IX- DISEÑO METODOLOGICO
3. Análisis de punto de equilibrio
particularly the design, content, and delivery before it could be further implemented in the field study. Ten teachers were invited to attend this workshop as shown in Table 6.7. The workshop sessions and activities are illustrated in Appendix A3.
136
Table 6.7: The trial workshop participants’ background information
Participants Gender Qualification Teaching
experience (years) Teaching load (lesson periods per week) A M Diploma 7 34 B M Diploma 9 32 C F Diploma 5 24
D F Bachelor of Education in Science 5 14
E F Bachelor of Education in Science 8 18
F M Bachelor of Science with Education 6 32
G F Diploma 10 28
H F Bachelor of Education in Science 8 24
I M Bachelor of Education in Science 12 26
J F Diploma 14 24
Data collection and analysis during the trial workshop focused on Guskey’s (2000) first two levels of evaluating PD, i.e. participants’ reactions and participants’ learning (Section 4.7). The two levels guided the evaluation during the trial stage because of their perceived relevance to the implementation of workshop activities and application of the acquired knowledge and skills to practice. Data collection instruments were teachers’ expectation questionnaire (Appendix C1), curriculum profile classroom observation checklist
(Appendix C4), and workshop evaluation questionnaire (Appendix C2). Both qualitative and quantitative data analyses were conducted to provide information that reflected: teachers’ expectations, teachers’ reactions of the trial workshop, teachers’ learning from the workshop and suggestions for improvement.
6.4.2.1 Teachers’ expectations
At the outset of the workshop, teachers were asked to indicate how they expected to benefit from the trial workshop, which aimed to introduce teachers to the activity-based approach and the 5Es instructional sequence. Table 6.8 summarises teachers’ expectations.
137
Table 6.8 Biology teachers’ expectations regarding the trial workshop (N= 10)
Teachers’ Expectations Frequency To get information on:
how to use the activity-based approach and the 5Es instructional sequence in
their classrooms;
how to plan and organise lesson activities in a class with many students;
how to improve their teaching approaches. 7
To acquire knowledge and skills in using activity-based approach. 2 To explore new teaching methods which lead to improvement of students’
understanding of biology. 1
The findings in Table 6.8 show that seven teachers expected to get information about the new instructional approaches, and how these could be used to improve their classroom practices and students’ involvement in the understanding of the lessons. Two teachers expected to acquire knowledge and skills about the activity-based approach, and one to explore new teaching methods which could improve students’ understanding of biology.
6.4.2.2 Teachers’ reactions of the trial workshop
Findings of the teachers’ evaluation questionnaire (Appendix C2) show that teachers were positively impressed by the workshop activities, i.e. theory exploration, demonstration, practice, and feedback. Eight of ten teachers found the workshop relevant to their teaching, as they learned the activity-based approach and the 5Es instructional sequence, which they thought could enhance students’ participation and understanding of their lessons.Nine teachers indicated that the curriculum materials supported their understanding of the new approaches, by providing examples of the activity-based lessons, and the 5Es instructional sequence, to guide their implementation in the classroom.
138
6.4.2.3 Teachers’ opinions about learning from the trial workshop
The assessment of teachers’ learning as a result of attending the workshop was vital in order to gather evidence on the new knowledge, skills, and dispositions that teachers had gained. For this purpose teachers were asked to indicate to what extent they agreed with the closed statements (Appendix C2) related to the acquisition of knowledge and skills, and their decision for implementing the activity based teaching and learning in their schools. Teachers’ responses regarding their perceptions are summarised in terms of the Modes and frequencies as shown in Table 6.9
Table 6.9 Biology teachers’ opinions about learning from the trial workshop (N = 10) Teachers’ views about workshop activities
(Question 7, Appendix C2)
Mode Frequency
i) After participating in this workshop my awareness and understanding of the activity-based teaching and learning was enhanced
5 6
iii) Lesson demonstration made me consider practising the activity-based approach
4 8
iii) After studying the activity-based lessons and practicing their design I am convinced that I can practice it in my class
4 8
iv) The micro-teaching and feedback sessions of the PD workshop raised my awareness my own teaching behaviour and knowledge about alternatives
4 9
v) After attending a micro-teaching conducted by a fellow teacher I had the confidence to use the activity-based approach in my class
4 9
vi) Following this workshop I will start teaching my lesson by eliciting students’ prior conceptions to make my teaching meaningful
5 6
vii) I will plan and organise biology lessons differently because of this workshop
4 7
Note: 5 = strongly agree and 1 = strongly disagree.
Results in Table 6.9 indicate that teachers gained information about the conception of the activity-based teaching, and the 5Es instructional sequence, and how they can be used in the classroom instructions (Mode = 5).However, responses to the open-ended question of this questionnaire (Appendix C2) indicate that two teachers had varied opinions about how to plan and organise lesson activities in their classrooms particularly with more than 45 students. Theseteachers showed their concerns about teachers’ abilities in the management
139
of students’ lesson activities for effective learning outcomes. These findings suggested that teachers would require additional skills on how to implement the new approaches in big classes (e.g. see Section 6.5).
On the other hand, nine teachers indicated that their confidence was enhanced after participating in the micro-teaching session (Appendix A3) which was conducted by their colleague with 20 invited Form II students.
