Life Sciences Methodology 2024 PDF

Life Sciences Methodology LFM22ES 2024 LFM22ES_2024 Nature and Scope of Life Sciences Slides derived from Ahmad J., 2014 “To learn science is to do science, there is no other way of learning science” Dr D.S Kothari...

Life Sciences Methodology LFM22ES 2024 LFM22ES_2024 Nature and Scope of Life Sciences Slides derived from Ahmad J., 2014 “To learn science is to do science, there is no other way of learning science” Dr D.S Kothari LFM22ES_2024 Learning Outcomes Describe the nature of science Describe the scope of Life Sciences/Biological Sciences Explain the place of Life Sciences in the school curriculum Discuss the significance of life sciences teaching Establish the correlation of science with other subjects LFM22ES_2024 Nature/Characteristic features of Life Science To understand the nature of life sciences we must understand what and how science works/scientist work i.e. the characteristic features Science can be defined as a way of describing and explaining natural phenomena and objects found in nature The body of knowledge acquired by scientists e.g. as a process and a product The method/s of inquiring/investigating a question e.g. scientific method The attitude towards life or a way of thinking e.g. scientific attitude Values and ethics of science Science-technology-society relationship LFM22ES_2024  The science educator must Science as a body of knowledge follow the scientific processes and Can be characterized into two important aspects products to teach The process of acquiring science (asking questions and observing phenomena) science subjects The products of science (conclusions acquired after the process) well. Scientific process Product S/he must also The scientific have integrated processes and Observing Facts skills (skills products’ Investigating Concept required Integrated skills are to carry rationality Critical thinking Principles outthe 1. Identifying an controlled experiment depend on open Problem identification Theories mind, Predicting/Hypothesizing Laws variable and or to solve a problem. 2. Investigating creativity,questio Experimentation ns imagination, Communication 3. Defining concerned positive attitude, Measurements concepts values and Analysis 4. Forming hypothesis objectivity Tabulate and graphics 5. Conducting an experiment 6. Representing data LFM22ES_2024 (graph/table)  Science as a product The products of science are the result of finding solutions for problems. The components of knowledge are: 2. Concepts: These 4. Theory: Related 1. Facts: Information are ideas represented 3.Principle: When to principles, theories acquired through by a single word e.g. two or more concepts provide an observation and flower. Each concept combine to give a explanation of a measurements, they has FIVE elements meaningful phenomena. It is are verifiable with i.e. name, statement is used to explain, references of time characteristic, value, becomes a principle predict and relate and place. definition and e.g. laws of facts e.g. evolution example of how is 6. Laws: When scientists thermodynamics confirm a theory after works. scientific experiments, the theory becomes a law e.g. all living organisms consist LFM22ES_2024 of membrane-encased cells Science is… Dynamic Ever changing with new research birthing new concepts, theories or laws because it is always open to questions, discussions and change A method of inquiry/investigating By following certain methods of inquiry i.e. observation, hypothesis, investigate, experiment, data collection and analysis An attitude towards life or thinking All life can be approached with a scientific mind/curiosity having a scientific world view (people use science to explain all phenomenon) Encompassing of values and ethics Teaches learners the importance of recycling, to be healthy etc. developing values and ethics in learners Socio-cultural Should benefit the community/society. Scientists have the responsibility to find a balance for science-technology-society LFM22ES_2024 Discuss 1. In your own words, what is meant by the nature of science 2. What are the different specific characteristics of science and scientific studies, and do you think they are important? 3. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1259307.pdf Read this articles abstract, method to pick out the scientific processes and products LFM22ES_2024 Scope and Importance of Life Sciences The scope of life sciences is vast and reaches other subjects such as physics, chemistry and mathematics. For this reason, it encompasses all human welfare activities such as: 1. Human health and medicine Biology of our health, development of cheap drugs, vaccines, DNA finger printing, anti-fertility drugs/pills, drugs for cancer and viral diseases, diabetes etc. 2. Food resources As the population increases so does the need for food also increases, biology assists in Improving crop quality, productivity, Developing high yielding cultivars Commercially producing products such as banana’s, sugarcane by plant tissue culture 3. Veterinary and animal husbandry Production of vaccines for animal diseases Embryo transplantation to facilitate the extension of a genetic line LFM22ES_2024 4. Population control