One tires of the daily question by those younger pupils, to do "practicals". Some school management are complicit in this; many seem to this sciences are taught effectively by "discovery learning", or "tactile learn styles", as an opportunity to free the baby-sitting reality of a school day characterised by "death by presentation ad nauseum", with "excitement" and "engagement" of so-called practicals in sciences subjects as a break from such reality.
No.
Chemistry is too dangerous, too demanding, to allow such a cavalier attitude. Furthermore, modern day computer game culture facilitates a dangerous disregard for safety. Play character crashes, burns, dies, etc.; does not matter. Start again!
So what to do for those few pupils with the maturity to conduct chemistry practicals and simple experiments (note: the two are not the same...)? Try "teacher demonstrations" with the variation to allow a selected number of pupils to conduct parts of the practical at the "teacher desk" with the rest to watch (in reality most cannot see), listen to teacher instruction and to write descriptions of observations. If technology allows selected students take photographs or video to share amongst the class (more about that, to follow). Much safer operation, good pupils get opportunity to gain useful tactile experience to handle apparatus, whilst the dangerous/clumsy/lazy remain safely seated...
Further to a previous post, am disappointed (but not surprised) at the functionality of 'one-note' as a pedagogical tool. Once again, business software is forced into the education sector. Synchronisation of students in classes, with permissions in other tools (e.g. 'teams'). Despite the claims, in reality the memberships of classes is broken when students are moved in/out of 'teams' classes. Avoid.
As an alternative to the amgaf infrastructure, one hopes to see a return to 'moodle'...
