Written By Karan Minz:
The quote ‘seeing is believing’ is not true in the case of the subject called science. Here, doing is believing! Practical activities play a significant role in the learning process – they engage students, help them to develop important skills, understand the process of investigation and develop a broad understanding of the concepts.
It is imperative to take learning outside the classroom. Exhibitions, for one, help incubate and showcase young minds, especially those coming from marginalised groups as they have limited access to such activities. Opportunities like exhibitions and outdoor activities create lasting impressions. A teacher or an organisation who explores the boundaries of the classroom successfully arouse curiosity and inquisitiveness in the minds of young learners.
In this regard, Chintan and Oracle organised a first-of-its-kind ‘Vigyan Mela’ (Science Fair) on the occasion of National Science Day (February 28, 2018) at the Dallupura learning centre in Delhi.
When the news broke that a science exhibition would be held, the children were elated and excited. They raised a volley of questions, shared ideas on what they could make, and what they wanted to learn. Teachers conducted special classes on topics such as the water cycle and the phases of the moon. The children worked hard for a month – and using the trial-and-error method, they came up with interesting models on the phases of the moon, properties of light, etc. It only got better when the models were made from waste materials.
Visitors from neighbouring communities, private and government schools, as well as other NGOs, also participated in the event. Everyone praised the children for their models and hard work. The children also handled the questions posed to them about their models with confident smiles.
Participating in the science fair was a fantastic opportunity for the children as they got to observe practically, the scientific knowledge they had read in their textbooks. Altogether, the fair was an amazing event for the children to explore their own questions and make their own discoveries.The Science Fair went beyond just ‘science’. It was a hands-on learning experience for the children, where they learned and exercised many life-skills such as research, teamwork, leadership, public speaking, communication and presentation skills.
To quote Khusboo a 7-year-old girl from the Dallupura learning centre, “This was a one-of-a-kind experience where I learned science through group work. I felt elated when my model on the formation of day and night was ready. I was excited and confident to present it in front of an audience.”
The science exhibition encouraged many other children to learn science through application rather than rote learning. They were motivated to see science not as a subject but as something which they can relate to and make use of, in their daily lives.