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The traditional way of teaching the scientific method as a set of linear steps is not only the incorrect way to teach the scientific method, it also confusing for students.
The scientific method is not analogous to a recipe from a cookbook. However, it can seem that way to students. The reality of science is that it is complex and cannot be reduced to a set of pre-determined steps.
Science is the testing of ideas with evidence.
Scientists engage in many different activities in a myriad number of sequences. Scientific investigations include repeated trials with the incorporation of new information and ideas. Contrary to how many students use science in the classroom, real scientists rely on interactions within the scientific community through in-person work and investigations, media conferences such as Google Hang Outs or Skype, and written reports in journals. Scientists use many forms of communication when working with other scientists around the world. Scientists are creative individuals who are used to thinking "outside of the box". Their conclusions are revised based on accurate new evidence. Many new questions raised from scientific investigations drives scientific thinking and learning forward. Science is dynamic and unpredictable, not static. We need to help our students learn science as scientists and not recipe-followers.
Use this link to help you share the real views of science and the scientific method with your students. How Science Works
Additional resources:
Misconceptions about teaching the nature and process of science.
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