Asiana Banda | The Copperbelt University (original) (raw)

Papers by Asiana Banda

Routledge eBooks, Jun 2, 2023

chemistry and materials research, 2018

The purpose of this study was to determine the science process skills inherent in the Examination... more The purpose of this study was to determine the science process skills inherent in the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) pure chemistry practical examinations (5070/3) for a period of 10 years (2007-2016). The study adopted the Ex-post facto research design. The questions from the ECZ chemistry-5070/3 practical examination (5070/3) from 2007-2016 were analyzed for science process skills based on the 12 categories of science process skills adopted from the AAAS (1993), with an addition of one more integrated skill which is graphing. Data were analyzed descriptively by computing frequencies and percentages. The results from the study shows that the science process skills included in the practical examinations are; interpreting data, experimenting, inferring, observation, measurement and communicating only. Among the 13 science process skills focused, the most prominent were observing (28.94%), measuring (15.44%), communicating (28.64%), and interpreting data (11.10%). Comparing the two categories of science process skills, basic and integrated science process skills, the results show a high percentage of the basic science process skills at 80.51% as compared to integrated science process skills at 19.50%. This implies that ECZ included more basic science process skills as compared to integrated science process skills in its national examination for the period from 2007 to 2016. These results have implications to chemistry teaching and learning at high school level.

The purpose of this study was two-fold: examine junior high school pre-service science teachers\u... more The purpose of this study was two-fold: examine junior high school pre-service science teachers\u27 chemical reasoning; and establish the extent to which the pre-service science teachers\u27 chemical abilities explain their chemical reasoning. A sample comprised 165 junior high school pre-service science teachers at Mufulira College of Education in Zambia. There were 82 males and 83 females. Data were collected using a Chemical Concept Reasoning Test (CCRT). Pre-service science teachers\u27 chemical reasoning was established through qualitative analysis of their responses to test items. The Rasch Model was used to determine the pre-service teachers\u27 chemical abilities and item difficulty. Results show that most pre-service science teachers had incorrect chemical reasoning on chemical concepts assessed in this study. There was no significant difference in chemical understanding between the Full-Time and Distance Education pre-service science teachers, and between second and third year pre-service science teachers. However, there was a significant difference in chemical understanding between male and female pre-service science teachers. Male pre-service science teachers showed better chemical understanding than female pre-service science teachers. The Rasch model revealed that the pre-service science teachers had low chemical abilities, and the CCRT was very difficult for this group of pre-service science teachers. As such, their incorrect chemical reasoning was attributed to their low chemical abilities. These results have implications on science teacher education, chemistry teaching and learning, and chemical education research

The purposes of this study were (a) to examine Zambian Junior high school pre-service science tea... more The purposes of this study were (a) to examine Zambian Junior high school pre-service science teachers\u27 familiarity with, interest in learning more about electrochemistry, and their conceptual understanding and performance on electrochemistry (b) to examine the pre-service science teachers\u27 ability to identify misconceptions on electrochemistry and their pedagogical ideas on how to address the identified misconceptions in junior high school classrooms, and (c) to establish the extent to which pre-service science teachers\u27 familiarity with, interest in, conceptual understanding of, performance on, and pedagogical ideas for, electrochemistry are related. The electrochemistry concepts examined in this study were categorized into basic and advanced concepts. A sample comprised 66 junior high school pre-service science teachers at Mufulira College of Education in Zambia. The study used a mixed methods research design, and data were collected using a questionnaire, performance test, and interviews. The first two instruments collected quantitative data which was analyzed using non-parametric tests - Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests. The third instrument collected qualitative data which was analyzed by identifying the emerging themes that formed categories. The pre-service science teachers reported high familiarity and interest in the electrochemistry concepts examined. There were statistically significant differences in familiarity with and interest in all concepts among all the groups. The year in college and level at which electrochemistry was learned showed statistically significant differences for both familiarity and interest. Results further showed low pre-service science teachers\u27 conceptual understanding and performance on electrochemistry test. Between group comparisons on conceptual understanding and performance were statistically significant for year in college and levels at which electrochemistry was learned. The pre-service science teachers interviewed exhibited inability to identify misconceptions in most scenarios on basic electrochemistry concepts. Furthermore, teachers\u27 suggested pedagogical ideas for addressing the misconceptions comprised both learner-centered and teacher-centered instructional practices. As such, the pre-service science teachers\u27 self-reported knowledge of electrochemistry was not consistent with their actual knowledge. Correlational analysis of familiarity, interest, conceptual understanding and performance revealed statistically significant correlations between familiarity and conceptual understanding, r(64) = 0.56, p = 0.000 and between performance and conceptual understanding r(64) = 0.64, p = 0.000 only. These results have implications for teacher education and science teaching and learning

