Acknowledgements Introduction 1. The Purpose of Practical Work 2. Current Perspectives on the Nature and Purpose of Practical Work in the Affective Domain 3. Key Issues for Practical Work 4. What Pupils Learn About Objects, Materials and Ideas 5. Strategies for Getting Pupils to Think about the Objects, Materials and Ideas 6. Conclusion References Index
A comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of teaching minds-on practical work in secondary science.
Ian Abrahams is Associate Professor of Science Education at the University of Leeds, UK.
'This rigorous yet readable book should be read by every teacher of
secondary science. Ian Abrahams provides a compelling analysis of
how practical work should be at the heart of school science but too
often fails to reach its potential. I wish I had read this book
while I was still teaching in schools.' Michael Reiss, Professor of
Science Education, Institute of Education, University of London,
UK
‘Ian Abrahams integrates our knowledge regarding teaching, learning
and researching in the school science laboratory. This book will be
relevant to science teachers who seek ways to improve their
practice in the laboratory, as well as professional development
providers and science educators teaching graduate courses in
colleges and universities.' Avi Hofstein, Head of the Chemistry
Group, Department of Science Teaching, The Weizmann Institute of
Science, Israel
'The book is very readable and presents the findings of his thesis
and later research in a way that is engaging and interesting. The
book is separated into chapters that, if required, can be read as
stand-alone pieces of work, but they follow on from one another in
a logical manner, drawing the reader through to the key chapter on
‘strategies to get pupils to think'. The chapter ‘current
perspectives on practical work' will strike a chord with most
practising teachers and trainee teachers. The conversations between
the researcher and the pupils support the research results shown in
the tables of data, most notably that practical work is deemed to
be an opportunity to do something that is not writing. The chapter
on ‘key issues' looks at the many pitfalls involved in getting
pupils to carry out practical work, from reading worksheets and
being sufficiently skilled in setting up the apparatus, to
collecting data from the equipment and this also highlights the
importance of the teacher knowing the difficulties and passing this
information onto the pupils. This type of information is something
that all trainee teachers have to consider and I am sure that they
will find this a valuable resource. The chapter on ‘what pupils
learn' draws upon research to show that most pupils remember the
unusual events and very little about the science behind them. He
stresses the importance of making a bridge between practical work
and the theory behind it particularly in the context of the
practical lesson. It offers sound advice that is supported by
research. This is a good read and a book that has some good advice
to offer not only to trainee teachers but also more experienced
teachers who wish to develop their practical work further.' Janet
Gibbs, Lecturer in Science Education, University of Hull, UK
Ian Abrahams has written a book about how teachers and pupils
perceive science 'practicals' that should be required reading for
all science teachers.
*Education in Chemistry*
Abrahams makes a valid and powerful case that practical work cannot
simply be assumed to be beneficial to students' learning. He
highlights that teachers must spend time scaffolding students'
attention from real objects and observations in the laboratory to
abstract concepts. The assumption that fun and impressive
practicals necessarily and automatically lead to effective learning
is simplistic but prevalent. The data in this book must cause
teachers to reflect and re-evaluate how they use practicals. For
that reason this is a valuable and insightful text that will help
teachers to make their practical work more effective in changing
students' conceptual understanding.
*Teaching Development*
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