Spiritual Energy

Science Fairs and Exhibitions: Scope and Organization

- Its Knowledge Creation and Potentials

Introduction - Bincy K. Mathew

Science Fairs and Exhibitions are the ways for students to pose questions for which they must seek out answers and to satisfy their own curiosity about the world around them. It includes experiments, demonstrations, research effort, collection of scientific items, or display of scientific apparatus presented for viewing. It represents the efforts of student’s investigation into some area of interest and provides a way for the students to share the results of those investigations. By participating in Science Fairs and Exhibitions, students gain a first-hand appreciation of the work of scientists and the value of their discoveries.

What is Science Fair?

Science fair is purely an educative activity carried out in a systematic manner entirely for the advancement of Science. It is excellent device for acquainting the parents as well as other people in the locality, with the science related work being done in the schools.

The Purpose of a Science Fair Project

The purpose of a science fair project is for students to not only learn about science, but also have an educational experience that develops many skills. Creating a science fair project allows students to actively take part in a creative process, from the inception of the idea to the exhibit. It develops a student’s critical thinking skills as she/he gains a new understanding about a part of the world.

What is Science Exhibition?

Exhibitions are effective modes of mass communication and instruction. If it is organized by the pupils themselves they get opportunity for self activity. Every school should organize science exhibition once in a year. This may include exhibits of students as well as demonstrations, talks etc. made by experts, film shows on science topics, debates, science plays, etc.

Difference between Science Fair and Science Exhibition

Science Fair	Science Exhibition
More schools are involved	It is conducted in a school
Massive participation can be expected	Massive participation cannot be expected
Finance needed is large	Finance needed is small
More planning is needed	Less planning is needed
Own innovative and creative ideas are taken	Take into account other’s ideas
Data is collected to find the results which are not known before	Display of already established facts and results
Both students and teachers get benefited with new scientific knowledge and information	No new information and scientific knowledge is gained

Scope of Science Fair & Exhibition

Ø To stimulate and encourage interest in science

Ø To focus attention on science experiences in schools

Ø To provide for scientific hobbies

Ø To recognize and encourage scientific talents

Ø To provide opportunity for display of talents through exhibits.

Ø To stimulate greater interest in scientific investigation over the routine class work.

Ø To make the public science minded

Organization

The organization of Science fair should be a teacher – pupil activity and everything should be thought of well advance. The following factors are to be considered while organizing the science fair.

1. Planning:

It is essential that planning is thoroughly done. During planning the following aspects should be considered.

Ø Objectives of the fair

Ø Scope of the fair- who could participate in the fair? Participation to be limited to the school or kept open to other schools, what types of programmes are to be included etc.

Ø Procedure

Ø Financing

Ø Location, Time and Duration

Ø Other factors and facilities – necessary arrangement, control etc

2. Distribution of work:

Duties should be arranged to individuals and groups. Various committees are to be constituted, which are responsible for different programmes. There may be an advisory committee, a reception committee, a publicity committee and various sub committees. While distributing the work, talents and interest should be taken into consideration.

3. Execution:

Programmes decided upon while planning are now to be organized systematically and put to action. All exhibits must be properly mounted and labeled. Volunteers should be arranged for explaining the exhibits to the visitors.

4. Judging:

The fair should be judged by an expert team. Separate criteria are to be developed for judging each item -still model, working model, projects etc. The NCERT has listed the following criteria for judging a Fair:

Scientific approach, Originality, Technical Skill and Workmanship, thoroughness, Dramatic value and personal interview

5. Evaluation:

Teachers and students should evaluate Science fair and Exhibition when it is over, to find out whether the objectives of the fair have been achieved or not. If not, try to improve it next time.

Benefits of Organizing Science Fair & Exhibition

Ø Science fair provides opportunity for the display of valuable work done by the students.

Ø Helps the students benefit from the achievement of others, and promotes a spirit of competition.

Ø Students can learn many things which cannot be learnt through class room teaching

Ø Instinctive urges of pupils such as desire for acquisition, satisfying curiosity, participating in constructive work, etc get satisfaction.