European Journal of Educational Management

Studies conducted on learners rarely focus their investigations on learner perceptions of pre-ser... more Studies conducted on learners rarely focus their investigations on learner perceptions of pre-service teachers’ classroom management practices. In response to the changing school environments, this study investigated learners’ perceptions of pre-service teachers’ classroom management practices. A survey design was adopted in which 550 grade 11 secondary school learners from eleven secondary schools in the Copperbelt Province in Zambia formed the sample. A Likert scale questionnaire was used to collect data which was analysed using SPSS and also through an iterative process. The study revealed that learners positively perceived pre-service teachers’ classroom management practices. This is indicated by pre-service teachers’ interest in learners’ welfare, possessing good personal qualities, ability to handle learners’ disruptive behaviours, ability to teach effectively, and ability to assess learners effectively. Using an independent samples t-test, it was concluded that there were no ...

African Journal of Chemical Education, Mar 30, 2021

Journal of Education and Practice, 2018

This descriptive survey study was aimed at exploring mathematics and science student teachers’ pe... more This descriptive survey study was aimed at exploring mathematics and science student teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) during teaching practice. The PCK surveyed focused on the pedagogies the student teachers used during their teaching practice. The sample comprised 106 mathematics and science student teachers from Copperbelt University in Zambia. This sample included mathematics, biology, physics, and chemistry education student teachers. Data were collected using a questionnaire designed by the authors. The results show that the most common pedagogies student teachers used were group discussion, lecture, demonstration, Question and Answer, and Problem Based Learning. The reasons they gave for using such pedagogies were that the pedagogies encourage interaction among learners, promote retention of knowledge, lack of adequate resources, and over enrolment. However, when using these pedagogies, they faced challenges such as class management due to over enrolment, inadequa...

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of concept mapping on learner achievement o... more The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of concept mapping on learner achievement on mole concept. Participants comprised 80 grade 11 learners, 38 male and 42 female, at a government co-education secondary school in Kabwe district of Zambia. The study adopted a pretest-posttest counter balanced quasi-experiment research design. Two classes were randomly selected to participate in the study. The classes were then randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The learners in the experimental group were instructed with the integration of concept mapping while those in the control group were instructed without integrating concept mapping. Both groups were taught the same content on mole concept. Data were analysed using independent sample t-test and descriptive statistics computed from the collected data using SPSS. Results show that there was a significant difference in the mean scores of the experimental (M= 53.37) and control (M=36.51) groups, t (63.208) = -...

African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 2018

This study in Zambia examined 66 junior high school pre-service science teachers’ familiarity wit... more This study in Zambia examined 66 junior high school pre-service science teachers’ familiarity with, conceptual understanding of and levels of interest in learning more about electrochemistry concepts. Data were collected using the Familiarity with Electrochemistry Questionnaire, the Conceptual Understanding of Electrochemistry Test and the Interest in Electrochemistry Questionnaire. Statistical tests were used to analyse data. Pre-service teachers reported high levels of familiarity with the electrochemistry concepts surveyed. They were more familiar with basic than advanced electrochemistry concepts. On average, participants demonstrated moderate conceptual understanding of electrochemistry concepts. Although there was a significant difference between males’ and females’ familiarity with electrochemistry concepts, there was no significant difference between the two gender groups in their understanding of and interest in electrochemistry. There were no significant correlations betwe...

