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Fostering creativity in science amongst lower secondary students in the normal technical stream through design & technology : a case study
Author
Muhammad Nazir Amir
Supervisor
Subramaniam, R. (Ramanathan)
Abstract
In the lifestyle of students today that revolves around working with electronic and mechanical inventions, a desirable outcome in 21st century science education is in producing students who can contribute to the economy by showcasing their creative abilities through knowledge from science. Fostering creativity in science can be perceived as the process of guiding students to come up with original and valuable ideas that draws knowledge from science in the course of solving problems. This study focuses on classroom teaching approaches to foster creativity in science amongst lower secondary students in the normal technical (NT) stream in Singapore. Despite them being less academically-inclined, NT students respond well to teaching approaches that appeal to them and through contexts are made relevant to their personal experiences. A suitable way for science teachers to present science content and foster creativity in science at the same time, amongst NT students is by getting them engaged in design-based science activities that appeal to them, such as designing and fabricating science-based toys. This approach taps upon the kinaesthetic learning styles of the students and appeal factor that are in the activities to generate their interest in learning science. Students can be guided to learn science content during the process of designing and making these toys, and opportunities may arise for teachers to guide them to make creative use of science principles to add value to the functionality and context of their toys. In school practices however, teachers who aim to foster creativity in science amongst their NT students through such design-based science activities in science lessons may be constrained by several factors such as assessment modes; little time to cover the bulk of the syllabus; difficulty in managing materials and resources; difficulty in managing a whole class of NT students in the laboratory; difficulty in gaining school support and having limited training in design.
A total of four lower secondary D&T projects were carried out in the main study with NT students. The choice of these projects were based on their appeal factors; how they embed physics content that is in the NT science syllabus; the complexity of designing and making them in a typical D&T workshop; the time taken to design and fabricate them; and whether they offer scope for students to come up with variations of designs in view of being able to showcase their creative abilities through knowledge from science. Each of these projects encompasses the various resistant materials that NT students are exposed to in lower secondary D&T lessons, namely wood, plastic and metal. These projects also offer opportunities for students to pick up sufficient design and fabrication skills that are within the lower secondary NT D&T syllabus. Two out of the four projects (the metal-based candy floss kit and the plastic-based Pythagoras demo kit) have not been previously reported as projects in NT D&T teaching practices.
Two instruments were developed and validated for use in the main study. The first was designed to capture the views of teachers on creativity in science exhibited by NT students through the lower secondary D&T projects. This instrument comprises of statements related to the creativity traits of fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. This instrument was validated by educators before it was used by two external D&T teachers to assess the NT students’ showcase of their creative abilities through knowledge from science in the four projects. The assessment was carried out independently. Results from the teachers’ assessment showed that both of them valued the NT students’ showcase of their creative abilities through knowledge from science in the D&T projects, with good percentage agreement between their scores. The second instrument was designed to capture the NT students’ views on the use of lower secondary D&T projects as vehicles for them to showcase their creative abilities through knowledge from science. This instrument, which was also validated, was administered to the NT students at the end of each project. Results show that NT students found that the four D&T projects were useful vehicles for them to showcase their creative abilities through knowledge from science.
Views from parents of NT students towards the teaching approach adopted in this study to foster creativity in science amongst their children were also captured during a parent-teacher-conference (PTC) session. Parents of NT students who were involved in the study, responded positively to the use of this approach as a way to foster their children’s’ creativity in science. Responses by the parents indicate that they believe the approach adopted in this study can make their children more motivated to learn and perform well in science examinations. Parents understand how their children often struggle at being able to grasp science concepts that are presented through didactical approaches and valued how the teaching approach adopted in this study has provided a way for their children to understand science content. Parents want their children to continue to be engaged through this approach as they believe that this is a way for their children to develop positive attitude towards studying science.
The use of a case study through the context of classroom action research in this study highlights how research-based practices in the classroom can contribute to the development of new teaching approaches in lower secondary NT D&T practices in view of fostering creativity in science amongst NT students. Such an approach can transform the perceived image of lower secondary D&T practices from one that provides NT students with opportunities on merely gaining graphic and technical skills, and coming up with variations on aesthetic designs to one that can develop them to become creative thinkers in science. Also, the positive performance of NT students through lower secondary D&T projects, as shown through this study may contribute to a positive change in the way society views them - from students that are looked upon as unmotivated in school to ones that have the potential to be developed as future inventors. Such a change can have positive implications amongst teachers and parents of NT students.
A total of four lower secondary D&T projects were carried out in the main study with NT students. The choice of these projects were based on their appeal factors; how they embed physics content that is in the NT science syllabus; the complexity of designing and making them in a typical D&T workshop; the time taken to design and fabricate them; and whether they offer scope for students to come up with variations of designs in view of being able to showcase their creative abilities through knowledge from science. Each of these projects encompasses the various resistant materials that NT students are exposed to in lower secondary D&T lessons, namely wood, plastic and metal. These projects also offer opportunities for students to pick up sufficient design and fabrication skills that are within the lower secondary NT D&T syllabus. Two out of the four projects (the metal-based candy floss kit and the plastic-based Pythagoras demo kit) have not been previously reported as projects in NT D&T teaching practices.
Two instruments were developed and validated for use in the main study. The first was designed to capture the views of teachers on creativity in science exhibited by NT students through the lower secondary D&T projects. This instrument comprises of statements related to the creativity traits of fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. This instrument was validated by educators before it was used by two external D&T teachers to assess the NT students’ showcase of their creative abilities through knowledge from science in the four projects. The assessment was carried out independently. Results from the teachers’ assessment showed that both of them valued the NT students’ showcase of their creative abilities through knowledge from science in the D&T projects, with good percentage agreement between their scores. The second instrument was designed to capture the NT students’ views on the use of lower secondary D&T projects as vehicles for them to showcase their creative abilities through knowledge from science. This instrument, which was also validated, was administered to the NT students at the end of each project. Results show that NT students found that the four D&T projects were useful vehicles for them to showcase their creative abilities through knowledge from science.
Views from parents of NT students towards the teaching approach adopted in this study to foster creativity in science amongst their children were also captured during a parent-teacher-conference (PTC) session. Parents of NT students who were involved in the study, responded positively to the use of this approach as a way to foster their children’s’ creativity in science. Responses by the parents indicate that they believe the approach adopted in this study can make their children more motivated to learn and perform well in science examinations. Parents understand how their children often struggle at being able to grasp science concepts that are presented through didactical approaches and valued how the teaching approach adopted in this study has provided a way for their children to understand science content. Parents want their children to continue to be engaged through this approach as they believe that this is a way for their children to develop positive attitude towards studying science.
The use of a case study through the context of classroom action research in this study highlights how research-based practices in the classroom can contribute to the development of new teaching approaches in lower secondary NT D&T practices in view of fostering creativity in science amongst NT students. Such an approach can transform the perceived image of lower secondary D&T practices from one that provides NT students with opportunities on merely gaining graphic and technical skills, and coming up with variations on aesthetic designs to one that can develop them to become creative thinkers in science. Also, the positive performance of NT students through lower secondary D&T projects, as shown through this study may contribute to a positive change in the way society views them - from students that are looked upon as unmotivated in school to ones that have the potential to be developed as future inventors. Such a change can have positive implications amongst teachers and parents of NT students.
Date Issued
2013
Call Number
Q183.4.S55 Muh
Date Submitted
2013