Learning how to do proper research is among the most important skills students can learn in school since this knowledge can be applied across various fields and real-life scenarios. Therefore, teaching these skills should be a priority for every educator. Here are eight basic but effective ways to teach research skills to students.
1. Start with the Basics
Make sure that your students grasp the steps of the general scientific method:
- Formulate the question.
- Undertake the research.
- Develop the hypothesis.
- Conduct or design the experiment.
- Analyze the results.
- Write the conclusion.
It’s the paradigm or outline that informs all scientific investigation. If you, as a student, don’t want to go through this many steps to research a particular topic, you can consult with a writing service. For example, Academized offers students essay writing services as well as research, editing, and proofreading. Their experts can do it all for a fair price.
2. Encourage Curiosity
Nothing fuels the life of a scientist more than curiosity. Encourage your students to question why the world is the way it is and they’ll be more inclined to perform experiments and apply the scientific method in meaningful ways. You’ll also find yourself with students who become more motivated and excited to engage in the process of scientific learning.
3. Integrate Technology
Use technology that enables a much richer and deeper student experience, such as science lab simulations on a computer, data analysis with online graphing calculators, or even digital video clips from experimenters in real research facilities. It’s not just about making material accessible but relevant to students who are already well-versed in technology.
4. Focus on Data
Help students appreciate that data is the source of all scientific conclusions. Sometimes students need a little help understanding why we measure and count things inside of a science experiment – but with even very simple measurements of plant growth under red vs blue lights or more sophisticated data analysis such as using the software associated with a survey to polish and interpret questions, students get a model of the power of data they can then apply to their own scientific conclusions.
5. Hands-On Experiments
There is no substitute for a hands-on approach. The ideal way for students to learn science is by conducting experiments, by getting their hands dirty. Whether they’re mixing chemicals in a lab or taking notes in their local park, students are learning the power and delight of observing and experimenting, viewing theory through practice, and forming hypotheses for how outcomes might change, given various variables.
6. Develop Critical Thinking
Push students to think critically about their results and the results of others: to be suspicious of the data they gather, to come up with alternative ideas to explain those findings, and to be able to see the limits of their experiments. Basically, ask students to think as scientists.
7. Collaborate on Research Projects
Group projects are particularly good for teaching research skills, as much research is done within teams. Then design the experiments together, collect the data, and present the results. This will lead to good learning, along with an enhanced ability to communicate and cooperate.
As an educator, here’s how to organize effective collaboration on research projects for students:
- Define Clear Roles: Assign specific roles and responsibilities to each student based on their strengths and interests to ensure everyone knows what they are accountable for.
- Set Common Goals: Establish clear, achievable goals at the start of the project to align the team’s efforts and provide a clear direction for the research.
- Schedule Regular Meetings: Organize consistent check-ins to discuss progress, address challenges, and make adjustments to the plan as necessary to keep the project on track.
- Encourage Open Communication: Foster an environment where students feel comfortable sharing ideas and feedback. This open dialogue can lead to innovative solutions and stronger group cohesion.
- Utilize Collaboration Tools: To enhance collaboration and efficiency, leverage digital tools such as Google Docs, Slack, or Trello that facilitate sharing, organizing, and communicating within the group.
8. Utilize Scientific Literature
Encourage schoolchildren to read scientific literature in journal articles, though these should be age-adjusted, so they can learn how professional researchers carry out the guess-test-guess strategy in the lab and how they report their results to their scientific peers. This improves both reading comprehension and scientific vocabulary.
Cultivating Inquisitive Minds
Teaching the scientific method or how to do research is about teaching a mindset, about questioning and exploring, doubting and challenging. If we can make that teachable, if we can make it the norm, then we will have not only made students superior at science but also better at recognising any analytical or problem-solving challenge that may come their way. Let’s strive to make students innovators and critics, not just learners.
