UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST
DISTANCE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
KETA BUSINESS CENTER
METHODS OF TEACHING BASIC SCHOOL SCIENCE
CODE: EBS 310D
COURSE TUTOR: MR DOGBEY ROBERT
GROUP MEMBERS INDEX NUMBERS
1. KUMADO EMMANUELLA ABLA BEPRI/VR/09/22/0001
2. TSIEMORLIE EVELYN BEPRI/VR/09/22/0007
OUTLINES
INTRODUCTION
GOALS OF SCIENCE TEACHING
SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
SCIENTIFIC METHODS
SOCIETAL ISSUES
PERSONAL NEEDS
CAREER AWARENESS
CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
Science teachers continuously examine the goals and objectives of their
programs. Which units will I teach this year? What new topics shall I
introduce? Questions such as these, and the answers, are the bases of
revised goals and changes in science programs. Only the individual
science teacher knows the variables that must be evaluated in the
decision-making process. What are the abilities of my students”? What
are my interests?” What was the students’ response to last year’s units?
There are, of course, other questions, but these examples illustrate how
the individual revises goals. Let us examine the session to see what
goals are.
GOALS OF SCIENCE
TEACHING
Goals of Science Teaching Goals are broad statements that give a
general direction to a science curriculum and classroom instruction.
Broad goals have the advantage of relating to many aspects of
science, society, and education, and simultaneously of giving some
direction to classroom planning and instruction. The disadvantage of
goals is precisely that they are too broad for specific direction
concerning grade levels, science subjects, and personal aims and
preferences of science teachers. It is necessary to reformulate goals
into objectives that are appropriate for each science teacher.
Although goals and objectives differ, they are logically related in that
objectives are derived from goals.
GOALS OF SCIENCE
TEACHING
There are many goals of science teaching. By using the simple
criteria listed below, most goals can be summarized into few
categories. Goals should be:
• Comprehensive enough to include the generally accepted aims
and objectives of science teaching.
• Understandable for other teachers, administrators and parents.
• Neutral, that is free of bias and not oriented toward any
particular view of science teaching.
• Few in number.
• Differentiate concepts and abilities.
• Easily applicable to instructional and learning objectives.
Using the aforementioned criteria, we
can identify the following goals of
science education:
• Scientific methods
• Societal issues
• Personal needs
• Career awareness.
SCIENTIFIC METHODS
Descriptions of the goal have changed, for example, the terms
inquiry and discovery have been used to describe the
scientific methods goal. The goals can be stated, as science
education should develop a fundamental understanding of,
and ability to use, the methods of scientific inquiry. There is
little effort by science teachers to realize the goal of
understanding and using the methods of science. For
example, teachers do not use questioning techniques or
instructional procedures that facilitate the cognitive abilities
of scientific inquiry.
SCIENTIFIC METHODS
• Several factors hinder the implementation of the scientific methods goals.
• Science teachers are neither model inquirers for their students nor have they
been educated in methodologies of scientific research.
• Most science teachers lecture for more than 75 percent of the class time,
leaving students few opportunities to ask questions.
• Inquiry as a goal of science teaching is generally not seen as productive and is
not accepted by most science teachers.
• Teachers who are aware of scientific methods as a goal of teaching feel that
only bright, highly motivated students can profit from inquiry teaching.
• Teachers see inquiry teaching as time-consuming, thus reducing the time
available for basis, that is, learning facts and getting so-called right answers.
SOCIETAL ISSUES
Science education exists in society and should contribute to the
maintenance and aspirations of the culture. This goal is especially
important when there are social challenges directly related to
science. This goal is: Science Education should prepare citizens to
make responsible decisions concerning science-related societal
issues. Increasing interest in science literacy and societal goals is
evident in science programs. Science teachers are including these
goals to make science relevant to the concerns of all students.
The goals for teaching science indicate more emphasis on
environmental concepts, world problems, decision-making, and
interdisciplinary studies – all areas related to the goal of teaching
students how to deal with societal issues.
PERSONAL NEEDS
All individuals have needs related to their own biological/psychological systems.
Briefly stated this goal is: science education should contribute to an understanding
and fulfillment of personal needs. Thus contributing to personal development.
School personnel and parents express their concerns about meeting the personal
needs of students through science education. This rhetoric takes the form of life-
and-work and school-to-work skills related to science, the preparation ethnic, and
vocational or career education. In response, science courses often emphasize
content that is seen as useful in everyday living. It appears, however, that the goal
of fulfilling personal needs is not generally emphasized. Attempts to meet personal
needs are made primarily through health or advanced placement courses. Some of
the other goals, such as career awareness, overlap with those courses. Sometimes
personal needs are met as a secondary effect of another goal. A socially relevant
course on environmental science may provide fundamental knowledge that
stimulates students to examine the life with living.
CAREER AWARENESS
Scientific research, development, and applications continue through the work of
individuals within science and technology and through the support of those not
directly involved in scientific work. Therefore, one important goal has been:
Science Education should inform students about careers in the sciences. One of
the currently important goals of science education is to provide information and
training that will be useful in future employment. Recent increased emphasis on
this goal is due in part to public opinion. The career awareness goal was found
consistently across science programs although it was not the primary goal of
science education. What mattered most was the scientific and technological
knowledge needed for the next course and whether all the courses were
eventually related to one’s future job.
SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
• There is a body of knowledge concerning biological, physical, chemical and earth
systems. Science education should develop fundamental understanding of
natural systems. Science programs are primarily oriented toward knowledge of
the academic disciplines. In the classroom, knowledge goals become the
scientific facts, concepts, and principles that reflect the structure of science.
Science teachers report that they want their students to understand the subject
matter of science. For example, they want the students to know scientific
concepts and definitions of scientific words, and to develop inquiry abilities and
critical thinking skills. Understanding science is generally interpreted as passing a
test. Generally, these understandings elaborate various aspects of scientific
investigations. For example, scientific concepts guide investigations; technology
enhances accuracy of date; scientific explanations use evidence, logically
consistent arguments, and proposes, modify or elaborate principles, models,
and theories on science, and science advances through legitimate skepticism.
CONCLUSION