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A Study in Teaching of Science: Conventional Pedagogies at Secondary Stage: Ms. Faiza Altaf , Prof. Jessy Abraham & Prof. Talat Aziz 494

International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-1, Issue-4, May 2014 ISSN 2348-6848

A Study in Teaching of Science: Conventional Pedagogies at Secondary Stage

Ms. Faiza Altaf1, Prof. Jessy Abraham2& Prof. Talat Aziz3

Abstract The present study focuses on enquiring on a science teacher’s classroom conduct and practices

in providing opportunities to the students for creating knowledge through reasoning and logic. For the purpose of the study the sample consisted of 32 Science teachers from Delhi. Only private school teachers were selected for this study. An Observation Schedule consisted of 18 items prepared by the Investigator. Major finding revealed that In Delhi, science teachers used a constructivist approach in the teaching of science at secondary level but for few topics they used demonstration etc. At the secondary level laboratory was not for the students and it was not possible to carry out with each student in the classroom because of safety precautions. For some topics teachers used group activities and for some individual, according to the nature of the topic.

KeyWords- Science education, Science learning, Teaching of science, Constructivist approach.

1 Research Scholar, IASE, JMI, New Delhi. 2 IASE, JMI, New Delhi. 3 IASE, JMI, New Delhi.



Introduction Science refers to a systematic body of

knowledge acquired through observation

and experimentation, which is capable of

verification. (Kishore, 2003) A sound

knowledge of science education is very

important for the management of our

natural resources and provision of

adequate food and healthy environment.

It also plays a pivotal role towards

achieving self-reliance in the life of the

individual (Dutta, 1996; Umeh, 1999).

The Government of India in order to

inspire sciences has launched this

innovative scheme of Innovation in

Science Pursuit for Inspired Research

(INSPIRE) which is a flagship Scheme

of Department of Science & Technology

(DST), Ministry of Science &

Technology to attract talented students in

the age group of 10-32 years to study

science and pursue career in research.

From the perspective of

promoting standard based science

education, the instructional technique or

method employed plays important role in

learning important ideas and skills if

standard based education is to become a

reality in the nation classroom (Tyson,

1997). It is therefore a process of

cognitive, affective and psycho motor

development whose aim is to mold the

learner towards a total contribution to the

development of the learner and the

community (Durosaro, 2002). In

achieving this by the teacher, there is the

need to improve on the instructional

methods in the teaching and learning

process especially in teaching science

subjects. Dial, K.C (1985) finds out that

Effective instruction depends on the

teacher’s ability to understand how

students make sense of the stimuli, rather

than how teachers make sense of those

stimuli by themselves. According to

Driver (1996),“If it is accepted that

learning involves the restructuring of

students' conceptions, the educators not

only need to appreciate the ideas that

children bring to the learning situations,

but they need to understand the processes

by which conceptual change occurs in

order which can be taken into account in

the design of learning programs.”

It is rightly said, Good science

education is true to the child, true to life

and true to science. NCERT in its

position paper on the teaching of science

suggests that at the secondary stage the

students should be engaged in learning

science as a composite discipline, in

working with hands and tools to design

more advanced technological modules



than at the upper primary stage, and in

activities and analysis on issues

surrounding the environment and health.

(NCF-2005).

The fact is that in India we are

still, by and large, trapped in the

paradigm of teaching "content". For an

overwhelming majority of students,

science is just another demanding and

difficult subject to be learnt by rote, with

no meaningful learning outcomes.There

is little training of young students in

methods of scientific inquiry; All over

the world the shift has been towards

teaching "skills", that are necessary for

making a truly global 21st century

citizen. The ability to research, reference,

analyse and draw your own conclusions

is the fulcrum of the new pedagogy.

Good science education in schools is a

vital preparation for scientific literacy in

later life. Although the contents of

science can be articulated and passed on

through texts, books and instructions and

doing science is best developed through

mentor and adequate no of trained and

motivated teachers can make science

teaching interesting. Role of teacher is

inevitable in the learning of science.

(Polyani (1958) (cited in Chopella,

Koballa&Collette, 1998) The effective

teacher has a multiplicity of methods at

his disposal and must be prepared to

select the ones, which will be most

effective in leading the learner to desired

behavior. It is therefore a process of

cognitive, affective and psycho motor

development whose aim is to mould the

learner towards a total contribution to the

development of the learner and the

community (Durosaro, 2002). In

achieving this by the teacher, there is the

need to improve on the instructional

methods in the teaching and learning

process especially in teaching science

subjects. Despite the frantic efforts made

by government to enhance teaching of

science syllabus by employing qualified

graduate teachers, provision of well

equipped laboratory, prompt payment of

wages, promotion of sectors and

sponsoring sectors offering science

programmes, yet the recent students'

result at external examination shows a

sharp decline in the performance

(Uhumuavbi, P.O., Mamudu, J.A., 2009).

Out of the 74 countries tested in the

PISA 2009 cycle the two Indian states

came up 72nd and 73rd out of 74 in both

reading and maths, and 73rd and 74th in

science. India pulled out of the 2012

round of PISA testing, with the Indian

government attributing its action to the

unfairness of PISA testing to Indian

students. The Indian Express reported on



9/3/2012 that the ministry (of education)

has concluded that there was a social-

cultural disconnect between the questions

and Indian students. In June 2013, the

Indian government still concerned with

the future prospect of fairness of the

PISA testing relating to Indian students,

again pulled out from the 2015 round of

PISA testing. Science teaching in Indian

schools needs a radical overhaul to stop

students losing interest, according to

India's first national science survey. The

survey, which collected information from

346,000 people in rural and urban areas

around the country, was commissioned

by the Indian National Science Academy

(INSA) and conducted by the National

Council of Applied Economic Research

(NCAER). About one-third of students

said they were not motivated enough to

continue studying science after leaving

school. In India, the funds for providing

adequate laboratories and equipment are

an important constraint on effective

science teaching. The laboratories in the

primary school are almost unknown. In

the secondary stage, where science

laboratories exist, they are often used for

demonstration and verification type

experiments. There are problems at the

level of teachers too. Resistance to

change in the science curriculum

frequently comes from teachers trained

along traditional lines. (Kishore, 2003)

