The Voice of the Voiceless: Reflections on Science Practical Work in Rural Disadvantaged Schools

Abstract

This article articulates the unsatisfactory conditions for doing practical work in science subjects in secondary schools. It explores how teachers teach science without having the necessary equipment to do such work. I shall attempt to show that practical work has many benefits to the teaching and learning of science and every learner should be afforded an opportunity to do it. Often teachers try to explain a practical experiments theoretically to learners. This is done in the hopes that learners will understand the science concepts, even though the teacher and the learners have to "imagine" as if science concepts were reality. My argument is that, during the examination period, all learners are assessed on the same level irrespective of whether the practical activity was done on not. Many learners do practical work for the first time at tertiary level, without having had the proper training and background for doing practical work. Consequently, the results in Physical Science continue to be below par, as evidenced in the Grade 12 results. This study is a reflection on the experiences of teachers and that of the author at 30 schools in the rural areas of South Africa.

Effects of an In-service Program on Biology and Chemistry Teachers’ Perception of the Role of Laboratory Work

“…Furthermore, they claimed saying that the laboratory classes occur with many difficulties due the lack of materials and adequate space as well as training on how to perform laboratory experiments. These comments are in line with what other scholars have stated in their studies regarding the poor conditions, insufficient equipment, long preparation time and lack of proper training and background to carry out laboratory work (Motlhabane, 2013;Sahin-Pekmez, 2005). …”

“…However, according to the literature, in many countries of the world and particularly in the developing countries, the effective implementation of the laboratory work is a general problem accompanied by several constraints. For instance, the inexistence of adequate conditions and availability of equipment and laboratorial materials, including financial resources, to teach practical science, poor preparation of teachers, poor implementation of procedures, overwhelming number of activities demanded by the new curricula and lack of qualified teachers are some of the problems confronting the process of science teaching, particularly in African settings (Motlhabane, 2013;Bekalo & Welford, 1999;Hodson, 1992;Allsop, 1991). In addition, most of the experiments and laboratory activities are conducted using a 'recipe-style' in which the students are required only to follow a set of steps to demonstrate and verify the scientific concepts already known (Hodson, 1996).…”

The views and experiences of Grade 10 Life Scinces teachers on the compulsory practical examination

“…Consequently, teachers who lack confidence to engage in practical work resort to chalk-and-talk lecturing and demonstrations when teaching sciences (Lubben, Sadeck, Scholtz & Braund, 2010). Motlhabane (2013) in his study on Physical Sciences teachers' reflections on practical work noted many teachers in rural schools lack the necessary motivation to be innovative in their teaching practice pertaining to practical work. While many schools in South Africa lack appropriate equipment for teachers to conduct practical work.…”

Physical Science Teacher’s Perspectives of the Types and Nature of Practical Work

“…What are the teacher's perspectives of the types and nature of practical work? Many studies in South Africa, for example (Ramnarain, 2014;Motlhabane, 2013;Dudu andVhurumuku, 2012 andStoffels, 2005) have been undertaken focusing on practical work in physical science, amongst others, looking at what teachers do in the classroom during practical work or the challenges they continuously face. Ramnarain (2014) posits that some physical science teachers in South Africa were of the view that physical science practical work is for making the subject of physical science enjoyable and development of students' experimental skills.…”