With the onset of K-12 in the Philippines, which teaching method in "SCIENCE" can be best compared for effectivity?
For teaching science, there are various effective methods ! The most popular one is using chalk and board and drawing diagrams to explain things. Use of projectors with slides, ready made charts, over head projectors may also prove effective. Animation films, pathways, demonstrations are some other methods. Brain storming, discussions, quizzing, sonars can also be given, to emphasise on the points.
In my opinion even the best lecture is less effective than practical classes. My students think the same, they prefer to do something themselves than listen to lecturer (even good one) .
A recent meta-study of factors which may have a large impact on achievement was published 2008 by J. Hattie called Visible Learning. Hattie can be seen presenting the gist of the book on YouTube.
If we knew what was best we would all be doing it already. The fact is there is no magic formula and you need to relate your pedagogy to the class, the subject, the context and the resources at hand. once you have considered these points you should then consider how you can engage with the students and fire up their passion for learning. Science is such an exciting subject and the potential for experiment is boundless - the last thing you want to do is teach from the book. Get the students working and learning through DOING science rather than reading about it.
I think the buzzword is "competence-oriented teaching". Rather then teaching about theories and trying to fill in some contents the students shall be taught in a hands-on way certain methods how knowledge can be found and how it can be used.
Example: In a course of geology and palaeontogy it is more important to work with the objects themselves (rocks, mineral,s fossils) and teach about their description, distinction and study (in the lab and in the field) than to talk about far-reaching concepts inferred from the study of such objects (like plate tectonics, ecosystem evolution, palaeoclimate models, phylogenetic supertrees) without making clear where these magnificent buildings come from.
I remember quite well from my own highschool time that formulas and theories often fell from heaven and were not introduced the way they have been inferred from observation.
I think the question as it stands, is too generalised and would involve too many variables. It would be better to measure the impact of a specific method in specific circumstances - assuming you could control for extraneous variables.
@ David...
could you suggest some papers in relation to variables you mean :)
It can really help me a lot :) Thanks! :)
I think, Hattie, John (2009): Visible learning. A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. London, New York: Routledge.
gives an overview relating to the huge amount of variables.
The best teaching methods are:
Lecture method supported by discussion and dialogue.
problem solving method
Method of investigation and exploration
cooperative learning method
Discussion method
As well as any other method based on the positive role of the student in education