WEEK 11 - OBSERVATION AND EXPLANATION

Group 1

         Week 11 is the start of the e-presentation for our class and this week Group 1 is the presenter. The presenters are Faiqah, Najah, Azani and Azam. Their topic is observation and explanation. They start the presentation in Whatsapp by asking a question about what we observe when we woke up from sleep. There are a lot of answers such as phone or surrounding. Then, they give us a video of their presentation and a slide for the notes. This is what I get from their video and slide.

       Observation involves obtaining outside world intelligence through our senses or collecting data using scientific instruments and tools. Any data collected during an experiment can be referred to as observation. There are two types of observation which are quantitative and qualitative. A quantitative observation is an unbiased data collection that focuses mainly on numbers and values. Quantitative observational findings are obtained using methods of statistical and numerical analysis. Then, qualitative observation deals with data that our senses like sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch can be experienced with. They do not involve measurements or numbers. The role of observation is that it enables the researcher to observe people in their natural environment, without the intervention of a researcher affecting their behaviour. The characteristics of scientific observation are observation is a systematic method, specific and objective. Next, the advantages of observation are the simplest method, it is useful for framing hypothesis and have a greater accuracy while the disadvantages are some of the occurrences may not be open to observation, the personal bias of the observer and difficulty in checking validity.

     Moreover, the explanation in science is that a scientific explanation uses measurements and observations to describe what we see in the natural world. It should match the evidence and be logical. There are three types of explanation which are historical explanation, functional explanation and methodology explanation. There are also roles of explanation in science where firstly, a prediction to a similar event in the future, secondly is used to make a diagnosis and lastly is to justify or rationalize an action. Furthermore, the characteristics of scientific explanation are that it includes reliable and precise phenomenal measurement and not founded on the researcher 's values, views, behaviours or beliefs. The advantages of scientific explanation are easy to get the solution, improvement to the solution and is a guide to solve the solution. While, the disadvantages are given another problem to a similar event, wrong diagnosis and misunderstanding. Lastly is the explanation tools. Explanation tools start by helping students think through their research question, background information and initial thoughts that they already have. Students then investigate to obtain the necessary scientific evidence to help them address the question.

     After we have finished watching the video, the presenters start the Q&A session. Every group asks the question of what they do not understand about the topic. There is a group asking about what are the few things that science cannot answer?. The answer is things such as spiritual aspect, beliefs, perception. We can only observe the physical world, everything that can be observed by using senses and tools. In science we always rely on objective evidence, the things can be measured and proven. After the Q&A session ended, we have activity group where four groups need to choose one of the activities given. Each topic has two groups.

Choose one situation below and try to come out with a scientific explanation.

a) Ali pulls a box without trolley while Abu pulls a box with trolley. Who will arrive at the store first?

b) The rainbow is very beautiful. What colour of the rainbow?

     Before the presenters ended their presentation, madam asks about our understanding of this topic. I can say that observation and explanation are very important in science because, without them, science cannot be proved. To give a good explanation, we need a really good observation. So, without observation, a scientist cannot explain with a better explanation for any theories and law. 

I will also include the video from Group 1 for topic observation and explanation.