Alternative Ways of Arriving at Scientific Knowledge - Essay Example

?Alternative Ways of Arriving At Scientific Knowledge Education today has undergone various transformations from days of old. Schools at present may have similar goals of optimizing students’ learning and maximizing their potentials but may have differing philosophies, approaches and educational strategies in fulfilling these goals. Constructivist theory is gaining more attention, recognition and acceptance in many educational institutions. It premises on the belief that learners “construct” their own learning, and in effect, have better retention of it. “In the Constructivist theory the emphasis is placed on the learner or the student rather than the teacher or the instructor.  It is the learner who interacts with objects and events and thereby gains an understanding of the features held by such objects or events.  The learner, therefore, constructs his/her own conceptualizations and solutions to problems.  Learner autonomy and initiative is accepted and encouraged.” (Van Ryneveld, n.d.). Teachers come up with several strategies in capturing their students’ attention, and courses are offered in helping educators become more efficient in imparting knowledge and skills to their pupils. No longer do they limit their teaching strategies to boring lectures, dizzying written and oral examinations and students’ delivery of memorized answers to expected questions. Teaching aids have likewise expanded from using flashcards, blackboard demonstrations and textbooks to more concrete materials like actual 3-dimensional objects, dioramas and multimedia materials. Activities are likewise evolving to be more learner-centered, as teachers are coming to terms that their students have a hand in directing their own learning. This is not to say that teachers are slowly losing their hold on the learning of their students. In fact, they are important figures in stimulating and encouraging their students’ pursuit of knowledge. David Wescombe-Down, an educator, wrote in his article, ‘Constructivism, mainstream teaching and scientific knowledge from the classroom perspective’, “If we take the constructivist classroom route, we make harder work for ourselves compared to the easier transmission model route. Our students are required to provide rigorous intellectual commitment and perseverance, and teachers must continually connect student’s previous and current knowledge to the emerging curriculum. The relevance of curriculum to student interests therefore cannot be planned, because the learners’ interests and experience cannot be assumed nor completely evaluated in advance.” This gives the students more power in the acquisition of learning. Using prior knowledge, they are encouraged to invent their own solutions and try out their own ideas and hypotheses with the able support of their teachers. This way, they can indulge in concrete experiences that focus on their interests. Science is a subject that encourages constructive learning. The very nature of the scientific method supports it. Teachers may discuss theories in their lessons and encourage children to try them out in practice. Traditional classroom activities such as reporting in front of the class, showing pictures related to the lesson or filling out textbooks pale in comparison to concrete experiences such as touching a real, live dog, conducting plant experiments or cooking activities. The concrete interactions and experiences with the real world helps children retain learning better because they have actually experienced learning using most, if not all their senses. To illustrate, the following activities are designed to teach three scientific concepts, namely: 1. the gravitational pull of the sun. 2. the sun as the only source of light for the earth. 3. the formation of shadows This essay would illustrate how a child would learn these concepts through traditional scientific methods and in addition through the medium of art, dance and music as more constructivist methods of teaching-learning. 1. The Gravitational Pull of the Sun A. Traditional Scientific Learning (Illustration taken from: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/activities/coloring/ ) The lesson can begin with this illustration of the solar system and its explanation. The children will learn that the solar system is made up of a number of heavenly bodies surrounding the sun – planets, satellites, asteroids, meteoroids and comets. Children will be exposed to the meaning of such words to add to their vocabulary. The circular lines they see in the picture represents the force of gravity keeping the heavenly bodies in place by the force of gravity. The children will understand that the planets move in elliptical orbits as controlled by the sun’s gravitational pull. They will also learn that it is the most powerful gravitational force in the solar system as compared to the other heavenly bodies. The planets revolve around the sun in a counterclockwise direction and each complete revolution around the sun