Extending and developing the teaching and learning dialogue

Extending and developing the teaching and learning dialogue

At the heart of most, if not all, learning situations is the interaction which takes place between the pupil, the subject matter being studied and the ‘teacher’. Science education has been strongly influenced by constructivist approaches to teaching and learning, in which learners are considered to

be actively involved in the construction of meaning and understanding of concepts for themselves (see for example Osborne 1996). There has been increased emphasis on the role of the teacher in helping children con- struct meanings based on their existing ideas and experiences and on the process of scaffolding in creating opportunities for children to engage with new ideas (Morroco and Zorfuss 1996; Bell 1999). We, like others in this volume and elsewhere (Murphy 2003; Harlen 2005), would argue that these principles are central to good teaching in any situation, but that by using ICT we can endeavour to make science accessible to all students in a manner which, at least in part, overcomes the barriers to learning that they experience.

Many of the ideas outlined in the previous section would, if used slightly differently, be effective in extending the dialogue that is such an integral element of teaching and learning. The interaction that can be developed using an interactive whiteboard can involve pupils in, amongst other things, indicating their ideas, showing examples of their work, watching change sequences and predicting what comes next (see Chapter 7). All these and many other ideas also enable formative assess- ment to take place naturally as part of the learning process.

In describing the development of science materials to support pupils with special educational needs, Bancroft (2002) highlights the importance

MAKING SCIENCE INCLUSIVE

of developing a multi-sensory approach, using flexible materials which are relevant and age-appropriate to the children involved. While there is much that can be, and should be, done without its use, ICT allows pupils and their teachers to:

• extend the range of their senses so that it is possible to see and hear things that otherwise would be impossible, for example, ‘watch’ things grow over long time scales, ‘slow’ things down so they can be recorded, experience things that are very small and very large, and ‘visit’ places that we cannot otherwise get to;

• capture and monitor changes using sensors, computers and cameras whilst gathering data from experiments; • access other materials in much the same way that we would with other children.

One of the big differences, however, is the fact that, having captured the information, data and other forms of evidence, it is possible to review them as often as required, enabling students to recall earlier events with- out having to rely entirely on memory. Effective use of ICT (for example, by rearranging objects on screen, putting symbols in order or ordering pictures to ‘tell a story’) also helps in the sequencing of events, which many children with learning difficulties find hard to do.

The ability to revisit activities and lesson materials electronically also makes it easier to adapt to meet the needs of a particular group of students by producing differentiated materials. Clarity of written instructions and use of appropriate diagrams can be reconsidered after initially trialling the materials with one group, without having to start all over again. This is a particularly useful facility when working with more able students who require additional stimuli or more challenging questions.

Vignette 3: Extending the teaching and learning dialogue The use of ‘special effects’ simulations provides opportunities to help pupils get