Week 5: Strategies in Designing Application Tools

For this week lecture, we were introduced to 7 strategies in designing application tools for teaching and learning science.


The 7 strategies are:
1- MBL- Micro-Computer Based Laboratory
2- Drill and practice
3- Tutorials
4- Simulation
5- Problem-solving
6- Info-retrieval
7- Educational games



Among these 7 strategies, there are a few of them are mostly applied for teaching science at primary school level. Those strategies are drill and practice, simulation, and educational games.


:: DRILL AND PRACTICE ::

Drill and practice promotes the acquisition of knowledge or skill through repetitive practice. Drills are usually repetitive and are used as a reinforcement tool. In learning science, students have to deal with a lot of science concepts and some might be struggling to memorize it. Therefore, drills play a very important role so that students would not make mistakes and avoid from misinterpreting the science concepts. Indirectly, it acts as a reinforcement tool for students’ learning. Practice is like a stage whereby students make exercises in order to test their level of understanding about the topics taught. Besides that, drill and practice can provide a strong basis for students in primary level. This strong basis is fundamental as they will move to secondary school whereby they have to be more independent in learning.


:: EDUCATIONAL GAMES ::

Games are suitable to be applied as reinforcement tools for students in learning science. This also helps to motivate children in learning science as they would find that learning science is fun and not frustrating or confusing. Indirectly, it would engage students in learning the topics taught in classroom. Games have the potential in developing students’ thinking skills. We could say that students are playing the games and some might say that it is just for fun. However, we must realize that children learn through playing. While their conscious minds are focusing on the games, their subconscious minds are also working by grasping the intended input contained in the games.




:: SIMULATION ::

Simulation is also important in enhancing students’ learning in science subject. This is because simulation is useful for displaying things that students cannot see with their bare eyes and touch it using their hands. For examples, simulation could help students to understand the solar system and its constituents. It is impossible for teacher to “bring in” the solar system into the classroom. Therefore, simulation helps students to gain better understanding about the solar system.




All in all, teachers should try to use various strategies in order to enhance students’ learning in science subject. By taking into consideration about the students’ cognitive level and age, these kinds of strategies would be useful to help them understand better. This is important in order to ensure that each of the students is able to grab the input given by teachers.