Why are we so concerned about the issue that the VI are exempted from practical science and hardly have the opportunities to carry out science activities/practicals? After all, this problem had probably gone unnoticed for years and not many measures have been put in to allievate the situation.
This is why!
VINES strongly believe that practical science plays a vital role in the mastering of concepts and subsequently the ability to utilise and apply science knowledge meaningfully. As defined by Carin and Sund, science is a “system of knowing about the universe through data collected by observation and controlled experimentation”. It permeates our lives and informs our actions. Unlike most of us, the VI do not get first hand knowledge--they are unable to make observations and of course, relevant inferences from there.
Scientific skills are built up with practice over time and the lack of exposure to practicals in science lessons is a critical obstacle. An interview and survey we conducted with VI pupils has shown that they are unconfident of their scientific skills, and this is largely attributed to the lack of ample opportunities to carry out science practicals. If VI pupils do not acquire observational skills, they “will only possess superficial knowledge”; with reference from 'Learning to teach science in the secondary school, edited by Jenny Frost, Tony Turner'.
Furthermore, research also shows that exposure to nature develops skills like awareness, reasoning, observation and concentration, thus improving one’s cognitive ability. Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner says that outdoor education fosters "connected knowing," where education is part of, rather than separate, from life (1) and this is in contrast to scholastic knowledge, which is “bound to school settings”.
How would VINES help?
VINES has identified solutions to help the VI practice their scientific skills, through modifying experiments such that minimal danger is involved. These experiments which are designed in relation to nature will be facilitated by us, in the school campus of the VI and Wallace Environmental Learning Lab (WELL).
References
(1) The Importance of Children's Interaction with Nature. Retrieved July 5, 2009 http://www.whitehut chinson.com/ children/ articles/ nature.shtml
Importance of Science
Macro-concept: Models
