Science kits as resource: Issues and challenges

The main purpose of this research study was to know whether science kits are available and utilized by teachers during teaching-learning process. The study also helped in identifying the difficulties faced by teachers during transacting the concepts in the class with the help of kit items. It was found that generally teachers are using science kits during teaching-learning process. At least one teacher from each school is trained for using these kits. They use these kits for demonstration of activities/ experiments due to the large number of students in each class. It is difficult for them to give each student hands-on experience. On the basis of analysis, it can be concluded that teachers are also using laboratories along with the kit items at secondary stage. Suggestions have been given for the modification of microscope, slinky, quantity of chemicals to be increased, number of some of the items to be increased, such as diode, prism, mirrors, lenses, Newton's disc and modification in the kit items for visually impaired students. The need of a manual with the kit itself is highly demanded.

Recommendations

The schools were visited and tool was administered. After analyzing the data and observing the classroom processes, following recommendations are suggested:

SSA, RMSA, NCERT, SCERT, DIET etc., may take up more programmes to train large number of science teacher, teaching in the Government School of the country for using these kits.
In Government schools teacher's job is transferable. Therefore, if one teacher of the school gets trained, it should be mandatory for the trained teacher to train other teachers of the school and also of nearby schools.
The teacher pupil ratios in Government schools need to be relooked to encourage activity based teaching.
As and when NCERT will modify kit items and kit boxes, kit manual should be packed along with the kit items.
To make Kit items more users friendly, video recording of usage of kit items should be done and can be the part of kits. The recorded videos can also be uploaded on NCERT website.
Designing of kit needs to be relooked by focusing on portability and placement of items in a kit.
A group of mentors may be recognized region wise to give hand holding to the users as and when required.
Strict quality monitoring of kit items and chemicals need attention.

This research study motivates to take up another study to see how effective these kits are in students' academic achievement in learning science.

Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Director, NCERT and Head, DESM, NCERT for academic and administrative support.
Authors acknowledge the following persons for reviewing and finalizing the tool:

Alka Mehrotra,NIE, Delhi ;Animesh K. Mohapatra, RIE, Bhubaneswar; Ashwani Kumar Gupta, , RIE Ajmer; Braham Prakash (Retd.), NIE, Delhi; Brajayanti Devi, RIE Shillong;C V Shimray, NIE, Delhi; J.D. Sharma, RIE Ajmer; J.P. Narayan, RIE Ajmer;Rachna Garg, NIE, Delhi; R. Joshi, (Retd.) ,NIE, Delhi;R.K.Parashar,NIE, Delhi ;.R.R. Koireng, NIE, Delhi ; Santosh Kumar, RIE Mysore; Santosh Sharma (Retd.) , NIE, Delhi; Sulekh Chandra, Zakir Husain College, Delhi Sunita Farkya, NIE, Delhi; Surabhi Bhargava, Sardar Patel, Vidyalaya, Delhi; Vandana Saxena, (Retd.) Kendriya Vidyalaya, Delhi; V. B. Bhatia (Retd.) Delhi University, Delhi; V. Tangpu, RIE, Mysore.

Authors thank Sapna Gahlot, JPF, NIE, Delhi in collecting the data from schools and also helped in analyzing the data.
Authors are thankful to Directorate of Education for allocating 40 Government Schools of Delhi, India and the teachers for giving honest feedback about the kits.