Challenges Preventing Science Teachers from Performing Natural Science Practical Works in Selected Primary Schools in the Oshana Region, Namibia (Published)
Despite the importance of practical work, there are several factors preventing science teachers, especially at primary schools from including practical work in their teaching routine. The main objective of this study was to investigate the challenges preventing science teachers from carrying out Natural Science practical works in selected primary schools in the Oshana Region. A qualitative research approach employing interview schedules and observation as the research instruments was used to collect data on the challenges faced by the science teachers. A sample of 4 Natural Science teachers (2 teaching grade 6 and 2 teaching grade 7) was chosen using the purposive sampling method to participate in the study. The study found that the major factors preventing the teachers from carrying out practical works in the selected primary schools include lack of well equipped functional laboratories, no provision for practical work on the teaching time table, teachers’ lack of experiences in preparing experiments and handling of some equipment, and the lack of laboratory assistance. However, as part of measures to encourage the use of practical works in teaching primary school Natural Science in the study area, the participants indicated that relevant materials and equipment should be made available at the beginning of every academic year. It was also indicated that regular capacity building workshops should be held to train the teachers on conducting experiments and handling equipment. Thus, it was recommended that the school management should devise means of addressing the identified challenges in order to enable the teachers include practical work in the teaching of Natural Science.
Keywords: Apparatus, Challenges, Laboratories, Natural Science, Practical work
Impact of Instructional Scaffolding on Students’ Achievement in Chemistry In Secondary Schools In Ebonyi State Of Nigeria (Published)
This study investigated effects of instructional scaffolding on achievement of senior secondary students in chemistry in Ebonyi State of Nigeria. It also studied the interactive effects of scaffolding and gender on achievement of senior secondary school students in chemistry. Three research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The method of data collection was experimental, were simple random sampling technique was applied to select a total sample of ninety (90) students from the ten secondary schools used for the study. The instruments for data collection were chemistry scaffolding Achievement Test (CSAT) for the treatment group and Conventional Instructional Package (CIP) for the control group. Mean and standard deviation were used for the analysis of the data. The hypotheses were tested using ANCOVA at the level of significance of 0.05. The reliability of the instrument was calculated using Kuder-Richardson (K-R20) procedure, from which a reliability coefficient of 0.85 was obtained. Table 1 presented result on the effect of instructional scaffolding on senior secondary school students’ achievement in chemistry. The result obtained from Table 2 on effect of gender on students’ achievement using scaffolding method proved that the male students performed better than the female students. Table 3, which presented result on interactive effects of scaffolding and gender revealed that there is no significant interaction, as both performed well. The researcher made the following recommendations. Teachers should regularly apply instructional scaffolding method to enhance the effectiveness of their instructions; students should abide by scaffolding method of instruction when adopted by the teacher to enhance retention and long term learning; and the school authorities should on regular basis supervise classroom instructions to promote the application of instructional scaffolding by the teachers
Keywords: Apparatus, Chemistry, Instrumental Scaffolding, Nigeria, School, Student