EL PRINCIPIO ANTRÓPICO Y LA INTERPRETACIÓN
II. Cuestiones interpretativas
Lack of student engagement was identified as a barrier where students could not engage with the lesson presentations. As the teacher put a lot of emphasis into the lesson (presenting, demonstrating and explaining the chemistry concepts appropriate to pass the examination), the students revealed in the interviews that they constantly forgot things that the teacher asked them to learn and remember during the lesson. Four students indicated during the interviews that:
... her [teacher] teaching seems okay, I listen to her at times, but if we revisit the same ideas a day later, I cannot seem to recall what I heard in class (Florence CS2S3Int).
I could not remember everything that she was talking about in class (Sam-CS2S1Int).
… if the teachers asks question in class about something that she just described I am able to answer correctly, but when I do an activity at home or the next day, I struggle a lot to remember the day’s lesson and other previous lessons (Joyce-CS2S4Int).
No matter how hard I concentrate or how many times I read my notes, I find it very difficult to understand, despite the fact that the teacher had already gone through the same stuff in class ... I forget them all ... more like entering through one ear and exiting through the other (May- CS2S5Int).
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In considering the ways chemistry was taught and the fact that students kept forgetting the ideas presented in class, it appears that there was a lack of interconnectedness between what the teacher intended for students to learn, how to teach it and the students’ experience. The fundamental idea underlying the conception of engagement is that students must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and worthwhile tasks (Palmer, 2009). Student engagement is the driving force for learning that precedes academic outcomes, and when students become disengaged from a subject, they forget ideas and eventually their academic performance begins to suffer (OECD, 2004). To become engaged in the lesson, some of the students shared in the interviews that:
I wish there was an opportunity for us [students] to talk rather than listen the whole time. I mean a time during our chemistry lesson where we [students] talk with our friends or class-mates about chemistry stuff, like we tell each other things, chemistry things, and then we get to hear and share with others while the teacher helps us to ensure we are on the right track. This I think, in my own opinion, once we are involved by doing, thinking, listening, and talking about all these chemistry stuff; this will be of great help in remembering what we do in class, and at the same time we learn something (Florence-CS2S3Int).
When Sam was asked about the reasons for not remembering he changed his facial expression. Initially he was smiling when telling how bad he did in the test, then he had a sudden serious facial appearance and said:
To me if it [lesson] is not interesting … I just simply cannot learn the stuff that she tells us ... sitting here and listen to her is boring … I want to do something … so I turn to my friend (Sam- CS2S1Int).
Joyce gave several reasons for not remembering, all of which relate to disengagement. She said:
Education actively involves everyone, the teachers, students and parents. But, I feel that the teachers are the only one that [are] actively involved, few times our parents come into the circle ... like they pushed us to do our school work ... and tell us to try our best in school, but in class we are not at all involved, I mean actively involved ... when she ask us whether we understood ... I always say yes ... but doing an activity I can’t remember anything at all ... and I know that the teacher sets these
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task to find out about how much we know ... I like it they need to know and do something … I also want her to know that I want to become a doctor in the future … where we can apply our scientific knowledge (Joyce-CS2S4Int).
As Joyce continued to share her opinions, she made some interesting comments that reflected the relevance and worth of chemistry:
... we [students] should be encouraged to think positively about learning chemistry, like how does this subject make me a better person … its place in my life, my family and the community … if we do it this way, then I believe we will always remember the things that we study in the classroom ... I feel that we are forced to learn all this stuff, but I cannot really see what for, except for examination (Joyce-CS2S4Int).
In responding to what May said earlier, she was also asked to elaborate and to provide reasons for what she said about “entering through one ear and exiting through the other”. She indicated that:
... most of the things that she [teacher] said I can hear, but that’s it, I don’t really know much about them and so they just disappear gradually. I don’t feel like I am part of the class at all … but I need to learn all these chemical stuff, names and concentrations … because I was thinking of working in a laboratory where they make all these medicines … in hospitals (May-CS2S5Int).
Valeni gave some recommendations as to how to engage students in the teaching and learning processes. He suggested:
I think we need to change our focus, we are too much on the examination and stuff, but whether we are learning or not should be more important. Because if we change our focus in the classroom, it will allow the teacher to open up more opportunities for students to choose how they want to learn, and what they can do in order to learn it. At the moment, the teacher is guided by the fact that every student is to know the stuff because they will be asked in the examination (Valeni-CS2S2Int).
Other reasons why students forget the material related to the notion of hands-on experiences which is at the heart of science learning (Nersessian, 1991). All five students were asked the same question:
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If you are asked by the chemistry teacher or the principal to recommend ways that you would want to see happen in class to help you learn chemistry, what would you say? (Researcher)
Labs, we need to do experiments, we need to actually see the things that the teacher gives us, list of things, but never heard of or seen before. Also it will be nice to see the reactions that she tries to explain in words and diagrams (Sam-CS2S1Int).
I think it is important to do some actions … get to do, see, touch and investigate how these things work like in chemical reactions, rather than telling us everything. I know that we have limited resources, but perhaps some fun activities that we can actively participate (Valeni-CS2S2Int).
I am quite happy with our teacher, but maybe have time to do some lab experiments, and allow us to actually perform the experiment, perhaps she demonstrates first then we go ahead and do it ...with no lab experiment to do, I may lose interest in science ... a job ... am not so sure (Florence-CS2S3Int).
There are a lot of things that I know we should be doing activities apart from sitting and listening to her. This is chemistry, where actions should occur, not listening to the teacher like we are in a church (Joyce-CS2S4Int).
Lessen the talking time to have some time for activities, not copying notes or answering questions type. Some other activities that we get to work and experience new things as we work … experiments, field work or field trips to local industries (May-CS2S5Int).
Laboratory and field experiences make science come alive (Clough, 2002), which is something that the students in CS2 wished to be incorporated into their class lessons. Indeed, “for more than a century laboratory experiences have been purported to promote central science education goals, including: the enhancement of students’ understanding of concepts in science and its applications; scientific practical skills and problem-solving abilities; scientific habits of mind; understanding of how science and scientists work; and interest and motivation” (Lunetta, et al., 2007, p. 395). Interaction surrounding lab and hands-on activities may also lead to more engagement than lectures because students’ can contribute ideas and participate in observation and exploration of scientific phenomenon.
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However, the data showed that the teacher focused more on presenting information in order for students to do well in the SSC exam.
Although the students were given everything to pass the examination, students were struggling to remember because there was a lack of understanding, engagement and connectedness with the teaching strategy used and the materials presented. The students’ viewpoint suggested the need for the implementation of experiences that involves both hands and minds, where they become actively involved in doing practical work or classroom tasks, rather than just sitting and listening.