The aim of science education is to develop and sustain the curiosity of young people about the natural world. It seeks to build students’ confidence and ability in scientific enquiry and foster a sense of wonder, enthusiasm and interest in science. School science, however, tends to be an isolated activity that is presented in the abstract, and removed from daily life.

This course is an opportunity for participants to revisit concepts of science teaching and engage in discussion with others in the field. You will reexamine science learning from the lens of the pedagogy and teaching of science. 

This is the first in a series of courses in science education and related themes that will support resource persons in bringing about a qualitative improvement in science teaching and learning.

The course will use small group discussions, reading-based discussions and presentations, activities, videos and film clips.

Course outline

Understanding natural science, its nature and method (2 days)

What is science? This unit helps you understand the nature of science, its methods and knowledge system. You will illustrate how science moves through the processes of inquiry, observation and hypothesis, how it collects evidence, validates data and builds theory towards a logical conclusion. 

Science and society (1 day)

In this unit, you will examine this relationship of science and technology with society. Science and technology have transformed human life over the last three hundred years and restructured the nature of human beliefs. The direct impact of this is the dismantling of many traditional belief structures which have been replaced by a scientific approach. Social organisation and industry, too, have changed. This section explores that relationship.

Aspects of learning science in the classroom (2 days)

In this unit, you will design tasks that support the learning of science in the classroom. Students need to be able to understrand science content even as they bring their own interests in exploring the world through exploration and investigation of problems. Teachers need to be abble nurture this process and facilitate learning and understanding. For this, teachers need to understand how teachers learn science. In this unit, you will design tasks that support the learning of science in the classroom and explore alternate conceptions of science.