An increase in the population leads to poverty, crime, war, corruption etc. Vasectomy, immunological fertility control, reversible contraceptive vaccines 5. Solution to alternative energy sources The depletion of non-renewable sources of energy has pushed biologist to explore alternative sources e.g. biofuels from microorganisms, biogas from plants 6. Pollution control Sewage treatment by anaerobic and aerobic microorganisms Biofertilizers (contains living organisms) are used to reduce soil pollution 7. Biology and industry Some industries rely completely on bioscience such as Silkworm culture in silk industry Apiculture and honey industry Pisciculture (farming fish commercially) in fish industry LFM22ES_2024 8. Conservation of natural resources Natural resources must be conserved, or alternatives investigated as they provide us with timber, rain distribution, coal, petrol. 9. Plant and animal improvements Genetics, plant breeding (cross breeding) and biotechnology Crops resistant to drought, diseases, frost etc. Higher yielding crops or animal production of milk/meat etc. 10. Space travel Biology has assisted in avoiding the drainage of blood in the upper and lower parts of the body and regulate blood supply in space Current research is looking into closed ecosystem where algae and chlorella recycle human waste to provide oxygen and food 11. Vocational/job opportunities Doctors, nurses, plant/animal biologists, forestry, Microbiologists etc. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under LFM22ES_2024 CC BY  Place of life sciences in today’s curriculum Cultural and Moral Significance Usefulness in daily life Increase food production Demand values such as Love, honesty, truth Standards in maintaining better Interdependence and interrelationships health and hygiene Assist in ecological balance and Science develops the culture of a society and a nation, and we judge the progress of methods in environmental control Habitat of sanitation a culture by science Science also enhances self-control, self- Balanced diet and prevention of respect, self-confidence, open-mindedness disease Solving problems of overpopulation, etc. Vocational Importance (Refers to the food problems professional courses related to biology) Intellectual Improvement Agricultural sciences Science develops mental awareness and Animal sciences/Veterinary e.g dairy, makes learners critical intelligent thinkers poultry that ask questions relevant to their society Plant sciences e.g. horticulture/plant and culture and thereafter to follow the breeding science process and products. Medical sciences Health and paramedical courses LFM22ES_2024 Dental technician/hygienist  Correlation of science with physics and chemistry No subject is taught in isolation as all subjects are interconnected especially as we are in the CAPS era There is a correlation of biology and its’ principal subject's chemistry, physical sciences The life sciences teacher cannot teach on proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins without understanding organic chemistry The teacher must be able to do conversions of any kind if the learners ask e.g. oC to oF When explaining the basis of the eye and image formation, the teacher must know the properties of light, a physics explanation LFM22ES_2024  Correlation of science with other subjects Life science and Life science and History: Language: We study the Language is the history of Life science basis of Life science scientists and understanding and their inventions and a tool for and Carbon dating, Mathematics: communication, if Geography: link that tell us how All calculations learners cannot with topics old fossils are understand the such as Related topics require meaning of nitrogen, are mathematical words/concepts History of carbon, knowledge then they will oxygen and earth Origin of life on All research, not/cannot water cycle earth data articulate any Soil climate, Human evolution collection, science macro/micro analysis organisms requires Flora and mathematics LFM22ES_2024 fauna Correlation of science and society The development of science depends on the society (people living together in a more or less ordered community with set perception on life) Science and technology can change a society introduction of cell phones, tvs etc. Globalization Washing machines, dish washers Computers etc. All of which change how the society lives, its culture, its perception on necessities and wants and its values and morals. LFM22ES_2024 Correlation of science and the environment Science has assisted in making sense of the natural world/ our surroundings Air, temperature, wind, pressure, plants, animals etc. Electricity, pollution, electronics etc. Everything in science, directly or indirectly involves nature e.g. the invention of the light bulb…someone must have asked a question…if we have light during the day..why can’t we have it even at night ALL INVENTIONS GO BACK TO NATURE AND ARE THE REASON FOR THE POLLUTION AND DETERORIATION OF NATURE AS WELL. It is the life sciences teachers’ responsibility to make the learners see: there must be an effort put into all subjects as they are all interrelated and no one subject stands on its own. LFM22ES_2024