Science Teaching Methods: Demonstration, Discovery & More

**3.7.3 Demonstration Method** Demonstration is a way of practically showing the features, workings or some other characteristics of something. There are four major types of demonstrations. These are: 1. Teacher demonstration 2. Teacher- student demonstration 3. Student demonstration 4. Res...

**3.7.3 Demonstration Method** Demonstration is a way of practically showing the features, workings or some other characteristics of something. There are four major types of demonstrations. These are: 1. Teacher demonstration 2. Teacher- student demonstration 3. Student demonstration 4. Resource person demonstration **Demonstration has the following variations:** 1. Live---taking demonstration 2. Live silence demonstration 3. Problem episode demonstration 4. Film/tape demonstration **Guidelines for the Use of Demonstration Method** a. Demonstration should be attempted, if the teacher is convinced that it will succeed. When demonstration fails during a lesson, it may affect student faith in science. And also, frequent failure may affect class discipline. b. Demonstrative experiments should be used to guide the thinking of all students towards similar mental direction c. Objects to be used for demonstration should be visible to all student. d. Students may be allowed to participate in demonstration method. **Merits of Demonstration Method** 1. Demonstration can be used to motivate students' interest in the lesson 2. Demonstration economizes materials because large number of students may be taught by using one of few apparatuses. 3. Demonstration helps in avoiding breakages and accidents in practical lessons. 4. Demonstration can be used to develop manipulative skills of the students. **Demerits of Demonstration Method** 1. Some students have difficulty in seeing details of the object being demonstrated e.g. using a thermometer. 2. Some results or observations cannot be recorded just by mere observations e.g. odours of chemical in chemistry. 3. It needs proper pre-planning and organization. 4. It does not promote science process skills. **3.7.4 Discovery Method** This is a method designed in such a way that the student, playing around with materials using his own mental processes, discovers concepts and principles. Many educators advocated for the use of this method because they believed that science should not be taught to a child but he should be left to discover it. Discovery method implies teaching students through engagement in certain scientific processes among which are observing, classifying, measuring, predicting, and inferring. This method is similar to inquiry and both are used interchangeably. There are two (2) types of discover method: a. Guided or close discovery b. Unguided or open discovery **Guideline for the use of discovery method** - It need proper planning - There is need for adequate materials - Teacher should try the concept to be discovered before the issue **Merits of Discovery Method** 1. There is increase in intellectual knowledge 2. There is shift from extrinsic motivation to intrinsic motivation. 3. The student learn heuristics of discovery. 4. Discovery aids in memory processing. 5. Through discovery a student slowly learns how to organize and carry out scientific investigations. 6. It encourages analytic thoughts and promotes intuitive development. **Demerits of Discovery Method** 1. It is slow and time consuming. 2. It is too costly in terms of equipment and materials 3. Some experiments are too dangerous to be handle by students 4. It needs proper planning. 5. It pays little attention to acquisition of knowledge. **3.7.5 Laboratory Activity Method** Laboratory activity method is an activity carried out by an individual or group of people for the purpose of making personnel observation of processes, products or events, laboratory exercise has been used in teaching science as, 1. A means to verify science principles, laws or theories already known to the student. 2. A mean of practicing one or more scientific skills such as ability to observe, classify, measure or interprets data. 3. A means of determining the relationship between cause and effect. 4. A means of obtaining and understanding scientific knowledge. All laboratory exercises are experiments but not all experiments could be considered as laboratory exercises. For example, indoor preparation of gases in laboratory is regarded as laboratory experiments, identification of rocks flowers can be done outside the laboratory and can be referred to as outdoor laboratory activities. **Guidelines for the use of Laboratory Activity Method** - The procedure for any investigation should be simple and clear. - Students should be able to obtain results of the experiment within the period allocated to the laboratory work. - The activity should be based on students' background knowledge. - The teacher's role should be limited to clarifying procedures, giving encouragement to all groups of students and explain vague instructions. **Merits of laboratory Activity Method** 1. It can be used to illustrate principles of science and the verification of law and develop in students' ability to write reports on laboratory exercises. 2. It also provides opportunity for students to learn how to use scientific instrument such as microscopes, thermometer, etc. 3. Student having the opportunity to report some of the classic experiments in science and performing an original experiment in the laboratory. 4. Students become familiar with such mental processes like observing, classifying, measuring, data interpretation, inferring, among others. 5. Laboratory method increases students' ability for critical thinking. 6. It leads to better retention and makes learning permanent and meaningful. **Demerits of Laboratory Activity Method** 1. It consumes a lot of time. 2. It cost more money; that is, a lot of material needs to be provided. 3. It needs proper preparation. 4. Teacher has to give the students individual attention. 5. Some experiments are dangerous for students to handle. **3.7.6 Field trip/Excursion Method** Field trip is also called excursion method. This is a method that takes place outside the classroom, for example a visit to museum or zoo, industries, refineries, nearby river, garden, resource person's workshop etc. The purpose of field trips is to make students have relevant and also obtain on-the-spot specific information. A well-planned field trip affords the students opportunity of becoming actively involved in the scientific processes. Some of these scientific processes are observation, data collection, classification, experimenting and inferring or making generalization, studying relationship and manipulation. However, while field trip is capable of sharpening observation abilities in students, it is difficult to plan and it is time consuming. **Guidelines for Field Trip Teaching Method** 1. It needs proper planning. 2. There is need for a pre-visit to the area to be visited before the time. 3. Students need to be given adequate time for preparation. **Merits of field trip teaching method** 1. It offers students with opportunity of actively involved in scientific processes; 2. It adds reality to verification of scientific laws; 3. Concepts are gained in field trip than in other method of teaching because it depends on the use of all our senses. 4. Teacher-student relationships are developed during field trip. **Demerits of field trip teaching method** 1. It is difficult to plan. 2. There is the danger of likely occurrence of accident. 3. There is extra financial burden. 4. It is difficult to administer. **3.7.7 Project Method** Project method is a method where individuals or group of students are given assignment in order to generate knowledge by themselves. The basic idea behind the project method is to choose a central theme, or idea like the school compound. Based on this central theme a number of sub themes/units can be derived. In the above Figure 1, the school compound, there are four (4) sub-themes which form a composite area of study namely; trees, climates, animals and soil, other Sub themes may be included by the teachers. To teach science by means of a project method requires very careful planning. One of the biggest problems in adopting this method is the organization and control of the students so that meaningful learning can take place. Before treating each sub-themes, the teacher should carefully set down his objectives and outline the main steps that the children will follow; probably higher classes of the primary and secondary school students will be better suited for the project method in basic science. Using project method, it is easier and better, to treat one sub theme before treating the other. After the project, all the groups/individuals will later report their findings to the class. During the project. the teacher should try to access what the students have learned from time to time this is because the students may be active learning very little or no learning at all, this evaluation can be in form of oral, written test or simply a series of questions which teacher may ask to find out what new thing they have learnt. A well planned project last for up to a year or at least one term. It is up to the teacher to decide whether what they should pass on to a new subject as they seem to be losing interest in the project.