The study has a dual focus: to investigate variation in five dimensions of executive function ski... more The study has a dual focus: to investigate variation in five dimensions of executive function skills namely working memory, planning, organisation, metacognition and flexible thinking abilities among 11 graders enrolled for science 5124 syllabus at Broadway Secondary School in Kabwe district of Zambia; and to investigate the impact of goal setting and note-taking (executive function skills instruction strategies) on conceptual understanding of mole concept among pupils with self-reported weak executive function skills. Quantitative data was collected using executive function skills inventory-student report and mole concept achievement tests. Results show that there is variation in the distribution of executive function skills among grade 11pupils enrolled for science 5124 syllabus at Broadway Secondary School. Results further show that pupils with self-reported weak executive function skills who had received training in goal setting and note-taking outperformed pupils with self-repo...

This study investigated the impact of Problem -Based Learning (PBL) on learner achievement and th... more This study investigated the impact of Problem -Based Learning (PBL) on learner achievement and their problem solving skills on environmental non-metal pollution. Learners' attitude towards environmental non-metal pollution was also evaluated. The study implemented a quasi-experimental design involving the pre-test, post-test control group design. The research sample consisted of two grade 12 classes (total of 95 learners) studying Chemistry 5124 at Kenneth Kaunda Secondary School in Chinsali District of Muchinga Province. Learners in the experimental group were instructed via PBL, while the lecture and discussion methods were used in the control group. Achievement test, problem solving skills test and attitude questionnaire were used to assess three parameters, namely; understanding of the topic, problem-solving skills on the topic and learners’ attitude towards the topic. An independent samples t-test was used to compare achievement of the two groups at 95% confidence level. Pr...

chemistry and materials research, 2018

The purpose of this study was to determine the science process skills inherent in the Examination... more The purpose of this study was to determine the science process skills inherent in the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) pure chemistry practical examinations (5070/3) for a period of 10 years (2007-2016). The study adopted the Ex-post facto research design. The questions from the ECZ chemistry-5070/3 practical examination (5070/3) from 2007-2016 were analyzed for science process skills based on the 12 categories of science process skills adopted from the AAAS (1993), with an addition of one more integrated skill which is graphing . Data were analyzed descriptively by computing frequencies and percentages. The results from the study shows that the science process skills included in the practical examinations are; interpreting data, experimenting, inferring, observation, measurement and communicating only. Among the 13 science process skills focused, the most prominent were observing (28.94%), measuring (15.44%), communicating (28.64%), and interpreting data (11.10%). Comparing t...

American Journal of Educational Research, 2016

A Classroom is a formal interactive environment in which a teacher and pupil engage in the proces... more A Classroom is a formal interactive environment in which a teacher and pupil engage in the process of teaching and learning. The quality of teaching and learning in the classroom is influenced by the teachers’ ability to ensure effective classroom management. The purpose of this study was to investigate the Copperbelt University Mathematics and Science Education student teachers’ perception of their classroom management practices. In addition the study sought to investigate student teachers perception of their challenges in classroom management practices and to examine gender differences on the student teachers’ perceptions of their classroom management practices during the practicum. The study was undertaken with the students doing practicum in secondary schools in the nine provinces of Zambia. A mixed methods research design was used in the study. The sample comprised 112 Mathematics and Science Education student teachers on practicum. Focus group discussion and a questionnaire we...

Journal of Baltic Science Education, 2014

This study compared male and female pre-service science teachers’ understanding of the effect of ... more This study compared male and female pre-service science teachers’ understanding of the effect of phase changes and physical transformation of matter on the size of particles, spaces between particles, speed of particles, and number of particles. Data were collected using a questionnaire that has 36 items. Both gender groups had sound understanding of the effect of phase change on speed, spaces, and number of particles in a substance, and the effect of compression on speed, number, size and spaces between particles in solids and liquids. However, most female pre-service teachers had low understanding of the effect of phase change on the size of the particles in solids, liquids and gases as most of them incorrectly believed that heating increases the size of the particles and cooling decreases the size of particles. The results have implications for science teaching and learning and teacher education. Key words: gender, matter, particle, pre-service teachers, understanding.