is considered a full year. The planets likewise rotate on their own axes while moving around the sun. (Source: http://www.mcwdn.org/SPACE/SolarSystem.html ) To further strengthen the concept formation, it will be ideal if the children will be able to watch videos about the sun on http://www.mcwdn.org/SPACE/sunvideos.html. B. Art Art is an effective educational strategy to learn more about the lesson. With the concept of the gravitational pull of the sun, a mobile of the solar system may be created by the children to have a more concretized example of the concepts they have just learned. Their scientific learning will also be applied with the measurements of the planets and its positions around the sun. The following Art activity was taken from http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/astronomy/solarsystemmodel/ Supplies needed: A round piece of cardboard about 1 ft across (the cardboard from a frozen pizza works well) ; Lots of colors of oak tag (or construction paper) ; Scissors ; Tape ; String ; Pencil, crayons, or markers ; A compass (for making circles) Find the center of the large cardboard circle by drawing a line from top to bottom and a line from right to left. Where these two lines meet is the center of the circle. This will be the position of the Sun. Using a compass, draw the orbits of the 9 planets (draw circles around the center of the piece of cardboard). The first 4 planets orbit relatively close to the Sun, then there is a gap (this is where the asteroids orbit). Then the last 5 planets orbit very far from the Sun. Using an awl, the sharp point of scissors, or a large nail, punch a series of holes in the cardboard. First punch a hole in the center (this is where the Sun will hang). Then punch one hole somewhere on each circle (orbit); a planet will hang from each hole. Cut circles from oak tag to represent the Sun and each of the planets. Since the range in size of the Sun and the planets is far too large to represent accurately, just make the Sun the biggest. Make Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune a bit smaller than the Sun. Make the remainder of the planets much smaller. Saturn has beautiful rings. Write the name of each planet on its back. Tape a length of string to each planet (and the Sun). Lace the other end of each string through the correct hole in the large cardboard circle (Mercury goes in the inner orbit, Venus goes in the second orbit, Earth goes in the third, etc.). Tape the end of the string to the top side of the cardboard. After all the planets (and the Sun) are attached, adjust the length of the strings so that the planets (and Sun) all lie in a plane. To hang your model, tie three pieces of string to the top of the cardboard - then tie these three together. Tie them to a longer string (from which you'll hang your model). You now have a model of our solar system. C. Dance/ Movement The concept of the gravitational pull of the sun may also be learned through dance or movement. Children may be assigned the roles of the sun and the planets. The “sun” may stay in the center while he/she interprets its movement (ex. Shining, radiating energy) according to the child’s ideas. The teacher may call each planet one by one in the order of its distance from the sun (nearest to farthest the sun) and each planet may move to music accordingly around the sun. When all the planets are called, and the whole solar system is complete, they can all come up with their own collective movements to interpret the sun’s gravitational pull such as the sun gesturing them to move closer or away from it while maintaining their distances from each other. It may be a fun problem-solving activity for the children as they try to remember all the information of how the sun affects their movements. D. Music The following song is one about the solar system. It tells about the planets and how they move around the sun. The teacher should remind the children that the sun is responsible for having these planets in their own positions due to its gravitational pull. The song may be found and listened to in this site: http://www.songsforteaching.com/jptaylor/ninefineplanets.htm Nine Fine Planets J.P. Taylor IMPORTANT NOTE: This album was created before Pluto was declared not to be a planet. Planet number one is the closest to the Sun And Mercury is its name It’s a tiny little spot with a surface that’s so hot And a metal’s got a name that’s the same Now planet number two is an easy one to view And bright as any star you can see Venus is the same as the goddess with that name She’s a beauty of a planet you’ll agree Planet number three is the place for you and me It’s the planet that we all call home It’s got air and water too, and some land for me and you Yeah Earth’s the place we call our own Chorus: We’ve got nine, we’ve got nine, nine fine planets (in the solar system) We’ve got nine, we’ve got nine, nine fine planets (in the solar system) The fourth planet from the Sun is a reddish colored one With two moons to call its own Night and day’s a lot like