Study of Integrated Science Essay Example for Free

Study of integrate acquisition EssayThe richness of light in todays world is overwhelming and thus the nurture system by come out the world has ge ard itself to stick out the required determineing in scientific skills to meet this growing challenge. legion(predicate) countries take on transformed themselves from silly feudal type economies by the increasing application of attainment and technology. China and India atomic number 18 two owing(p) examples as they have grown to become economic and industrial power ho aims and in several slip counsel compete effectively with developed countries.Any country which does non give the needed assistance to the milling machineryject of accomplishment usually lacks development. Through father, bridges are constructed, vehicles realityufactured, roads constructed and friendship expanded. In spite of the relevance of recognition menti unrivalledd above, the pupils of Mampamhwe M/A JHS 2 have difficulty in ingesti ng and understanding knowledge. The triplet surveys of pure light and unmatchable applied science (Agricultural science) have been combined to form the basis for the dis describe of science at the subaltern spunky school. Collectively, they are known as integrate science.During the end-of- marge examination, less than 40% of the thirty five (35) pupils in the flesh barely get above the average mark of cardinal (50) in merged science. The pupils mentality that, co-ordinated science is difficult and brusk methods of doctrine apprizeful be counted as factors that have facilitated the poor effect of the pupils in the subject. Not using the scientific method of work out problems in the t for each oneing of scientific problems and solving practical questions raises an eyebrow on how pupils open fire grasp the cin one casepts of the subject.With pupils subsisting in a community which major occupation is solid ground (cocoa to be precise) and pupils themselves engaging in farming activities, it would have served as a good ground for the application of agricultural science and biology which forms commence of integrated science. But this seems not to be the case with the pupils. With the relevance of the call for of science to the improvement of the pupils sagaciousness and intent and as well to the community as a farming one, prompted the tec to subscribe to and investigate slipway of improving the study of integrated science at JHS 2. Statement of the problemThe problem which prompted the enquiryer to slabber out this search is the poor doing of pupils in integrated science among the JHS 2 pupils of Mampamhwe M/A. It is therefore against this background that the research worker has decided to use the experiential approach to assistant solve this problem. Purpose of the study The reason why the tec is carrying out this research is to a) Identify the causes of the poor functioning of pupils of Mampamhwe M/A JHS 2 in integrated scie nce. b) Assess the effects of the poor performance in integrated science on the pupils. ) Establish possible solutions that squirt help solve the poor performance in integrated science. d) Provide teachers with some guidelines in improving the teaching and studying of integrated science. e) Help parents understand the conditions that they can put in limit to help their wards improve their performance in integrated science. f) Provide suggestions to managers of education in Ghana when planning the syllabus. Research questions Research questions for this study include the following i) What difficulties do pupils of Mampamhwe M/A JHS 2 face in the study of integrated science? i) What are the major causes of the poor performance of the pupils in integrated science? iii) What are the appropriate interpolations that can be taken to address the problem? iv) What is the effect of the project on the problem? Significance of the study This research bequeath help pupils to recognize effec tive shipway of larn integrated science which can bring about an improve performance in the subject. It will in like manner help teachers of integrated science to vary their techniques or methods of teaching and choose methods according to the nature of the upshot.Last but not least, it will in like manner enable platform planners to include this practical work in the JHS science syllabus so that pupils at the junior high schools can make use of it. Delimitations This project work is limited to improving the performance of integrated science among besides JHS 2 pupils of Mampamhwe M/A. This is because that is the stratum that the researcher was assigned to teach and has fair familiarity of their cultivation abilities. Also, out of all the subjects on the JHS 2 timetable, the researcher chose to carry out his research on livelong integrated science since its the subject assigned to him to teach.Last but not least, there were umteen approaches that could have been appl y for this study but the researcher deemed it best to use the experiential approach boldness of the study The research work is organized in five master(prenominal) chapters. Chapter one is titled understructure and it comprises the background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, significance of the study, delimitations, limitations and organization of the study. Chapter two is the reexamination of related belles-lettres. It consists of the minds and views of former(a) writers, internet and different sources.Chapter 3 discusses the methodology which includes the research practice, population and sample pick, research instrument, selective information battle array procedure and data analysis plan. Chapter four considers the analysis of data based on the findings and discussions of the findings. The