{"id":11015,"date":"2021-01-20T16:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-20T08:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rakansarawak.com\/v3\/?p=11015"},"modified":"2021-01-20T13:48:10","modified_gmt":"2021-01-20T05:48:10","slug":"nurturing-interest-in-scientific-learning-to-create-a-progressive-society","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rakansarawak.com\/v4\/2021\/01\/20\/nurturing-interest-in-scientific-learning-to-create-a-progressive-society\/","title":{"rendered":"Nurturing interest in scientific learning to create a progressive society"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Sarawak Science Centre which is to be completed by 2024 aims in providing rich learning environment to create interest, awareness and enthusiasm in science for students, teachers and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is imperative because by promote a lifelong interest of science among students will ensure a scientific and progressive society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In doing so, one of the ways is to promote the development of scientific thinking among young children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to an article \u2018Promoting the Development of Scientific Thinking\u2019 by Ruth Wilson, the author cited that young children are naturally curious and passionate about learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their attitudes which include poking, pulling, tasting, pounding, shaking, and experimenting indicate that they engage in scientific thinking and actions long before they enter a classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Young children should be encouraged to be asking questions, probing for answers, conducting investigations, experimenting and collecting data as part of the journey of scientific learning<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From her article, here are some suggestions for fostering scientific learning in the early childhood classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Science as Active Exploration<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young children should learn science and other subjects through active involvement instead of learning scientific facts presented by others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children should be engaged both physically and mentally in investigating and manipulating elements in their environment <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through this, young children should involve asking questions, probing for answers, conducting investigations, and collecting data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of viewing science as memorization of facts, it should become a way of thinking and trying to understand the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the author, this would then allow children to become engaged in the investigative nature of science and to experience the joy of having wonderful ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discovery Learning<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Developing own ideas added depth to learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this, knowing the right answer is not the primary objectives of science in early childhood curriculum as this requires no decisions, carries no risks, and makes no demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through discovering, the objective is to help children realize that answers about the world can be discovered through their own investigations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This would prompt children to come up with ideas of one\u2019s own as it involves a number of science-related activities and skills such as investigating, experimenting and invokes curiosity.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Science goals<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the article, it is mentioned that the desired goals of science in the early childhood curriculum includes content, processes, and attitudes or dispositions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Content refers to the body of knowledge and will increase over time and their desire to communicate and represent their knowledge should be acknowledged and supported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The processes include activities such as predicting, observing, classifying, hypothesizing, experimenting, and communicating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In nurturing this, parents or adults should be supportive of their children when applying these skills in any activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attitudes or dispositions include curiosity, a drive to experiment, and a desire to challenge theories and to share new ideas. These attitudes should be valued and nurtured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Science in the Early Childhood Classroom<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Science subject is often neglected in early childhood education as it is viewed as too difficult or formal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, teachers should provide a supportive environment for young children to build their interest in science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the elements for a supportive environment includes a variety of interesting materials for children to explore and manipulate, unstructured time for children to develop and test their own ideas, and a social climate that tells the children that questions and experimentation are as valuable as knowing the right answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teachers may also pose productive questions to help children construct their own understandings as children often find it difficult to make connections necessary to arrive at a desired understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the productive questions may include \u2018what if\u2019, \u2018why do you think\u2019, \u2018can you explain that\u2019, how different\u2019 and \u2018what is it doing\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Productive questions will help forward their thinking and help build their own understandings.<\/p>\n

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