Science as a Process: Scientific Method

Science as a Process: Scientific Method

Science is a method of inquiry and a way of investigation. The study of science is only possible by adopting the scientific method. Scientific method emphasizes the systematic and careful study. Scientific information can be collected through observation, experimentation, and testing using the scientific method.

Definition: "Scientific method consists of systematic observation, classification, and interpretation of data." Lundberg

"The scientific method is marked by the following features:
1. Careful and accurate classification of facts.
2. Observation of their correlation and sequence.
3. Discovery of scientific laws with the aid of creative imagination, their self-criticism, and
refinement. The final touchstone of equal validity is for all normally constituted minds." Karl Pearson

Characteristics of the scientific method:
  • Objectivity: The scientific method is objective and free from biases and prejudices.
  • Definiteness: Scientific method is definite in its process and product. The results obtained through this method are reliable and valid.
  • Verifiability: Scientific method lays emphasis on the proper verification of facts. The results are not accepted unless they are verified through proper experimentation.
  •  Generality: The results or conclusions derived from the scientific method show the feature of generality. The result established through scientific method are universal having generalized application in similar other situations.
  • Predictability: The results obtained through the scientific method have the ability of predicting the future outcomes of events.
  • Modifiability and Dynamicity: The results are never final and static. They are open to further verification, and experimentation. What is true today maybe proved wrong tomorrow. So modifications can happen in the established results or conclusions.
Steps in the scientific method: According to Karl Pearson, the scientific method involves the following six steps.

1. Identification of the problem: The first step is concerned with the felt need in the mind of the learner. The teacher provides situations so that the students can feel the problem. From the situation, students become fully conscious and aware of the problem and feel a desire to find the solution through their own efforts. The problem felt should fit into the curriculum and should appeal to the majority of the students in the class.

2. Understanding the problem: The problem should be analysed thoroughly by the students. The students now define the problem in concise, definite, and clear language. The teacher should help the student in defining and stating the problem. The scope and limitations of the problem should be made clear for devising the ways and means of solving the problem.

3. Collecting relevant information or data: After analyzing and understanding the problem, relevant
information, evidence, and data are collected by the students. Collection of data helps in providing a base for thinking about the possible solutions to the problem. Data may be collected from sources like libraries, field visits, consultation with experts, doing experiments, etc. The students should be given practice in  locating information. The collected data has to be properly organized or interpreted by similarities and differences.

4. Statement of hypothesis: After the data is organized, students must form a hypothesis. On the basis of previous knowledge and collected information or data related to the problem, all the possible tentative solutions or hypotheses are listed out. From the list of hypotheses, the most appropriate and relevant ones are selected to be tested.

5. Evaluation or testing of hypotheses: The selected hypotheses are re-evaluated in this step. Hypotheses are tested or verified by taking the help of techniques like observation, experimentation, or field visits. Finally, one of the hypotheses is accepted as a final conclusion or solution to the given problem. 

6. Generalization of the conclusion: The conclusion is subjected to further verification and testing.
Verification is done by conducting a set of experiments that also demonstrate the same conclusion already been reached. The steps of the scientific method end with the application of the generalization to new life situations.

Science as both a Process and a Product:
Science is both a body of knowledge and the process of acquiring it. Science is both a verb and a noun. Observing, classifying, collecting data, inferring, predicting, experimenting etc. are processes employed in the pursuit of Science. As a result of these processes we get data, facts, concepts, generalizations, principles, etc. The older view of science was concerned with what scientists knew.

 Now this has been supplemented with what scientists do. These two aspects are interdependent and inseparable. These two aspects of Science are often described as "Subject and method", "content and activity", "knowledge and behaviour", "product and process", etc.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Curriculum: Meaning and Principles

                                                                            Curriculum Meaning:   The word "curriculum" is derived from the Latin term "currere," meaning "race   course," signifying a path or course to be followed in order to reach a specific goal. In education, the curriculum encompasses far more than just the subjects of study—it is the sum of all experiences a student undergoes throughout their schooling. This includes classroom learning, laboratory exper iences , workshops, playground activities, club involvement, co-curricular pursuits, and informal interactions between teachers and students. Essentially, the entire school environment forms the curriculum, contributing significantly to the holistic development of a child’s personality and preparing them for a meaningful...
Read more

Types of Curriculum

  Types of Curriculum 1. Learner-Centered Curriculum The National Policy on Education (NPE) 1986 and its revised NPE, 1992 emphasized the importance of child-centered or learner-centered education. Modern education follows a child-centric approach, where the learner is at the core of all educational activities. This curriculum is designed around the physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of the child. Educational philosophers such as Montessori, Rousseau, Pestalozzi, John Dewey, Froebel, Mahatma Gandhi, and Tagore were key advocates of learner-centered education. Features/Characteristics: 1.  The primary aim is the holistic development of the child's personality. 2.  It emphasizes the child's experiences—nothing is forced upon the learner without ensuring their understanding. Learning is tailored to the child’s preferences and comprehension. 3.  The curriculum is life-related, meaning it focuses on subjects and activities that are relevant to the child's life ...
Read more

Mastery Learning

  Mastery Learning Mastery learning  is an instructional approach designed to ensure that all students achieve a level of mastery in the subjects being taught. It originated with educational theorists such as Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi  and John Amos Comenius , but the modern concept was popularized by Dr. Benjamin S. Bloom  in 1968. Bloom emphasized the combination of teacher tutoring  and individualized instruction , ensuring that students can master learning objectives at their own pace with proper feedback and remediation. In a mastery learning framework, the belief is that with enough time and the right instructional support, every student can achieve mastery over a subject. Instead of moving on when only some students have grasped the content, mastery learning provides time for re-teaching, feedback, and corrective activities, ensuring all students meet the required level of understanding. Procedure or Steps in Mastery Learning: 1.  Stating Behavioral...
Read more