Nature is all around us and I personally feel that the prominence of nature provides a relevant context for learning as well as providing multiple opportunities for children to engage in outdoor learning.

Plants provide the early years with the opportunity to classify and sort plants into categories and justify their answers. This type of learning is mainly based on qualitative observation. However as pupils become more confident with the different parts of plants, they can begin exploring the different factors which affect plant growth. This is a topic I have briefly touched upon within my video. In hindsight, I feel that it would’ve been beneficial to suggest methods of measuring and recording results. However, research does state that children should be actively engaged with their learning and come up with solutions to problems (Cross and Bowden, 2014). It would therefore be reasonable to suggest that pupils should have some autonomy in choosing the best methods for recording their data.

Learners have been described as visual, kinaesthetic or auditory (Hastings, 2005). Visual learners will engage more when a teacher makes use of videos and diagrams (Hastings, 2005). I considered it important to include both a diagram in my video as well as a real butter bean as I believe that this worked as a way of breaking down learning as well as being appealing to visual learners. I personally find diagrams useful in building firmer understandings which is possible one reason why I have tried to include them throughout my science videos. However, it is important that although pupils may have one preferred learning style they are not categorised as one type of learner (Cremin and Arthur, 2014). Teaching should be creative and appeal to each learner within the class.

Viewing this as a learner myself, I believe that through making a video I myself was encouraged to research and build upon my own understanding. This module has encouraged me to develop sound pedagogical knowledge whilst providing me with more confidence. By becoming more confident in my own understanding of a concept, I believe that I am developing new ways to portray this information to children.

Reflecting on previous classroom experience I understand that it is important for ‘Learning Intentions’ and ‘Success Criteria’ to be made explicit to children at some point throughout the lesson. It would have perhaps been of benefit to include a learning intention relating to the science experiment so the viewer had a clearer understanding of what skills they would be developing.

The Curriculum for Excellence Sciences Experiences and Outcomes (2009a, p2) state that biodiversity and interdependence state:

“Learners explore the rich and changing diversity of living things and develop their understanding of how organisms are interrelated at local and global levels. By exploring interactions and energy flow between plants and animals (including humans) learners develop their understanding of how species depend on one another and on the environment for survival. Learners investigate the factors affecting plant growth and develop their understanding of the positive and negative impact of the human population on the environment.”

Exploring nature is clearly a huge topic that requires a large amount of time. However, through enquiry based learning pupils develop transferable skills such as problem-solving, measuring and recording data. Seeking patterns is also linked strongly to art and mathematics. Through engagement with this module and other education modules, I believe that as a teacher it is vital to make these connections explicit to children. By doing so, children can see the relevance of their learning as well as creating their own links as to how they can apply their skills in their everyday lives.

The benchmarks (Scottish Government, 2009b) also explore how pupil’s learning can progress through exploring nature:

• Pupils can observe, collect and measure the outcomes from growing plants in different conditions, for example, by varying levels of light, water, air, soil/nutrients and heat.
• Structure a presentation or report, with support, to present findings on how plants grow.

The benchmarks present yet another opportunity for cross-curricular learning, by suggesting that pupils create a presentation or report there are key links to language and literacy and also ICT. I have no reason to doubt that pupils would be capable of creating videos to show their findings given the right support and resources.

References:

Cremin, T., and Arthur, J. (2014) Learning to teach in the primary school (Third edn) New York: Routledge.

Cross, A., and Bowden, A. (2014) Essential primary science (Second edn) Maidenhead: Open University Press/McGraw-Hill Education.

Hastings (2005). Learning Styles Available at: http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=2153773  (Accessed on 23rd October 2017)

The Scottish Government, (2009a). The Curriculum for Excellence. Sciences: Experiences and Outcomes. Available at: https://www.education.gov.scot/Documents/sciences-eo.pdf (Accessed: 13 October 2017)

The Scottish Government, (2009b). The Curriculum for Excellence. Building the curriculum 4, skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work. Available at:

http://www.gov.scot/resource/doc/288517/0088239.pdf (Accessed: 12 October 2017)