Beyond the Usual Approach of Chemistry Teaching in High Schools

Abstract

There is a huge challenge of high failure rate in physical science across the world and South Africa, in particular at the high school level in recent times. This is in spite of the fact that both the educators and learners go to schools almost on daily basis perhaps doing the same thing in the same way and manner and achieving the same level or less quality results annually. The main objective of this research was to investigate beyond the usual approaches of teaching chemistry by the educators in order to determine ways and practices that can positively influence the educators’ teaching efforts and foster increased pass rate and quality of passes in Physical Sciences. Twenty-seven and 33 learners in their non-randomized intact classes were involved in the control and intervention classes respectively in two different high schools believed to have always underperformed at matriculation examinations in a suburb of Pretoria. The research made use of active learning model and a special form of cooperative learning strategy nick-named “goat and sheep method” with extra activities including animation to teach the experimental class and compared learners’ performances with those of the control group that were taught the usual way. It was found out that upward of 87% of learners in the intervention class showed remarkably improved pass rate in quantity and quality in the post-test. Also, the topics taught became more learner-friendly and the educator achieved higher confidence and proficiency in dealing with the subject. Proper application of the teaching method described in this study enhances chemistry educators’ and learners’ performances anywhere.