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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 8, Issue 1, Article
12 (June, 2007) SITI HENDON Sheikh Abdullah & KHALIJAH Mohd Salleh Science teaching for enlightenment: A holistic approach in developing a teacher's guide for best practices to teach at secondary level |
The basic concepts used in this paper are enlightenment, best practices and holistic approach.
Literally enlightenment means being illuminated by acquiring new wisdom or understanding. Within the context of science learning enlightenment refers to education that results in an understanding and the spread of knowledge (Wordnet, 2005). An enlightened person is one who after experiencing learning has the determination and courage to use his/her intelligence to confidently and independently apply whatever concepts learnt in various related situations (Kant, 1974). Such students will be able to explore by themselves more science concepts, to apply and to find meaning of their scientific activities whether inside or outside the classroom rather than having to rely on close guidance by the teacher (Wikipedia, 2005).
Based on such definition of enlightenment, it is clear that the outcome of such approach to science education is that the student is knowledgeable, finds meaning to the essence of the concepts taught, and subsequently is able to self direct his/her own learning and later spread the knowledge learnt.
Best practices are terms that refer to the adoption of certain practices found to be effective in teaching and learning and in turn promote students’ engagement and participation in the teaching-learning process.
The basic meaning of holistic is derived from a Greek word “ηολοσ” meaning “whole” (Mulligan, 2007). The Macmillan English Dictionary defines holistic as “thinking about the whole of something, not just dealing with particular aspects”. Thus, adopting a holistic approach means that students have to be regarded as whole individuals. This implicates that every aspect of the human nature need to be considered as these aspects are interrelated coherently with one another (Murray, 1993; Patel, 2003). The National Education Philosophy of Malaysia emphasizes the need to produce students that excel holistically in the physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual aspects. This provides the underlying foundation for the teaching and learning framework.
Based on the descriptions of the basic concepts, the holistic approach for best practices is the approach that considers students as whole individuals where the factors contributing to their difficulties in accepting new knowledge are all considered as part of the teacher-learning process. Teachers always need to adopt and adapt different practices that meet the needs of these students and demands of the topic that they are going to teach. These practices are what we referred to as the best practices.
Copyright (C) 2007 HKIEd APFSLT. Volume 8, Issue 1, Article 12 (June, 2007). All Rights Reserved.
