A Teaching Strategy for Magnetism

Question: Describe about the Teaching Strategy for Magnetism? Answer: Abstract The purpose of the project is to establish an effective teaching strategy for the topic Magnetism from Physics subject. This framework provides a concrete sequence of instruction to ensure students to have a thorough understanding of the concepts of physics. On the basis of these guidelines the students are expected to have a better understanding of the topic which would enhance their ideas and concepts of Magnetism. This study focuses on the ability to comprehend the learners and suggests that the process of teaching doesnt necessarily ends at students understanding. It extends to the interest and inquiry of the learners to learn beyond the introduced concept. Introduction: The strategy states an active learning process which would make the student participate actively which is very significant for the skill development of students. Through this process of learning the students would become more participative and interactive which will be determined by an evaluation of participation, homework and through practical works. The active learning would not only develop the skills but it would also help the students to research further and explore their own attitudes and values. The basic element of the class will be simulations, discussions, student presentations, games, role plays, flip charts and handouts will be provided. According to researchers in education, Active learning consists of three interconnected factors they are: teaching resources, basic elements and learning strategies. The basic tools of active learning are reflecting, speaking, reading, learning and writing. These rudiments involve subjective activities that lead a student to make clear certain inquisitions related to their appropriate and consolidate knowledge. About the concept of Magnetism: Learning the unaccustomed topic and conceptually comprehending a subject is a big criteria but the bigger challenge is to clear the misconception. In short the concept of Magnetism can be defined in simple terms: Magnetism is a force that can pull or push away substance that consists of magnetic attractive resources like Iron. Magnetism is made by things called magnets or it can also be made by wires that have electricity. When magnets are put near to an object that has magnet attractive control, the object pulls itself towards the magnet (Nolting Ramakanth, 2008). A brief history must be provided in order to make the class interesting provided the history must be said in a narrative and informative style. History: the people belonging to ancient times found magnetism in a typical type of stones popularly known as Loadstones (Purcell, n.d.). These magnets are naturally created that attracts quantity of iron. According to the Greek, the word magnet is derived from magnesia, a part of ancient Greece magnetic compasses where lodestones were found. Loadstones were balanced so that they could be made into compass for providing directions. More than 2500 years ago, the properties of magnets were first found in India, china and Greece (Ucl.ac.uk, 2015). Loadstones and their properties along with their similarity with iron were irrecoverable by Pliny the elder. 4 misconceptions about magnetism: In many situations the present understanding of phenomena in the universe has changes and many discoveries have been made. Thus previously the scientific theories stated are improvised and modified along with criticized. There are certain misconceptions that a student adopt, they are All metals are attracted to magnet: Once of the common misconception is that every metals are attracted towards magnet. This is not true because metals like Zinc, brass, aluminum and copper does not attract magnet (Hometrainingtools.com, 2015). It must also be clarified that certain non-magnetic elements exists they are glass and wood and plastic. All magnets are made up of iron: In early days there were only one type of magnetism was conceptualized; they were the one which were produced by iron magnets. Then later it was discovered that magnetism can also be formed from electric current wire of electricity. Magnetic fields are generally produced in spaces rarefied gas, in molten core and in heat of sunspots (Ostdiek Bord, 2000). This kind of magnetism is produced by currents of electricity. The geographic and magnetic poles indicate similar direction: The simple bars of magnets can state the magnetic field of earth. The size and position of Earths magnetic field is varying (Geomag.org, 2015). The two poles South and North are not exactly opposite to each other in that case the magnetic north pole shifts to magnetic South Pole and vice versa. Therefore the geographic poles and the magnetic poles differ. Larger magnets are stronger than smaller magnets: The size of magnet differs but that necessary doesnt distribute strength accordingly. In magnets where the combination of boron, iron and neodymium is stronger the magnet is stronger irrespective of their size (Baulieu, Benakli Douglas, n.d.). Teaching Methodology: The procedure of teaching will be more based on practical activities. This procedure will help in removing the four misconceptions that students generally have about magnetism. The procedure lab work where there will be Aluminum Pan, a brass nail and a copper coins along with one large magnet and one small magnet with varying magnetism power. Teaching strategy for the first misconception: To establish that all metals are not attracted towards iron there will be a requirement of copper coins, aluminum pan and brass nail along with a small piece or iron rod. The three things will be kept along with piece of iron rod and then one of the magnets will be placed in front of the elements. Three volunteers will be selected to perform the function to bring the materials and magnets in close connection. Students