Exploring low cost materials: Low-cost practical science examinations for developing countries
It is generally recognised that practical activities are an essential part of meaningful science learning. Scientific concepts and processes, cognitive skills such as problem-solving analysis and application, psychomotor skills such as observation, measurement and dexterity, may all be developed through practical experiences. Furthermore, positive attitudes to science and technology as subjects and to science orientated careers are often promoted through such practical activities in schools. Regrettably, large class sizes, limited resources, and other pressures on teachers, militate against practical laboratory or field work in many schools in the developing countries. In the past, formal practical examinations which were set and marked externally provided an incentive for pupils and teachers to do practical work during their lessons. Unfortunately, overseas practical examination requirements, and even local ones, are difficult to meet, in terms of equipment, materials and secure supervision. The new 'O' level syllabus for Zimbabwe, for instance, illustrates this problem, since it was originally intended to be examined by a practical as well as theory papers. This has never been implemented due to difficulties of financial and manpower resources, and supervision. Many other African countries are also faced with this problem. As a result practical examinations are very rare. ... The purpose of this study was to develop and try out some examples of low-cost practical experiments in biology, chemistry and physics with children from a local school. It was also intended to find out whether or not such low-cost experiments could be used as alternatives to more elaborate traditional 'O' level practical examinations, but still be appropriate tests of the requisite knowledge and skills.
Examination Malpractices in Schools: Views from Secondary School Students in the Harare Region of Education: Zimbabwe
Cheating in examinations in Zimbabwe's education system has lately been widely reported in the media. This is a problem that is a disgrace not only for the culprit but also a reflection of similar levels of immorality in the wider society. This study set to find out from students, who themselves are part of the problem, their views on the nature of, the extent of and motives for malpractice in their schoolwork. The study, which used a qualitative design, collected views from 460 students sampled from a population of 3 540 students from five high schools in Harare. Questionnaires consisting of both closed and open-ended questions were used to collect data. Information from the analysed data revealed that students are involved in cheating not only in examinations but also in their everyday class work. To some extent teachers and other interested groups were implicated in this problem. Cheating is done for a variety of reasons and takes different forms. The many suggested solutions provided by the students themselves in this study should be treated as useful guidelines to some serious approaches in trying to deal with the problem if it is to be controlled.
Using real world resources: Collecting and interpreting information
Most science curricula in Africa include the development of scientific skills and processes in their aims. The intention is that a process approach should be adopted to the teaching of science. We have tried, through the approach described in these notes on the exercise Collecting and interpreting information, to focus on the development of some of these processes. The method involved collecting raw data on food, ingredients and food prices, computing aspects of these and recording the results in table or graphic form and finally interpreting these results.