The activity-based lesson for the micro-teaching session was implemented by one of the teachers (Teacher C) due to time constraints (i.e. one day workshop).
The lesson was about osmosis and diffusion as a part of the transport in living things. Data from the micro-teaching classroom observations were collected and analysed as in the previous part of this chapter (Section 6.3.2.1). The teacher’s profile practice scores are summarised in Table 6.10 followed by the descriptive summary of teacher C’s practices at each stage of the lesson.
Table 6.10 Teacher C’s relative practice scores from the micro-teaching session Lesson stages Teacher C’s practice scores in %
Excitement 74
Exploration 84
Explanation 86
Elaboration 64
Evaluation 58
Note: The average profile practice score is 50%
Findings in Table 6.10 indicate that the micro-lesson taught by teacher C was well implemented and the teacher tried to involve his students in the lesson activities as
suggested in the curriculum materials. Teacher C’s classroom practice scores at each stage of his lesson were satisfactory and above the average. To a large extent teacher C was confident in using the new approaches and had sufficient lesson materials for students’
140
activities (also supported by his profile practice scores at the exploration (84%) and explanation (86%) stages.
During the excitement stage teacher C invited students to perform several demonstrations of diffusion and osmosis which caught their attention and elicited their prior conceptions which were later connected to the explanation of the new lesson. Students provided explanations of osmosis and diffusion from the lesson activities such as: What will happen when a fresh water fish is kept in the ocean? How students can smell a perfume which was opened at one corner of their classroom? The teacher summarised students’ explanations on the blackboard and introduced further lesson activities and materials so that students could conduct investigations to illustrate their prior conceptions during exploration stage. This was relevant for them to acquire meaningful understanding of the concepts.
Students worked in small groups and were guided to perform two experiments about osmosis and diffusion by using provided materials in order to test their prior conceptions. This stage consumed most of the instructional time because the teacher wanted to make sure that students had participated in, and learned from the lesson activities. Each group was encouraged to summarise their findings for presentation.
During the explanation stage each group provided findings which included their own understanding of diffusion and osmosis as a result of their observations and interpretation of their experiments. Most students provided correct explanations for the concepts and this was followed by the teacher’s explanation of the lesson facts based on students’
presentation in order for students to acquire conceptual understanding.
During the elaboration stage teacher C further guided the whole class discussion by questions, e.g. How can you explain the changes of the volume of water in the beaker with a potato? What do you think about the concentration and distribution of the colour in the measuring cylinder? These questions challenged students to apply and extend the learned concepts in new situations resulting in deeper understanding. The teacher encouraged students to base their answers on the evidence from the performed activities.
141
During the evaluation stage teacher C was unable to carry out the lesson activities successfully as indicated in his lesson plan due to poor timing. This is also supported by the teacher’s profile practice scores in Table 6.10, i.e. 58%. These findings suggested that the teacher as well as students might require more time to work and become familiar with the new approaches indicated in the curriculum materials.
6.4.2.4 Biology teachers’ suggestions for improvement of the trial workshop
Findings of the workshop evaluation questionnaire (Appendix C2) showed that the main suggestions for improvement provided by the teachers were based on an increase of time for workshop activities such as theory exploration, and teachers’ preparation of the lesson plans for the micro-teaching sessions.
6.4.2.5 General summary of the trial workshop
Findings in Table 6.8 show that seven of ten teachers expected to gain information about the activity-based approach and the 5Es instructional sequence.
Findings of the workshop evaluation questionnaire (Appendix C2) show that the overall impression of teachers about the PD workshop was positive, all 10 teachers indicated that they had acquired new knowledge, and their learning experiences had enhanced their skills, and beliefs about implementing an activity-based approach supported by the 5Es instructional sequence. For example, seven teachers indicated that:
I will plan and organise biology lessons differently because of this workshop (Table 6.9, statement No. viii).
As a result of teachers’ participation in the micro-teaching session, eight of ten teachers strongly agreed with the closed statement indicated that ‘after studying the activity-based
lessons and practicing their design I am convinced that I can practice it in my class’ (Table 6.9, statement No. iv)
142
The results further show that two of ten teachers had varied opinions about how to plan and organise classroom activities particularly with more than 45 students.
Following the trial workshop, the improvements suggested by teachers were incorporated into the PD workshop outline. The components of the PD programme were further subjected to the second experts’ review before its implementation in the field. The researcher provided the experts with a document which described the structure of the PD programme after the trial study. The experts were requested to provide their suggestions and insights before implementation in the field stage. The researcher had a panel
discussion with two experts (in Tanzania) in order to share the experiences from the try-out stage, and how the implementation of the PD programme could further be improved.
The experts suggested about the improvements of the demonstration session of the main workshop (Table 7.5). They found that it could be an added advantage for participants if they observe how their fellow teachers had participated in the implementation of the activity-based lessons during the try-out stage. They recommended that the researcher should support the demonstration session with the recorded video showing the
implementation of the activity based lesson from the try-out stage, in order to enhance teachers’ understanding of the implementation of the activity-based lessons.
Following the second experts’ review, the revision decisions were included in the PD workshop. The final version of the teachers’ PD programme was compiled (as shown in Chapter 4 Fig. 4.3) and the components, and activities of the field stage biology teachers’ PD workshop were delineated as illustrated in (Chapter 7, Table 7.5).
143