Science Education

Generally the main focus of science education is teaching the content ASK, i.e. attitudes, skills and knowledge.

Besides, science education inculcates the knowledge seeking information skills so that new discovery of knowledge with more evidence can occur and replace the existence knowledge which is less convictable.

The National Philosophy of Science Education states that,

 ‘In consonance with the National Education Philosophy, science education in Malaysia nurtures a science and technology culture by focusing on the development of individuals who are competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient and able to master scientific knowledge and technological competency’.

With this philosophy, science education, therefore, is aimed at developing the potentials of individuals in an overall and integrated manner so as to produce Malaysian citizens who are scientifically and technologically literate, competent in scientific skills, practice good moral values, capable of coping with the changes of scientific and technological advances and be able to manage nature with wisdom and responsibility for the betterment of mankind.

Importance of Science

1)    We live in a scientific and technological age and no citizen can function effectively in a developed society without a basic scientific literacy and certain elementary skills. Every citizen needs to live a healthy life with proper sanitation and clean surroundings.

E.g. the knowledge and skills required by modern householder in dealing with electrical, plumbing, and human first-aid may be cited as some justification for teaching science to all children in school.

2)    We depend upon scientific knowledge and understanding for economic and material advancement. Science has provided so many aids for ‘the good life’ from bicycle to jet aircraft, antibiotics to heart surgery, radar to colour television, and fertilizers to plant growth hormones.

Although we are beginning to realize many follies in the large-scale application of science and technology in terms of a net environmental damage, the fact is that we will need science and technology in a better way which would not affect the environment adversely) and to enable more people to live on this planet in conditions which do greater justice to the dignity of man.

3)    Science, if studied properly, develops power of thinking, reasoning, curiosity, open mindedness, and ultimately develops scientific attitude or scientific temper. Thus science could be aimed as an instrumental for social change towards a better society.

ScIEnCe = ASK

Science = Attitudes + Skills + Knowledge (ASK)

Knowledge @ Product

(Cognitive Domain)

 

      Science

       Attitudes (Affective Domain)                   Skills @ Process

                                                                  

Science as a body of knowledge (Product)

The body of knowledge produced from scientific disciplines represents the creative products of human invention that have occurred over centuries. The enormous collection of ideas pertaining to the natural and physical world is organized into astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, and physics and so on. The facts, concepts, principles, laws, hypotheses, theories, and models from the content of science. 

Science Is a Process (Skills)

Science Process Skills	Manipulative skills
Observing	Using and handling science apparatus
Classifying	Maintaining science apparatus correctly and safety
Measuring and using numbers	Cleaning science apparatus correctly
Making inferences	Handling specimen correctly and carefully
Predicting	Sketch specimen  and science apparatus
communicating

Sciences involves attitudes

As students learn in science, they should be encouraged to develop the attitudes on which scientific investigation depends. These attitudes include curiosity, honesty in the recording and validation of data, flexibility, persistence, critical-mindedness, open-mindedness, willingness to suspend judgment, willingness to tolerate uncertainty, and an acceptance of the provisional nature of scientific explanation.