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As discussed earlier in this Curriculum (Part 1) various pedagogical approaches are possible. Please review the list in Part 1 and decide which approach to apply to the suggested activities below and others that you may formulate.

• Educators have long argued that learners should understand how scientific knowledge is constructed. One rationale that is often invoked, but not empirically tested, is that understanding science makes for a more informed citizenry and supports democratic participation. That is, citizens who understand how scientific knowledge is produced will be careful consumers of scientific claims about scientific issues of public interest (e.g., global warming, ecology, genetically modified foods, alternative medicine, sanitary crises and their responses, such as pandemics and vaccines) both at the ballot box and in their daily lives.
• A second argument to justify this stance among educators is that understanding the structure and nature of science makes one better at doing and learning science. That is, if learners come to see science as a set of practices that builds models to account for patterns of evidence in the natural world, and that what counts as evidence is contingent on careful observations, verification studies, and building arguments, then they will have greater success in their efforts to build knowledge. Viewing these processes from a distance - not merely enacting them - enhances students’ ability to practice science.
• Four sources of knowledge are sometimes recognized: intuition, authority, rational-inductive, and scientific empiricism. All four are good sources for a research hypothesis, but scientific empiricism is the only accepted source of new scientific knowledge.
• One can distinguish two types of research: academic research and private research. Academic research is the type of research which is carried out in universities, academies and scientific institutions. lt is often carried out by scholars and professors. Whereas private research is carried out by private businesses and firms and is mainly used to solve commercially related problems. Despite the fact that there are differences between the two types, they can complement each other. Private firms may rely on university scholars to carry out research for them and they also make use of academic research carried out in the universities. However, this can raise issues about public investment in research vis-à-vis the use of academia and engagement of academic scholars for private interests and benefits. Ethical issues can also arise when private firms fund academic research.
• In order to understand the kind of skills we need to carry out research, we can learn from the characteristics of scientific research. Scientific research is often normatively distinguished from other types of research by six important characteristics; it is public, objective, systematic, cumulative, empirical and predictive.
• Two major categories of scientific research can be distinguished, (1) quantitative research and (2) qualitative research. Both quantitative and qualitative research may use methods such as surveys, content analysis, focus group discussions, interviews (structured, semi-structured and open), observation and case study. Each method uses different tools to collect data. For instance, the questionnaire is the data collection tool for the survey and the content analysis sheet is used to collect data for content analysis.
• The research process requires reliable information. This necessitates adequate skills to find relevant sources of information.
• Science gathers data, organizes and analyses it a way that so as to ensure it can provide meaningful information and can function as a foundation for knowledge.
• Educators should ensure interactivity with learners in administering activities under this unit, and guide learners to give example of the:
  • The meaning of science
  • The meaning of scientific knowledge
  • The relationship between science and knowledge
• The nature and structure of science
• The nature and structure of knowledge
• Different sources of new knowledge