Attitudes of students towards teaching science subjects through alternative to practical methods in ordinary level secondary schools: the case of Mbeya City, Tanzania
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Date
2011
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the attitudes of students towards teaching science subjects through alternative to practical methods in ordinary level secondary schools. The study was conducted in five secondary schools in Mbeya city. The study involved 99 students, 9 teachers teaching science and four (41 heads of secondary schools. The purpose of the study was to investigate students' attitudes towards teaching science subjects through alternative to practical methods as a means of acquiring knowledge and skills for problem solving process. The problem was that teaching science subjects through APM make students to have different attitudes towards the methods which are currently applied in teaching science subjects in most ordinary level secondary schools in Tanzania and therefore aim to determine the attitudes students place on APM for knowledge and skills generation to students for problem solving process. Descriptive research design was used and employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches where interviews and questionnaires were used for data collection. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics using SPSS and the results in frequencies and percentages from the questionnaires were related to the results from interviews to obtain concrete answers during discussions to get the views of the respondents. The result showed that all respondents have negative attitudes towards teaching science subjects through alternative to practical methods. From these results conclusions were that APM are done in secondary schools due to lack of teaching and learning resources and that do not promote for skills formation. The recommendations made were that instructional facilities, teachers and real or actual practical teaching and learning methods should he emphasized.
Description
Available in print form, EAF collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library (THS EAF Q181.A2T34K34)
Keywords
Science, Students, Secondary schools, Mbeya city, Tanzania
Citation
Kajinga, Joseph A (2011) Attitudes of students towards teaching science subjects through alternative to practical methods in ordinary level secondary schools: the case of Mbeya City, Tanzania, Masters dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam.