This study was conducted in the light of the philosophical framework of inquiry-based science education. The research involved the presentation of experiments on basic science concepts that have been tested for validity through inquiry-based processes. The experiments were formulated firstly to determine what differences there would be in student academic achievement and in their attitudes toward the school subject of Science and Technology when the experiments were introduced by demonstration or in a video. Another purpose of the study was to create technology-supported teaching materials to enrich the learning environment. The participants in the research were second-year preservice teachers (N=149) who were students in classroom teaching. The study was of a quasi-experimental design and made use of a pretest, post-test and permanency test with a control group. The results then being merged with the observation notes of the researchers. The study set forth the strong and weak aspects of both teaching strategies and concluded that using both methods to complement each other would be effective in teaching and would also constitute an alternative to the teaching materials and strategies used in schools with scarce resources.
IntroductionCell phones, computers, televisions and other devices are an inseparable part of our daily lives. Individuals are overpowered by all of these devices on a daily basis but still demand the right to benefit from technology in their formal educational processes as well. As a result, technology has inevitably entered the teaching environment. The most important prerequisites for living in today's information society are critical thinking and inquiry skills, the capability to access reliable information, and the capacity to use these assets in ordinary problem-solving and decision-making processes. The integrated structure and complexities of knowledge and technology bring inquiry into the forefront of information access processes and the teaching environment. Inquiry-based science education is a teaching strategy that is in harmony with constructivist learning theory and as such, is a practice that ensures students' interaction with surrounding objects and phenomena, and allows them the opportunity to benefit from technology. It is only when technology-supported teaching strategies are reinforced with inquiry-based science education that a more solid and meaningful integration of the individual's daily life and the learning experience in a teaching atmosphere can be achieved.
Developing teaching materials by using videos in the teaching environmentWith the start of World War II, the use of audio-visual equipment for educational purposes declined while the practice of relying on this equipment showed an increase in the military and in industry (Reiser, Tabak, Sandoval, Smith, Steinmuller, & Leone, 2001). When the U.S. began to use audio-visual apparatus to its advantage during the war, this equipment caught the attention of educators in classrooms and also stimulated interest in resear...
This paper presents an experimental activity based on the absorption of light colours by pigments. The activity is constructed using a stepwise design and offers an opportunity for students and teachers to compare and generalize the interactions between light and pigment colours. The light colours composing an artificial rainbow produced in the classroom are subtracted using a set-up of refractive solutions containing pigments. Symbolic, diagrammatic and realistic representations are provided to explain and compare the findings from seven steps in the activity.
An activity has been designed for the purpose of teaching how light is dispersed in
a straight line and about the interaction between matter and light as well as
the related concepts of shadows, partial shadows, reflection, refraction, primary
colours and complementary (secondary) colours, and differentiating the relationship
between colours, all with a focus on transferring this knowledge to everyday life.
In addition, the activity offers a scientific answer to a question that frequently
comes up in daily life and in schools: ‘Is there such a thing as a coloured shadow?’
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