My story of learning Science
I never had any interest in being a Scientist, or Zoologist. Despite that in my childhood, I always had a question that why I am studying plants, animals, etc. Still, I fear to pronounce big scary words of biology. I never got an answer to my questions because I never asked those because of rigor and structured curriculum. However, it changed when I indulged myself into knowing more. It came from readings, further studying, and exploring. The sad part of all this was that it was too late in its timings and I ignored so many important concepts in the name of rote learning, memorization, and getting good grades. Now, being a teacher, I do not want to give the same environment to my students. I want them to question, teach them the art of questioning by inculcating psychological and intellectual skills which are the basic requirements to have achievement and process-oriented inquiry (Bai, 2005).
History of this topic
William Sharp was the first who proposed to include science in curriculum in the 19th century. The aim of this inclusion was to inculcate scientific knowledge in learners for the betterment of society. Afterward, the humanistic approach, where inclusion of the arts, science, technology, society, and environmental education (S.T.E.A.M.) was stressed, was implemented in the late 20th century. These approaches were focused on mental training where elementary science was based on simple natural phenomena (the study of nature) and delivered through “in-the-field” experiments. Secondary science was encompassing laboratory work where specific experiments were selected by administrators. In traditional classes, facts and principles were imparted from the viewpoint of getting good grades and preparing students for higher education (Science education, n.d.).
My experience of learning has been like this approach. As a young learner, I experienced science as more of a theoretical subject with a limited number of experiments within four walls of the laboratory, with pre-assigned questions and procedures. However, this approach was challenged and consequently, has become more of inquiry-based in many parts of different countries especially British Columbia, Alberta in Canada.
Inquiry in Science
Inquiry in science is completely student-directed and supported by teachers. Firstly, students observe the things around them and form hypotheses and questions which is followed by investigation and experiments. Reflection helps in learning from their experiences and promote a deeper understanding of the concepts. Inquiry assists in inculcating a sense of wonder, encourage the learner to build hypotheses and do experiments like a scientist to satisfy their curiosity. This approach also helps in forming connections with surrounding to make topics personally relevant. Learners become more aware of things that are important for them and society which helps in the wellbeing of all.
Inquiry can be introduced in the form of projects, workshops, and class activities. As, it is completely student-directed so it is the prime duty of a teacher to instill an ability to ask essential questions independently in the students (McTighe, & Wiggins, 2013). So, The aims of inquiry can be met by arousing critical thinking, planning, and designing experiments, creative thinking, vocabulary development, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and communication skills through investigations and working collaboratively in teams (BC’s New Curriculum, e.d.).The countless topics can be introduced to young learners with an inquiry-based approach from the change of state of matter to changes in plants. My focus in this project would be on “Photosynthesis and the Celluar Respiration”.
key questions from the students’ perspectives
The key questions from the students’ perspectives can be What(food) do plants need to be alive? How do plants feed? Who or how they prepare food? What elements do they need to prepare food? Why is it important to know about this? How it can affect humans? What would be the variables which would affect their food process? How they process at night when there is no sunlight? A push can be given by a teacher where ever it is needed by arranging activities of 30-35 minutes like a walk to the garden to notice the color of plants, growth stages or students can be given potted or vascular plants to look after or to observe changes by controlling variables like water, sunlight or by using simulation from online resources like Phet.
Key questions within this topic
Before introducing an inquiry, teachers must plan by developing some questions for like how it would develop? How much time it would take? How to make connections with the knowledge attained by learners from different subject areas? How to encourage students to indulge and move along because it could be challenging for many students with no or little experience? Undoubtedly, the inquiry-based approach is always more time consuming than any hands-on laboratory activity where procedures and discussion questions are given in advance.
“Joy” of this topic
The approach is entirely practical which helps to bring enthusiasm in the learners by inculcating a sense of wonder, intriguing things, making and testing a hypothesis through experiments to satisfy their curiosity. Thinking about it makes me excited to practice this approach in a real class environment than virtually experiencing it. It is a very lively topic as it includes Nature. It would help in connecting students with nature and surroundings. It would be like bringing plants/ nature into a classroom that would indeed differentiate that class from any traditional one.
It is true that Nature is on the verge of deterioration and it needs human attention now more than anything. Despite knowing that, we are good at ignoring the urgency to react. Thus, it would teach the importance of Nature, instill a caring attitude in learners towards nature by deepening their understanding. Here, environmental education can be integrated to make it interdisciplinary to enhance the joy of this topic. It would also provide an opportunity to look at this topic from different lense which would reinforce teaching and learning experience, helps to upgrade my knowledge, and realize what I missed in previous confrontations with this topic.
Moreover, it tells about life processes and how these are interrelated. The real joy is in keeping this practical subject alive which is hidden behind hands-on laboratory activities, and as these topics are taught from a theoretical angle, got captured in books and pre-set procedures though being alive. Natural phenomena happenings around us are usually being ignored in a race to get good grades and secure our place in society for being valuable and get productive results (Jardine, 2013). Thus, it would provide an opportunity to raise a question on natural processes like, in this, changes in leaves’ color can be noticed, different growing stages of plants, comparisons can be made by limiting sunlight and watering to different plants.
I learned how boring it was when I came across this topic as a kid for the very first time and how interesting it could be made with establishing an inquiry on it.