ours, it’s the planet we call Mars A neighbor pretty close to home Planet number five is the biggest my oh my With a big red spot on its face It’s a spinning ball of gas, and it’s going round so fast Yeah, Jupiter’s quite a place Now planet number six has really got some tricks Saturn is a sight to see But the really special thing is Saturn’s famous rings A telescopic treat for you and me Chorus The seventh planet out makes you want to jump and shout Uranus is big and blue It’s spinning on its side, there’s no way for it to hide What a strange thing for a planet to do Planets eight and nine play a game from time to time Neptune and Pluto like to play They’re so far from the Sun it’s hardly noticed by anyone When they change places along the way Well I’m glad you came along and joined us in this song About the planets going round the Sun Yeah, we went from one to nine, and really made good time And now our song is almost done Chorus 2. The sun as the only source of light for the earth. A. Traditional Scientific Learning Life on earth will not be possible without the sun. It is the central figure that provides light and heat and other energy forms essential to survival. The sun provides virtually all of the energy in the solar system, stemming from its gravitational attraction of the planets and other heavenly bodies. Solar energy is used by plants for making their own food. The process is called ‘photosynthesis’. Without this process, plants will not survive, and food sources from plants such as fruits and vegetables will not be available. Solar energy also affects the process of the water cycle, which determines the weather and the availability of water, another important element for survival. Children would be interested to learn the following facts about the sun: It is a medium sized star which appears larger than other stars because it is the one nearest to earth. The mean distance of the sun to the earth is around 93,000,000 miles or 150,000,000 kilometers. Its size is about 870,000 miles or 1,400,000 kilometers in diameter, its mass is almost 700 times the total mass of all the bodies in the solar system and 332,000 times that of the earth. The sun’s gravity is 28 times the power of earth’s. That means that if a person weighs only 100 lbs. on earth, when he goes to the sun, he will weigh 2800 lbs.! The temperature at the center of the sun is about 10 to 20 million degrees Celsius The intense heat of the sun’s rays can destroy a person’s retinal cells in the eyes and it may cause blindness. That is why one should never look directly at the sun. (sources: http://library.thinkquest.org/27356/n_index.htm http://www.mcwdn.org/SPACE/Sun.html ) B. Art Children would find it fascinating that they can do art work with the sun. Aside from learning scientific concepts, they may also develop their aesthetic skills when they integrate the concept to their artwork. The following activity was taken from: http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/sun-activities3.htm Solar-Powered Pictures Children can create pictures using “solar power” or sunlight. Make some Solar-Powered Pictures! Supplies needed: Flat objects like keys, leaves, and flowers; Safe scissors; Stiff cardboard; Flat pan, glass baking dish or sheet of clear acrylic; Light-sensitive paper (such as Sunprint brand paper) Procedure: 1. Assemble the materials you want to make prints from. Grass, leaves, and flowers make good prints. You can also look around the house for small objects such as keys, paper clips, and shaped erasers. 2. Cut a sheet of stiff cardboard a little larger than the printing paper. In a dim place, lay your objects on the cardboard and decide how to arrange them. Then set the objects aside and make a print. 3. Pour water in a flat pan and have it ready to develop your prints. Open the package of light-sensitive paper and remove one sheet. Lay the sheet on the cardboard, then arrange your objects on the paper. Set the glass baking dish or clear acrylic on the paper. Lift the whole stack and set in bright sun for three to five minutes. 4. Remove the paper and soak in the water for about one minute. Set your print in a dry, shady place to dry. You will see white shadows on a blue background. 5. Frame your finished prints and decorate your bedroom wall with them, or use them to make cards, bookmarks, party invitations, or anything you think of. It is important to process the learning from this activity with the children. What was it in the materials that caused such an effect? Not only will this activity stimulate creativity but critical thinking as well. C. Dance/ Movement The children will learn the power that the sun has and that it is responsible for creating life on earth. Children may be asked to interpret what a sun can do through creative movement or interpretative dance. Props such as scarves and glittery ribbons may be used or children can make costumes to wear while performing a “sun dance” set to different kinds of music. Other children may play bit roles such as trees or water depending on the