SCE3260 Study Guide - Final Guide: Fairtest, Inquiry-Based Learning
14 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Science&Exam&
&
Week$3;$Doing$Science&
Learning(Outcomes:(&
ā¢ Explain&what&is&meant&by&inquiry&based&learning&in&primary&science&
ā¢ Identify&a&range&of&science&inquiry&activities&and&give&examples&of&these&in&primary&
school&contexts&
ā¢ Describe&the&key&steps&in&conducting&a&fair&test&investigation&
ā¢ Develop&inquiry&skills&in&questioning,&predicting,&planning&and&conducting&within&
context&of&a&fair&test&investigation&&
ā¢ What&is&meant&by&the&phrase&āscience&is&a&human&endeavour)&
Doing(Science&
One&of&the&keys&to&doing&science&is&being&able&to&use&a&range&of&process&skills&
āProcess&skills&are&the&building&blocks&of&inquiry,&useful&in&problem&solving&and&critical&
thinking,¬&only&in&science&but&in&day&to&day&situationsā&
Learning(Science(by(Inquiry&
Learning&science&by&inquiry&is&a&student$centred$approach.$Students&should&be:&
ā¢ asking&questions&
ā¢ exploring&and&investigating&
ā¢ manipulating&materials&&
ā¢ gaining&experiences&&
ā¢ making&observations&&
before$starting&to&develop&their&explanations&(or&being&told&the&correct&science&by&their&
teacher)&
EXAMPLES&
ā¢ observation&and&measurement&activities&
ā¢ classification&activities&
ā¢ skill&building&activities&
ā¢ illustrative&activities&
ā¢ research&activities&
ā¢ modelling&activities&
ā¢ exploration&activities&
ā¢ fair-test&investigations&
Ā§ The&term&investigation&means&an&activity&which&students&use&science&
knowledge&and&an&understanding&of&evidence&and&practical&skills&to&
find&answers&to&questions&by&carrying&out&fair&tests.&Components:$has&
to&have&a&&
Ā§ researchable&of&investigable&question&(avoid&questions&that&
can&be&answered&by&a&yes/no)&
Ā§ well&defined&variables&
Ā§ controlled&experimental&conditions&
Ā§ appropriate&methods&to&display&data&
Ā§ interpretation&and&analysis&of&data&
Ā§ minimisation&of&errors&
Repeated&trials:&when&you&can&use&the&same&materials&over&and&over&&
Replication:&when&doing&the&investigation&destroys&the&materials&so&you&need&to&test&several&
sets&of&materials&in&the&exact&same&conditions.&
Document Summary
Learning outcomes: explain what is meant by inquiry based learning in primary science. 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 situations . Learning science by inquiry is a student centred approach. Students should be: asking questions, exploring and investigating, manipulating materials, gaining experiences, making observations before starting to develop their explanations (or being told the correct science by their teacher) Examples: observation and measurement activities classification activities skill building activities illustrative activities research activities, modelling activities, exploration activities fair-test investigations. The term investigation means an activity which students use science knowledge and an understanding of evidence and practical skills to find answers to questions by carrying out fair tests.
