Teaching Tip: Science Research Tasks
From APEC HRDWG Wiki
As part of International Education Week 2009, the APEC Education Network is providing an opportunity for teachers across the Asia-Pacific region to exchange teaching tips for teacher professional development.
Return to full list of International Education Week 2009 Teaching Tips.
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Name: |
Vanessa Fraser |
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Economy: | |
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School: |
Moriah College |
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Subject: |
Science, Research Projects |
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Tip: |
As part of the Science curriculum students are required to carry out an investigative research task. It is difficult to get students to choose an appropriate investigation that has a meaningful outcome. Skills Ensure that students have a skills basis to draw on, by having a curriculum rich in fun demonstrations and experimental work. Skills and knowledge may include: Logbook A logbook is necessary to record thoughts, research, raw data and other appropriate information. Regular inspection of these will enable teachers to monitor a student’s progress. Inspire Encourage investigation into current scientific research. Students may present this to the class in a ‘Think, Pair, Share’ situation. Reading about past Eureka prize winners could be a good start to such an activity. http://eureka.australianmuseum.net.au/ Brainstorm Collecting interesting and topical Science articles throughout the year and keeping a diary or scrap book of these is an excellent resource for later brainstorming project ideas. Recording their interests and the activities they are involved in can be another useful tool in coming up with innovative project ideas. From this list they can fashion probing questions that can lead to fascinating project ideas. There is an excellent tool on the CSIRO/CREST website which allows students to answer a quiz on their interests. It then generates a number of suggested experimental ideas http://www.csiro.au/resources/CrestAwards.html. Students are then able to form an aim or hypothesis. Plan A plan can be submitted for teacher approval. Within the plan the student must outline: • Aim, Equipment, Independent and Dependant Variables, Method and Safety considerations Research Prior to beginning their experimental work, information relevant to their investigation is researched. All sources should be referenced and the reliability and validity of the secondary sources commented upon. Trial It is advantageous to carry out initial trial investigations. This allows students to refine their method, prior to embarking on the actual investigation. Experimental Work Experimental work may be carried out in or out of class, depending on time and equipment requirements. Opening the laboratories out of class time is beneficial as students are able to take the time to make more accurate measurements. Report In writing up a scientific report, all areas of experimental method must be addressed. It is helpful to give students the marking criteria from which they can work and self assess prior to submitting their project. Reflection An integral part of completing a long term project is reflection. This may outline positive and negative points, and any improvements for further investigation. Peer Marking If working in a group situation, a peer marking grid can be completed confidentially. This allows students to assess their role as part of an investigative team. It also enables the teacher to assign a mark for participation and assess their ability to work in a cooperative situation. Extra Incentive External recognition is a motivator for many students. There are a number of programs such as CSIRO’s CREST and the STANSW, Young Scientist Awards, which can be run in conjunction with this. They allow students to challenge themselves, compare their work to those outside the school and give credit in a public forum. They aid the investigative technique by giving additional guidelines and criteria, providing incentives for students and give teachers an external bench mark. Programs such as CREST recommend the use of external mentors. Working with a real Scientist can serve to give value and meaning to their research. Mentors can be from any area of the community such as parents, student teachers, university students or past pupils. Science Fair Running a school Science fair is another way of promoting Science within the school, and gives students further recognition by presenting it to the wider community. This is a great opportunity to bring in younger students, parents and friends. In conclusion a key issue in investigations is maintaining student enthusiasm and commitment through an ordered process. With sufficient guidance and structure, ensuring a positive outcome for all concerned is somewhat easier. Vanessa Fraser |
