Developing SLH endeavors: integrating forecast possibilities
In a captivating scientific inquiry activity, students were immersed in the world of colours and flavours, thanks to the addition of a prediction column. This innovative approach, introduced by teachers Mary and Cilla during a research project, significantly enhanced student engagement and understanding.
The prediction column encouraged students to anticipate outcomes before conducting experiments, thereby deepening their cognitive engagement and critical thinking. It supported the development of scientific inquiry skills as students compared their predictions to actual results, fostering reflection on the reasoning behind their hypotheses.
This active learning environment promoted an atmosphere where students were not passive recipients of information but were actively involved in the scientific method steps of prediction, observation, and analysis. The more interactive and immersive nature of the activity, as evidenced by research[4], improved student motivation and retention of scientific concepts.
The 'predict, observe, explain' strategy, developed by White and Gunstone in 1992, was instrumental in this engaging approach. Students tasted different coloured drinks and used 'thumbs up' to indicate if the drink was raspberry flavoured or not. Following the prediction, students taste-tested and then recorded the flavour.
The research, conducted over one term, focused on how teachers used and adapted Science Learning Hub resources. The original activity asked students to name the drink colour, taste the drink, and then record the taste in a results table. However, Mary and Cilla asked students to independently write their predictions of what they thought the flavour of the drink would be before tasting.
The findings were compelling. Students were highly engaged throughout the taste testing activity, and many concluded that the colours had influenced what they thought the flavours were. For instance, Tom (8 years) said that the drinks helped them prove that colour doesn't matter to flavour, but the colour helps prepare them for the taste.
Moreover, interviews confirmed that students understood that the colour influences their taste expectations. Nancy (8 years) wrote in her conclusion that she believes scientists are right that when you see a colour, you think of a flavour.
Mary's adaptive expertise was evident when she responded in the moment to what she noticed about students' understandings by improvising extra taste-testing activities. At the conclusion of their taste testing, students reviewed their findings through a whole-class discussion.
However, some students were not entirely convinced that the samples they tasted were the same, despite all drinks being the same flavour - raspberry. This suggests that while the prediction column was effective in enhancing engagement and understanding, further exploration could be needed to address any misconceptions.
In conclusion, the addition of a prediction column to the SLH colour-flavour student worksheet helped students undertake scientific inquiry in a more investigative manner. This approach aligns with evidence that engaging students in prediction tasks within experiments leads to improved conceptual learning and scientific thinking.
The introduction of a prediction column in the science activity not only supported students' critical thinking by enabling them to anticipate outcomes, but also fostered their learning and self-development, as they derived insights about the relationship between colors, flavors, and expectations. Moreover, in the realm of health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise, this approach could be extended to encourage students to formulate and test hypotheses regarding factors that influence their personal health and well-being. Lastly, this enhanced learning experience offers opportunities for education-and-self-development, as it equips students with essential skills of prediction, observation, and analysis that can be applied across various domains.