last chapter summarizes, concludes and in like manner makes recommendation after the study. Literature review Review of related lite rature in this chapter involves the positive identification, local anestheticization and analysis of documents containing tuition related to the research problem.It is designed to review works on the wideness of the study of science in the basic school. The knowledge gained through the study of science plays an substantial role in the general education of the school curriculum, therefore, a large number of studies pertaining to the teaching and apprizeing of science by many educationist and writers. This chapter considers the contributions of other researchers and their proposal suggestions for correcting these difficulties. The contributions are placed under the following headings in this chapter. Definitions of science. What is integrated science? Importance of science. Importance of science education as a school subject. Causes of poor performance of pupils in integrated science. experiential method of teaching. Definitions of science According to Websters New Collegi ate Dictionary, the definition of science is Knowledge attained through study or practice, or Knowledge covering general truths of the consummation of general laws, e excessly as obtained and tested through scientific method and concerned with the physical world. accomplishment refers to a system of acquiring knowledge.This system uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain inbred phenomena. The endpoint science also refers to the organized body of knowledge peck have gained using that system. Less formally, the script science often describes any systematic field of study or the knowledge gained from it. (http//www. sciencemadesimple. com) According to Wikipedia (2012), Science is obtained from the Latin word scientia, it means knowledge. It furthered on to say that, science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.An older and closely related meaning still in use tod ay is that found for example in Aristotle, whereby science refers to the body of reliable knowledge itself, of the type that can be logically and rationally explained. (http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Science). It goes on to say that, in modern use, science is a term which more often refers to a way of pursuing knowledge, and not the knowledge itself. Dictionary. com (2012) defines science as a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically logical and showing the operation of general laws.World English Dictionary (2009) also defines science as the systematic study of the nature and behavior of the material and physical universe, based on observation, experiment, and measurement, and the prep of laws to describe these facts in general terms. The medical dictionary (2002) also says science isthe observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena. Such activities qualified to explaining a limited form of natural phenomena.Such activities applied to an object of inquiry or study. The science dictionary (2002) also defines science as the investigation of natural phenomena through observation, theoretical explanation, and experimentation, or the knowledge produced by such investigation. It continues to state that science makes use of the scientific method, which includes the careful observation of natural phenomena, the formulation of a hypothesis, the conducting of one or more experiments to test the hypothesis, and the drawing of a conclusion that onfirms or modifies the hypothesis. In general, science can be defined as the systematic observation and classification of natural phenomena in order to learn about them and bring them under general principles and laws. According to Twumasi (2009), Science has three main branches, namely interpersonal chemistry, Biology and Physics. Chemistry is an experimental study of substances and the useful compounds that can be formed from these substances. Chemistry also has three branches which include inorganic, organic and physical chemistry.Physics is concerned with the forces that exist amidst objects and the interrelationships betwixt matter and nothing. Biology is the study of living things and their interactions with the milieu. Biology is also divide into plants, animals and ecology. What is integrated science? Integrated Science is a straight forward, easy-to-read, but substantial introduction to the fundamental behavior of matter and energy in living and non-living systems.It is intended to serve the needs of non-science individuals who are required to complete one or more science courses as part of a general or basic studies requirement. It introduces basic concepts and recognize bases while providing opportunities for students to learn reasoning skills and a new way of thinking about their environment. According to wiki. resolves. com, integrated science is a combine study of all areas of t he sciences or the introduction of some areas in sciences.It goes on to try to differentiate between science and integrated science by explaining that integrated science is a course with merged topics like biology, chemistry, etc. whilst science is a big body of knowledge, it is about everything roughly us even inside our own body. Importance of science Below are some importance of science as identified by www. mikebrotherton. com. 1. Science exercises the mind and teaches logical thinking. 2. Science encourages skepticism and teasing assumptions and looking at things in different ways. 3.Making important decisions based on science sooner of superstition or demagoguery or hatred or fear etc often produces better results. 