theme they come up with. The important thing is that they successfully depict what a sun does in order to sustain life on earth. D. Music Setting a lesson to a song will help children remember information better because of its catchy tune and lyrics. The following song was taken from the following site and may likewise be listened to there: http://www.songsforteaching.com/intellitunes/solarenergy.htm Solar Energy Song for Teaching about Solar Energy Ron Brown Oh, the sun is a star. It’s our closest star. It’s just 93 million miles away. It gives us heat and light. It makes the world just right. We’re getting solar energy every day. Solar power heats our water and homes And it makes electricity. Solar power is a natural resource When we convert its energy. Oh, the sun is a star. Its light can travel far. Hot gases burn at 10,000 degrees. As it shines its light, Plants can grow just right, So the Earth is great for you and me. Solar power heats our water and homes And it makes electricity. Solar power is a natural resource When we convert its energy. Oh, the sun is a star. It’s our closest star. It’s just 93 million miles away. 3. The formation of shadows A. Traditional Scientific Learning Light and shadow are very interesting concepts for children to learn about. With simple explorations and experiments they will learn that a shadow is formed when an opaque object blocks the direction of a light source. They will also learn that the position of the sun in the sky will affect how shadows are formed. Children may do scientific experiments on shadow by observing its formation on different times during the school day and they can also measure the shadows in each observation. They may be encouraged to form their own theories about their observations. They can validate their theories through research using the internet. The experiment may be linked to the art activity described next. B. Art As mentioned above, the science experiment on shadows may be linked to the following art activity on the formation of shadows. This activity was taken from: http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/sun-activities4.htm Sun Portraits Supplies needed: Large piece of paper; Rocks; Friend ; markers; Paint; leaves, sticks, seeds; Glue Procedure: 1. On a sunny morning, place a large piece of paper on the ground and put some rocks on the corners of it to keep it from blowing away. 2. Stand next to the paper so your shadow falls on it. Then have your friend trace the outline of your shadow onto the page. You can do the same for your friend. 3. Using paint or markers, color your shadow or make crazy designs inside of it. If you like, make a collage inside your shadow using leaves, seeds, sticks, or whatever else you find around the yard. 4. Come back to your creation later in the day and trace another shadow next to the one you traced earlier. Since the sun is in a different place in the sky, your shadow will have a whole new look. C. Dance/ Movement One popular children’s game is “Do as I Do”. This game may be used for reinforcing the concept of shadows because a shadow moves and imitates what the person or object it is shadowing does. Children may do pantomime activities wherein one child stays in front and the child at the back will shadow everything the child in front does. Children may even come up with a dance from this game. D. Music A song about a shadow was composed in connection to friendship in the following song taken from http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/m090.html. It may also be listened to in that site. My Shadow Friend Written By: Homer H. Harbour Adapted By: Terry Kluytmans I've a shadow for a playmate, And he's never twice the same: First he's short, and then he's tall, Then he isn't there at all. When the sun is high at lunchtime, He's as small as small can be: Slippy slidey, see him glide, Slippy slidey, by my side! As the sun sinks lower and lower, Like a giant, he grows tall: Daddy Longlegs, when I run, Daddy Longlegs, so much fun! But I think he's scared of the darkness, And I think he's scared of the rain, For he disappears at night; When it rains, he's not in sight. Yet as soon as we turn the lights on, Or when sunshine breaks through the clouds, Quickly back to me he steals, Tagging closely at my heels. Combining educational strategies from traditional scientific methods and more progressive constructivist methods are consistent with the implementation of Gardner’s (1983) multiple intelligences. This theory explains that intelligence is not limited to the traditional academic knowledge but extends to other areas that include a person’s creative, affective and social dimensions. Gardner’s theories were borne out of his research in developmental psychology and brain-based learning theories. He found connections between certain regions of the brain that were responsible for specialized intelligences. His findings deviated from long-held theories on intelligence – that there is one intelligence encompassing all thinking processes. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences has impacted education ever since it was publicized. It has been liberating to finally accept that all people have something to excel at, and being smart above the rest is not limited to those who do exceptionally well academically. It is comforting to think that if one has an aptitude for music, for instance, and is weak at math and science, then he can still excel at something creative and non-academic. For teachers, knowing the special intelligences of their students will enable them to adjust their teaching methodology accordingly. Math and Science may be taught using strategies that involve music, games, literature, and the like. It also makes learning so much more fun because aside from the variety of experiences the students encounter, it considers every student’s intelligence profile. Ideally, it creates a stimulating learning environment that is conducive to optimal learning and full development of human potential. Children nowadays are more fortunate since there are more alternatives to learning their lessons that may be more appropriate to their preferred learning styles. The above examples are just a few to illustrate that a scientific concept may be learned in so many ways and not just one that passively feeds information to the student. It is empowering for the child to be in control of his own learning using various methods that may work for him. In the practice of more constructivist education, teachers need to be vigilant in guiding their students’ learning paths. They need to create opportunities for their students to exercise the construction of their own learning. “Specifically, teachers must be careful not to fall into the trap of labeling specific pedagogical strategies (e.g., cooperative learning, direct instruction, multimedia, computer mediated communications) as constructivist or non-constructivist. It is easy to think of ways in which direct, didactic techniques of instruction may be combined with an overall constructivist view (Howe and Berv, 2000) . Thus, instructional strategies are neither inherently constructivist nor non-constructivist and indeed the same strategy may be used in ways that are congruent or non-congruent with a constructivist approach. (Doolittle, 2004). This gives the students more power in the acquisition of learning. Using prior knowledge, they are encouraged to invent their own solutions and try out their own ideas and hypotheses with the able support of their teachers. This way, they can indulge in concrete experiences that focus on their interests. The process of searching for information, analysing data and reaching conclusions is considered more important than learning facts. On the other hand, teachers in the Constructivist tradition should be ready for more challenging roles as mentors and facilitators of learning. No longer are they “dispensers of knowledge” and their students their “blank slates” to write on. “Supplying students with answers is not the goal in a constructivist program; in fact, unanswered questions are important in terms of continued interest and continued learning”(Brewer, 2001, p.59). Such is the beauty and wonder of Science! References Brewer, J.A. (2001) Introduction to Early Childhood Education. Boston: Allyn and Bacon Doolittle, P. (2004) “Constructivist Philosophy, Theory, and Pedagogy: Insights, Insults, and Insanity.” International Society for Exploring Teaching and Learning. Retrieved on May 9, 2011 from: www.isetl.org/conference/accepted2.cfm?proposal_id=116 Gardner, H.,(1983) Frames of Mind: the theory of multiple intelligences London: Heinemann Howe, K., & Berv, J. (2000). “Constructing constructivism: Epistemological and pedagogical.” In. D. C. Phillips (Ed.), Constructivism in education: Opinions and second opinions on controversial issues (pp. 19-40). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Van Ryneveld, L., (n.d.) What is constructivism?, Retrieved on May 10, 2011 from http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/learner/lindavr/lindapg1.htm Wescombe-Down, D. (n.d.), Constructivism, mainstream teaching and scientific knowledge from the classroom perspective. Retrieved on May 10, 2011 from http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/11788/science1/constructivism/MSMSASTA05.doc Websites: http://library.thinkquest.org/27356/n_index.htm http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/sun-activities3.htm http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/sun-activities4.htm http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/astronomy/solarsystemmodel/ http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/activities/coloring/ http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/m090.html http://www.mcwdn.org/SPACE/SolarSystem.html http://www.mcwdn.org/SPACE/Sun.html http://www.mcwdn.org/SPACE/sunvideos.html http://www.shambles.net/pages/learning/sciencep/lightsh/ http://www.songsforteaching.com/jptaylor/ninefineplanets.htm http://www.songsforteaching.com/intellitunes/solarenergy.htm Read More