XN000022-1981-08-15 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1981

HOW TO MAKE SCIENCE LEARNING MEANINGFUL

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STUDENT PARTICIPATION IS A MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE WHICH MAKES THE STUDY OF SCIENCE A STIMULATING AND MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE MR COLVYN HAYE, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 14TH JOINT SCHOOL SCIENCE EXHIBITION AT THE CITY HALL.

STUDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE BY WORKING AS INDIVIDUALS OR IN GROUPS IN IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS AND SEEKING WAYS TO SOLVE THEM. AND BY BECOMING ACTIVELY INVOLVED, AS HAPPENS IN THIS EXHIBITION, SCIENCE TRULY BECOMES A VITAL, LIVING SUBJECT FOR THE PARTICIPANTS, MR HAYE SAID.

+WHEN ONE BEARS IN MIND HOW EASY IT IS FOR SCIENCE IN SCHOOLS TO BECOME A MERE EXERCISE IN MEMORISING FACTS UNLESS WE EMPHASISE THE ENQUIRY APPROACH AND STUDENTS' INVOLVEMENT, THIS OCCASION BECOMES PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT,+ THE DIRECTOR SAID.

EFFORTS ARE ALSO CONSTANTLY BEING MADE BY CURRICULUM DEVELOPERS AND TEACHERS TO MAKE SCIENCE MORE INTERESTING AND MORE DIRECTLY RELATED TO EVERYDAY LIFE.

+ IT WAS IN KEEPING WITH THESE AIMS THAT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FIRST INTRODUCED INTEGRATED SCIENCE INTO THE JUNIOR SECONDARY CURRICULUM IN 1973, + MR HAYE SAID.

AS A CONTINUATION OF THIS NEW APPROACH TO LEARNING SCIENCE THROUGH +ACTIVITY AND ENQUIRY+, THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS RECENTLY ISSUED NEW SYLLABUSES FOR PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY AND HUMAN BIOLOGY, HE SAID.

MR HAYE CONGRATULATED THE ORGANISERS OF THE EXHIBITION. +SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE AGAIN PROVED THAT THEY CAN MOUNT A MAJOR EVENT WITHOUT OUTSIDE HELP,+ HE SAID.

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