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hen the 1998 Third International Mathemat-ics and Science Study (TIMSS) examined onemillion high school students from 41 coun-

only be motivating students but will be helping thembecome scientifically literate. The American Associa-tion for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) definesscientific literacy as:

“Scientific literacy, which encompasses mathematicsand technology as well as the natural and social sciences,has many facets. These include being familiar with thenatural world and respecting its unity; being aware ofsome of the important ways in which mathematics, tech-nology, and the sciences depend upon one another; hav-ing a capacity for scientific ways of thinking; knowingthat science, mathematics, and technology are human en-terprises and knowing what that implies about theirstrengths and limitations; and being able to use scientificknowledge and ways of thinking for personal and socialpurposes. Thus scientific, mathematical, and technologi-cal processes are important factors in improving society,along with thinking skills and scientific knowledge.”(1989, p. 20).

One way to help students become active agents intheir society is by making the educational experiencemore pertinent, especially regarding science. Studentscan be motivated to learn a scientific concept and dis-cover the importance that such experience has to offer.When a student has the opportunity to pick what theyfind interesting in science, the child feels a sense of con-trol and greater responsibility and enthusiasm towardtheir learning. Recommendations like the one fromMathematics and Science for Hispanics (Triana andRodríguez 1993) emphasize this trend of thought:

Students construct science knowledgethrough active participation

Migdal ia Sanfel iz and Mar i lyn Sta lzer

ScienceMotivationin theMulticulturalClassroom

Wtries, the United States placed 16th in overall academicperformance (National Center for Education 1998). Thisresult motivated many educators to examine the educa-tional process in the U.S. and ensure that all students areincluded. Hispanics, for example, are a growing popula-tion with strong scientific potential if U.S. teachers con-sider the culture and interests of these students as moti-vational tools in preparing lessons.

One way to address these results is to integrate intothe curriculum the interests of children of all ethnicbackgrounds—not just Hispanics. Curriculum and in-struction should guide learning toward (1) understand-ing and fulfilling basic human needs and facilitating per-sonal development; (2) maintaining and improving thephysical environment; (3) conserving natural resources sothey are used wisely; and (4) developing and understand-ing the interdependence among people at local, national,and global levels—that is, a sense of community (Bybee1993). The curriculum should reflect the values andknowledge of the persons who construct it and the inter-ests of the students for whom it is intended.

Student interest and attitudes are critical aspects ofscience education. These psychological concepts helpmotivate students and make the educational processmore pertinent (Colletta and Chiapetta 1994). Teachersare an integral part of making this happen. Whenteachers consider students’ interests, teachers will not

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“Additional criteria should stress educators’ sensitivityto the differences of Hispanics and other minority cul-tures, involvement of the local community with emphasison outreach to parents, involvement in the local Hispan-ics professional mathematics and science organizations,use of culturally relevant science and mathematics per-spectives and demonstrations of exemplary teaching tech-niques that utilize cooperative teaching methods” (p. 18).

When students actively participate in science, they canalso become active participants in the educational process.At the same time, science teaching will gain a more perti-nent role in society and in the students’ culture because theirlearning will be based on the students’ interests and needs.

Carl Roger’s theory of learning states, “Significantlearning takes place when the subject matter is per-ceived by the student as having relevance for his ownpurpose” (Rogers 1983, p. 158). According to Rogers, aperson will only learn what they think is important tothem in order to maintain or improve their state ofbeing. Learning also occurs at a higher rate if the per-son is interested in the knowledge. Rogers explains thata student who is an active participant in the learning

process will feel a sense of responsibility for the knowl-edge acquired in the educational process.

Wlodkowski (1997) summarizes by assigning four moti-vational goals to the teacher of diverse classrooms: establish-ing inclusion by grouping, developing a favorable attitudeby allowing choice, enhancing meaning by including pur-pose and values, and engendering competence by having thestudents restate the value of the lesson learned. While doinglesson plans, the teacher needs to incorporate these motiva-tional techniques to accommodate the multicultural class-rooms and increase student achievement.

A sense of relevanceAs one example when planning lessons, teachers can har-monize (Bonner and Hairston 2001) and motivate stu-dents by incorporating the results of a student interestsurvey. If the teacher responds with appropriate topicsand activities, students can feel a sense of relevance andrespect for the knowledge learned in the science class-room and be motivated to achieve.

Another sample lesson would be to investigate thecontributions of diverse cultures to science. Students can

F I G U R E 1

Rubric for multicultural contributions to science.

