Chemistry Teachers 'Use of Learner-Centered Strategise in Large Classes:The Case of Selected Schools in Kitwe
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Date
2011-06-16
Authors
Nkoya, Shadreck
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Abstract
The purpose of the study was to find out if teachers of Chemistry were using learner-centered teaching strategies to large classes in order to enhance individual learning in selected Government High schools of Kitwe district on the Copperbelt Province in Zambia. The objectives of the study were to: determine the learner-centered strategies teachers of Chemistry were using in large classes, how they were using the strategies, the extent to which they were using the strategies and determine constraints if any they were experiencing when using the learner-centered strategies.The research design was a descriptive survey.It employed three instruments of data collection, namely, self-administered questionnaire for the teachers of Chemistry, the teaching strategies observation schedule and video recording of Chemistry lessons. The questionnaire's aim was to identify the teachers who were teaching Chemistry using learner-centered strategies to a large extent. The teaching strategy observation schedule and the video recording of the lessons were to find out what the teacher's practice in the classroom really was. From the twenty-three (23) teachers who responded to the questionnaire, a sample of nine (9) teachers comprising of six (6) females and five (5) males were purposively sampled as subjects of study. Data collection involved observation of lessons of the nine teachers by means of observation schedules and video recording of the lessons. Qualitative data was analysed using narrative accounts while quantitative data was analysed by means of frequencies, percentages using Excel a computer statistical tool.
The study found that teachers were teaching large classes of an average size of 55. The science laboratories where the teachers taught from were also very under resourced.The learner-centered strategies group work, demonstrations, discussions, project, problem-solving and question and answer techniques were used despite the conditions of large classes and under resourced science laboratories.The teachers also varied their teaching strategies in the individual lessons with an average of three learner-centered strategies per lesson. The constraints identified to have affected the teacher's use of learner-centered strategies included the level of professional qualification of the teacher, years of teaching experience, and lack of teaching and learning materials.
The following recommendations are being made:The Ministry of Education should prepare, produce and distribute teacher's
guides on the use of learner-centered strategies to schools.Colleges of Education and Universities should train student teachers as well as
in-service teachers in the use of learner-centered strategies In largemid under
resourced classrooms.The identified learner-centered strategies, which worked well in the study,should be disseminated to practicing teachers by means of in-service
programmes.Parallel research should be done to establish if learners construct they own
knowledge when teachers employ the identified strategies in large classes.
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Keywords
Chemistry Teachers--Zambia