Special education students and scientific inquiry in science classrooms

Special Education in the Science Classroom

The objective of this work is to review the initial negative results of science education since inclusion of special education students in the classroom and what lessons have been learned and can be applied to management of similar situations in the future.

There is general acknowledgement among educators that teaching science is more than simply teaching facts for students to learn and recall through memorization of those facts. Indeed, teaching science is really about teaching students to thinking critically, to ask questions, and to build upon knowledge through inquiry. 'Scientific Inquiry' is defined as: "The areas of scientific knowledge are taught in tandem with the skills of scientific enquiry." (Primary Science, 2003) Additionally stated is that: "Research suggests that scientific inquiry should build on children's existing knowledge, interests and ideas; link to everyday context; and encourage discussion." (Primary Science, 2003)

I. COMPLEX PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED

The work of Charles J. Eick (2000) states that the goal "of scientific literacy...includes more than just understanding the concepts of science. Scientific literacy also involves the knowledge of the processes that create the concepts and the organizing framework that is science." According to the work of Schwartz, Lederman and Crawford (2000):"True scientific inquiry in the strictest sense, provides the context for deepening student understanding of the process of how science is conducted." (p. 7)

II. TOOLS & METHODS to ASSIST SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

The work of Brian S. Friedlander entitled: "Changing the Face of Science Education in the Classroom with Technology" published in September/October 2004 in the Inclusion Times: Technology for Children & Youth with Disabilities" states that "Many students often feel that Science is nothing more than memorizing a bunch of facts. But nothing could be further from the truth. Science should engage our students in questioning, observing and analyzing." (2004, p.3) Friedlander reports the exploration of "a number of science tools that hold much promise...tools that help students visualize data that were once difficult to conceptualize." (2004, p.3) Friedlander states that the tools are effective in engaging students in formation of hypotheses, collection of data, and analysis of the results. Friedlander states that in order the change the student's experience in the science classroom, it is necessary to "give them hands on opportunities..." (2004, p.3) the hands-on experience is also related as being important in the science class in the work entitled: "The National Curriculum" which states that science through inquiry: "...stimulates and excites pupils' curiosity about phenomena and events in the world around them" (the National Curriculum, 2006) and that science also "satisfies this curiosity with knowledge." (the National Curriculum, 2006) Scientific inquiry teaches students investigate skills in the areas of: (1) Planning; (2) Obtaining and Presenting Evidence; (3) Exploration; and (4) Consideration of evidence and making evaluations. In the area of planning students ask questions and then make decisions how to search out the answers to those questions. Students use first-hand experience and simple information sources for locating answers to these questions and as well enter a thought process about the results of decisions and learn to make comparisons. In obtaining and presenting evidence the students learn to follow instructions in the lab in order to avoid risks to themselves and others and make exploration through use of the senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste as appropriate while making observations and recording those observations and measurements. Finally, students communicate their observations and findings through use of speech and writing, drawing, tables, graphs and pictures. In the application of consideration of the evidence and making evaluations, comparisons are made by students and patterns and associations are identified. Also, students make a review of their own work and go on to explain their work to other students.

V. The SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY MODEL is related by EDQUEST which contains specific steps including: (1) Problem statement (initial inquiry); (2) Hypothesis (Predicting); (3) Experimental Design (Materials and Procedure); (4) Data Collection (Observations/Measurements); (5) Analysis/Interpretation of the Data (Inferring); (6) Drawing Conclusions (Answering the question/problem); and (7) Extension (further inquiry). (EDQUEST, 2007) the illustration of this model is shown in Figure 2.

The Scientific Inquiry Model

Source: EDQUEST (2007)

EDQUEST (2007) states that Science Process Skills include the following with the accompanying descriptions: (1) Observing: Using all the senses; (2) Classifying: Grouping related objects and ideas; (3) Quantifying: Using numbers & measurements related to length, width, volume and ratios; (4) Communicating: Describing verbally or non-verbally, tabulating, graphing; (5) Interpreting Data: Explanation of an observation; (6) Hypothesis: A hypothesis is a possible tentative explanation for a phenomenon (7) Predicting - Based on observations, measurements, and relationships between observed variables; (8) Defining Terms: All our interactions are vitally dependent on the precise use of terms; (9) Defining and Using Variables: Identify and distinguish when using variables in an investigation which are controlled (held constant) and which are manipulated.

SUMMARY and CONCLUSION

Science, whether taught to general classrooms or special education classrooms has a unique capacity, when taught through the method of inquiry to advance the knowledge and cognition of the student with each level of learning building upon the previous level as illustrated in Bloom's Taxonomy. As the student becomes adept at each level of learning and advances to the next level, the student's knowledge increases, but as well the student's capacity for learning grows as well. Bloom's Taxonomy sets out a specific guide that may be effectively used by the science teacher in the special education classroom or in the general classroom that is characterized by inclusion.