Education Quarterly Reviews, 2020

The Education Quarterly Reviews is an Open Access publication. It may be read, copied, and distri... more The Education Quarterly Reviews is an Open Access publication. It may be read, copied, and distributed free of charge according to the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. The Asian Institute of Research Education Quarterly Reviews is a peer-reviewed International Journal. The journal covers scholarly articles in the fields of education, linguistics, literature, educational theory, research, and methodologies, curriculum, elementary and secondary education, higher education, foreign language education, teaching and learning, teacher education, education of special groups, and other fields of study related to education. As the journal is Open Access, it ensures high visibility and the increase of citations for all research articles published. The Education Quarterly Reviews aims to facilitate scholarly work on recent theoretical and practical aspects of education.

The purpose of this study was two-fold: examine junior high school pre-service science teachers\u... more The purpose of this study was two-fold: examine junior high school pre-service science teachers\u27 chemical reasoning; and establish the extent to which the pre-service science teachers\u27 chemical abilities explain their chemical reasoning. A sample comprised 165 junior high school pre-service science teachers at Mufulira College of Education in Zambia. There were 82 males and 83 females. Data were collected using a Chemical Concept Reasoning Test (CCRT). Pre-service science teachers\u27 chemical reasoning was established through qualitative analysis of their responses to test items. The Rasch Model was used to determine the pre-service teachers\u27 chemical abilities and item difficulty. Results show that most pre-service science teachers had incorrect chemical reasoning on chemical concepts assessed in this study. There was no significant difference in chemical understanding between the Full-Time and Distance Education pre-service science teachers, and between second and third year pre-service science teachers. However, there was a significant difference in chemical understanding between male and female pre-service science teachers. Male pre-service science teachers showed better chemical understanding than female pre-service science teachers. The Rasch model revealed that the pre-service science teachers had low chemical abilities, and the CCRT was very difficult for this group of pre-service science teachers. As such, their incorrect chemical reasoning was attributed to their low chemical abilities. These results have implications on science teacher education, chemistry teaching and learning, and chemical education research

Asia Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Dec 1, 2011

Introduction o Methodology o Results o Discussion o Conclusions o

The purposes of this study were (a) to examine Zambian Junior high school pre-service science tea... more The purposes of this study were (a) to examine Zambian Junior high school pre-service science teachers\u27 familiarity with, interest in learning more about electrochemistry, and their conceptual understanding and performance on electrochemistry (b) to examine the pre-service science teachers\u27 ability to identify misconceptions on electrochemistry and their pedagogical ideas on how to address the identified misconceptions in junior high school classrooms, and (c) to establish the extent to which pre-service science teachers\u27 familiarity with, interest in, conceptual understanding of, performance on, and pedagogical ideas for, electrochemistry are related. The electrochemistry concepts examined in this study were categorized into basic and advanced concepts. A sample comprised 66 junior high school pre-service science teachers at Mufulira College of Education in Zambia. The study used a mixed methods research design, and data were collected using a questionnaire, performance test, and interviews. The first two instruments collected quantitative data which was analyzed using non-parametric tests - Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests. The third instrument collected qualitative data which was analyzed by identifying the emerging themes that formed categories. The pre-service science teachers reported high familiarity and interest in the electrochemistry concepts examined. There were statistically significant differences in familiarity with and interest in all concepts among all the groups. The year in college and level at which electrochemistry was learned showed statistically significant differences for both familiarity and interest. Results further showed low pre-service science teachers\u27 conceptual understanding and performance on electrochemistry test. Between group comparisons on conceptual understanding and performance were statistically significant for year in college and levels at which electrochemistry was learned. The pre-service science teachers interviewed exhibited inability to identify misconceptions in most scenarios on basic electrochemistry concepts. Furthermore, teachers\u27 suggested pedagogical ideas for addressing the misconceptions comprised both learner-centered and teacher-centered instructional practices. As such, the pre-service science teachers\u27 self-reported knowledge of electrochemistry was not consistent with their actual knowledge. Correlational analysis of familiarity, interest, conceptual understanding and performance revealed statistically significant correlations between familiarity and conceptual understanding, r(64) = 0.56, p = 0.000 and between performance and conceptual understanding r(64) = 0.64, p = 0.000 only. These results have implications for teacher education and science teaching and learning

