The outcomes of our current method of teaching science.

Uppon reading ‘Encouraging Creativity with Scientific Inquiry’ by Lloyd H. Barrow(2010) I could not help but notice a number of similarities between the outcomes of how science is taught in the USA and how science is taught in the UK.

  According to Barrow (2010) science should include critical thinking and inspire children’s creativity, however it is currently lacking these elements as experiments are short and only verify what has already been studied: these experiments use a ‘cook book’ approach. That is pupils simply follow instructions without any real understanding. This can be said of the UK’s education system as many students on this course found that they could not remember why their scientific inquiry took place, or what it showed: they simply remembered the procedure and the outcome.

    Barrow also mentions science O levels which are the American equivalent of a GCSE as consisting of the teacher guiding the pupil through the practical exam towards the expected outcome. This is the same in GCSE science practical exams; despite them being exams the teacher guides the pupils to the desired outcome.

   Pupils then, leave school with out a true understanding of the hows and why's of science, and perhaps disinterested with the subject.

  In order to encourage critical thinking  and  strengthen creativity pupils must be asked thought provoking questions and be given the opportunity to take risks in the class room with the assistance of the teacher to ensure their safety. This can be said to be further evidence that a new approach to teaching science must be found.

References

Barrow, L. H. (2010) Encouraging Creativity with Scientific Inquiry [online] available from  http://www.scirp.org/journal/ce/ [accessed on 28/2/14]