LABORATORY METHOD

                                           LABORATORY METHOD

              Laboratory Method involves the maxims of teaching like ‘learning by doing’, ‘learning by observation’ and ‘concrete to abstract’ etc.  It provides a practical base to our inductive reasoning laboratory method has too much to contribute in mathematics teaching.  For its use it needs a well-equipped laboratory conscious, skilled mathematics teacher.

 OBJECTIVES

Ø  To know about the needs of Laboratory Method

Ø  To discuss the importance of Laboratory Method

Ø  To identify the materials equipments of Laboratory Method

Ø  To learn about the teaching of Laboratory Method

Ø  To know the merits and demerits of Laboratory Method

 NEEDS

            Laboratory is a place which serves two fold purpose.  Firstly, it provides safe and proper place for placing all the essential material and equipments.  Concerning the learning activities in subject.  Secondly, it gives proper facilities and opportunities to the essential practical work and lively learning experience.  In this way laboratory provides a good platform for the integration of theory with practice in a subject.

 IMPORTANCE

            In olden days when mathematics was treated a purely theoretical subject to be discussed only on the black-board or slates.  It has now been realized that its nature is as practical as other sciences or technical subjects. 

 MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENTS

          A Mathematical laboratory may contain the following types of material and equipments.

1. Different types of pictures and charts

            Pictures and charts make the learning of mathematics interesting and useful. A mathematics laboratory should contain different types of charts and pictures concerning various topics and sub-topics of mathematics. In addition to the topics of the syllabus, charts and pictures may also deal with the developmental history of Mathematics. A few pictures and photographs of the great Mathematicians may also be hung on the walls of the laboratory to make its environment as Mathematical as possible.

2. Models

            In mathematics education models, prove very effective source of teaching and learning. Mathematics teacher should try to have all such models in his laboratory which he thinks helpful in arranging the learning activities of the students of various classes of Mathematics in the school.

3. Weighing and measuring instruments

            Weighting and measuring are the two very important aspects of mathematics. A mathematics laboratory should therefore, have all the essential equipments for weighing and measuring purpose like different types of balances. Weighs, measuring tapes and graduated cylinders.

4. Drawing instruments

            For the drawing and sketching of various figures and diagrams there should be drawing instruments in the mathematics laboratory. Generally there are tow types of drawing instruments. One helps the teacher in his demonstration work on the black boards. These instruments of big size are generally made of wood. The general instruments of the other category are of small of wood. The general instruments of the other category are of small size. They are available with in a small geometry box. while the former should be kept compulsorily in a Mathematics laboratory, the latter should be purchased by every student of Mathematics.

5. The useful material concerning other subjects

            Modern teaching follows the principle of integration and correlation. In mathematics text concepts and problems are sometimes very much liked with the experience areas of other subjects. Therefore in mathematics laboratory, care should be taken to have useful material concerning other subjects, like thermometer, barometer, hygrometer , hydrometer rain gauge, pendulum, inclined plane, pulleys vernier calipers, screw gauge, wheel and axie clock faces, magnetic needle and bar magnet etc.

6. Surveying instruments

            Surveying is an important phenomenon concerning Mathematics. For surveying purposes besides various types of measuring tapes the following types of special instrument should be kept in a mathematics laboratory

i.        Angle Mirror : It is used for laying our right angles in the field

ii.       Sextant  : It is a sophisticated instrument for measuring the angular distance. It is used to fine out angles of elevation and depression. The attitude of a body and the width of a river etc may easily be calculated through this apparatus.

iii.    Plane table : It is used for elementary mapping and surveying

iv.    Hypsometer and Clinometers: used in combination, the apparatus makes  a simple device for measuring  distance and heights of objects.

v.      Level : It is used in leveling the surfaces by finding differences in elevation.

vi.    Transit : It is used in the measurement of angular distance and leveling

7. Other useful materials

            The useful concrete materials like beads, balls, sticks, match boxes, pebbles, seeds different types of coins, stencils for geometrical figures, didactic apparatus. The different types of wooden or cardboard pieces; demonstrating various geometrical figures. Place value pockets and discs for teaching fractional parts etc may be kept in mathematics laboratory. In addition to this the materials and equipments needed for wood or cardboard work like scissors, pins hammer nails, thread balls, ropes etc. should be also be kept in the laboratory 

(8) Some other modern equipments:

            Under this category the following types of instruments may be kept in the mathematics laboratory:-

(i)     Proportional  Dividers: This apparatus  is based on the principle of proportionally in similar triangle and used for enlarging or reducing picture maps or diagrams.