Studies on inquiry-based instruction in inclusive science teaching have mainly focused on element... more Studies on inquiry-based instruction in inclusive science teaching have mainly focused on elementary and middle school levels. Little is known about inquiry-based instruction in high school inclusive science classes. Yet, such classes have become the norm in high schools, fulfilling the instructional needs of students with mild disabilities. This study explores high school chemistry teachers' perceived benefits and challenges of inquiry-based instruction in inclusive chemistry classes. The study also seeks to establish chemistry teachers' knowledge of inclusive teaching. Participants in this study are 61 chemistry teachers in different school districts across the United States. A questionnaire is used to collect data. Results show that most teachers have no training in inclusive teaching, lacked knowledge of chemistry teaching in inclusive classes, and have moderate confidence in teaching chemistry in inclusive classes. However, most teachers acknowledge that inquiry instruction in inclusive chemistry classes has several benefits and challenges to students. On the other hand, teachers believe there are more challenges on inquiry-based instruction for them than for students in inclusive chemistry classes. Results have implications on science teaching and learning and teacher education.

Routledge eBooks, Jun 2, 2023

chemistry and materials research, 2018

The purpose of this study was to determine the science process skills inherent in the Examination... more The purpose of this study was to determine the science process skills inherent in the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) pure chemistry practical examinations (5070/3) for a period of 10 years (2007-2016). The study adopted the Ex-post facto research design. The questions from the ECZ chemistry-5070/3 practical examination (5070/3) from 2007-2016 were analyzed for science process skills based on the 12 categories of science process skills adopted from the AAAS (1993), with an addition of one more integrated skill which is graphing. Data were analyzed descriptively by computing frequencies and percentages. The results from the study shows that the science process skills included in the practical examinations are; interpreting data, experimenting, inferring, observation, measurement and communicating only. Among the 13 science process skills focused, the most prominent were observing (28.94%), measuring (15.44%), communicating (28.64%), and interpreting data (11.10%). Comparing the two categories of science process skills, basic and integrated science process skills, the results show a high percentage of the basic science process skills at 80.51% as compared to integrated science process skills at 19.50%. This implies that ECZ included more basic science process skills as compared to integrated science process skills in its national examination for the period from 2007 to 2016. These results have implications to chemistry teaching and learning at high school level.

The purpose of this study was two-fold: examine junior high school pre-service science teachers\u... more The purpose of this study was two-fold: examine junior high school pre-service science teachers\u27 chemical reasoning; and establish the extent to which the pre-service science teachers\u27 chemical abilities explain their chemical reasoning. A sample comprised 165 junior high school pre-service science teachers at Mufulira College of Education in Zambia. There were 82 males and 83 females. Data were collected using a Chemical Concept Reasoning Test (CCRT). Pre-service science teachers\u27 chemical reasoning was established through qualitative analysis of their responses to test items. The Rasch Model was used to determine the pre-service teachers\u27 chemical abilities and item difficulty. Results show that most pre-service science teachers had incorrect chemical reasoning on chemical concepts assessed in this study. There was no significant difference in chemical understanding between the Full-Time and Distance Education pre-service science teachers, and between second and third year pre-service science teachers. However, there was a significant difference in chemical understanding between male and female pre-service science teachers. Male pre-service science teachers showed better chemical understanding than female pre-service science teachers. The Rasch model revealed that the pre-service science teachers had low chemical abilities, and the CCRT was very difficult for this group of pre-service science teachers. As such, their incorrect chemical reasoning was attributed to their low chemical abilities. These results have implications on science teacher education, chemistry teaching and learning, and chemical education research