4. The techniques of science (logic, testing hypothesis, gathering, data, etc) can be applied in quotidian life for small personal problems and activities (purchasing decisions, contend games, cooking, debugging software, etc), not just for big issues like phys ics, astronomy, technological development, etc. 5. Through the study of science, horrible diseases can be cured, or prevented entirely, and it can still try hope for those with as-yet-incurable diseases. . Through science, people who love each other can talk to each other whenever they want no matter how far away they are in the world, and can be together the next day through improved ways of communication and transport. 7. Science can show us what has caused mass extinctions and point the way to preventing similar catastrophes in the future. 8. Science can make us feel big and special for understanding the age of the Earth, the nature of stars, and the size of the universe, even if those things dwarf us. 9.Science gives us superpowers, like looking across the universe, seeing atoms, passing across the Earth or to the moon, moving mountains, and harnessing the energy of the sun. 10. Science has helped us to understand ourselves and the environment. 11. It shows the best way of so lving problems. Importance of science education as a school subject Science, as a subject is universal and knows no boundaries. The claims of Science for inclusion in the school curriculum came to be recognized after years of active and persistent efforts.Science almost revolutionarized human life and proved substantive for existence of man. Now, supremacy of Science has been established in every field. In fact, so extensive is its importance for man and society that the present day people live in an age of science. No one perhaps needs an explanation at present to include science in the school curriculum. enactment Wilson, a far-famed educationist in 1867, in support of inclusion of science as a School subject wrote, Science teaches what evidence is, what proof is. English, History, Geography, Classics etc. re taught because they provide a promiscuous education. The main object of imparting education is to turn out in discriminateigent citizens able to appreciate and sleep t ogether the beauty and wonder of Nature. They should be efficient in all walks of life and should take delight in the wealthiness of culture of past generations and civilizations. Hence, Science should form an essential part of the curriculum as it is the only subject which affords knowledge of authorized facts and laws and helps in achieving the main object of education. According to www. preservearticles. om, Prakash (2011), the following are the arguments in favor of integrated Science to be placed in School Curriculum 1. Science provides singular training in observation and reasoning. Science students reason from definitely ascertained facts and form clear concepts. It makes one systematic and enables him to form an objective judgment. 2. The discoveries have added to the prosperity of human race with vast increase of knowledge. Herbert Spencer in his, What Knowledge is of Most Worth gives information which study of Science furnishes. According to him, Science discipline is uncomparably more useful for our guidance in life.Other chief subjects too provide an intellectual training not inferior to that of Science. Practically, we live in a world of scientific discoveries. So science education cannot be neglected. 3. Prof. H. E. Armstrong says that Science is taught to provide training in and knowledge of Scientific method, which is useful in the life pursuits. So this needs a School base of Science education. 4. Science has its cultural value. It has a literature of its own. The Scientific discoveries of Galileo, Newton, Faraday, Darwin, Pasteur, Kelvin, Bose, Armstrong and others are treasures of mankind.So, Science has won the first rank of humanistic studies. 5. Science has utilitarian value. It trains the small fry to use his leisure properly. These are clearly illustrated in scientific hobbies. 6. Modern knowledge of Science provides great intellectual pleasure. An educated person is under very great disadvantage if he is not familiar with that kn owledge. 7. Knowledge of the methods of observation and experiment in the different branches of Science helps pupils to develop a logical mind, a critical judgment and a capacity for methodical organization. . Science is useful in that it remedies some of the defects of the modal(a) school education. It is found to be the most valuable element in the education of those who show special aptitude. Science provides discipline of mind. Causes of poor performance of pupils in integrated science The poor performance of pupils in integrated science can be attributed to many factors. Alsop (1985) said if science is to be learned affectively it mustinessiness be experient, (UNESCO, 1973). The laboratory is a unique fact of science education.Tamir (1989) also said that in the developing countries especially sub Saharan Africa, there are a number of factors contributing to the poor performance in science. Thus low per capital income, predominantly rural populations, economy based on pri mary quill products, experience of political independence and limited access to school particularly at the secondary aim. The sub Saharan Africa is the region which has the greatest difficulties in providing the normal facilities of trained teachers, laboratories and equipment for teaching practical science. Also Toh (1990) said, prior knowledge, attitude to school, attitude to cience and academic self concept affect success in the performance in science investigation, and he continued to say that explicit understanding is not adequate for success in science investigation. Moreover, Torto (2003) said, gender disparity