Inclusion of real life materials in teaching physics concepts: students’ experiences and perceptions

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Date

2016-01

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine students’ perceptions and experiences following the design of Real Life Instructional Materials (RLM) in teaching concepts of elasticity and the law of floatation in physics. The study involved four ordinary level community secondary schools from Rural Moshi district and the urban Moshi. A total of seventy one students from the four schools were involved in the study. Also, four teachers were selected from the sampled schools where by each school provided one physics teacher. The researchers planned and prepared the materials in advance before coaching the teachers on how to implement them. Teachers’ ability to execute student centered teaching approaches was assessed before and after coaching. It was found out that the materials could enhance students’ involvement in the learning process and also students developed positive attitude towards the use of real life materials in learning the selected concepts. It was recommended that improvisation of instructional materials for teaching the same or different concepts in physics should be encouraged in order to alleviate the problem of material scarcity in the community secondary schools. But selection of such materials should vary according to the nature of the students immediate environments.

Description

International Journal of English and Education 2016,Vol. 5(1)

Keywords

Real life, Materials, Students Experiences, Physics

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