Content-Transfer-Encoding: |
quoted-printable |
Sender: |
|
Subject: |
|
From: |
|
Date: |
Sun, 2 Nov 2008 08:11:10 EST |
Content-Type: |
text/plain; charset="UTF-8" |
MIME-Version: |
1.0 |
Reply-To: |
|
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
You ask for one "clear, concise article" that makes the case for children
doing meaningful science. At risk of seeming immodest, I offer one of my own. In
1987 I gave a talk at an American Association of Physics Teachers conference
titled "Preschool Science and Science Centers." It was based on my experience
as a physics teacher and developer of the preschool science exhibition at the
Museum of Science and Industry, and it addressed three questions: 1) what is
science for preschoolers, 2) is science appropriate for that age group, and 3)
how can it be taught — particularly through a museum. The talk was written up
and is available on my website: www.scienceservs.com. The underlying premise
was that the process young children use naturally to understand their
environment is, in broad strokes, the same process that scientists use in its most
rigorous form—a continuous cycling between experience in the real world and
generalizations formed about that experience in the mind. i Recognizing this allows
you to see that teaching science to children means encouraging and enhancing
the process they are already naturally involved in. (This is very different from
transmitting information or correcting "misconceptions.") From this point of
view, anything you do that keeps their curiosity alive, expands their
experience, or develops their process skills can be considered doing "meaningful
science."
Ted Ansbacher
Science Services
29 Byron Ave, White Plains, NY 10606
Tel: 914-328-5407 • Fax: 914-328-5407
[log in to unmask] • www.scienceservs.com
**************
Plan your next getaway with AOL Travel. Check out Today's Hot
5 Travel Deals!
(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212416248x1200771803/aol?redir=http://travel.aol.com/discount-travel?ncid=emlcntustrav00000001)
***********************************************************************
For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.
The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
|
|
|