DEVELOPING A CIRCUIT-BOARD FROM LOCALLY AVAILABLE MATERIALS FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION IN PONG-TAMALE EXPERIMENTAL PRIMARY SCHOOL, SAVELUGU

Abstract

As teaching and learning continue to evolve, TLMs form a significant part of lesson delivery most especially, at the basic school level. Again, as teachers continue to teach, their methods become absolute, and therefore, the need for continuous professional development of teachers to update their knowledge on the current issues of teaching and learning. This has necessitated the researcher to organise refresher training for upper primary teachers of Pong-Tamale Experimental Primary School on the use of locally available materials to develop a circuit board for the teaching of basic electronics. The researcher adopted qualitative action research design and made use of descriptive approach. Document review, interview and observation were the instruments used to gather and analyse data. Purposive and convenient sampling techniques were adopted. 8 respondents were sampled for this study which was made up of the head teacher for the selected school, the circuit supervisor and 6 teachers from the upper primary department of the selected school. The study identified materials from the immediate environment and developed them into an interactive circuit board for the teaching of basic electronics. The finished materials were tested in the upper primary to find out the effect of the improvised materials on teachers delivery and pupils performance. The study brought to light that teachers’ delivery was systematic, class control was superb, the usual noise in the classroom was absent, pupils’ participation was very good and pupils’ interest were sustained throughout the lessons demonstrated by the teachers. Finally, pupils were able to answer both oral and written questions given them. Hence, the materials have made a remarkable impact in teaching and learning of integrated science.