Methods of teaching biological science

Methods of Teaching, Meaning, Teacher Centered, Pupil centered, Lecture Method, Lecture cum Demonstration, Biographical, Heuristic, Team Teaching, Scientific, Inductive, Deductive, Project, Assignment Method

1. METHODS OF TEACHING BY M.VIJAYALAKSHMI Assistant Professor

2. UNIT V : Methods of Teaching Biological Science Criteria for Selecting a Method of Teaching Biological Science : Levels of the Class-Size of the Class-Time Availability and Subject Matter-General Methods of Teaching Biological Science - Lecture Method - Demonstration Method - Scientific Method - Project Method - Heuristic Method - Biographical and Assignment Method - Programmed Instruction - Computer Assisted Instruction - Team Teaching - Teaching Machines - Panel Discussion - Seminar – Symposium - Work Shop.

3. INTRODUCTION ‘Method’ – Latin – ‘Mode’ or ‘Way’ In education it means the mode by which the material is communicated from the teacher to the pupil.

4. GOGE defined, “Teaching methods are patterns of teacher behaviour that are recurrent, applicable to various subject matters, characteristic of more than one teacher and relevant to learning”

5. DEFINITIONS Science Education programmes will be designed to enable the learner to acquire problem solving and decision making skills -National Policy on Education (1986) If science is poorly taught and badly learnt, it is little more than burdening the mind with dead information, and it could degenerate even into a new superstition - Kothari Commission Report (1964-66)

6. TEACHING METHODS

7. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING A METHOD OF TEACHING BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE LEVEL OF THE CLASS SIZE OF THE CLASS AVAILABILITY OF TIME AVAILABILITY OF MATERIALS AND FACILITIES NATURE OF THE TOPICS TO BE TAUGHT

8. TEACHER-CENTERED TEACHING Focus on Telling Memorization Recalling information Passive recipients of knowledge Restricted to only asking and answering questions Teaching environment is formalized Teacher occupies a central position

9. PUPIL-CENTERED TEACHING According to the needs, requirements, capabilities and interests of the pupils Develop in learners skills and abilities in independent learning and problem solving Classroom climate is flexible and psychologically open Teachers and students jointly explore Teachers’ role is to assist pupil Pupil occupies a central position

10. TEACHER-CENTERED METHODS

11. PUPIL-CENTERED METHODS

12. LECTURE METHOD Commonly used method In colleges and big classes Teacher talks – Students listen passively Teacher controlled and information centred Own speed May make use of black board at times Dictate notes Does not expect any question or response from the students

13. Merits Economical Knowledge imparted – quickly Syllabus covered – short time Quite attractive and easy to follow Impart factual information and historical anecdoctes Teacher – own style Teacher dominates 70-85% Logical sequence of the subject Minimises – gaps or overlappings

14. Demerits Students participation is negligible Passive recipients Never sure – concentrating or understanding Knowledge imparted rapidly; weak students develop a for learning No place for learning by doing Does not provide for corrective feedback and remedial help to slow learners Undemocratic and authoritarian method

15. LECTURE CUM DEMONSTRATION METHOD Includes lecture and demonstrate method From concrete to abstract Superior method of learning Combines instructional strategy of information imparting and showing how Teacher performs experiment and explains what he is doing Asks relevant questions

16. Essential steps Planning and Preparation Introduction of the lesson Presentation Performance of Experiments Blackboard Summary Supervision

17. Criteria of a Good Demonstration Planned and rehearsed Clear of the purpose Active participation of the pupils and the teacher Apparatus arranged in order Visible to all Simple and speedy Fit in the sequence of experiments I mpress the students to write what they observe Act as showman or actor Supplemented with other teaching aids

18. Requisites for a Good Demonstration Room and table Apparatus Spare apparatus Blackboard Well-versed in the handling the apparatus Time for recording Reflective type question

19. Merits Economical in time and money Psychologically based Specially for: - apparatus is costly -danger -difficult and complex -special technique -quick revision -several experiments

20. Demerits No scope for learning by doing Not child centred – no individual differences Fails to develop laboratory skills Fails to impart training in scientific attitude Fail to observe many finer details

21. BIOGRAPHICAL METHOD Associates the facts and principles of biology with the life of the scientists Helps the students to learn the facts and principles along with hardships undergone by the scientists, their experiments, apparatus and improvisations Students will realize the importance for hard work, perseverance, success and happiness Develop the attitude of science and scientists

22. HISTORICAL METHOD INVENTION DISCOVERY ADVENTURES LIFE HISTORIES OF SCIENTISTS EXAMPLE : ARCHIMEDES AND HIS BATH PRINCIPLES OF ARCHIMEDES – “EUREKA, EUREKA” NEWTON AND THE APPLE NEWTONS – GRAVITATIONAL FORCE

23. Merits and Demerits Arouse interest Particularly suited for primary classes Cannot be adopted as a method of teaching Made wherever it is possible

24. HEURISTIC METHOD ‘Heuristic’ - Greek word – ‘to discover’ Pure discovery method of learning Professor Armstrong - “Heuristic methods of teaching are methods which involve our placing students as far as possible in the attitude of the discover-methods which involve their finding out instead of being merely told about things”

