A study of resources for teaching and learning of science in some primary schools od Olenguruone division, Nakuru district, Kenya
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Date
2013-11-20
Authors
Tuei, Richard K.
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to survey the various aspects of the resources used by science teachers in some of the primary schools in Olenguruone Division of Nakuru District. These aspects were principally concerned with the availability, use and storage of the resource materials. Other aspects dealt with the improvisation of the resources and the use of the environment in the teaching and learning of science. The method of the survey involved the use of two instruments. One of these was a questionnaire which was administered directly by the researcher to the teachers of science in each of the eight schools studied. There were four respondents in each school. The other instrument was a checklist which was completed by the researcher with the assistance of each of the science teachers who responded to the items of the questionnaire The sample size was thirty two teachers of science. However, the researcher
was able to collect responses form thirty one of them. The data collected was reported and analysed using descriptive statistics; mainly involving percentages. The main findings of this study were that at present, the ministry of education does not provide any resource materials
to the primary schools for the teaching and learning of science. However it recommends the resource materials to be used and leaves their acquisition to be handled by the respective schools. The text-books recommended and available in the schools are basically those published by the Kenya Institute of Education (K.I.E.). All teachers base their resource selection for use on one or more criteria, and also have good reasons for using resources in science. Teachers occasionally share ideas on production and use of teaching/ learning resouroes for science with colleagues and other experts. Similarly they use the environment in the study of science, improvise science materials and involve their pupils in this task. The Teachers Advisory Centres are not equipped and hence are not visited by the teachers who may need help. The researcher also found that the storage facilities for the science resource materials are poor. As the researcher observed, the teachers of science in these primary schools are operating on a limited number of resources. The ministry of education then should be more concerned about this situation and ensure that at least
the basic resource materials for teaching science are available in every school. Similarly, the Teachers Advisory Centres should be more resourceful to the teachers of science. An effort should also be made at the school level to provide for better storage facilities for the science resource materials bought or otherwise acquired. Additionally, further research should be carried out in a larger environment to obtain a wider perspective of the extent of the resources problem and constitute a more comprehensiveremedial strategies to the problem.
Description
Department of Educational Foundation,70 p. The Q 181 .T8 1990
Keywords
Science --Study and teaching (primary) --Kenya --Nakuru