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Scientific Method and Children

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PST202G/201/3/2013

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Department of Science and Technology Education

TEACHING NATURAL SCIENCES

SEMESTER 1&2

TUTORIAL LETTER 201/3/2013
EXAMINATION GUIDELINES

PST202G/201/3/2013

TABLE OF CONTENT

1
1.1

Admission to the exam

1.2

The exam paper –, duration, marks and format

1.3

Exam preparation

1.4

In the examination hall

2

The exam - success or failure

3

Assignments

4

2

The examination

Conclusion

Dear Student
Thank you for the hard work that you put into the assignments. I hope that you will do well in the examinations. 1

The examination

1.1

Admission to the examination

If there are any problems with regard to your admission to the exam you should contact the Examination
Department immediately …show more content…

The denigration of memorisation is in fact a denigration of knowledge, and ultimately a defeat of the educational ideal of stimulating problem solving and independent critical thinking. As Hirsch (1996:247) points out:
“Independent-mindedness is always predicated on relevant knowledge: one cannot think critically unless one has a lot of knowledge of the issue at hand. Critical thinking is not merely giving one’s opinion.” In fact, common sense tells one that the person who can think critically and who can solve problems is, without exception, one who has sufficient knowledge of the relevant issue or problem.

Thus, to attain success in an exam, both in questions that are straightforward and questions that require independent critical thinking and problem solving one must, first, understand the subject content and, second, one must commit the subject content to memory.

4

3

The assignments

NB: Before studying the following information concerning the assignments, study the study units
1 to 8 in the study guide thoroughly.

3.1

The nature of natural science and scientific theorising.

To understand what a scientific theory is and what the difference between a valid and a speculative theory is, one must understand exactly what natural science involves, as well as its purpose and its limits. Study the explanations in the study guide.
Scientific theories are explanations of observed facts. Such theories tie the observed facts

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