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The Role of
Learning in Public Understanding of Research in Developing
Countries
Simon John
Ba Mmilo Consortium, SABC Broadcast Centre, Albert Luthuli Drive
Mafikeng, 2745, North West Province (South Afica)
INTRODUCTION
Most developing countries of the world
realise that achieving public understanding of research, science
and technology are far from being achieved in their midst and
they feel that efforts must be made to change the situation. The
challenges and opportunities are enormous. Central to all human
endeavours is learning and central to learning is the manner of
the first introduction of new subject matter to the small child.
The beginning : catch
them young
The approach to
learning-teaching activities should not only involve cognitive
aspects but also the affective and psychomotor areas. This is in
recognition that the affective area interacts with the cognitive
and the pyschomotor areas to produce effects.
The teacher should
create opportunities for the pupils to acquire a range of
competence, skills and attitudes, which should include the
following :
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Observing carefully
and thoroughly
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Reporting fully and
accurately what has been observed
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Organising observed
and recorded information
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Generalising or
drawing conclusion on the basis of the above observations and
facts
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Subjecting these
conclusions to further tests
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Predicting the result
of these conclusions
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Designing experiments
to check these predictions
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Using models to
explain a phenomenon
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Continuing the
activity of inquiry – theory and experimentation – where new
data or observations do not conform to predictions
True science and for
that matter true research begins when a person sees a problem
that seems challenging and devises his or her own means for
solving it. This inventive process can be exciting and
frustrating. It can also be satisfying and confounding.
In addition to class
activity approach, process approach, out of school scientific
activities, etc., could be encouraged by teachers among their
pupils. A science project effectively carried out;
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develops in pupils the
techniques of problem solving
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encourages independent
investigation
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enables pupils to
develop new interests and attitudes
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increases scientific
curiosity and self confidence
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gives pupils the
satisfaction of carrying out and completing a project
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enables independent
and analytical thinking
The desire for knowledge
is a very difficult emotion to impart into another human being.
It is very difficult to make a person want to learn more about a
topic he / she is not interested in. It is the responsibility of
the parents and teachers to create this desire for knowledge in
children, and furthermore, it is more difficult to change the
habits and thought process of the older child than the younger
one. Thus it is imperative that a culture of learning, research
and experimentation in an endeavour to quench the thirst of
knowledge is inculcated in the young minds and hearts of
children.
From a young age, children have to be
nurtured to ask and ponder about various situations and
problems, their thought process should be governed by the
following questions :
- What?
- Where?
- When?
- Why?
- Who?
- How?
The order of these
questions may not be important, as it is dependent on the
circumstances surrounding the questions. Some of these questions
may be applicable to the situation while others are not and the
judgement for applicability is only brought about through proper
research attitudes.
These methodologies of
research have to be imparted to the child at an early age, so
that the process by which a child satisfies that thirst for
knowledge is based on a solid foundation, with the right tools
at his /her disposal. The processes or methods involved in the
quest for answers should not be an active process, but rather a
passive process where the steps followed in the pursuit for
answers are deeply rooted in the natural behaviour of an
individual.
The only way to make a
process natural way to the individual is, if it becomes a
routine process. Therefore it is recommended that children are
encouraged to pursue answers to questions they may have, by
appropriate research methododologies; and the questions they may
have should stem from both their formal and informal learning
processes. The question is not important, it can be anything,
e.g.; ‘Why do ants walk in a single-file?’ or, 'What does it
mean to bowl a reverse swinging yorker in cricket?' It is the
method followed by a child in pursuit of these answers that
creates a culture of research.
The next question we
have to pose ourselves is : ‘What causes people to ask
questions?’ I hypothesise that it is the environment that cause
a person to be inquisitive, to ask questions and ponder over.
The more stimulating the environment surrounding the individual,
the more likely the individual is to ask a question and the
variety in topics of the questions, is likely to be greater.
If we are to encourage a culture of
research among the children, it may be necessary for us to
provide them with a varied and stimulating environment, where
they are able to observe their surroundings and ask questions
about things that they don’t understand. If religion has become
a way of life and so is democracy, then why not research and
analytical skills. Let curiosity be nurtured in the pursuit of
answer through systematic research. |