Science...

Today, we went to Metu Science and Technology Museum to Be a Friend of the Children! Invest in Our Future!

In my opinion, children and we

learn team work and

evaluate the our past and present knowledge,

search for ways of making experiments,

learn to determine while listening and making experiments,

develop our planning skills while observing and making experiments.

All in all, I need to explain definition of science. The study of science is in the broadest sense, its nature aims, methods, tools, parts, and relation to other subjects. When studying the nature of scientific reasoning we naturally ask how it can be justified, and what are its purposes. In what circumstances can a scientific statement properly be accepted? The main purpose of science is explanation, and important concept of science causation. It is also an approach to the problem of human knowledge based on the attempt to develop general principles. Science is based on the assumption that it is possible to derive objective knowledge is confirmed by the similar observations of many persons. It is also based on the assumption that the biases and values of the observer can be relatively controlled so that a reasonable degree of objectivity is possible. Science also organized by principles. Scientific principles and theories are constantly open to criticism, further, testing, and revision within an accumulating tradition of non-dogmatic knowledge. Science can eliminate two main branches. Those are social science and natural science. Social Science wants to answer social interactions in social orders. Natural Science includes physics, chemistry, and biology. Science is abstract descriptions, and sentences in universal form.

In the laboratory hours, first group explained the sound. Experiments are good and simple so children can easily do them and learn the concepts. Second group focused on what is the role of skeleton and flow speed of liquids is different. All groups were effective and successful.

Constructivist Teacher

Twelve Traits of a Constructivist Teacher:)
Constructivist teachers encourage and accept student autonomy and initiative.
Constructivist teachers use raw data and primary sources, along with manipulative, interactive, and physical material.
When framing tasks, constructivist teachers use cognitive terminologies such as classify, analyze, predict, and create.
Constructivist teachers allow student responses to drive lessons, shift instructional strategies, and alter content.
Constructivist teachers inquire about students' understandings of concepts before sharing their own understanding concepts.
Constructivist teachers encourage students to engage in dialogue, both with the teacher and with one another.
Constructivist teachers encourage student inquiry by asking thoughtful, open-ended questions and encouraging student questions of one another.
Constructivist teachers seek elaboration of student initial responses.
Constructivist teachers engage students in experiences that might engender contradictions to their initial hypotheses encourage discussion.
Constructivist teachers allow wait time after posing questions.
Constructivist teachers provide time for students to construct relationships and create metaphors.
Constructivist teachers nurture students' natural curiosity through frequent use of the learning cycle model.

In conclusion, the teacher serves as a coach or guide for student learning. As a facilitator, the teacher challenges, questions, and stimulates the students in their thinking, problem solving and self-directed study. After a while, the students will similarly challenge each other and themselves as they work, think, and learn. In this process, students assume responsibility for their learning and move from teacher-centered to student-centered education. The student becomes an active as opposed to passive learner.

In lab session of this week, machines and their functioning are explained by the first group. They are effective and succesful. The second group focused on earthquake experiments. Their activities were also effective.

I learned these words;

stone: piece of rock shaped or cut for some purpose
reciprocity: mutual action or reaction

Constructivism & Learning

Young children-how they experience the world, interact with each other, pose questions, and construct knowledge-form the basis for this insightful examination of early childhood science education.
CONSTRUCTISIM & lEARNING

Learning consists of individuals' constructed meanings and then indicate how they influence children's education.

Learning is an active process in which the learner uses sensory input and constructs meaning out of it. The more traditional formulation of this idea involves the terminology of the active learner stressing that the learner needs to do something; that learning is not the passive acceptance of knowledge which exists "out there" but that learning involves the learner s engaging with the world.

Learning consists both of constructing meaning and constructing systems of meaning. For example, if we learn the chronology of dates of a series of historical events, we are simultaneously learning the meaning of a chronology. Each meaning we construct makes us better able to give meaning to other sensations which can fit a similar pattern.

The crucial action of constructing meaning is mental: it happens in the mind. Physical actions, hands-on experience may be necessary for learning, especially for children, but it is not sufficient; we need to provide activities which engage the mind as well as the hands.

Learning involves language: the language we use influences learning. On the empirical level. researchers have noted that people talk to themselves as they learn.

Learning is a social activity: our learning is intimately associated with our connection with other human beings, our teachers, our peers, our family as well as casual acquaintances, including the people before us or next to us at the exhibit. We are more likely to be successful in our efforts to educate if we recognize this principle rather than try to avoid it.

Motivation is a key component in learning. Not only is it the case that motivation helps learning, it is essential for learning. This ideas of motivation as described here is broadly conceived to include an understanding of ways in which the knowledge can be used.

Constructivist Setting

This week in our lesson, my friends (because I was apsent) had focused on the view of constructivism about the environment and children. When I read their writings on the blogs and the unit related with this subject, I got ideas about the learning environment is to be from the view of constructivism. Now I want to add something new about this issue to my friends' writings.

The ages of children, the individual differences of children, the shape classroom are very important while prepering an environment for children in the perspective of constructivisim. when I read the books to learn constructivisim and its environment design, I learned that the "Constructive Learning Design" teachers should use a variety of revisions in the past seven years and now emphasizes these six important elements: Situation, Groupings, Bridge, Questions, Exhibit, and Reflections. These elements are designed to provoke teacher planning and reflection about the process of student learning. Teachers develop the situation for children to explain, select a process for groupings of materials and children, build a bridge between what children already know and what they want them to learn, anticipate questions to ask and answer without giving away an explanation, encourage children to exhibit a record of their thinking by sharing it with others, and solicit children's reflections about their learning. Teachers shoul have that determined by the district curriculum or the textbook they are using in their classroom and need to think more about accomplishing it than about writing it again.

In constructivisim, learning should be more: independent, individualized, interactiveinterdisciplinary, and intuitive. Construtivist Setting includes that:

an easy flow of traffic and movement throughout the classroom

providing much flexibility in the use of physical space,

providing flexibility in the use of furniture,

materials which are accessible to children to foster their self-direction and autonomy,

learning areas which provide reciprocity between each of them to foster children's ability to problem solve,

multiple usages of materials and objects encourage children to think different possibilities,

practical considerations.

Teachers should also consider the social context of the classroom to foster effective learning environment.

Lastly, I want to write about technology using and its benefits on children in constructivisim. Teacher should also use technology at their classrooms formed by the constructivist approach. Because we know that in technology rich classrooms there are many observable positive changes. For example, there is a shift from whole class to small group instruction, coaching occurs rather than lecture and recitation. Teachers can work with weaker students more often rather than focusing attention on brighter students as in traditional settings. Students are more actively engaged. Students become more cooperative and less competitive. Students learn different things instead of all students learning the same thing. Moreover, there is an integration of both visual and verbal thinking instead of the primacy of verbal thinking. These positive changes mentioned above are ver significant for children and also teachers. Therefore, Constructivist Setting is very useful and brings success to both children and teachers.