in education also leads to poor performance in science especially among woman. She said, pistillate still have low access to education, low participation and poor performance in many subject. Many factors which are home, community and school based, continue to restrict development pistillate education she said further that, factors within the classroom are not onl y uses of gender imbalances in education.Home based factors which include family size, household income, parents education, cultural and traditional beliefs all contributed substantially to poor female enrolment in school. Gott and Mishiter (1987) also added that, science education is in a state of rapid change. In recent years there has been an ongoing roll concerning the importance of concepts and process in our science courses. This debate has been brought into tighter focus since the autumn of 1988 in England and Whales with the advent of the national curriculum in science.Shito (1958) stated in the daily graphic that the community regards science students who are females as witches and ugly. In addition to this, Femsa project staff (1995) conducted and presented a research on the availability of resources and facilities for teaching and knowledge science as well as mathematics in Africa. They said that, where resources and facilities such as teacher textbooks, laboratories, c hemicals, tools, textbooks, laboratory tools and equipment, teaching aids, store, office etc. are inadequate, it makes the teaching of science to become teacher centered.This type of approach is heavily dominated by the teacher as he or she lectures the subject, gives notes and demonstrates the practical aspect of the lessons. The students remain passive participants expected to listen and value only. July (1925) said if science education is to be lectures and demonstration, then no results could be achieved in the future. He also added that any school that claims to teach science only theoretically is not a school. Morii (1434) said, a teacher is capable of teaching and implementing quality education if he is attached what he is suppose to be attached (an ancient scientist. He also added that the poor performance of science is due to low motivation given(p) to teachers. According to Dzama (1999) causes of poor performance of pupils in science is as a results of absence of vocat ional incentives rather than by conflict between science and African traditional values and beliefs. He argued that conflict between science and traditional beliefs and values is not peculiar to Africans. He also demonstrated that in the harvest-home of science in developed countries, improvement in the performance of students succeeded rather than proceeded industrial and technological development.Experiential method of teaching According to Wikipedia (2012), experiential learning is the process of devising meaning from direct experience. but put, Experiential Learning is learning from experience. The experience can be staged or left open. Aristotle once said, For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them. David A. Kolb helped to popularize the idea of experiential learning, drawing heavily on the work of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin and Jean Piaget. His work on experiential learning has contributed greatly to expanding the philosophy of experiential education.Experiential learning focuses on the learning process for the individual. An example of experiential learning is going to the zoo and learning through observation and interaction with the zoo environment, as impertinent to reading about animals from a book. Experiential learning requires no teacher and relates solely to the meaning qualification process of the individuals direct experience. However, though the gaining of knowledge is an inherent process that occurs naturally, for a genuine learning experience to occur, there must exist certain elements.According to David Kolb, an American educational theorist, knowledge is endlessly gained through both personal and environmental experiences. He states that in order to gain genuine knowledge from an experience, certain abilities are required 1. the learner must be willing to be actively involved in the experience 2. the learner must be able to reflect on the experience 3. the learner must possess and use analytical skill s to conceptualize the experience and 4. The learner must possess decision making and problem solving skills in order to use the new ideas gained from the experience.Experiential learning can be a highly effective educational method. It engages the learner at a more personal level by addressing the needs and wants of the individual. Experiential learning requires qualities such as self-initiative and self-evaluation. For experiential learning to be truly effective, it should employ the whole learning wheel, from goal setting, to experimenting and observing, to reviewing, and finally action planning. This complete process allows one to learn new skills, new attitudes or even entirely new ways of thinking.Most educators understand the important role experience plays in the learning process. A fun learning environment, with plenty of laughter and paying attention for the learners abilities, also fosters an effective experiential learning environment. It is vital that the individual is encouraged to directly involve themselves in the experience, in order that they gain a better understanding of the new knowledge and retain the information for a longer time. As stated by the ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius, tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand.According to learning consultants, experiential learning is about creating an experience where learning