activity 8

P E R S O N A L C O N S T R U C T

6 Guiding Principles

P r em i l a D ’M e l l o

Constructivist classroom based on 5E approach

Authentic tasks

Knowledge Communities


A c c o r d i n g t o M i l n e & o th e r s s c i en t i f i c L i t e r a c y i s a b ou t c h i l d r en p e r s ona l i z i n g S c i e n c e a c t i v i t i e s a nd a dd i ng t he k now le dg e t o t h e i r p e r s ona l s c hema . Ch i l d r en n ee d t o b e i n v o l v e d i n e x p l o r a t i o n , i n q u i r y , e x p l a n a t i o n s i n o r d e r t o mak e c onn ec t i o n s . t h r o ug h a e s t he t i c e x pe r i e n c e s . T he ‘ En gage , E x p l o r e , E xp l a i n a nd E x p and ’ Mode l h e l p c h i l d re n c on s t r u c t n ew k now l edge & ‘ E v a l ua t e ’ w i l l h e l p u s a s t e a c he r t o a s s e s s n ew l e a r n i n g s .

S c i e n c e i s c hang i ng s o r a p i d l y i n t h i s K now l e dg e & I n f o rma t i o n Ag e t h a t i t i s n o mo r e r e a l i s t i c t o e xp e c t t e ac h e r s t o be t h e ma i n p r o v id e r s o f know l edg e . T h i s r e q u i r e s f o s t e r i n g c l o s e r r e l a t i on s h ip s be twee n s c ho o l s a nd t h e s c i e n c e c ommun i t y . I n o r de r f o r t h e t e a c he r s t o be e f f e c t i v e i n s o l v i n g ‘w i ck e d p r o b l ems ’ o f t h e 2 1 s t c en t u r y t h e t e a che r s h a ve t o eng age w i t h o t he r p e r s pe c t i v e s , t h i s c a n b e d one b y wo rk i n g p r od uc t i v e l y w i t h i n k now l edge c ommun i t i e s .


Holistic Authentic tasks

Critical Reflection


I n o r d e r f o r T e c h no l og i ca l P r a c t i c e t o b e mean i ng fu l i t h a s t o b e a u th en t i c & en su r e t h a t t h e p r a c t i c e i s h o l i s t i c a nd i n vo l v e a l l t h e a s pe c t s o f t h e Na t u r e o f T e c hno l ogy . J o ne s ( 1 9 96 ) men t i o n s t h e n e ed f o r t e c hno lo gy t o be ho l i s t i c r a t he r t h a n f r a gmen t ed . T he s t u de n t s n e ed t o l oo k a t t h e d e s i gn p ro c e s s ho l i s t i c a l l y . Th i s i s r e i n f o r c e d b y t h e MOE wh i c h s t a t e s t h a t T e c h no l og i ca l L i t e r a c y i n c l u d e s t h e k now l edge & u nde r s t a nd i ng s t o s k i l l f u l l y & k now l edge ab l y u nd e r t a k e ho l i s t i c T e c hno l og i c a l p r a c t i c e . R e s ea r c h s h ows t h a t i f l e a r n i n g i s s i t u a t ed i n a u t hen t i c p r a c t i c e i t i s mo r e l i k e l y t o mo t i v a t e l e a r n e r s t o a c h i e v e ( H i l l 1 998 ; Henne s s y 1 9 9 3 )

T e c hno l og i c a l p r a c t i c e c a l l s f o r c h i l d r en t o d e v e l op ab i l i t y t o c r i t i q ue t e c hno l ogy & u nde r s t a nd i t s c omp l e x i t y . T h i s c a n be do ne i f t h i s l e a r n i n g i s c on s t r u c t ed i n a s o c i o -‐ c on s t r u c t i v i s t c l a s s r oom e n v i r onmen t t h r ou gh s i t u a t ed c og n i t i on , c o gn i t i v e a pp r e n t i c e sh i p s & e x pe r t know l ed ge t he o r y . S u c h i n s t r u c t i o n l e a d s t o t h e de ve l o pmen t o f Ge ne r i c Te c hn i c a l Know l edge a s we l l .


Change of attitudes towards science &

technology education

Skills & knowledge to survive in the Information Age


S c i e n c e E du c a t i on s h ou l d p a y e x p l i c i t a t t e n t i o n t o imp r ov i ng s t u den t ’ s a t t i t ud e s t owa r d s s c i en c e . T y t l e r & M i l n e d i s c u s s how wonde rmen t & l i t e r a c y c a n b e t i e d t oge th e r t b r i n g a b ou t t h i s c hang e . C l a x t on a l s o c a l l s f o r a n Ep i s t em i c c hang e i n a t t i t ud e s t owa r d s T e c hn o l og y Ed uc a t i on , d i s p o s i t i o n s o f c u r i o s i t y , r e s i l i e n c e , f l e x i b i l i t y & s k ep t i c i sm .

B e l l a n c a & B r a nd t ( 2 0 1 0 ) s t a t e n o g e ne r a t i o n c a n e s c ape t he r e s po n s i b i l i t y o f d e c i d i n g wha t s t u de n t s s ho u l d l e a r n & f o r l e a r n i n g i n t h e 2 1 s t c en t u r y we f a c e t h e d a un t i n g C ha l l e n ge o f e q u i pp i ng s t u d en t s w i t h s k i l l s & Kn ow l edge t o s u r v i v e i n t h e I n f o rma t i on A ge . W i th t h e r a p i d c hange s i n bo th s c i e n c e & T e chno l ogy s t u de n t s n e ed t o be D i g i t a l l y L i t e r a t e i n o r d e r t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e K now l e dgeNe t . T h e a b i l i t y t o be mu l t i d i s c i p l i n a ry , mu l t i l i n gu a l a nd a b i l i t y t o wo r k C o l l a bo r a t i v e l y i n t e ams a r e a l l 2 1 s t C en t u r y L i t e r a c i e s & a s t e a c he r s i t i s o u r r e s pon s i b i l i t y t o p re pa r e o u r l e a r n e r s f o r t h e s e c ha l l e ng e s .

activity 8

Education