Scientific knowledge is the product of continuous process of inquiry which begins and grows through the acquisition of scientific skills by the scientists:
Scientific skills can be divided into 2 types: Science process skills (SPS) and manipulative skills (MS). SPS involve cognitive processes that are related to thinking skills(critical and creative thinking). MS involve psychomotor skills related to handling of instruments in carrying out experiments.
Some of the main science process skills are as follows: observing, classifying, measuring and using numbers, making inference, predicting, communicating, using space-time, interpreting, defining operationally, manipulating variables, making hypotheses and experimenting.
In each SPS there may be one or more thinking skills involved.
Making observation (eg movement of an object)
- characterizing (eg force, mass, velocity)
- relating (eg F=ma)
Careful observations of nature are main sources of scientific knowledge
Classifying
- looking at similarities and differences (eg animals and plants)
- compare and contrast (eg types of animals)
Measuring and using numbers
- looking for pattern
- sequencing
Making Inference (draws early conclusion)
- relating (one variable with another variable)
- looking at similarities and differences
- analyzing
Predicting ( eg weather, and wave)
- relating
- visualizing (mental representation)
- searching for patterns
Communicating (verbal, mathematical, symbolic etc)
- involve all thinking skills
Using space - time (eg study of shape, motion and change; relativity theory)
- sequencing
- arranging
- relating
Interpreting (eg function and graph )
- summarizing
- generalizing
- meaning
Defining operationally (eg force, momentum, heat etc)
- making analogy
- visualizing
- analyzing
Controlling variables (eg pressure and volume)
- characterizing
- looking at similarities and differences
- relating
- analyzing
Making hypothesis
- relating
- predicting
Experimenting - involve all thinking skills
Some of the main manipulative process skills are as follows: using equipment/ apparatus, handling apparatus safely, keeping safely all scientific equipments and apparatus, careful handling of live specimens (in biology), mixing solutions, pouring solutions etc (in chemistry) etc.
Discuss in what ways the understanding on how knowledge of grows will effect the role of science teachers in the classroom?
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