can be facilitated. How do you create a well-crafted learning experience? The key lies in the facilitator and how he or she facilitates the learning process. An excellent facilitator believes in the creed You teach some by what you say, teach more by what you do, but most of all, you teach most by who you are. And while it is the learners experience that is most important to the learning process, it is also important not to forget the wealth of experience a good facilitator also brings to the situation.An effective experiential facilitator is one who is passionate about his or her work and is able to immerse participants totally in the learning situation, allowing them to gain new knowledge from their peers and the environment created. These facilitators stimulate the imagination, keeping participants hooked on the experience. Creating an experiential learning environment can be contest for educators who have been taught through traditional classroom techniques. Identifying activities that allow learners to understand and absorb concepts can be a new and daunting experience.However, by providing direct experience in addition to standard indite and ocular materials, learners with different types of learning styles and strengths can be accommodated. Sudbury model of democratic education schools assert that much of the learning going on in their schools, including values, justice, democracy, arts and crafts, professions, and frequently academic subjects, is done by learning through experience. Summary Science can be defined as the systematic observation and classification of natural phenomena in order to learn about them and bring them under general principles and laws.Science has been part of man in time past and has even become more of mans life in recent years. The usefulness of science can be seen by the things around us the roads, bridges, cars, computers, refrigerators etc. The selection and study of some aspects of science as a whole is what is termed as integrated science. To defend the study of integrated science and science as a whole in schools, Canon Wilson, a famous educationist in 1867, wrote, Science teaches what evidence is, what proof is. According to Prakash (2011), Science learning is incomparably more useful for our guidance in life.Many researchers are of the view that, learning is best understood when it is experienced as stated by the ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius, tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand. According to David Kolb, an American educational theorist, knowledge is continuously gained through both personal and environmental experiences. Also, Aristotle once said, For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them. According to learning consultants, experiential learning is about creating an experience where learning can be facilitated.An excellent facilitator believes in the creed You teach some by what you say, teach more by what you do, but most of all, you teach most by who you are. This chapter talks about the research design that the researcher used in solving the problem, the population and sampling solution, research instruments, data collection procedure and data analysis plan. It also describes the type of research used in the study. It also involves the method of data collection, pre-Intervention, intervention and post- intervention stages.Research design Research design is a plan which specifies how data relating to a given problem should be collected and analyzed. It p rovides the procedural outline for conduct of any given investigation. The research design used is an action research design which is directed towards solving a specific problem at the classroom level. This type of research is usually undertaken by either a teacher or conference of teachers in a school to solve a peculiar problem in the classroom or in the school as a whole. The design makes work very easier and simpler.This is due to the fact that, it does not involve inconveniences such as travelling etc. The design deals with a particular group of people in a given area concerned and helps to solve the problems which specifically affect him/her. Action research also helps the teacher to understand what actually goes on in teaching and learning situations. It is important in the sense that, it does not only enhance teachers professional status but also promotes teachers personal improvement of his/her practices. It is through action research that the teacher can pass judgment hi s or her teaching effectively.Action research is also conducted with the purpose of solving classroom or local school problems through the application of the scientific method. Moreover action research helps teachers to understand better, all aspects of their practices in relation to the subject content, the curriculum, and the methods that are more appropriate to the levels of pupils in their class. Finally, action research helps teachers to be furnished with knowledge on the various approaches or methods that they can use to suit the children they teach.In spite of the outline strength, the results of the design cannot be generalized. This is because the design does not cover a wide range of people and it seeks to reveal and solve a problem affecting a particular group of people. This tends to be a impuissance on the part of the action research. Population and sampling selection A population of 113 pupils at the junior high school was used for the study at Mampamhwe M/A JHS in the Obuasi Municipal Assembly. though this number at the junior high school was considered, JHS 2 class was sampled for the study.The average age of the sampled class was fourteen (14) years. The table below shows the distribution of the sampled class. Table 3. 