Students experience the nature of science in the world around them. Whether students know or not, science is a part of their daily lives. The water they brush their teeth with is somewhere being studied for contaminants and minerals, the weather they wake up to is being studied by a meteorologist, the food they eat is being studied in Iowa farm fields, and the moon they fall asleep to is being studied. Students can't escape science! And why would they?
The students in my class may some day be the scientists I describe above. If we fail to let students experience what Professor Kruse coins "the essence of science" and rather teach them the traditional "scientific method" we really haven't students much at all. Science isn't linear: Science is messy, confusing, and thus more intriguing. If students think the nature of science is the "scientific method," then what motivates them to be curious and how will they seek out answers? No problem can be solved through three basic steps. Problems are solved through discussion, observations, interpretations, past experiences, making comparisons, and asking questions--all in no particular order.
Pretty much all you said is exactly what I took from class Monday. It was really interesting to hear and discuss all the times we did. Very educational!
ReplyDeleteI really like what you said about science being messy and confusing. Growing up, I never thought science to be messy or confusing. I believed it to be rather boring and lifeless at times. I think that science doesn't have to be that way. I agree with you when you say that science is messy and confusing, therefore making it more interesting.
ReplyDeleteI think it's really important to convey the Science that surrounds our lives. Some of the examples you listed, such as brushing our teeth, wasn't something that registered even in my mind. The true nature of Science is "messy and confusing" as you say, which to kids is a little more interesting than steps 1-10.
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