who will have confusion will be provided guidance to observe. The process will be followed by a task for the student to practice at home. Strategy of clearing second misconception: The misconception of every magnet is not made up of iron would include a mixed strategy: A lecture on steel, an alloy of iron that attracts magnet. Like steel glass. A visual presentation how magnets were discovered with 10 slides that woud include maximum pictorial presentation. Strategy for 3rd misconception: This includes a brief lecture on the geographic poles and the magnetic poles and how the magnetic poles are used in determining the direction for a compass. Strategy for 4th misconception: The fourth misconception requires the two magnets of two different sizes. The larger magnet will have low strength than the smaller. By their application of attracting iron rod the practical experiment will be conducted in class and like the 1st strategy there will be three volunteers and those having doubts will be guided immediately. Concept Change Model: It has been found that students are not ready to comprehend and adapt new ideas, in certain cases the radical approach is made fo teaching to change the misconcepts (Redish Vicentini, 2004). The conceptual model proposes the change theory in conception which a combined statement of two theories. The conception of for the implementation of new concept is a replica of Kuhns scientific paradigm. The common directive strategies to adapt conceptual alterations are to face students with discrepant events contradicting their existing ideas . According to Posner, there are mainly four important conditions for conceptual alteration, they are: Dissatisfaction: Almost in every learner there is some sort of inconsistencies and their ideas and notions dont help them to come to a conclusion with their problems. Similarly the dissatisfaction would also exist with the concept of magnetism (Kalman, 2008). With magnetism being a new concept to them their ideas and thoughts must vary. Intelligibility: Posner stated that to accommodate a new concept for the learners the learner must also posses the capability to find the topic comprehensible. Not only there should be some sense in the concept but the strategy must have the ability to rehearse the topic and preferably should be able to share the concept with their classmates (Kouzes Posner, 2012). This notion will be established with the strategy of removing the first and fourth misconception, where it was explained that volunteers will be selected to perform the practical work. Plausibility: the present concept needs to be reasonable in order to implement the strategy. The new concept needs to be more acceptable than the old concept. It requires possessing the capability of solving the difficulty (Treagust Duit, 2008). The learner necessarily needs to take a decision on adapting this new conception in their own way which would help them find their ways of recalling and thinking incidences where the existing concept can be applied. This is more effective when the students are introduced to common utensils which are available like aluminum pan and steel coins which will help them to experiment with magnet. Fruitfulness: for accommodating the new conception the learners require to identify the fruitfulness in the notion that the concept posses the potential to be exaggerated with other incidences. This helps the learners to groove the interest of inquiry (She Liao, 2010). which means the new concept should help more than merely solve issues and create a new are for inquiry. Conclusion: Not every conceptual change is fruitful; if all the individual stages of the proposed theory of concept change is followed then negative outcomes are also expected. But this view does not explain that the change in concept will surely occur, even if every possible strategies and concept stages are followed. The model is not exactly the most effective to be followed for effective feedback of students. The strategies are innovative and use modern concept and technology yet there certain drawback lies. Once the learner is being convinced regarding the new concept, and the new concept provides a more reliable solution the process does not ends. It is very much expected that the learners must explore more that what he or she had learnt. The student not only has to comprehend but has to adapt this concept as his own. Till this stage the learner has borrowed the concept and applies this theory accordingly. References Baulieu, L., Benakli, K., Douglas, M.Theoretical physics to face the challenge of LHC. Geomag.org,. (2015).Historical main field change and declination. Retrieved 4 March 2015, from https://geomag.org/info/declination.html Hometrainingtools.com,. (2015).All About Magnets. Retrieved 4 March 2015, from https://www.hometrainingtools.com/a/all-about-magnets Kalman, C. (2008).Successful science and engineering teaching. [London?]: Springer. Kouzes, J., Posner, B. (2012).The leadership challenge. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Nolting, W., Ramakanth, A. (2008).Quantum theory of magnetism. Berlin: Springer. Ostdiek, V., Bord, D. (2000).Inquiry into physics. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. Purcell, E.Electricity and magnetism. Redish, E., Vicentini, M. (2004).Research on physics education. Amsterdam: IOS Press. She, H., Liao, Y. (2010). Bridging scientific reasoning and conceptual change through adaptive web-based learning.J. Res. Sci. Teach.,47(1), 91-119. doi:10.1002/tea.20309 Treagust, D., Duit, R. (2008). Conceptual change: a discussion of theoretical, methodological and practical challenges for science education.Cult Stud Of Sci Educ,3(2), 297-328. doi:10.1007/s11422-008-9090-4 Ucl.ac.uk,. (2015).Magnetism. Retrieved 4 March 2015, from https://www.ucl.ac.uk/EarthSci/people/lidunka/GEOL2014/Geophysics9%20-Magnetism/Useful%20papers/Magnetism.htm