New Perspectives in Science Education

Zambia through the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education has institutionalised In-service training (INSET) of Science teachers at Secondary level since 1996. The Zambian Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) 2011-2015 has further developed a policy which advocates for School and College Based Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of teachers at all levels to improve their knowledge and skills in science and other subjects.

On the other hand, Zambian curriculum for basic education advocates for the importance of having leaner-centred way of teaching based on some methods such as problem solving and inquiry approach which are considered to foster scientific thought of students. Thus, there has been a trend of in-service training of science teachers to focus on the use of problem solving method in science and mathematics lesson.Almost two decades have passed since these initiatives were introduced, however, national and international examinations show poor performance of Zambian students in science subjects across all levels.

In this context, an action research was conducted to seek core issues and challenges experienced by Zambian science teachers and education system which hinder effective conduct of problem solving lesson in science. A lesson study framework was used for this study. One science teacher at a secondary school was selected as a sample and requested to plan a biology lesson using problem solving method with a guidance of researchers. The planned lesson was firstly conducted at school with researchers as observers. After revising, the second lesson was done as open class with additional observers in the venue of the workshop. Through this process, researchers analyzed how the lesson was improved and how teacher’s perspective was changed.

As the process went on, it was revealed that problem solving way of teaching appeared problematic to the teacher which in turn affects the learning. Theories of problem solving require a paradigm-shift from the existing traditional approaches of teaching where the teacher is the preserve and source of knowledge rather than a facilitator of the learning process while the learner is the recipient coupled with an examination system whose emphasis is on recall of factual information. In a way an examination oriented teaching which gives little chance for the learner to create own knowledge. Using the topics identified in the examiner’s report and other resources as being difficult to teach and learn in science, the paper also discusses how an attempt was made to develop lessons that address this aspect. As a result of the research, the teacher and researchers came up with a learning model as a way of strengthening the learning and teaching of sciences in Zambia and beyond. The silent issues experienced in implementing this process are being discussed in this paper.