Textbooks versus Discovery Stations

Science is a subject which requires the exploration of the natural world and therefore students are required   to use a complex and flexible procedure in order to understand the factual nature of science (Marzano, 2007).  In order to foster the students’ understanding and nurture their way of thinking, it is important to engage in multiple contexts for students to gain a deep knowledge which they will apply in real-world situations. In teaching science, I would use textbook versus Discover Stations since textbooks are vital component on science education. This is because, as a teacher, a textbook will provide a perfect lesson plan as well as chronological presentations of lessons. In addition, a textbook has knowledge and basic concepts from professors who have a high level of knowledge in science field (Marzano, 2007).  As a teacher, I would get supplemental teaching materials which will help to cover the course materials. Conversely, discover stations do not help the intermediary students with instructional design.   Science students requires initial framework and there is a possibility that through Discovery Stations, student will be baffled with instructional designs and mistaken belief (Khine, 2013). By using textbook, I would connect the students’ existing knowledge with the textbook knowledge in order to construct meaning and engage their mind. Through text, I would design research questions in order to allow the students to increase their learning and strengthen their effort. I would select books from reliable sources and focus on major standards from appropriate section.  I would ensure that textbooks have special features and are visually appealing to boost the students’ interest in learning I would ensure that students gain basic understanding and wealth of information n through various class discussions (Khine, 2013). Unlike, Discovery Stations, having a deeper insight on a specific topic will allow the student to go into detail and do more research   through experiment in real word situations.

Reference

Marzano, R. J. (2007). The art and science of teaching: A comprehensive framework for effective

instruction. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Khine, M. S. (2013). Critical analysis of science textbooks: Evaluating instructional effectiveness.

Dordrecht: Springer.