituted by backbone teachers with rich academic background, expecting each teacher to explore SSI-L using their own advantages and have communications, so as to gradually implement the content design of multi courses.
Peng Menghua also confirmed that this issue has full content and detailed activity design, and also believed that it is necessary to find out a controversial point for this issue. Peng offered several detailed controversial points, including “whether to lock down the city”, “isolation treatment or herd immunity”, and “whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine”, so as to inspire the further improvement of the topic. Moreover, Peng suggested integrating interdisciplinary idea in each class, instead of only involving the content of one single subject. Zhang Tao confirmed Peng’s suggestion, and took the example of making face masks, proposing that teachers of all subjects should work closely together throughout the team-teaching process to promote the teaching of interdisciplinary knowledge.
Kong Pengfei, from Shichang Campus of No. 1 Middle School of High-tech Zone, Weihai, Shandong, reported the project of “Whether Weihai Should Build a Tidal Power Plant”. First, Kong introduced the principle of tidal power generation, the geographical conditions of Weihai, and the construction foundation of Weihai tidal power station, proposing that this topic has certain historical background and high discussion value. Subsequently, Kong introduced the top-level design of this topic and the detailed class schedule. Constituted by five aspects including science, policy, safety, society, and economy, the star chart shows that this topic involves extensive content, with a strong social nature. The course of this topic is divided into eight classes, starting with the principles of tidal power generation and comparison between tidal energy and other forms of power generation; later, the students will learn about the safety of tidal power generation and its impact on society via various ways such as social research and data consulting; finally, students will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of tidal power generation and its cost and benefits, and display their thoughts in the final presentation. Additionally, Kong expressed that the course group still wants to further study the topic of “Whether It is Necessary for Xiaoshi Island to Reclaim Land” in the last semester, but currently they don’t have any clear idea and direction.
Peng Menghua believed that this topic has close relationship with students’ daily life environment, so it can show the city’s characteristic. The content design therein is under thorough consideration with moderate difficulty, and it also has relation with physics knowledge in middle school, which deserves affirmation. Peng suggested that the thinking range of this topic can be broader, for example, adding some contents including the impact of tidal energy on climate, and construction of tidal power generation facilities, so that students can think more comprehensively about the issue. Peng also pointed out that the key thinking point of this topic is whether Weihai has the right conditions to build tidal power stations, not whether Weihai needs electric power, so that the direction of thinking should be correctly understood.
Lin Jing pointed out that this topic is closely related to the core concept of energy that students need to learn, and enables students to conduct discuss focusing on the “Big Moves” about oceans, such as “Reclaim Land from the Sea” and “Tidal Power Generation”, which deserves affirmation. In the meantime, regarding the existing issues of the topic of land reclamation from the ocean by the school’s course group, Lin pointed out that, the further cultivation of this topic should return to the further consideration and re-positioning of the top-level design. Lin also stated that there will be relatively more difficulties in further cultivation, due to that the implementation of the earlier project has already been comprehensive. Lin suggested that the course group should first study the topic of tidal energy, and the topic of land reclamation from the ocean will be dealt with again after the backbone teachers have better understanding of the topic.
Zhang Tao pointed out that this topic is related with the ocean, just like the topic of land reclamation from the ocean in the last semester, which are consistent in content and knowledge, with regional characteristic and controversial point. Meanwhile, Zhang also proposed that the activity details of this topic should be further considered and polished, and the backbone teachers should conduct some investigation, design activities based on factual evidence, and further refine some of the details. At the same time, Zhang confirmed the school’s thought of fully tapping in one topic, and suggested that it could be studied further after the topic of tidal energy is completed.
Lin Jing, the project leader, summarized the meeting content tonight and put forward the prospect. First, at the current beginning stage, each school is still focusing on the exploration of the topic’s top-level design, with substantive progress and development. As can be seen from the second round of online seminar in this semester of middle school and primary school base schools, teachers from each school have been on the right track of SSI-L study. The determination of issues and the top-level design has primarily shown the value proposition of SSI-L to promote the development of students’ core literacy and moral education under the interdisciplinary integration background. Second, it is important for each school to control the general direction of education when designing and implementing topic learning. The education design should be pointing to improving of students’ literacy. It is necessary to avoid making the SSI course into the “lecturing class” of merely teaching students knowledge or the “research class” of leaving all tasks to students. Based on the above two points, schools can further explore the difficulties and challenges in detailed classroom teaching. Third, the backbone teachers should consider whether students are truly engaged in the topic learning. If students are still “led to learn” or “pushed to learn”, it is necessary to consider whether the details of course design should be adjusted. Lin Jing stated that it is believed that the project team’s knowledge and understanding of SSI-L will reach a higher level after experiencing the SSI-L design and implementation in this semester. We can focus on specific classroom practice to discuss and study the classroom organization strategy and teaching evaluation strategy of interdisciplinary integrated learning on complex and open topics.
This seminar conducted detailed and in-depth discussion on the further improvement and enhancement of the two partner school projects, and most of the suggestions on the schools’ issue design and implementation are of great significance. This seminar also confirmed the efforts paid and results obtained by the partner school teams, and looked forward to the development of future project teams, so as to provide support for the further successful development of the schools’ projects.