Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Teaching of General Science

Teaching of General Science

Introduction:

Science has become an essential and integral part of our life. Without the knowledge of basic principles , concepts , theories and laws of science one cannot understand and explain a number of daily-life processes and many phenomena which one observes and experience in one’s life . Hence a basic knowledge about the fundamentals of science has become a necessity of everyone. Furthermore, science is not only a knowledge rather it is a attitude towards nature I a way of thinking as well as a way of life .

Keeping this in view, science has been given the status of a compulsory subject in any education system in the form of “general science”. So it is being taught even to the students of arts, literature and social sciences. It is due to this large scale demand of science teaching that we need a large number of science teachers. These science teachers must be equipped with an in-depth knowledge with full understanding and well-developed skills to communicate (teach) the concepts, principles, theories and laws of science at elementary and secondary level. They must have competence and command over the content of science from class I-X as well as over the latest available methods, techniques and approaches towards science teaching. They must keep in mind the objectives of science teaching and its need and importance in the advancement and progress of the society and civilization. These courses on the “teaching of general science” have been designed to meet all these requirements. Course -1 deals with the content of general science from classes I-X and course-II discusses on the methods & techniques of teaching science. Course-III deals with the practical work & developing teaching materials in science.



Course –I: Contents of General Science up to Secondary and O’ Levels

Course Code: BED-516.

Objectives:-

The general objectives of this course are to enable the student teachers to:

  • Understand and apply the concepts of science in daily life .

  • Develop scientific thinking and scientific attitude among their students

  • Plan, organize and teach a lesson on a given topic of science in the light of theory and research in science education

  • Understand recent trends and issues in methods and techniques of teaching science at elementary and secondary level

  • Comprehend and teach theories , Laws and principles of science effectively upto secondary level

Course Outline

Unit-1. Introduction to Science:

  • Nature, scope and importance of science education

Part-I

Unit-2. History of Science

        • What is science?

        • Islam and science

        • Scientific method

        • Branches of science

        • Evolution of modern sciences

Unit:3. Science and Society

        • Facilities: agriculture, medicine, pharmacy, engineering etc.

Unit:4. Cell as Unit of life

      • Start of life

      • Chemical composition

      • Chromosomes and genes

Unit-5. Microscopic Organisms

      • Bacteria

      • Viruses

      • Growth of human body

      • Role of nutrition

      • Components of nutrition

      • Role of hormones in body

Unit-6. Essential Elements of Life

Needs, importance and role of following elements in plants & animals:

Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Calcium, Phosphorous, Potassium, Sulpher, Chlorine, Sodium, Magnesium, Iron etc.

Unit-7. Structure of Atom and Radioactivity

  • Atom

  • Fission and fusion

  • Pakistani nuclear program

  • Peaceful use of atomic energy

Unit-8. Modern Technology

Engine, Radio, Computer, Laser, Tape Recorder, Radar, Telephone, Television, Astronomy, Pakistan’s Space Program

Unit-9. Energy

  • Types of energy

  • Energy sources

  • Measurement of energy and its units

  • Use of energy in Pakistan

  • Conservation of energy

Unit-10. Environmental and Natural Resources

    • Minerals

    • Agricultural recourses

    • Marine Resources

    • Pollution and its types

    • Population explosion

    • Ecological balance

    • Forests

    • Water logging and salinity

    • Urbanization

Unit-11. Science and Technology

  • Science and technology in Pakistan

  • Futurism

Part II

Review of Content of Class 1 – 5

Review of Content of Class 6—8

Review of Content of Class 9th and 10 th



Recommended Books

Feden , P.D. and Vogal , R.M.(2003). Methods of teaching: Applying cognitive science to promote students learning . Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Hoong , T. L. Leng , H. P. (2003) . Lower Secondary Science 2 Singapore :SNP Panpac

Hoong , T. L. Leng,H. P. (2003). Lower Secondary Science I Singapore : SNP Panpac

Qureshi, N. A. et al (2002). Science 3. Lahore: Punjab Text Book Board .

Qureshi, A. M. et al (2003). General Science. Lahore: Punjab Text Book Board.

Saleemi, F. ( 2003 a). Science 2. Lahore: Punjab Text Book Board.

Saleemi, F. ( 2003 b). Science 7. Lahore: Punjab Text Book Board.

Saleemi, F.et al (2002 a). Science 6. Lahore: Punjab Text Book Board.

Saleemi, F. et al (2002 b). Science 1. Lahore: Punjab Text Book Board.

Saleemi, F. (2004). Science 3. Lahore: Punjab Text Book Board.


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