Investigating Factors Affecting The Effective Teaching Of Grade 12 Physical Science In Selected Secondary Schools In The Oshana Educational Region In Namibia

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ABSTRACT

This study investigated the factors affecting the effective teaching of Physical Science in the Oshana Educational Region. The objectives of the study were: (a) to determine the views of teachers, school principals and the advisory teacher on the factors affecting the effective teaching of Grade 12 Physical Science; (b) to find out to what extent Grade 12 Physical Science teachers use effective teaching methods in their teaching; (c) to suggest strategies which can be implemented to improve the teaching of Physical Science.

The study employed a mixed methods approach to generate both quantitative and qualitative data in two main sequential phases and lesson observations were meant to help augment data from the two phases. In the first phase, quantitative data was collected by means of closed-ended questionnaires from 14 Grade 12 Physical Science teachers, eight school principals in the selected secondary schools and the advisory teacher in the Oshana Educational Region. The data from the first phase were then analysed and used to formulate questions for phase two, the semi-structured interviews which helped to give more information on the statistical data from phase one. Five of the 14 Grade 12 Physical Science teachers, plus the advisory teacher, participated in the interviews. Lesson observations were also conducted as a way to collate and corroborate data from the two phases as well to triangulate data. Five teachers who participated in the interviews were also observed teaching Grade 12 Physical Science. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the quantitative data, while the content analysis method was used to analyse the qualitative data.

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The study revealed that the Grade 12 Physical Science teachers who participated in this study used the lecture method more often in their teaching. It also found that teachers rarely used teaching methods such as group work, problem-based learning, and practical work in teaching the Grade 12 Physical Science to learners. In addition, the study discovered that there were numerous factors preventing the teachers from using the aforementioned teaching methods in their teaching process, such as overcrowded classrooms; lack of resources; learners‟ attitudes toward learning Physical Science; time allocated to Physical Science lessons; learners‟ poor backgrounds in Physical Science; and learners‟ poor English proficiency. Finally, the results from the interviews revealed the strategies that might be implemented to improve the teaching of the Grade 12 Physical Science. In the light of the above findings, the study recommends that the advisory teacher visit schools more often to ensure that all the Grade 12 Physical Science teachers in the region are using effective teaching methods in their teaching of the Grade 12 Physical Science Ordinary Level lessons. The study recommends that the teachers improvise for the unavailable laboratory materials by using alternative materials from the environment, as well as recyclable materials during practical work in their teaching.