"Every brilliant experiment, like every great work of art, starts with an act of imagination."- Jonah Lehrer
All science teachers were invited to a science workshop on the topic "Competency building approach in Science and Importance of experiential learning in the Science Curriculum" on 24th May, 2024. The day's resource person was Ms Surbhi Sinha, TGT Coordinator and Head of the Science Department of Sr Sri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir School, Bengaluru East.
After invoking God's blessings, to get teachers interested in the workshop and help them remember the new material for later, the programme started with a warm-up exercise. By emphasising the development and presentation of particular skills and knowledge that are necessary for students to succeed in both their personal and professional lives, competency-based education (CBE) meets a number of needs in contemporary education. Using a PowerPoint presentation, the session educated teachers on the CBE approach in science. Ms. Surbhi also highlighted the value of experiential learning by showing a variety of video clips that matched the requirements for a deeper comprehension. She offered various approaches to reduce the learning gap that exists between students. Because students are more familiar with and habituated to digital and visual learning methods than rote learning, she focused on the importance of experiential learning activities in science education.
"A key factor in assessing the efficacy of learning is the learners' interests." Thus, teachers must use a psychological strategy to inspire students and identify their areas of interest. When rewards are prioritised over punishments, the learner responds more favourably. During the class, the "Sandwich Method"-a layer of praise, a layer of criticism, and a final layer of praise-was taught. This approach has been a mainstay for investigating creative substitutes for student input that generate chances for significant advancements and development.
The use of "artificial intelligence" in science curricula offers the newest cutting-edge technologies and enhances student interest in the material. Using a few AI technologies that she revealed, the guest speaker encouraged teachers to use them in the classroom. Ms. Surbhi also offered advice on how to deliver science lesson plans so as to link experiential learning to real-world events. This contained recommendations for developing learning outcomes along with various experiment and activity examples that may be completed for higher grades. She discussed the value of adhering to NCF in classroom instruction as well as how to use Kolb's learning style to achieve effective learning. She gave an explanation of the many assessment approaches that should be used when instructing science classes.
A vote of appreciation and a warm-up activity brought the session to a close. Through practical learning activities, the programme not only encouraged instructors' creativity but also imparted knowledge and skills that are highly transferable outside of the classroom, providing students with an incredibly engaging experience. The teachers' curiosity was piqued during the session, which also covered how to use the workshop-learned approaches to teach pupils.