monitoring plan for the science laboratory resources in a private school in a developing country1

8/14/2019 Monitoring Plan for the Science Laboratory Resources in a Private School in a Developing Country1

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MONITORING PLAN FOR THE PHYSICS LABORATORY RESOURCES IN A

PRIVATE SCHOOL IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY

Anthony Gioko

Professional Development Teacher

Facilitator Physics and Technology

Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa

Introduction

I see monitoring as a way of informing me of what is happening for future action;

however Rogers and Badham (1992) defines it as a systematic collection of data over a

period of time which is then used to evaluate a program, process or a person. I concur with

Earley (2000) approach to evaluators as what we want to happen, happening or are we

doing what we said we would do? p 199. A monitor checks, oversees and keeps a

continuous record of any observation made (White, 1997). This paper presents a monitoring

plan which is designed to monitor the resources in terms of organization, access and use in a

physics laboratory. According to Tamir (1989) the laboratory is a unique facet of science


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and Shadish, 1997) regarding organization, access and use of resources and space. Re-order

levels are dictated upon by the knowledge of utilization. Parkinson (1994) advices that

resources are only useful if the can be found in time for the lesson.

All the above framed by rationale as a science teacher the laboratories are relevant to

me. I had been involved in huge equipments budget hence I feel my monitoring plan will

ensure accountability. Resources in the laboratories are sometimes abused by both students

and teachers hence I need to evaluate the system. Finally the laboratories are exposed to

risks and dangers hence keeping track can inform on safety precautions.

Objectives

With this plan I will then be able to achieve the following objectives

-To identify different areas which need focused investigations.

- To determine the strengths and opportunities in the organization access and use of

laboratory resources and space.

-To identify the weakness and use them in reviews and PD1design.

-To provide information for the school wide development plan.

- To track the success of achieving the objective of equipping the physics

laboratories and its relations to the goals and mission of the school


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The school follows Key stage 2 and key stage 3, International General Certificate of

Education and the International Baccalaureate. The students join in Year 6 and leave at Year

13.

Partners

The monitoring process will be undertaken by the core planners of the strategic plan.

The core planners include the Principal, Head Teachers, Business Manager, Pastoral

coordinators, Head of Department, Teachers, Laboratory Technician and the Students. The

team will develop some guided principles to enable them work effectively and efficiently.

Resources for Monitoring Process

There will be several resources namely charts, books, papers and time to be used and

they include the tools for data collection, management and analysis. The monitoring will be

done in the physics laboratories which are representative of all the laboratories. A

representative group will be selected through purposive sampling from Year 6 to Year 13.

Th t ti ill b Y 7 Y 9 d Y 12 th t ll th


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-Display, presentation and use of space.

Process

The four themes will be monitored during the year as shown in the schedule (see

appendix F) with a sampled group accordingly. The process will involve collecting data

through interviews, observation and document/ record analysis. The approach is a time-

constrained monitoring Wilcox (1992) because the reviews have to be done within the re-

ordering of equipment. After collecting the data it will be analyzed per the instrument. The

outcomes will be collated in Table 1. The scoring is reversed; success will be indicated by

low score, as the scores increase a demand for action will be pronounced.


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Table 1 Monitoring Plan Foundation

Theme Indicator illustration Instruments Sample Scale

Organization

of resources.

-Arrangement of the equipments.

- Extent of labeling the equipment,

-Updating of the inventory.

-Range of Safety measures taken in

the laboratory

-The laboratory equipments are arranged in

respective areas-The storage facilities in the laboratory are

well labeled with names and subject areas

-The inventory is regularly updated.

-The laboratory takes care of safety conditions

Observation

checklist 1

The two

physicslaboratories

Systematic Random

1 2 3 4 5Adequate Inadequate

1 2 3 4 5

Always sometimes never 1 2 3 4 5

Adequate Inadequate

1 2 3 4 5

Accessibility

of resources.

-Number of equipment accessible.

-Range of accessed resources

The Equipment can be accessed easily.

Only the requested resources are accessed

ResourceAccess

checklistQuestionnaire1

Threeselected

lessons foreach class



Use of

resources

-Who can use the laboratory

resources

-Extend of use of the resources

-Extent of relevancy

-The handling of the apparatus

-The laboratory equipments are used by all

classes.

-The equipments are used for demonstrationand in performing practicals and

investigations

-The apparatus used are relevant to the topics

taught and the level of the students.

-The laboratory technicians are trained in

handling all the equipments and emergencyrising from the equipment

Self fill

Resource use

Grid

One lesson

selected

randomly25% of the

students to

fill the form

(Students to

fill form

only ONCEin a month)

All Selected

1 2 3 4 5

All Selected

1 2 3 4 5

Adequate Inadequate

1 2 3 4 5

Display,

presentation

and use of

space

-Nature of Displayed resources

-Condition of display.

-Type of displays-Proper use of space

-The laboratory has displays of relevant

posters around them

-The laboratory displays equipments in a safe

manner for the purpose of educational interest.

-The resources are used to produce interestingpresentations through demonstrations

-The space has been used efficiently.

Observation

checklist(3)

Questionnaire

All the Labs

Selected

students for

survey

students toparticipate

only ONCE

in a year

Related Least related not related

1 2 3 4 5

Safe Risky

1 2 3 4 5

Very Interesting Dull 1 2 3 4 5

Efficiently Inefficient

1 2 3 4 5

5


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Table 2 Monitoring Plan Grid

What to monitor Who will

monitor

What/criteria Where/site When How will the data be used Respondent

Organization TeachersLab

Technicia

n.