(ii)   Slide Rule: In principle it consist of two or more logarithmic scales sliding on each other. It provides a rapid means of multiplying and dividing numbers of taking certain powers and roots and of solving proportions. It is like a mini computer in the classroom computation.

(iii)  Calculating Machine:  It is a sophisticated device for making the computation work a joy. It can do all sorts of calculations in no time with great precision and accuracy. A simple calculating machine resembles a type write. It’s working is also very simple.

TEACHING LABORATORY METHOD

            For the present let us concentrate over the learning now to make use of laboratory method for the teaching of mathematics. The following illustrations would prove helpful in this directions.

To teach counting and four fundamental rules teacher may makes use of  a laboratory method by taking help of concrete materials. The total number of chalks or pencils. Possessed by these students may be known through actual counting. Similarly  subtraction, objects, charts and models etc.

Calculation

            After measuring the angles of different triangles in the form of card board sheet . we calculate their sum.

 

Triangles of different sized measure

1.      In Figure 1

ÐA = 90°,       ÐB = 60°,        ÐC= 30°

ÐA + ÐB + ÐC+ = 90° + 60° + 30° = 180°

2.      In Figure  2

ÐA = 60°,       ÐB = 60°,        ÐC= 60°

ÐA + ÐB + ÐC+ = 60° + 60° + 60° = 180°

Result

      In this way by calculating the three angles of a triangle the students will be able to conclude with inductive reasoning that the sum of three angles of a triangle is 180° or two right angles. The students will generalize the result drawn.

MERITS

v  This method is based on Psychological principle, “ learning by doing” so that students take interest in their work.

v  The knowledge acquired by this method is more solid and durable

v  This method presents mathematics as a practical subject

v  The knowledge acquired by this method is more meaning ful

v  It develops scientific attitude in the students

v  This method helps in developing self – confidence amongst students

v  The children enjoy as they remain active in the laboratory

v  The children learn the use of different equipments which are used in laboratory

DEMERITS

v  It is an expensive method so due to financial constraint, all schools are not able to adopt this method.

v  This method can be used for a small class only.

v  All Mathematics teachers cannot use this method effectively

v  It is not an easy job to prove all mathematical principles, laws and formula in the laboratory   

In this way a teacher can use this method effectively in mathematics teaching by keeping its merits and demerits in mind, and he/his can make his/ her teaching more effective.

            Some experiments related to mathematics which a student can easily verify in the laboratory are as follows.

        i.            Experiments related to weight and measurement 

      ii.            Experiments related to speed, time, distance, work and average.

    iii.            To represent different mathematical numbers in figures

    iv.            To prove different theorems of conic section and to make models related to them

      v.            To collect mathematical facts, laws, formula etc and to prepare their table or chart.

CONCLUSION

            In this way it is to be seen that laboratory method while having so many good points on its credit suffers from so many defects and limitations. We cannot teach every topic of mathematics through this method. All of the aims and objectives of teaching mathematics cannot be realized by this method and in the present circumstances our schools may feed so many difficulties and hurdles in using this method. It is very much suitable for teaching mathematics to junior classes. In the higher classes also its teaching should be linked with the day to day life activities and learning of other subjects. The limitations and defects of this method may be removed by observing the principle of integration. Laboratory work must get its nourishment from the theoretical knowledge. Integration of theory with practice coupled with the use of other suitable methods at the demand of the occasions would surely served the purpose of the laboratory method.