25. PSYCHOLOGICAL BASIS OR PRINCIPLES OF HEURISTIC METHOD

26. Role of the teacher Knowledge Possess curiosity, interest and a spirit of scientific investigation Art of asking questioning Guide, a working partner and a friend Provide free atmosphere Plan according to the age, ability and interest of the pupils

27. Procedure Students to solve a number of problems experimentally Required to discover for himself and is to be told nothing Discover facts – experiments, apparatus and books Behaves like a research scholar

28. Problem sheet – minimum instructions Enter in his notebook – work done, results, conclusion Provide a training in method Searching is encouraged Creative thinking is respected Safe to investigate T ry out ideas Even make mistakes

29. Merits Habit of enquiry and investigation Habit of self learning and self direction Develop scientific attitudes Psychological maximum – Learning by doing Scope for individual attention Develops in the students a habit of diligency

30. Demerits Long and time consuming method Expects great efficiency and hard work, experience and training Not suitable for beginners Formational rather than informational Too much stress Merely for sake of doing Evaluation is tedious Presently enough teachers are not available

31. Team Teaching Arose in 1957 Noall – “A combination of two or more teachers who work with variable size groups of students during an adjustable period which covers two or more regular section” Best-known and commonly used plan is Trump plan of team teaching Professor J. Lloyd Trump, Associate Secretary of the National Association of Secondary School Principals

32. Meaning J. Lloyd Trump “An arrangement whereby two or more teachers with assistants plan, instruct and evaluate co-operatively two or more classes in order to take advantage of their respective special competencies as teachers”

33. Definition Chaplin defined “Team teaching is a type of instructional organization involving teaching teams and the students assigned to them, in which two or more teachers are given responsibility, working together, for all or a significant part of instruction of the same group of students”

34. Purpose of Team Teaching Improvement of teaching through a better utilization of a group of teachers Utilizes specialized expertise, interests, instruction skills, time and energy Ensures preparation of lessons, materials and other aids to create motivation among the students and better learning situations Increases the possibility of variety of instruction based on pooled talent to the teachers

35. Characteristics of Team Teaching Role differentiation of team members Regrouping of students Rescheduling of time Redesign of teaching space Common time for planning Integration of learning in a meaningful way, and Development of resource centres

36. Types of Teams

37. SCIENTIFIC METHOD It is a problem solving method Involves reflective thinking, reasoning and results from the achievement of certain abilities, skills and attitudes Any method of solving a problem systematically and scientifically may be called scientific method Also known as “the method of science” or “the method of the scientist”

38. Steps in Scientific Method Problem Sensing the problem Defining the problem Analysing the problem Collection of data Hypothesis formation Experimentation Principle formation Synthesis or Induction or Inductive Method Analysis or Deduction or Deductive method

39. INDUCTIVE METHOD SYNTHETIC METHOD Method of establishing general rules and principles Requires the study and careful examination of particular facts and examples to enable one to deduce a general principle or rule or a definition

40. Examples Epithelial’s tissue cell is in the shape of a pillar The red cell of human blood is round in shape The cell of amoeba is irregular Paramecial cell is in the shape of a sho e From the above four facts, we infer that cells are of different shape

41. DEDUCTIVE METHOD ANALYTIC METHOD OR RULEG METHOD Opposite to the inductive method Calles for the verification or validation of general principles, rules and definitions already learnt

42. Examples Animals are incapable of producing themselves the food they need (General Rule) Man gets his food from other sources only (Examples) Therefore man is an organism belonging to the animal kingdom Here the general rule is applied to a particular case to validate the truth of the rule or principle through an appropriate illustration

43. PROJECT METHOD Devised by Kilpatrick Given a project shape by Stevenson Based on the philosophy of pragmatism John Dewey – education should be for life and through life School – miniature society

44. Definitions “A project is a wholehearted purposeful activity proceeding in a social environment” Kilpatrick “A project is a problematic act carried to completion in its natural setting” Stevenson “A project is a bit of real life that has imparted into the school” Ballard

45. Based on the principles Students learn better through association, co-operation and activity Learning by doing Learning by living

46. Steps in a project Providing a situation Choosing and Proposing Planning Executing Evaluating Recording

47. Criteria of a Good Project

48. Role of the Teacher in Project Method

49. Different kinds of School Projects Collection of Live-Specimens Classification and Identification of projects Projects involving Organization and Maintenance Projects involving Field Trips Survey Projects Project of Organizing a Science Fair Action Research Project

50. Illustration for a School Project – Organizing an Aquarium

51. MERITS Laws of learning Law of readiness Law of exercise Law of effect Promotes co-operation and group interaction Democratic way of learning Teaches dignity of labour Correlation of subject

52. Opportunity to solve a problem Stimulates constructive and creative thinking Helps to widen the mental horizons of students Students learn the matter very easily – associated with activities

53. Demerits Absorbs a lot of time Gives the students superficial knowledge of so many things but leaves an insufficient basis of sound fundamental principles Requires much work on the part of the teacher for planning and carrying out projects

54. Presumes that the teacher is the master of all subjects and has an all round knowledge of everything to impart correction Books written on these lines are not available More expensive Not well organized , regularized and continuous Timetable is almost upset

55. ASSIGNMENT METHOD

56. Thank you