The purposes of this study were (a) to examine Zambian Junior high school pre-service science tea... more The purposes of this study were (a) to examine Zambian Junior high school pre-service science teachers\u27 familiarity with, interest in learning more about electrochemistry, and their conceptual understanding and performance on electrochemistry (b) to examine the pre-service science teachers\u27 ability to identify misconceptions on electrochemistry and their pedagogical ideas on how to address the identified misconceptions in junior high school classrooms, and (c) to establish the extent to which pre-service science teachers\u27 familiarity with, interest in, conceptual understanding of, performance on, and pedagogical ideas for, electrochemistry are related. The electrochemistry concepts examined in this study were categorized into basic and advanced concepts. A sample comprised 66 junior high school pre-service science teachers at Mufulira College of Education in Zambia. The study used a mixed methods research design, and data were collected using a questionnaire, performance test, and interviews. The first two instruments collected quantitative data which was analyzed using non-parametric tests - Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests. The third instrument collected qualitative data which was analyzed by identifying the emerging themes that formed categories. The pre-service science teachers reported high familiarity and interest in the electrochemistry concepts examined. There were statistically significant differences in familiarity with and interest in all concepts among all the groups. The year in college and level at which electrochemistry was learned showed statistically significant differences for both familiarity and interest. Results further showed low pre-service science teachers\u27 conceptual understanding and performance on electrochemistry test. Between group comparisons on conceptual understanding and performance were statistically significant for year in college and levels at which electrochemistry was learned. The pre-service science teachers interviewed exhibited inability to identify misconceptions in most scenarios on basic electrochemistry concepts. Furthermore, teachers\u27 suggested pedagogical ideas for addressing the misconceptions comprised both learner-centered and teacher-centered instructional practices. As such, the pre-service science teachers\u27 self-reported knowledge of electrochemistry was not consistent with their actual knowledge. Correlational analysis of familiarity, interest, conceptual understanding and performance revealed statistically significant correlations between familiarity and conceptual understanding, r(64) = 0.56, p = 0.000 and between performance and conceptual understanding r(64) = 0.64, p = 0.000 only. These results have implications for teacher education and science teaching and learning

European Journal of Educational Management

Studies conducted on learners rarely focus their investigations on learner perceptions of pre-ser... more Studies conducted on learners rarely focus their investigations on learner perceptions of pre-service teachers’ classroom management practices. In response to the changing school environments, this study investigated learners’ perceptions of pre-service teachers’ classroom management practices. A survey design was adopted in which 550 grade 11 secondary school learners from eleven secondary schools in the Copperbelt Province in Zambia formed the sample. A Likert scale questionnaire was used to collect data which was analysed using SPSS and also through an iterative process. The study revealed that learners positively perceived pre-service teachers’ classroom management practices. This is indicated by pre-service teachers’ interest in learners’ welfare, possessing good personal qualities, ability to handle learners’ disruptive behaviours, ability to teach effectively, and ability to assess learners effectively. Using an independent samples t-test, it was concluded that there were no ...

African Journal of Chemical Education, Mar 30, 2021

Journal of Education and Practice, 2018

This descriptive survey study was aimed at exploring mathematics and science student teachers’ pe... more This descriptive survey study was aimed at exploring mathematics and science student teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) during teaching practice. The PCK surveyed focused on the pedagogies the student teachers used during their teaching practice. The sample comprised 106 mathematics and science student teachers from Copperbelt University in Zambia. This sample included mathematics, biology, physics, and chemistry education student teachers. Data were collected using a questionnaire designed by the authors. The results show that the most common pedagogies student teachers used were group discussion, lecture, demonstration, Question and Answer, and Problem Based Learning. The reasons they gave for using such pedagogies were that the pedagogies encourage interaction among learners, promote retention of knowledge, lack of adequate resources, and over enrolment. However, when using these pedagogies, they faced challenges such as class management due to over enrolment, inadequa...

