Science is an organised method of investigating the material world through experimentation, observation, and verification. Science considers all phenomena to be natural rather than supernatural, and humans have the ability to uncover the rules that operate these phenomena.
Over the last 200 years, science has formed the foundation of all human advances. Whether it’s landing on the moon, the creation of new technologies such as the internet, and mobile phones, or improving life quality: science is at the heart of it all.
Scientific scholars make knowledgeable statements on various theories by drawing their rich command of processes, concepts, and principles. Therefore a new intellectual temperament is encouraged which is known as scientific temperament. Scientific temper is about applying similar methods of rational inquiry and questioning in everyday life.
Importance of developing a scientific temperament in students:
- To remain relevant in the industry and compete in a highly competitive job market, a logical approach is important.
- It boosts the student’s understanding of the concepts.
- It encourages the logical application of concepts in the real world.
A child’s scientific temper is directly related to the company he/she keeps and also the environment they or lives in.
While CBSE has mandated the provisioning of labs on school campuses, as the top CBSE school in Warangal, DPS Warangal has always ensured students have access to high-quality science laboratories equipped with the essential and relevant tools for experimentation. Teachers here ensure that our students gain first-hand learning experience by involving in the lab activities. Through consistent effort and support, our students will be future doctors, engineers, and scientists.
Here are a few tips that help in cultivating a scientific temperament in students:
1. Encourage Scientific Curiosity among students –
Every school should ensure that curiosity is developed and encouraged. Curiosity is the mother of all inventions. Curiosity has been the driving force behind some of the greatest inventions and discoveries. Curiosity to find out the reason behind the falling of an apple was the reason why Sir Isaac Newton invented the Laws of Motion. The first and foremost step towards building a student’s scientific temperament is to encourage them to ask more questions and feed their natural curiosity. This will also promote their interest in the subject. Also, every school should ensure there are practical sessions and presentations in the class so that the students get more engaged in the learning process. Encourage them to use their reasoning skills instead of searching for answers on the internet. Also, appreciate them whenever they create any diagram or model.
2. Improve critical thinking –
Today there is abundant information in the form of reading material. Motivate them to read extra in order to improve their information analysis. This will not only help them learn more but will also assist in developing their scientific temper. While explaining a topic, ask them questions that cannot be directly obtained from textbooks. Make learning application based and explain the concept with the help of real-life examples like:
- When we put ice cubes in water, it absorbs heat from the water, melt, and makes the water cooler. This happens according to the first and second laws of thermodynamics.
- Discoloration of leaves because of reduced chlorophyll.
- Ice floats on the surface of the water because the density of ice is less than the water.
3. Make concepts fun to learn –
To engage students in the learning process, the first step is to make learning fun. A teacher can improve a child’s scientific thinking by employing games such as chess and sudoku that improves logical and strategic skills. Apart from reading and playing, learning from people who are more experienced and logical than them via podcasts, videos, and other mediums can help them get closer to their line of thinking and smartness. By using multimedia to help them understand new concepts or ideas, a teacher can help develop multiple sensory learning capabilities in a child.
Some schemes started by the government for promoting scientific temperament among youths are:
- Knowledge and Awareness Mapping Platform (KAMP)
- Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA)
- Scheme for Young Scientists and Technologists (SYST)