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"The Big Book of Experiments" (2002) English edition edited by Spurgeon, M. Brown Watson: England "The Macuqarie Junior Dictionary second ed." (1992) Macquarie University. NSW
Justification
Target Audience: This site is aimed to help children at a stage three level
understand science, and more easily grasp early scientific ideas and concepts.
The ‘printer friendly versions’ of experiments on the site, can also be used
as a teachers aid, and as student activity work sheets on the specific concept
being experimented. Pedagogical Considerations: The web site has been designed to allow maximum ease of
navigation to people of varying ages. The
main menu is placed along the top of the pages to allow equal access to each
scientific area. With each experiment, you will experience each step as an easy
to follow animation. This will give the student, or teacher viewing the site
ease of use, and understanding. This has been planned not to only cater for
those students with a linguistic approach to their learning, but also those with
a more spatial approach to their learning. As Berk states, a spatial learner has
the ability to “re-create aspects of visual experience in the absence of
relevant stimuli”, where as a linguistic learner is more likely to understand
the “meanings of words and the different functions of language”. (Berk,
1999) The experiments that will be placed on the site can be
easily tied into the Science and Technology K-6 syllabus. For example, the
experiment that can be found with in the air section of the site has been
designed to be used in conjunction with the stage three, ‘sailing, sinking,
soaring’ unit of work within the syllabus. This unit discusses the
“Properties of air, wind and water, and how they can be used.” (Board of
Studies, 1993) One of the out come of the ‘sailing, sinking soaring’ unit is that the
students will be able to “describe the process of investigation which can
involve exploring and discovering phenomena and events, proposing explanations,
initiating investigations, predicting outcomes, testing, modifying and applying
understandings” (Board of Studies 1993). This is a knowledge and understanding
outcome, which is applied across the other units of work in the science
syllabus. This outcome will be achieved through doing an experiment. This is why
the site has been designed to allow the students to experiment with the concepts
for themselves. The experiments also give a limited choice in the type of
materials used to complete the experiment. This ties in with the outcome that
requires students to gain the skill of being able to “select, reject or modify as appropriate the elements
of design to evaluate the procedures and outcomes of a design task” (Board
of Studies 1993). The experiments on the web site also enable students to explore various
aspects of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Students are not only given the opportunity to
acquire knowledge about a specific concept, they are also given access to
opportunities where by they can also apply, analyse and evaluate information
that they have gathered through conducting the various experiments. In conclusion it is hoped that not only students, but also teachers will
find the website a valuable resource and tool which will engage them in the
learning of science, and its varying concepts. This will be done with an
emphasis not only on the educational aspects of science, but also on the
enjoyment students and teachers alike require in order for education to be a
transformative learning experience for all involved. Reference
List:
Berk, L.E (1999), Infants, Children, and Adolescents,
Third Edition Allyn and
Bacon, Needham Heights, MA, p457
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