Efficacy, need and use of improvised apparatus in teaching selected physics topics at Mukamambo II girls’ secondary schools

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacy of improvised apparatus in the teaching of selected Physics topics when they were used as supplements to the conventional ones. It also investigated the need for improvisation as well as the frequency at which teachers used improvised apparatus. The objectives were to: establish the need for improvisation in Physics at Mukamambo II Girls’ Secondary School; establish how often teachers used improvised apparatus in the teaching of physics at Mukamambo II Girls’ Secondary School and finally determine the efficacy of the improvised apparatus in teaching some Physics topics, when they were used as a supplement to conventional ones. A total of 100 grade 11 pupils and 4 teachers of physics, constituted the study sample. The study used the pre-test post-test control group experimental design. Both quantitative as well as qualitative data were collected using the following instruments: Pupils’ Tests, Observation Schedule, Focus Group Discussion, Pupils’ and Teachers’ Questionnaires. Quantitative data were analysed in MS Excel, by comparing the means generated, and the calculated t-value to the appropriate table value at p=0.05 level of confidence, while qualitative data were analysed using themes. The findings of the study revealed that there was great need for improvisation at Mukamambo II Girls’ Secondary School since the school had inadequate apparatus. Furthermore, 96.0% of the participants suggested that teachers used improvised apparatus most frequently. The findings of the study revealed that when improvised apparatus were used in teaching some selected topics in Physics, results of learners improved by 11.8%. This increase in performance by the experimental group was an indication of the efficacy of improvised apparatus. From the study, the following recommendations were made: Firstly, even if improvised apparatus showed high efficacy, they should always be used together with conventional ones in the teaching of physics. Secondly, we recommend that this approach be adopted for teaching of Physics in schools which do not have enough apparatus in Zambia. We also recommend the method be tried in other science subjects. Keywords: Efficacy, Improvised apparatus