“Imagining and acting like a scientist”- the very ideology to be impregnated into the attitude of a student. The very workflow in the process of science teaching have been like: Concept-> Process -> Social implication. Going beyond the content; teaching science would be a way of knowing. A process of unlearn the misconceptions among students to relearn the scientific processes
Every aspect of our day to day lives is hugely influenced by scientific changes happening around us. The most causative catalysts for these changes are revolutionary advancement in information technology and communication along with globalization. Socio-economic changes intermingling with the scientific advancement in real life caters to open up enormous scope of learning before the new generation. This also creates some challenges to the new generation teachers. Knowledge of some new skills side by side with the traditional skills become inevitable such as – logical thinking and problem-solving, creativity and innovation, communication and co-operation.
Presently all the Teacher Education programs aim to incorporate all these essential skills in the methodology of teaching process. The future teacher can cater their services purposefully to help overall development of their learners. The tasks of science teacher also include them to inculcate science education amongst the learners of various levels. The school level science classrooms are the hatching field for learners who will take science in their higher studies. The very science of science teaching emphasizes on innovation greatly. Some innovative strategies of science teaching are discussed here.
- Project-based learning:
Adoption and preparation of projects are not same with the high quality project-based learning. The project –based learning aims to solve a particular real problem related to science. The strategy itself drag the learners to prepare specific questioning, give multiple solutions, analyze scientifically the given solutions, enhance ability to reach a meaningful solution and ultimately adopt the best one for future.
- Construction of concepts:
Science teaching is not just the explanation of scientific causes behind any fact. The teacher should give conceptual lessons by arranging the inter-related concepts of entire curriculum of a particular class. The science teacher facilitates the learners to build their own knowledge by attaining different concepts pertaining to the specific knowledge.
- Organization of team activity:
Innovative strategies are the successful outcomes of team work or activities. The co-operation among the team members give birth of an innovative thinking. The team comprises of both science teachers and students of the concerned level. Each and every individual are responsible to the team. Exchange of views, co-operation, giving suggestion between the team members ultimately facilitate implication innovative strategies in science teaching.
- Emphasize on creative thinking:
To bring out the innovative potentialities of the learners the science teachers themselves express their innovative thoughts through different activities such as transaction of lessons, giving assignments to learners, organize some memory games, applying laboratory methods etc. The entire atmosphere compels the learners to think innovatively.
- Reflection of lessons:
Imparting of science teaching is not confined to only achieving good academic score in science. Effective teaching of science develops scientific attitude and aptitude in learners. The lessons of science would be assimilated so deeply that will show their reflection in daily usual activities in and out of class room.
- Recognition of discovery:
To maintain and think of innovative ideas, activities, projects in science, the science teachers should always give recognition to new discovery. By doing so, it will reinforce the learners interested to new discoveries.
- Preparation of science models:
It is a constructive arena to explore the understanding of the real world. Actually it is a very significant and effective way to bring out the inner innovative potentialities of learners. By engaging in model preparation, learners get a scope to apply their acquired scientific knowledge, mensuration ability, imagination and creativity. It is a very cost effective approach. The science teachers are always there in every steps of preparation of scientific models.
- Fishbone technique:
It is such a technique which gives emphasis on cause-effect relationship to explain the scientific cause behind any events. The present technique helps to develop innovative thinking of learners in a sustainable manner. By using this technique, science teachers motivate creativity and boost up problem-solving abilities of learners.
- Use of ICT and software application:
Information communication technology has become the essential part of our regular lives. It has included in classroom also. In science classrooms science teachers can use programmed instructions and computer aided instructions; not only instructions but also use the electronic gadgets for presentations of teaching learning material, and measurement of the learning outcomes of students. Nowadays the new generation learners are getting more interested in different online modes. Some popular application software for innovative strategies of science teaching are Human body, Cosmic zoom, Video science, Science 360 etc.
- Organization of science quiz and science exhibition:
Science quiz is an interesting episode of classroom teaching of science. After completion of one or more than one chapter of science the science teacher can conduct science quiz by dividing the students in different groups. Here the students get opportunity to readily share their understanding of science topic with others.
Science exhibitions are usually organized at school level by both the science teachers and students. Sometimes more than one school participate in the science exhibition. By organizing science exhibition students can get scope to utilize their innovations and also channelize themselves to science oriented activities from the very beginning of their lives.
Here in the present discussion the emphasis is mostly given on innovative strategies of science teaching at school level by teacher education program in order to acquire all those skills by the future science teachers.
- Membership of science club:
The science teacher must be a member of local science club. Sometimes schools also form their own science club. In school science club, the science teacher and students both are the members. The science clubs are the right place where all members can share their scientific knowledge and also explore new arena of science learning.
- Participation in science magazine publication:
By providing articles based on science the student can participate in science magazine creation. The magazine provides the news of new scientific discoveries around the world. By doing this the student participants can update themselves. The science teacher supervises the overall activities and give their valuable suggestions to wall up the magazine successfully.
- Set up of virtual science laboratory:
It is an artificial set up of science laboratory where the interactions of learners create a situation of conducting simulated experiments. The students can easily get ideas about the inner and outer structures of anything related to science. The virtual laboratory is very useful for school level learners. Science teacher should be aware of the uses of virtual laboratories.
Conclusion
In this entire discussion the emphasis is mostly given on innovative strategies of science teaching at school levels. As the teacher education program provides the grooming sessions to acquire all these skills for the future science teachers, hence the above discussion is very relevant for science teachers and students in the teaching and learning of science subjects.