Since teachers' lack adoption of

educational methods in teaching

sciences. The question is that, what are

the conventional methods of teaching of

science in our schools? This is a

problem, which this study intends to

explore. This study also intends to find

answers to the following questions. Are

our teachers well qualified for teaching

of science at secondary stage? Do our

teachers have good knowledge of their

subject? Does our teachers use a

constructivist approach in the teaching of

science? Are our students active learners

in science classroom? Is there a use of

teaching aids in our classrooms?, Do our

students take interest in the science

classroom?

Methodology- In order to collect necessary data for the

present study, a survey was conducted to

collect data on the existing phenomenon

with a view to employ that data to justify

current conditions and practices or to

make constructive plans. For this it was

necessary to observe the classes of

Science teachers who taught at secondary

level. It was also decided to do an

observation of teachers while they were

teaching different topics of science.



Sample-The Purposive Sample was used

for the study drawn from the population

of Science teachers of Delhi. The sample

consisted of 29 Science teachers from

Delhi. Only private school teachers were

selected for this study who were teaching

science at secondary level in the schools

of South Delhi.

Tools- An Observation Schedule consist

of 18 items prepared by Investigator

under these dimensions.

Planning

Presentation

Proper use of teaching

aids

Involvement of Students

Evaluation techniques

used by teachers

Analysis of Data- Percentage Analysis

was used for the analysis of Observation

Schedule.

Results- The percentage analysis of an

observation schedule showed the

following results-

In the Private schools of Delhi

80% of teachers do previous

planning and preparation before

teaching in the classroom.

80% of Private school teachers in

Delhi tests previous knowledge of

students.

100% of Private school teachers

in Delhi make proper

announcement of topics.

60% teachers used constructivist

approach, 20% used

demonstration approach and at

least 15% used narration in the

teaching of science. Only 5%

teachers used Problem solving

and Project method in teaching of

science.

100% of teachers used different

methods according to the need of

topics.

The presentation of all teachers

was proper according to subject

matter.

In Delhi 80% of teachers used

proper teaching aids.

100% of teachers developed a

blackboard summary with the

lesson.

90% of teachers tried to make the

teaching learning process

interactive.

In Delhi 80% classrooms,

students raise questions in class.

100% classrooms were found to

be disciplined.



The voice of 80% teachers found

satisfactory, only 20% teachers

have a low voice quality.

100% of teachers do a formative

and summative evaluation.

The computers and smart board

were found available in every

school.

Conclusion - Major finding reveal that the

conventional approaches of teaching

followed by teachers in Delhi in science

are Activity based approach,

Demonstration with lecture, CAI etc. In

Delhi teachers use a constructivist

approach in the teaching of science at

secondary level but for few topics they

use demonstration e.g. to explain various

chemical reactions. At the secondary

level laboratory was not for the students

and it was not possible to carry out,

experiment with each student in the

classroom because of safety precautions.

For some topics teachers used group

activities and for some individual

techniques according to the nature of the

topic. The computers were found

available in every school. In Delhi some

teachers also used resources like

computers, smart boards etc.

Conveniently and more frequently,

whereas some used these only for few

topics. The findings of the study revealed

that private school teachers are putting

their best efforts for teaching of science

at secondary level.

The present state of education in

general, science in particular, is far from

satisfactory. To actually realize the

enormous potential of our youth power,

several radical changes are required.

Clearly, India will have to ramp up its

efforts and get serious about what goes

on in its schools. The PISA tests do

really reflect India's standing in the

international academic community and

that's because of a disconnect between

what we're doing and what the new order

demands. India's great strength so far has

been that we have given our children, by

far and large, a thorough grounding in the

'three R's', which is why we are very

good when it comes to conventional

testing but fall apart in tests like PISA

which look for a different set of skills.

But the time has come to build on this

platform and launch ourselves onto the

next stage in preparing our children for

the brave, new world. Otherwise, we may

not find ourselves on the PISA list at all!

First, we must use the science

curriculum as an instrument of social

change to reduce the divide related to



economic class, gender, caste, religion

and region. Second, we believe that for

any qualitative change from the present

situation, science education in India must

undergo a paradigm shift. Another

important fact is enhancing our human

capital by building the capacity of our

teachers. The thrill of discovery is not

felt by children these days. That's the

right way would be to allow children to

discover things rather than telling them

stuff. Rote learning should be

discouraged. Inquiry skills should be

supported and strengthened by language,

design and quantitative skills. Schools

should give much greater emphasis on

co-curricular and extracurricular

elements aimed at stimulating

investigative ability, inventiveness and

creativity, even if these elements are not

part of the external examination system.

The classroom atmosphere should be

such that it provokes questions,

discussions and debates and enhances

students Meta cognitive skills. With all

the technological advances like

multimedia and simulation, many

teaching aids are available to facilitate

teaching science in an interesting

manner. Telling students the relationship

of a scientific principle to things they

experience in their everyday lives is a

technique few teachers use. Out-of-

classroom contexts can add to and

improve the learning of science in

several ways. They can promote the

understanding and integration of science

concepts.

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3. Driver. R. (1996) Young People’s Image of science. Buckingham; Open University

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4. Durosaro, D. O. (2002): Refocusing Education in Nigeria: Implications for funding

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