Ø Talents of the students are recognized and encouraged which in turn provide strong reinforcement.

Ø Provide opportunity for detecting and cultivating scientific talents.

Ø Provide an opportunity for the close co-operation of students, their parents and teachers.

Knowledge Creation and Potentials through Science Fair & Exhibition

Characteristic of the knowledge-creation approach is to examine learning in terms of creating social structures and collaborative processes that support knowledge advancement and innovation; in this sense it becomes close to the participation view. Further, the knowledge creation approach addresses the importance of generating new ideas and conceptual knowledge. In this sense, it has commonalities with the acquisition view because conceptual knowledge is emphasized. The conceptions of knowledge in the background of knowledge-creation models, however, vary a great deal; some of them emphasize more the conceptual aspects of creating knowledge whereas others address innovations embedded in new practices and social structures.

The exhibits in science fairs and exhibitions are ordinarily of the following nature which helps in knowledge creation and potential among the student participants as well as to the viewers:

1. Good aids for the teaching of different topics in physical and life sciences.

2. Good science text-books, general and reference books, news bulletins and journals.

3. Display of several projects successfully completed by the students.

4. Articles of scientific use entirely and exclusively prepared by the students.

5. Industrial and technological use of certain scientific principle demonstrated through the arrangement of some apparatus or innovative design of a process depicted through charts.

6. Improvised apparatuses showing some innovation brought out in the existing ones.

7. Scientific toys electrical, mechanical or magnetic made by the students.

8. Scientific models prepared by students individually or collectively.

9. Graphic material like charts, pictures, graphs and diagrams on various topics and events related to different branches of science.

10. Objects and specimens collected by the students.

Critique

It is true that Science fairs and Exhibitions have intellectual, psychological, social and educational values but at the same it has some limitations too. Although science fairs are designed to help students develop inquiry skills, including writing research proposals, working with peers, and sharing experimental findings, simply holding a science fair is no guarantee that students will actually acquire these essential skills. Participation in a science fair should not be viewed as the "one shot" opportunity for teachers to involve their students in inquiry, but rather it should provide both extensions and reinforcements to skills that were developed over time through a variety of classroom activities. The present trend is that participation and getting prize for Science Fair has become a business. There are centers where we get readymade science projects, working model and so on. Here students are becoming only the performers in Science Fair and Exhibition.

Conclusion

In the present scenario much emphasis must be placed upon the improvement of Science Education. Science fairs and Exhibitions are opportunities for students to apply the scientific method to conduct independent research. The result of each student's research is presented in a school wide science fair or exhibition where the student's efforts are displayed and where students are interviewed to determine scientific merit. Students who have been judged to have used the scientific method properly and who have demonstrated thoroughness in their studies and effort are awarded prizes and are advanced to compete in regional, state, national and international science fairs and exhibitions. The Science Fair is a step toward meeting the demand for scientifically trained personnel. The Science fair and exhibition are now educational tools with great possibilities; it is the duty of responsible people to see that this tool is put to the best and greatest possible use.

Questions

1. 1. Give two criteria of a good Science Exhibition. ( 1 Mark, April 2007)

2. 2. How will you evaluate a Science Exhibition? (4 Marks, April 2006)

3. 3. Give four objectives of Science Fair?

4. (1 Mark, April 2006)

5. 4. Differentiate Science Fair and Science Exhibition. Give the need and importance of organizing Science Exhibition. (4 Marks, Sept. 2007)

6. 5. What are the characteristics of a good Exhibition?

7. 6. Mention two values of Science Fair

8. 7. What is the need of organizing a School Science Exhibition? How will you organize a Science Exhibition in your School?

Bibliography

A.Faziluluddin & K. Sivarajan, Science Education- Methodology of Teaching & Pedagogic Analysis,Calicut: Calicut University, 2007.

T.K. Mathew & T.M. Mollykutty, Science Education- Theoretical Bases of Teaching & Pedagogic Analysis, Tiruvalla: Rainbow Books, 2015.