The Teaching of Science and Technology among Junior High Schools in the District of Mabini

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Education must be made relevant to the changing, challenging, and demanding world of Science. Teaching of Science and Technology prepares students to study science at higher levels of education and prepare them to become more scientifically literate citizens. The Science teacher as an innovator is one who is willing to modify and create new forms of teaching. The researcher is motivated to investigate the teaching of Science and Technology among Junior High Schools. This may provide them with a clear vision on which areas should be modified and strengthened in order to achieve the goals of the program.

METHODS

The study made use of descriptive method of research in which the data gathered are subjected to the thinking processes in terms of ordered reasoning up to the level of adequate interpretation. The respondents were 16 public high school teachers that constituted 100 percent of the total number of Science teachers in the District of Mabini. The study used questionnaire as the main tool for data gathering. The questionnaire is a set of printed or written questions with choices of answer.

RESULTS

The results of the study show that most of the Science teachers commonly use innovative methods and strategies such as Inquiry Teaching, Cooperative Learning, Reflective Thinking, Simulation, Experimenting and Community Resources in teaching Science and Technology. We live in a scientific world and the advanced teaching methods and strategies are helping our Junior students to discover and explore science every day. On the other hand, the study reveals that inadequacy of the equipment in laboratory, untrained teachers, and the insufficient knowledge of the different methods to be used are some of the problems or difficulties met in teaching Science and Technology.

DISCUSSIONS

Teachers' methods and strategies in teaching Science and Technology are also tackled in this study. It also identifies perceived problems of teachers as to content, and instructional materials, methods used by the teachers. It aims to design remedial measures to improve science teaching. This study will serve as baseline data in restructuring a science curriculum which meets the needs of the challenging times and develop students' capabilities which will make them productive citizens. Recommendations based on the results of the investigation include updating the teachers with new concepts, strategies, and methods by means of seminars/ trainings, provision of separate laboratories for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, and the proposed measures to further improve teachers' skills, potentials under K to 12 curricula should be given emphasis.