New trends in physics teaching, v.4; The ... - unesdoc - Unesco

New Trends in Physics Teaching IV
The fifth problem concerns the over-ambitious specialization. Studying Integrated Science,
Agricultural Science and Mathematics to a level beyond ‘0’ level, in addition to a core of subjects,
is difficult. The traditional problem of the pressure to complete the syllabus is still there and it is
impossible to practise modern approaches to science teaching. Notes are still dictated to the
students in order to ease their anxiety about the external examinations. The objective of educating
teachers who can think scientifically and teach science practically is defeated.
Not only the students but also the principals of the twenty four colleges running these courses
have expressed their concern about the subject combinations. At an NTTC meeting, one member
warned that what the government might take to be a ‘cheap commodity’ may turn out to be
expensive in the future. It should be recalled that the main reason why the three-year ‘quasispecialist’
course was started was economic rather than educational.
The syllabuses are too wide and time allocations are inadequate. The first year has seven
periods (of forty minutes) a week, the second year has eight periods a week and the third year
has nine periods. These periods are to be used for content, science teaching methods, project
work and workshop practice! The Institute of Education, University of Cape Coast, attributes
the failure of the three-year ‘quasi-specialist’ course to how the syllabuses were written. Prepared
in a few days by hastily constituted panels without reference to methodology, they were ‘hotchpotches’
of the GCE ‘O/A’ level syllabuses.
Lack of materials has been seen by principals, students and the government as a major problem
militating against the course. Lack of textbooks and good libraries forces the students to depend
on the ingenuity of the tutor. Private study ought to be a necessary ingredient of a course of this
nature, but unfortunately the timetable is so tight that there is little time for reading.
In most cases, the organization and administration of the college has not been modified to
cope with the demands of the new course. The administrative staff should have been briefed on
the aims and objectives of the course ‘so that the location of relevant materials or equipment
for the colleges could be facilitated. The college itself would then cease to be an obstacle. The
in-built resistance to change in established institutions must be recognized and removed before
new programmes are started. This requires in-service training for all levels of the college staff.
One of the problems arising from the course is the lack of co-ordination among the departments.
Discussions and consultations have been absent. The support which might have been
given or the talent which could have been pooled to teach the course with economy was absent.
Improvisation, project work supervision and subsequent content areas which overlap are parts
of the course which could have been taught by the team teaching approach. Boredom, confusion
and even anxiety would have been removed.
THE PHASINGOUT OF THE THREE-YEAR POST-SECONDARY ‘QUASI-SPECIALIST’
SCIENCE COURSE
I think a brief account (based on published minutes [4]) of the events leading to the abandonment
of the three-year ‘quasi-specialist’ course wil give an insight into the interaction that exists
between the policy makers (the politicians) and the executives (the specialists - in this case,
educationists).
NTTC is an advisory body to the Ministry of Education on the training of teachers. It advises
on the selection of students, courses to be run (both in-service and initial training) and education
research.
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