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of concept mapping on learner achievement o... more The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of concept mapping on learner achievement on mole concept. Participants comprised 80 grade 11 learners, 38 male and 42 female, at a government co-education secondary school in Kabwe district of Zambia. The study adopted a pretest-posttest counter balanced quasi-experiment research design. Two classes were randomly selected to participate in the study. The classes were then randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The learners in the experimental group were instructed with the integration of concept mapping while those in the control group were instructed without integrating concept mapping. Both groups were taught the same content on mole concept. Data were analysed using independent sample t-test and descriptive statistics computed from the collected data using SPSS. Results show that there was a significant difference in the mean scores of the experimental (M= 53.37) and control (M=36.51) groups, t (63.208) = -...

African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 2018

This study in Zambia examined 66 junior high school pre-service science teachers’ familiarity wit... more This study in Zambia examined 66 junior high school pre-service science teachers’ familiarity with, conceptual understanding of and levels of interest in learning more about electrochemistry concepts. Data were collected using the Familiarity with Electrochemistry Questionnaire, the Conceptual Understanding of Electrochemistry Test and the Interest in Electrochemistry Questionnaire. Statistical tests were used to analyse data. Pre-service teachers reported high levels of familiarity with the electrochemistry concepts surveyed. They were more familiar with basic than advanced electrochemistry concepts. On average, participants demonstrated moderate conceptual understanding of electrochemistry concepts. Although there was a significant difference between males’ and females’ familiarity with electrochemistry concepts, there was no significant difference between the two gender groups in their understanding of and interest in electrochemistry. There were no significant correlations betwe...

The study has a dual focus: to investigate variation in five dimensions of executive function ski... more The study has a dual focus: to investigate variation in five dimensions of executive function skills namely working memory, planning, organisation, metacognition and flexible thinking abilities among 11 graders enrolled for science 5124 syllabus at Broadway Secondary School in Kabwe district of Zambia; and to investigate the impact of goal setting and note-taking (executive function skills instruction strategies) on conceptual understanding of mole concept among pupils with self-reported weak executive function skills. Quantitative data was collected using executive function skills inventory-student report and mole concept achievement tests. Results show that there is variation in the distribution of executive function skills among grade 11pupils enrolled for science 5124 syllabus at Broadway Secondary School. Results further show that pupils with self-reported weak executive function skills who had received training in goal setting and note-taking outperformed pupils with self-repo...

This study investigated the impact of Problem -Based Learning (PBL) on learner achievement and th... more This study investigated the impact of Problem -Based Learning (PBL) on learner achievement and their problem solving skills on environmental non-metal pollution. Learners' attitude towards environmental non-metal pollution was also evaluated. The study implemented a quasi-experimental design involving the pre-test, post-test control group design. The research sample consisted of two grade 12 classes (total of 95 learners) studying Chemistry 5124 at Kenneth Kaunda Secondary School in Chinsali District of Muchinga Province. Learners in the experimental group were instructed via PBL, while the lecture and discussion methods were used in the control group. Achievement test, problem solving skills test and attitude questionnaire were used to assess three parameters, namely; understanding of the topic, problem-solving skills on the topic and learners’ attitude towards the topic. An independent samples t-test was used to compare achievement of the two groups at 95% confidence level. Pr...

chemistry and materials research, 2018

The purpose of this study was to determine the science process skills inherent in the Examination... more The purpose of this study was to determine the science process skills inherent in the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) pure chemistry practical examinations (5070/3) for a period of 10 years (2007-2016). The study adopted the Ex-post facto research design. The questions from the ECZ chemistry-5070/3 practical examination (5070/3) from 2007-2016 were analyzed for science process skills based on the 12 categories of science process skills adopted from the AAAS (1993), with an addition of one more integrated skill which is graphing . Data were analyzed descriptively by computing frequencies and percentages. The results from the study shows that the science process skills included in the practical examinations are; interpreting data, experimenting, inferring, observation, measurement and communicating only. Among the 13 science process skills focused, the most prominent were observing (28.94%), measuring (15.44%), communicating (28.64%), and interpreting data (11.10%). Comparing t...

