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In hundreds of schools in Armenia and in some other educational institutions (secondary, professional, higher) there are no laboratories corresponding to the educational programme, which is an obstacle to the effective organisation of the teaching of scientific subjects and as a result most of the students are oriented towards humanitarian and social sciences.
Moreover, this fact has been used as an excuse by teachers, headmasters and education experts for many years (often the problem is only raised, but no solution is offered). In many places, laboratory equipment has been misappropriated, scrapped or neglected, and where it has survived, it is only because of the compassion of teachers and headmasters.
In fact, the JSC has done some laboratory re-equipment at various times, but unfortunately, under various science governments, the provision of laboratory equipment and materials gets complicated. As I mentioned earlier, schools have building problems: first you have to provide laboratory space, then you have to provide land and then equipment. Today, many teachers in schools have been trained in schools without laboratories and often have not had the opportunity to experiment at university, and need detailed training.
In some cases the problem can be easily solved, for example the school may have a laboratory assistant who can help the teacher to move the necessary equipment and materials from the laboratory storeroom to the classroom during the lesson and conduct an effective lesson, or they can divide the class into groups and take turns to conduct experiments in the laboratory storeroom after class.
If the classrooms are fixed according to the classes, then you can have a small cupboard in each class and store the things needed by the programme of the given class. To summarise my thoughts, I should say that the most important factor in the field of education is that the teacher is motivated; teachers can make homemade apparatus and experiment, but if they are not motivated, they will not want to experiment even in the best furnished and equipped laboratory.
The Young Explorers Club has been operating at our school for a year now. Sixth to ninth graders are involved in it. I am the group leader of the club. We do a lot of science experiments with the students with simple materials and objects which are easily available.
Pupils also rehearse and film independently at home, consolidating the theoretical knowledge they have acquired in practice by carrying out experiments. Their interest in scientific subjects has increased significantly. They now look at the phenomena around them differently and their indifference has disappeared.
As a teacher, I can say that this programme is very effective and motivating.
Here is one of our experiments.
Magic Fountain Experiment
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We will need:
- 2 water containers, e.g. bottles, water tray…
- adhesive tab
- plastic water bottle
- screw cap
- straws
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When water flows out of the ‘drainage straw’, the air pressure inside the bottle decreases. The air pressure outside is stronger and forces the water in the supply container to rise and flow out of the ‘fountain straw’, creating a fountain scene. When the fountain bottle is lifted, there is water halfway up the straw. When the straw is above the water surface, air flows inside the straw instead of water. The pressure of the flowing air causes the water to shoot up.
CC-BY, provided by author
About the author
Galya has worked at Tsovazard Secondary School for twenty-five years. She teaches physics and science in grades six to nine. She participates in the NBS programme and has become a Scientix Ambassador. She wants to share her experience with other teachers.
Tags: Experiment at Home, hands-on lab, hands-on science, physics, primary education, secondary teaching, STEM education, STEM practices