Arranging the resources in an organizedmanner.

- Physical inspect

o The laboratory lay out.

-The labeling of

the storage facilitiesresources

- Check the inventory

o Update frequency

o Lay out

- Check the safety of the place

o Procedures.

o

Resources

In the physicslaboratory log book.

Students practical

reports book.Lesson Plan.

Sept. 07-July08

2nd week of theMidterm

term

After each

major order

The data will be an indicatorof utility use. It also is used to

advise the teachers in their

future planning for timemanagement and the

laboratory technician for

organization.

HT

Accessibility. HOD

Students

Being able to get to the resources.

- Check the number of resources and

type accessed by the students and

teachers.

- Ask the Lab. Technician if they canprovide what a student/Teachers wants

- Ask teachers if they get what theywant.

-Observe practical session

Physics laboratory Sept 07-July08

Monthly

The data will be used to find

how the resources are assessed

dictate the actions as per the

output

DHT

Use of resources HOD

Subject

Teachers

Using the laboratory resource

-List of people who use the resources

-Range of use of the resources

-Relevancy of the use-Safety in use

In the physics

laboratory log book.

Students practical

reports book.Lesson Plan.

Sept. 07-

July08

Once a week

The data will be used to

identify how the resources are

utilized ant the quality of the

utility.

D HT

Display, presentation

and use of space

Subject

TeachersStudents

Displayed and presented items

-Relevance on the display-condition of the displayed items

-Variety of the DisplaysSpace utility

Physics laboratory Sept.07-July08

Once a monthbut different

subsequentdays

The data will inform on the

displays of resources in thelaboratory.

HOD

6


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Conclusion

Monitoring and evaluation is a very crucial process in all aspects of resources.Equipping the laboratories takes a lot of money, which is invested with a purpose. For

the purpose to be achieved the equipments have to be utilized effectively in a safe

environment. From this background monitoring comes in to keep track of all the

aspects of resources utilization and management. Monitoring is beneficial to the

teachers, students and the administration. When the students, teachers and theadministration are all informed and participate, it will truly give a clear picture in

accountability, knowledge and development.


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REFERENCE

Aspinwall, K., Simkins. T., Wilkson, F. J., and McAuley, M. J. (1992). Managing

evaluation in education a developmental approach. London: Routledge.

Earley, P. (2000). Monitoring, managing or Meddling? Governing bodies and theevaluation of school performance.Educational Management and

Administration, 28(2), 199-210.

Gunstone, R. F. (1992). Reconstructing theory from Practical experience. In B.

Woolnough,Practical science education (pp.67-76). Buckingham: Open

University Press.

Millar, R. (1991). A Means to an end; The role of process in science education. In B.

Woolnough,Practical science education (pp. 43-52). Buckingham: Open

University Press.


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APPENDIX A

Observation Checklist 1

-Arrangement of the equipments

Lay out

Storage

Categorization

Systematic Random

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5Section average 1 2 3 4 5

- Extent of labeling the equipment,

Cabinets

Topic

apparatus

Equipments

Name

Service dateChemicals

Name

Expiry date

Adequate Inadequate

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

Section average 1 2 3 4 5

-Updating of the inventory. Always sometimes never

1 2 3 4 5


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APPENDIX B

Resource Access Checklist1

Figure 1 Resource access checklist PROFORMA 1

Date completed.. Sheet No..

Aim Specific Objective

To encourage use of resources To increase the use of resources in the physics labin physics teaching .

Class Y7 Y9 Y12

PLEASE Performance Indicator Information to be collected

1.

-Number of equipment

accessible.

-Range of accessed resources

The number of equipments accessed and the range

(type).

Please complete the entry for each laboratory. The

range of the resources is indicated in the categories in

the inventory.Lab Number of

equipment(E)

No of Types

( T)

T x E 1/TxE

I f ti S


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APPENDIX D

Resources Use Grid

Describe how the resources are used in the physics Lab

-Who can use the laboratory resources?

Students

Lab technicians

Teachers

Others departmentsParents

-Extend of use of the resources

Demonstration

-Teachers

-Lab technician

-Students

Investigation

-Group-Individual

-Teachers

Information

-Students

-Lab technicians

-Teachers

-Others departments

Score

4 not at all

3 a little

2 to some extend

1 a great deal

0 entirely


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APPENDIX E

Questionnaire 2 Displays

To be filled by the respondent.

Name _________ Yr(Students Options) _______________

Date____________________ Student/Teachers/Administrator

(cross option)

Do you find the displays in the laboratory relevant to your courses?Always Never

1 2 3 4 5

Are the displays interesting? Very Interesting Dull

1 2 3 4 5

Are the displays

- In good shape Always Sometimes 1 2 3 4 5

-clean Always Never

1 2 3 4 5

- maintained Always Never

1 2 3 4 5

-Safe Safe Risky

1 2 3 4 5

How well is the space utilized for?

Display efficiently inefficient?

1 2 3 4 5


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Sparsely

Not al all


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APPENDIX F

Monitoring Schedule

Sept 07 Oct 07 Nov 07 Dec 07 Jan 08 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

Organization

of resources.

WK1

WK2

WK3

WK4

Accessibility

of resources.

WK1

WK2

WK3

WK4

Use of

resources

WK1

WK2

WK3

WK4

Display,

presentation

and use of

space

WK1

WK2

WK3

WK4

monitoring plan for the science laboratory resources in a private school in a developing country1

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