Training on science teachingTraining on science teaching

Textbook, skills and Textbook, skills and pedagogical toolspedagogical tools

Objectives•To understand the nature of science•To understand and use the pedagogy of science instruction at upper primary level•To do five pedagogically sound science activities•To understand the structure of science textbook and its transaction

What is science and its nature?

• Science: Process-based study and systematic codification of nature and its events

• Nature of science: 1.Objective (recorded as observed, quantification, logical, unbiased, valid)… 2. Reliability (process-basing, replicable, measurement, testing, verification)…3. Dynamic (Tentative, on-going, new discoveries, better theories)

• Three sciences: Hard or pure sciences…soft sciences…pseudo-sciences

Nature of pure / hard science

Pedagogy: Science of teaching and learning

• A soft science related to classroom instruction with drawing strength from other pure sciences as processes, technology, soft sciences like psychology, sociology, statistical measurements, management, etc.

• Application of learning theories to classroom instruction

• Carrying out educational innovations and experimentation

• Doing classroom research, action research

Pedagogy: Soft science

Required paradigm shift in science Required paradigm shift in science educationeducation

For any qualitative change from the present situation, science education in India must undergo a paradigm paradigm shiftshift.

Rote learning should be discouraged doing science be Rote learning should be discouraged doing science be encouraged.encouraged.

Inquiry or process skills should be supported and strengthened by language,language, design design and quantitative quantitative skillsskills.

What is required to be done?What is required to be done?Activities be designed to aim at stimulating among young

students and their teachers – investigative ability investigative ability – Emphasizing processes of scienceEmphasizing processes of science– Inventiveness Inventiveness – creativitycreativity– scientific temperscientific temper– Building science related vocabulary interestinglyBuilding science related vocabulary interestingly

Launch new ways of formative testing of students that would – reduce the high level of examination-related stress; reduce the high level of examination-related stress; – curb the maddening multiplicity of testscurb the maddening multiplicity of tests– undertake assessing the multiple abilities other than formal undertake assessing the multiple abilities other than formal

scholastic competencescholastic competence

Agenda: How to…..

• Understand education and learning as soft sciences

• Imbibe technical vocabulary and language of science: Ridding rote learning

• Draw visual symbols and diagrams properly• Systematize pedagogically sound science

instruction through three-stage learning

Technical session-1

• Brainstorming the question

What are those things What are those things which human beings can which human beings can do; not the other beings?do; not the other beings?

Training Session: Science education as Training Session: Science education as soft sciencesoft science

• Brainstorming on the question: What are the Brainstorming on the question: What are the things which human beings can do and other things which human beings can do and other beings/animals cannot do?beings/animals cannot do?

• Listing and classification of responsesListing and classification of responses• Constructing a statement on/definition of Constructing a statement on/definition of

education (Education as science -> Science education (Education as science -> Science Education)Education)

(Example from the textbook to illustrate the (Example from the textbook to illustrate the pedagogical soundness of science textbooks)pedagogical soundness of science textbooks)

Features of a good textbookFeatures of a good textbookThe textbooks should incorporate – activities– observation – experimentation– connecting it with the world around theChild-Project work-Linkage to CCE: Teching0learning-evaluation continuum

Rather than being information-based learning.

More about a good textbook More about a good textbook o Quality of content: age-grade appropriateness, pitching of concepts, content load

or volume of new vocabulary o Pedagogical approach: adherence to principles of learning and child psychology o Design and presentation: Formatting of contents and activities o Production standards: Printing, font size, illustration, jacket and binding.

Analysis questions?

• How well does the book fulfill its role as a mediator of information between author, teachers and students/readers?

• Are its pedagogical principles sound and effective?

To understand these questions properly training and workshops are required to understand the textbooks and transact the lessons well

Chapter-wise inclusion of assessment tools

Formative-discussion-brainstorming-group leaning-group assignment-exhibitions and displays-role plays-field work-self-study skills-self assessment-student seminars

Summative

-periodical test papers-MCQs in exercises-VSAQs in exercises-SAQs in exercises-LAQs in exercises-credits and grades

Typical pages of a science topic

Suggestive assessment pages

Education: A CINQUAIN

EducationSystem; process

Developing thinking; enhancing socialization; fostering creativity

Education develops human potentials in a planned and managed system in Education develops human potentials in a planned and managed system in a value-charged social environment for a community of learners. a value-charged social environment for a community of learners.

