The Effectiveness of Practical Work in Science Education

Abstract

Kokeellinen työskentely nähdään oleellisena osana fysiikan opetusta kouluissa. Kuitenkin sen tehokkuus opetusmenetelmänä on kyseenalaistettu: vaikka oppilaat nauttivat kokeellisesta työskentelystä, he eivät tunnu oppivan sen avulla muuta kuin käytännön laboratoriotaitoja. Tätä aihetta ei ole vielä tutkittu laajasti Suomesssa, mutta muualla maailmassa aihe on ollut tutkijoiden mielenkiinnon kohteena jo vuosikymmeniä. Tämä työ on katsaus aiheesta kirjoitetuista artikkeleista kolmen viime vuosikymmenen ajalta.

Practical work is seen as an essential part of teaching and learning physics. Indeed it's position has been confirmed by researchers, teachers as well as national curricula. Students seem to enjoy practical work and it is thus generally regarded as adding to the students' motivation to study physics (these views, too, have been challenged). In most countries practical work is either considered a central part of physics classes or its status is wished to be lifted to such a position. However, questions have been raised about its efficiency as a learning and teaching method. This has yet to be thoroughly studied in Finland but for instance in England and North America researchers of science education have been interested in the efficiency of practical work for decades. This work is an overview of the modern studies conducted during the last few decades on the subject of efficiency of practical work in promoting the students' conceptual knowledge and understanding of physics.