SCE3260 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Fairtest, Nondestructive Testing, Atmospheric Pressure
10 Jun 2018
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Professor
SCE1260(-(Science(Education(in(Primary(Schools!
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WEEK(3(-(LECTURE!
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Learning(Outcomes:(!
Explain!what!is!meant!by!inquiry-based!learning!in!primary!science!
Identify!a!range!of!science!inquiry!activities!and!give!examples!of!these!in!primary!school!
contexts!
Describe!the!key!steps!in!conducting!a!fair-test!investigation!
Develop!inquiry!skills!in!questioning,!predicting,!planning!and!conducting!within!context!of!
fair-test!investigation!
!
One!of!the!keys!to!‘doing’!science!is!being!able!to!use!a!range!of!process!skills:!“Process!
skills!are!the!building!blocks!of!inquiry…!useful!!in!problem!solving!and!critical!thinking…!not!
only!in!science!but!in!day!to!day!life!situations”!(Fraser-Abder,!2011,!p.!63)!
!
Learning!science!by!inquiry!is!a!student-centred(approach:!students!should!be!asking!
questions,!exploring!and!investigating,!manipulating!materials,!gaining!experiences!and!
making!observations!before(starting!to!develop!their!explanations!(or!being!told!the!correct!
science!by!their!teacher)!!
!
Examples(of(Inquiry(Activities:!
• Observation!and!measurement!activities!
• Classification!activities!
• Skills-building!activities!!
• Illustrative!activities!
• Research!activities!
• Survey!activities!
• Modelling!activities!
• Exploration!activities!
• Pattern-seeking!activities!
• Problem-solving!and!design!activities!
• Fair-test!investigations:!
In!the!context!of!this!unit,!investigation*will!mean!an!activity!in!which!students:!use!science!
knowledge,!and!an!understanding!of!evidence,!and!practical!skills,!to!find!answers!to!
questions!by!carrying!out!fair-tests.*!
!
Components(of(a(fair(test(investigation!
• Researchable!or!investigable!questions!
• Well!defined!variables!
• Controlled!experimental!conditions!
• Appropriate!methods!to!display!data!
• Interpretation!and!analysis!of!data!
• Minimisation!of!errors!
!
Repeated*trials:!When!you!can!use!the!same!materials!over!and!over!(non-destructive!trials)!
good!for!classroom!budget.!
Document Summary
Explain what is meant by inquiry-based learning in primary science. Identify a range of science inquiry activities and give examples of these in primary school contexts. Describe the key steps in conducting a fair-test investigation. Develop inquiry skills in questioning, predicting, planning and conducting within context of fair-test investigation. Learning science by inquiry is a student-centred approach: students should be asking questions, exploring and investigating, manipulating materials, gaining experiences and making observations before starting to develop their explanations (or being told the correct science by their teacher) Examples of inquiry activities: observation and measurement activities, classification activities, skills-building activities. Illustrative activities: research activities, survey activities, modelling activities, exploration activities, pattern-seeking activities, problem-solving and design activities, fair-test investigations: In the context of this unit, investigation will mean an activity in which students: use science knowledge, and an understanding of evidence, and practical skills, to find answers to questions by carrying out fair-tests.
