Science Process Skills

Hello everybody.. Well, we're now in Week 4.. I hope u guys are in a good shape.. =)

In this post, I'll summarize what I've learnt in class. It was about Science Process Skills (SPS). Science process skills enable students to formulate their questions and find out the answers systematically.

SPS has 12 items and it can be divided into 2 parts, which are Basic SPS and Integrated SPS. However, lets have a look each of them in general. 

Observing

Using the sense of hearing, touch, smell, taste and sight to collect information about an object or a phenomenon.

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Classifying

Using observations to group objects or events according to similarities or differences. In science, classification must be mutually exclusive.

Measuring and Using Numbers

Making quantitative observations using numbers and tools with standardised units. Measuring makes observation more accurate.

Inferring

Using past experiences or previously collected data to draw conclusions and make explanations of events.

Predicting

Stating the outcome of a future event based on prior knowledge gained through experiences or collected data. Thus, predicting is not the same as guessing.

Communicating

Using words or graphic symbols such as tables, graphs, figures or models to describe an action, object or event.

Using Space-Time Relationship

Describing changes in parameter with time. Examples of parameters are location, direction, shape, size, volume, weight and mass.

Defining Operationally

Defining all variables as they are used in the experiment by describing what must be done and what should be observed.

Controlling Variables

Identifying the fixed variable, manipulated variable, and responding variable in an investigation. The manipulated variable is changed to observe its relationship with the responding variable. At the same time, the fixed variable is kept constant.

Hypothesizing

Making a general statement about the relationship between a manipulated variable and a responding variable in order to explain an event or observation. This statement can be tested to determine its validity.

Experimenting

Planning and conducting activities to test a certain hypothesis. These activities include  collecting, analyzing and interpreting data and making conclusions.

Scientific knowledge and Teaching concepts

Before this, we've learnt that science consists of 3 elements, which are scientific knowledge, scientific skills and scientific attitude. So, on today's lecture, we learn about scientific knowledge and teaching theories. 

Scientific knowledge has 4 DIFFERENT items in it. They are facts, concepts, theories and principle. They might look the same, but they are actually different! So, lets define them to have a better understanding.

• Fact is a single sentence where truth is defined. Fact is the foundation of all other 3.

• Concepts is an abstraction of events, objects, or phenomena that seem to have certain properties or attributes in common.

• Principle and law is a composition of facts and concepts. It is observable and can be accepted in every places, such as Newton's Law.

• Theories is statements devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted. So, theories can be argued!

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Next, lets learn about teaching concepts. There are 5 teaching concepts;

• Giving examples and non-examples

• The use of advance organizer such as concept maps

• The use of images and analogies

• The use of various presentations such as models and symbols

• The use of experiments

Giving examples and non-examples

To use this in teaching, a teacher should give the student examples or non-examples that has different properties but they quite similar. For example, transpiration and evaporation. 

Advance organizer - concept maps

Advance organizer is a graphical representation of relationship among items. It is also a way of structuring information which arranging important aspects of concepts/topic into a pattern using labels. 

Concept map can be used as an overview of the topic which is it is shown before the teacher start to teach the topic. So, the student can have overview of what they are going to learn in this topic. 

Besides that, it can be used as summary to the topic. By showing this concept map at the end of topic, student can have better understanding as they recall what they have learnt in the particular topic. Moreover, teacher can detect any misconception in students by doing evaluation. 

There are several types of concept map;

• Hierarchical concept maps

• Cluster concept maps

• Chain concept maps

Steps in constructing concept maps can be simplified as below;

Images and analogies

Images and analogies are used to introduce the target concept. Image in this context represent mental images.

To create an analogy, we must identify the relevant features of the analog. Besides that, there must be similarities, especially in FUNCTION between the analog and the target. 


For example, DNA molecule is like a ladder is not a good analogy, compared to eye is like a camera. Finally, teacher should identify the comparisons for which the analogy breaks down.

Models and Symbols

• Model

• Symbol

Behaviourism - Classical and Operant Conditioning

Behaviorism is a branch of psychology which focuses on the study of observable behavior, with the accompanying belief that all human activities, from feeling an emotion to performing a physical task, are forms of behavior. 

It is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment. According to behaviorism, behavior can be studied in a systematic and observable manner with no consideration of internal mental states. 

Classical conditioning

Classical conditioning is a technique used in behavioral training in which a naturally occurring stimulus is paired with a response. Next, a previously neutral stimulus is paired with the naturally occurring stimulus. 

Eventually, the previously neutral stimulus comes to evoke the response without the presence of the naturally occurring stimulus. The two elements are then known as the conditioned stimulus and the conditioned response. 

Operant conditioning

The theory of operant conditioning is based upon the idea that learning is a function of change in behavior. Changes in behavior are the result of an individual's response to events (stimuli) that occur in the environment. A response produces a consequence such as defining a word, hitting a ball, or solving a math problem. When a particular Stimulus-Response (S-R) pattern is reinforced (rewarded), the individual is conditioned to respond. 

Reinforcement is the key element in this theory. Reinforcement is needed to strengthen the desired response. It could be verbal praise, a good grade or a feeling of increased accomplishment or satisfaction. The theory also states about negative reinforcement, where any stimulus that results in the increased frequency of a response when it is withdrawn. However, negative reinforcement is different from punishment which results in reduced responses. 

Constructivism

Constructivism is an epistemology, which it is a way of thinking to gain knowledge, or it is a process of building on knowledge known by students. As known, education is supposed to be student centred, where the student has to construct their own knowledge. Hence, it can be said that, learning is an active process.

Besides that, constructivist believes that the students already have knowledge or experience before they come to school. However, the prior knowledge they had might be true, wrong or incomplete. In order for the learning to be meaningful, there must be relationship between old and new perception or knowledge.

Piaget’s Stages of cognitive development

 

Vygotsky's Social Developmental Theory

Information Processing Theory

What is Science and Science Education?

What is science?

The word science probably makes us think of thick textbook, white lab coat, laboratory instruments, microscopes, a naturalist in the rainforest, Einstein’s equation written on whiteboard, the launch of space shuttle and etc. However, those pictures only reflect some aspect of science, but they do not provide the whole picture of science. So, what is science?

Science can be said as part of everyday life, where it exists all around us. Science has many disciplines such as chemistry, physics, biology and engineering. 

To conclude what science is, lets see the diagram below;

Science is composed of attitude, skill and knowledge (ASK). Besides that, each of them has different domains involved. For example, knowledge involves cognitive domain and skill involves cognitive and psychomotor domains. This is because, science process skill involves critical thinking in attributing. Hence, we use cognitive domain. In science, we also have manipulative skill , that uses psychomotor domain. Lastly, attitude  such as cooperative and accuracy, involves affective domain. 


What is science education?

Science education is a field that concern to deliver science contents as stated above to the community, such as students. 

Furthermore, science is dynamic, where it keeps changing when new knowledge are discovered. The result of new discovery may replace the existed knowledge. Hence, teacher must always update themselves, so that they can deliver correct information.

Lets meet your host..

Hey world! I'm Farah Syarafina, your host, not only for today, but for the rest of this semester! Wow! It sounds fun, isn't it? haha I'm a 3rd year student of teacher-to-be course, Science with Education..

Well, this is my very first post for this blog.. To make it clear, this blog is made specially for one of my subject, named Method of Teaching Science, where i'll jot down MOST of what i learn in my class.. In other words, this blog is for academic purpose and no play play haa.. I guess so.. 

Enjoy reading.. =D