Area of Evaluation 1 Beginning 2 Developing 3 Accomplished 4 Exemplary Score

Investigatescontributions ofdiverse cultures

to science

Demonstrates ways ofthinking and acting

inherent in the practice of science

Demonstrates theability to interpret and

explain informationsought in reference

sources

Demonstrates positiveattitudes toward scienceand its relevance to the

individual, society, and theenvironment, and

demonstrates confidencein their ability topractice science

Informationonly gathered

Relates the bareminimum of the

experimentsdone by the

scientist

Minimalinterpretation

of references

Unsure of one’sability tointerpretscience

Information andsome interpretation of

the value of the scientific

contribution tohumanity

Interprets theexperiments done

Some sources areinterpreted; some

predictions are made

Some development of the ability tointerpret sciencediscoveries and its relevance

to society

Information andsome interpretation

of theconsequences of

the discovery

Explains theimplication of thediscoveries made

Reliable sources;some interpretation

of the references;no predictionsbased on data

Confidence ininterpreting science

and someexploration of therole of science in

society and culture

Demonstrates anappreciation for the

evolution of humanity due to multiculturalcontributions to the

advancement of science

Shows how ideas weremodified based on

investigations; demandsevidence for data claims;asks questions for clarity

Finds reliable sources,includes interpretation ofreferences, accepts peer

review duringpresentations, makes

predictions based on data

Demonstrates belief inone’s ability to understandscience; explores role of

science in societyand culture

T h e S c i e n c e Te a c h e r6666666666

demonstrate an appreciation for the evolution of human-ity due to multicultural contributions to the advance-ment of science. Students can demonstrate positive atti-tudes toward science and its relevance to the individual,society, and the environment and demonstrate confi-dence in his or her ability to practice science. Studentscan also demonstrate belief in one’s ability to understandscience; explore the role of science in society and culture.

After introducing the sample lessons, student discus-sion can begin with the student responding to questionsabout scientific discoveries they remember best. “Whodiscovered…” and “What was the contribution…” re-sponses are recorded on the board.

Groups are formed and cultures that have contributedto science are listed so that students choose where theirinterest lies (McCombs 1996). The student investigatesthe group’s assigned area, keeping an eye on the rubric(Figure 1, p. 65) for the final class presentation. Studentsmay use books, magazines, interviews with adults, andthe Internet to gather information.

PowerPoint presentations with references would be idealfor this activity. Working on a floppy disk would allow forcutting and pasting individual group data for the class tofollow up with a comparison of cultures on a printout.

Oral presentations and discussionAs each group presents their findings, students point orplace a pin on a world map to explain from where theideas are emanating. (Students should begin to feel thesense of a world community solving riddles and advanc-ing scientific knowledge.)

The teacher uses the following questions to guide thediscussion that follows the class presentations:

� Do you think intellectual curiosity occurs uni-versally in all cultures?

� Do discoveries/laws/theories always lead to suc-cessful improvements in the quality of life of thepeople that live following the written report?Do you think the scientific pronouncementscause a change in the shape of life 100 yearslater? Give examples of what you have per-ceived in life around you.

� Can you think of an example of a disastrousresult due to a scientific investigation? Can yougive an example of cultural prejudice where thediscoveries of another country are ignored orcriticized?

� Does cultural prejudice affect who you studywith…, eat with…, listen to…?

� Does advancement in the intellectual arts de-pend on the variety of thoughts that …?

The students then make a timeline, which con-sisted of a clothesline across the room with clothes-

pins and note cards at approximate intervals, giving asense of proportion. The ideal units might mean thattwo strings be used: one above with gross time inter-vals and one below that comes from a spot on theupper level and expands the final centuries so thatthe increased activity can be demonstrated, especiallyin the last decade.

Although TIMMS demonstrated that students in U.S.multicultural classrooms do not appear to be internation-ally competitive, a strong multicultural curriculum andinstruction can make significant changes in motivatingstudents in science and mathematics. n

Migdalia Sanfeliz (e-mail: m_sanfeliz@hotmail.com)and Marilyn Stalzer (e-mail: mstalzer@hotmail.com) areboth science teachers at Antilles High School, Science,DoDEA School, Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico 00934.

References

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). 1989.Science for All Americans. New York: Oxford University Press.

Bonner II, F.A., and J.E. Hairston. 2001. Teaching the multiculturallearner: A musical theory approach to pedagogical practices. Jour-nal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 2(1): 43–50.

Bybee, B.W. 1993. Reforming Science Education Social Perspectivesand Personal Reflections. New York: Teachers College Press.

Colletta, A.T., and E.L. Chiappetta. 1994. Science Instruction in theMiddle and Secondary School. New York: Macmillan Publishing.

Digby, J., and B. Brier, eds. 1985. Permutations: Readings in Scienceand Literature. New York: Quill.

Hellemans, A., and B. Bunch. 1988. The Timetables of Science: AChronology of the Most Important People and Events in the Historyof Science. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Kolb, D. 1983. Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source ofLearning and Development. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

McCombs, B.L. 1996. Understanding the Keys to Motivation toLearn. 25 April. www.mcrel.org

Murphy, N. 1996. Multicultural Mathematics and Science: EffectiveK–12 Practices for Equity. ERIC Digest ED 402146.

National Center for Education Statistics. 1998. nces.ed.gov/timss/twelfth/chap1html.

Rogers, C.R. 1983. Freedom to Learn. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E.Merrill Publishing.

Sanfeliz, M.L. 2000. Intereses en las ciencias de un grupo deestudiantes de escuela intermedia: La Guía Curricular y losEstándares de Ciencias (Masters Thesis, University of Puerto Rico).

Siegel, H. 1997. Science education: Multicultural and universal inter-change 28(2 and 3): 97–108.

Triana, E.M., and M.G. Rodríguez. 1993. United-unidos: Mathemat-ics and Science for Hispanics. Washington, D.C.: American Asso-ciation for the Advancement of Science. ERIC ReproductionDocument No. 396 923.

Wlodkowski, R.J. 1986. Motivation: National Education Association.Wlodkowski, R.J. Enhancing Motivation Among Diverse Learn-

ers. August 18, 1997. Wlodkowski@www2.nu.edu