1.List the steps in the scientific method, and give a brief explanation of each step. 2.In a bulleted list, name the five theoretical approaches to child development. give a brief description of each...

Lesson 3
1. List the steps in the scientific method, and give a brief explanation of each step.
Ans. Scientific Study involves following steps:
a) Observation – many enquiries begin with observation. Observation can be direct or indirect. Much of our perception of the world around us is mainly through sight, but smell, hearing, taste and touch also help considerably.
b) Defining a problem- once the observation has been made, the next step is to define a problem. This involves asking questions about an observation. Science is able to answer about ‘how’ or ‘what’. But the question ‘why’ is most difficult to answer.
c) Making a hypothesis- a hypothesis is a logical explanation that accounts for the observation. This step involves making a guess or proposing plausible solution for a problem predicted on the basis of all available data and information. It is just an assumption, yet unproved. A hypothesis often consists of a number of interconnected statements or assumptions that give a possible solution to the problem.
d) Testing or Experimentation- this step involves testing or experimentation to know whether prediction is correct or not.
e) Necessity of Control – a standard type of experiment is called control experiment. A scientist is supposed to perform two sets of parallel experiments that are identical in all respects except one variable, which is to be tested.
f) Conclusion or Theory- if conducted experiments are done repeatedly and collected data favor the hypothesis, it is accepted and formulated into a theory, if not, it is rejected.
g) Principle or Law- a generalization or a theory about a scientific phenomenon which has been tested over a period of time is given the status of an established theory or a principle or law.
2. In a bulleted list, name the five theoretical approaches to child development. give a brief description of each approach.
Ans. The five theoretical approaches to child development are as follows:
a) Psychoanalytic – Psychoanalytic theory describes development as primarily unconscious that is, beyond awareness and as heavily coloured by emotion.
b) Cognitive – Cognitive theory emphasizes children’s intellectual abilities. Through actions and interactions, experience and understanding a child starts gaining knowledge and thus forms concepts about physical and social world.
c) Behavorial and Social Cognitive - it suggests the key to understanding development are observable behavior and outside stimuli in the environment.
d) Ethological - Ethology stresses that behaviour is strongly influenced by biology, is tied to evolution, and is characterized by critical or sensitive periods.
e) Ecological – This theory stress on environmental or ecological factors for child development. Home environment, school environment play a very important role in child development.
3. define DNA and briefly address where it is found, how it works, and its construction.
Ans. DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is a nucleic acid and is found mainly in the nucleus but it also occurs in the chloroplasts and mitochondria in all eukaryotic cells. It forms a single chromosome in prokaryotic cells. In a DNA molecule several thousand nucleotides are linked together to form a polynucleotide chain. The nucleotides are called monomers or building blocks. The adjacent nucleotides are connected together by...