As students in the Alternative Certification Program, we are required to take a course titled Current Topics in Science Education: Scientific Literacy and Education Reform (TED 5314). The required textbook is titled Achieving Scientific Literacy: From Purposes to Practices by Bybee, R.W. (published by Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann). The goal of this course is to develop an understanding of scientific literacy in reference to education reform.

      Every week we participate in a class discussion of a particular chapter which we have read for the week. As we read, we write down certain captions from each chapter which we find significant to our understanding of scientific reform. Along with these statements, we include our thoughts and feelings in regards to how we feel about that particular statement or idea. This process of maintaining a journal is to be used as a tool of reflection in order to incorporate the ideas of reform along with our own beliefs; similar to a constructivist approach. Our understanding of reform is then strengthened or perhaps changed as we discuss this topic in class, with fellow novice teachers attempting to gain knowledge in the pursuit of developing scientific literate students.