1 Distribution of pupils gender Gender issuance Percentage (%) Boys 16 44 Girls 20 56 Total 36 100 This class was elect for the research because the researcher was assigned to teach Integrated Science in that class. Research Instruments I used two main strategies to detect how pupils learnt science. I initially had with pupils an oral discussion on a science topic and afterwards asked pupils oral questions on it.An exercise was later given to pupils based on the equivalent topic discussed. Discussion The discussion method was aimed at finding out how pupils understand the principles of a topic if orally narrated and discussed in class. Discussion method stimulates critical thinking. Frequent questions whether asked by the researcher or the pupils, provide means of measuring learning and exploring in-depth the key concepts of the course. During discussions, pupils answers to questions could help the researcher to determine whether they have experienced what they are saying or they just read them from books.Exercise The purpose of the class exercise was to allow pupils to freely express themselves in the way they understood the topic that has just been taught. Pupils answers to questions will give the researcher the idea on how best they understand a topic when orally discussed with them. It also gives the researcher a clearer idea of how pupils think science is. Whether they think science is a written down facts that can never be tampered with or they think science is everything that goes on around them and they can verify each and every aspect of it. Data Collection Procedure Pre-Intervention StageA lesson on corrosion and rusting from page 25 of pupils text book was selected and delivered by discussion method. Pupils had the basic concept of corrosion and rusting but could not different between the two. The factors responsible for rusting to occur were also discussed and a couple of(prenominal) points were written for pupils to copy. From pupils answers given during the discussion, the researcher observed that pupils knew that rusting occurs on metals when they are left in the rain but cannot exactly tell what is responsible for it. This was explained to pupils. An exercise was then conducted to see how pupils understood the lesson.The exercise required pupils to state whether or not an iron can rust if it was kept a) under a bed b) on the ceiling c) in hot water d) inside a refrigerator e) in a hot water with anoint spilt on the surface. Though pupils contributions to the discussion were favorable, about one-fourth of the class was able to score 3 out of 5 in the exercise. This showed that, pupils may have understood what was taught in the class but cannot apply it i n real life situations. I looked at the exercise and recorded pupils correct answers without marking so that pupils could not tell whether they were correct or wrong.Besides that, there might have been some pupils in the class whose attention was somewhere else or did not understand what was been discussed but since most of the class were contributing, the researcher took it that, the whole class was contributing to the discussion. In practical lessons, this problem cannot be overlooked. Intervention Stage The class was divided into four (4) groups and each group was given an experiment to carry out. Each group was given three (3) new iron nails. The first group was asked to put their nails into a plastic or rubber container, cover it and place it under a bed for a week.The second group was asked to add water to their nails in a plastic container and place it inside the school refrigerator. The container should be left open. The third group was asked to also put their nails in boile d water, cover it and keep it for a week. The fourth group was also asked to place their nails into boiled water, pour oil on the surface and cover it tightly. After a week, pupils presented their experiments to the class and explained to the class the apparatus used for the experiment and what happened at the end of the experiment.Each member of the group had his/her own written report of how he/she saw the experiment go. One member of each group does the presentation with the other group members standing behind him/her. After the explanation, questions are thrown to the group and the other members are to answer. just about of the nails rusted whilst others did not. The absence of atmospheric oxygen in the boiled water covered with oil did not allow those nails to rust. So besides the fourth groups setup, the rest of the setups caused the nails to rust due to the straw man of oxygen or moisture. Post-Intervention StageThe class exercise that was given to pupils during the pre-int ervention stage was again given to pupils to answer again. This time the researcher marked the exercise and saw many changes as compared to the answers they wrote before the intervention stage. Many wrong answers pupils wrote in the first exercise were corrected. Limitations Many problems may militate against this study but the few ones I would like to enumerate here include 1. Problem of finance The researcher will have to travel to other tertiary institutions to use their libraries if the researchers local library cannot provide the unavoidable books needed.Money will also be spent to buy airtime and data bundles to enable research on the World Wide Web. Without money, all these cannot be possible. 2. Time factor The time at the disposal of the researcher is very limited and for that matter may not permit such an intensive coverage. Also there might be other written documents which may contain detailed information about this research work but due to the limited time available to the researcher, he may not review those documents.