Humanization

Technical session-2: Learning

Making a spinning top with paper-folding and doing the process analysis of the experience

Effective science learning: Going beyond the textbooksEffective science learning: Going beyond the textbooks

• Enrich learning that takes place through project work.

• Development of science corners• Providing access to science experimentation

kits• Laboratories for science and maths at

elementary school level.

Technical session-3Doing a word-search Doing a word-search puzzle and its meta-puzzle and its meta-analysis to elicit its analysis to elicit its possible advantagespossible advantages

Technical session-4Teacher demonstrated experiments and

activities

~Electrostatics with strawsElectrostatics with straws~Wave model~Wave model~Sound: Straw saxophones~Sound: Straw saxophonesStudent’s activity

~Straw bar pendulum~Straw bar pendulum

Discussion after activityDiscussion after activity

• It is the most important part of learning• It should never be rushed and left out• It should include the following.

~Reflect on what was done: Process analysis~Learn from difficulties and identify precautions~Look for alternatives~Do self-evaluation

Advantages of ActivitiesAdvantages of ActivitiesThey afford opportunities for:–Material manipulation (hands-on) and

perceptual-intuitive learning–Observation and recording them, infering –Multi-sensory experience–Communicating with others what has been

found–Discussing and deepening learning–Getting a feel for the scientific process

Session-5: Concept attainment

Concept of forceConcept of forceExperiences~Tearing, crumpling, flicking and throwing up of ~Tearing, crumpling, flicking and throwing up of

paperpaper~Students’ responses to the question what ~Students’ responses to the question what

happenedhappened~Classification and labeling~Classification and labeling~Constructing definition~Constructing definition

ConceptAbout a concept

• A concept is a perceived regularity or pattern in events or objects, or records/ description of events or objects, designated by a label.

• When a concept is named, the word is a label that maps onto our conceptual structure. With object-type concepts attributes/properties and functions/uses are the description.. more descriptive, often classificatory

• Events/Happenings, however, include changes in status like occurrences or improvements/results.

Facts about a concept

• It is impossible to characterize any concept without its relation to other concepts/labels/words.

• So a concept does not exist by itself, it is part of a conceptual system in which elements are related to each other.

• This acquisition is mediated in a very important way when concrete experiences or props are available; hence the importance of “hands-on” activity for science learning with young children, but this is also true with learners of any age and in any subject matter domain.

Concept mapping• Concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing

knowledge. They have two key components, "concepts" (naming words/concept labels) and "linking words" (also referred to as "linking phrases“: Prepositions and action words/phrases). The linking words are used to join two or more concepts, thereby forming propositions. In the concept map, "Birds", "Rapid Digestive Systems" and "High metabolilsm" are concepts, "have" and "is necessary due to" are linking words, and together they form the two propositions "Birds have Rapid Digestive Systems" and "Rapid Digestive Systems is necessary due to High Metabolism", among others.

• Therefore, understanding what concepts are is a basic step in understanding concept maps and how to construct and use them

•

Advantages of ActivitiesAdvantages of ActivitiesThey afford opportunities for:–Material manipulation (hands-on) and

perceptual-intuitive learning–Observation and recording them, infering –Multi-sensory experience–Communicating with others what has been

found–Discussing and deepening learning–Getting a feel for the scientific process

Technical session-6: Visual symbols and diagrams

• Drawing of a cow by a participant• Discussion• Attributes of a visual symbol• Drawing of some animals

Reindeer

Session-7: Systematization of science instruction through three-stage learning

• ProcessTeacher-directed learning : whole class teaching Teacher-directed learning : whole class teaching

> Group work > individual practice> Group work > individual practice

• Learning materialTeacher’s lesson sheet > Group worksheet > Teacher’s lesson sheet > Group worksheet >

Written practice sheetWritten practice sheet