PERTANDINGAN GURU INOVATIF 2011 KEMENTERIAN PELAJARAN MALAYSIA 1. KATEGORI PERTANDINGAN/CATEGORY INDIVIDUAL/ INDIVIDU SEKOLAH MENENGAH 2.

TAJUK/TEMA INOVASI/ INNOVATION THEME: SEEING IS BELIEVING HANDS-ON ACTIVITY TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF PERMEABILITY 3. SYNOPSIS

This hands on activity is developed to help students understand better the concepts of permeability in plasma membrane. hands-on (h ndz n , -n )
adj.

Involving active participation; applied, as opposed to theoretical:

"We're involved in hands-on operations, pulling levers, pushing buttons" (Arthur R. Taylor).

the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved

Definition of PERMEABLE : capable of being permeated : PENETRABLE; especially :

having pores or openings that permit liquids or gases to pass through <a permeable membrane> <permeable limestone

merriam-websterscollegiate.com/dictionary/permeable

So, Permeable means allowing something to pass through In order to understand the next unit about the movement of soluble substances across the plasma membrane. It is essential for each student to understand the concept of permeability in Plasma Membrane. The current activity suggested in the Biology practical book uses visking tube, glucose and starch to explain about permeability. Results are observed with the aid of reagents.

This activity uses materials commonly used by the students. Like stockings, turmeric powder and sago granules. Results are observed in an instant.

4. TARGETTED GROUPS Students of form 4, who are taking Biology subject. 5. BACKGROUND Through constant sharing among Biology teachers I found out that we face a common problem at explaining the concept of permeability to the students. To test the effectiveness of the innovation I chose 4 Blossom. This class 4 Blossom even though is considered a science stream class but they are not the cream of the school (from PMR results) the best class is 4 Alamanda. Their visualizing ability is limited. If T & L is confined to diagrammatic illustrations without hands on activity they cannot understand the concept. 6. LITERATURE REVIEW Bruner stressed learning by doing. "The school boy learning physics is a physicist, and it is easier for him to learn physics behaving like a physicist than doing something else" (Bruner, 1960, p. 14). Bruner states, "Of only one thing I am convinced. I have never seen anybody improve in the art and technique of inquiry by any means other than engaging in inquiry" (1961, p. 31). Bruner points out the quick rate of change in our world and says, "the principal emphasis in education should be placed on skills - skills in handling, in seeing, and imaging, and in symbolic operations" (Bruner, 1983, p. 138). Hands-on and learning by experience are powerful ideas, and we know that engaging students actively and thoughtfully in their studies pays off in better learning (Rutherford, 1993. P.5)

7. BEFORE INNOVATON In chapter 3 of Biology form 4, Movement of substances across the plasma membrane is a major topic. In order to understand this topic thoroughly the students have to first understand the concept of Permeability of a Plasma Membrane.

Diagrammatic illustrations are provided in the textbook at page 43. Activity in the form of experiment is also provided in the Biology practical book at page 20. As attached

Diagram 1:

Through Q & A sessions most of the students are unable to grasp the concept of permeability because they do not see movement of particles happening. 8. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED

8.1

In this topic the students have to understand the complex structure of the plasma membrane besides understanding the movement of substances across the membrane. The biology practical book outlined an experiment to help students understand this concept; this experiment does show to the students that glucose is found outside of the visking tube (through the use of reagent) but teacher fine it difficult to explain the reasons. 8.2 When a text or teacher tells students that plasma membrane is semi permeable because it allows smaller molecules -iodine and glucose to pass through it, but prevents the bigger starch molecules from passing through. The students will simply memorize without question and are hampered by falsehood for a lifetime. 8.3 Weak students have low visualizing ability. When the students have difficulty understanding a concept, ripple effects as follows will happen: not paying attention, Talking, escaping from class and other non cooperative behaviours

9. OBJECTIVE OF THE INNOVATION To Students:- To help students understand the concept of Permeabilty using common and applicable material To Teachers : - To provide a creative and interesting Teaching and Learning environment - To encourage participation of students in the T & L Process (Fun In Learning) 10. TABLE OF PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION No 1 Dates 2/1/2011 Activities - Identifying the problems and topics - Reflection

11.1.2011

T & L is done using the suggested activity in the biology practical book at page 20. (Diagram 1) Discussion based on the sets of questions in page 21 13.1.2011 Experiment is done using common materials Discussion (as shown in the Diagrams)

Due to constraint of uploading data some parts are not included

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Diagram 10: SEEING IS BELIEVING The beaker containing the tube made of stocking becomes yellowish. This result shows clearly that particles with smaller sizes are able to pass through a permeable membrane. The beaker containing the visking tube remained colourless.

10. 4 DISCUSSION/ TEACHERS REFLECTION: This activity serves as an analogy to the experiment done using glucose and sucrose in Biology practical book. The students find it easier to understand the concept of permeability because they can see and touch the tumeric powder and the sago.tumeric powder consist of

smaller particles while sago are bigger in size. The sizes of Glucose and sucrose are hard to compare because they form colourless substances in water, so they can not tell which one is the bigger molecules. This activity acts as a supporting activity to help students understand the concept of permeablity

It is suitable for weak students who have low visualizing skills. This also support Bruner points which says, "the principal emphasis in education should be placed on skills - skills in handling, in seeing, and imaging, and in symbolic operations" (Bruner, 1983, p. 138).

11.0 BENEFITS: 11.1 Cost effectiveness The materials are either recycle materials like old stocking or household items like tumeric powder and sago. While the experiment in the practical book uses glucose and starch which are specially ordered by the lab for the experiment.

11.2

Time saving The results can be observed within seconds. No reagent is needed because the water turns yellowish naturally For the experiment in the practical book, glucose needs time to pass through the visking tube. Benedict reagents is needed to test the presence of glucose in the water

11.3 Benefits for teaching and learning process The students find it easier to understand the concept of permeability because they can see and touch the tumeric powder and the sago. The sizes of Glucose and sucrose are hard to compare because the form colourless substances in water, so they can not tell which one is the bigger molecules. By using stocking as a tube the students can visualize that plasma membrane have holes or pores to allow certain substances with certain size to pass through it. The holes/pores in the visking tube is too minute for naked eyes to see. This is

supported by the famous chines proverbs - I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand. This method increases the students interest in the subject because the activity is very hands on while at the same time is able to instil creative thinking( like using stocking to prove a concept). It also encourages questioning of the observed events and the resulting data. It can then lead to creativity among the students, they might want to try on other materials besides stocking, tumeric powder and sago, to prove a point. The teachers job satisfaction is achieved, as positive feedback are shown by the students responds CONCLUSION

12.0

Hands-on approaches in teaching certain topic/concepts in Science have a lot of benefits. It forces students to think and interpret what is observed, rather than memorization of correct responses. Without this approach students must rely on memory and abstract thought, not all students a gifted with a good memorizing skill. By actually doing, experiencing and understanding the processes or the concepts this knowledge will stay with the students throughout their lifetimes while memory fades

13.0 REFERENCES Lam, P. K. 2002, Practical Biology For O Level Science.Singapore: Federal Publication Teh, L. H., 2005. Fokus Masteri Biologi Tingkatan 4. Malaysia: Penerbitan Fjar Bakti Sdn. Bhd. Gan , Subramaniam & Rajion, 2005. Biology form 4 Practical Book. Bakaprep Sdn. Bhd.