American Journal of Educational Research, 2016

A Classroom is a formal interactive environment in which a teacher and pupil engage in the proces... more A Classroom is a formal interactive environment in which a teacher and pupil engage in the process of teaching and learning. The quality of teaching and learning in the classroom is influenced by the teachers’ ability to ensure effective classroom management. The purpose of this study was to investigate the Copperbelt University Mathematics and Science Education student teachers’ perception of their classroom management practices. In addition the study sought to investigate student teachers perception of their challenges in classroom management practices and to examine gender differences on the student teachers’ perceptions of their classroom management practices during the practicum. The study was undertaken with the students doing practicum in secondary schools in the nine provinces of Zambia. A mixed methods research design was used in the study. The sample comprised 112 Mathematics and Science Education student teachers on practicum. Focus group discussion and a questionnaire we...

Journal of Baltic Science Education, 2014

This study compared male and female pre-service science teachers’ understanding of the effect of ... more This study compared male and female pre-service science teachers’ understanding of the effect of phase changes and physical transformation of matter on the size of particles, spaces between particles, speed of particles, and number of particles. Data were collected using a questionnaire that has 36 items. Both gender groups had sound understanding of the effect of phase change on speed, spaces, and number of particles in a substance, and the effect of compression on speed, number, size and spaces between particles in solids and liquids. However, most female pre-service teachers had low understanding of the effect of phase change on the size of the particles in solids, liquids and gases as most of them incorrectly believed that heating increases the size of the particles and cooling decreases the size of particles. The results have implications for science teaching and learning and teacher education. Key words: gender, matter, particle, pre-service teachers, understanding.

Education Quarterly Reviews, 2020

The Education Quarterly Reviews is an Open Access publication. It may be read, copied, and distri... more The Education Quarterly Reviews is an Open Access publication. It may be read, copied, and distributed free of charge according to the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. The Asian Institute of Research Education Quarterly Reviews is a peer-reviewed International Journal. The journal covers scholarly articles in the fields of education, linguistics, literature, educational theory, research, and methodologies, curriculum, elementary and secondary education, higher education, foreign language education, teaching and learning, teacher education, education of special groups, and other fields of study related to education. As the journal is Open Access, it ensures high visibility and the increase of citations for all research articles published. The Education Quarterly Reviews aims to facilitate scholarly work on recent theoretical and practical aspects of education.

The purpose of this study was two-fold: examine junior high school pre-service science teachers\u... more The purpose of this study was two-fold: examine junior high school pre-service science teachers\u27 chemical reasoning; and establish the extent to which the pre-service science teachers\u27 chemical abilities explain their chemical reasoning. A sample comprised 165 junior high school pre-service science teachers at Mufulira College of Education in Zambia. There were 82 males and 83 females. Data were collected using a Chemical Concept Reasoning Test (CCRT). Pre-service science teachers\u27 chemical reasoning was established through qualitative analysis of their responses to test items. The Rasch Model was used to determine the pre-service teachers\u27 chemical abilities and item difficulty. Results show that most pre-service science teachers had incorrect chemical reasoning on chemical concepts assessed in this study. There was no significant difference in chemical understanding between the Full-Time and Distance Education pre-service science teachers, and between second and third year pre-service science teachers. However, there was a significant difference in chemical understanding between male and female pre-service science teachers. Male pre-service science teachers showed better chemical understanding than female pre-service science teachers. The Rasch model revealed that the pre-service science teachers had low chemical abilities, and the CCRT was very difficult for this group of pre-service science teachers. As such, their incorrect chemical reasoning was attributed to their low chemical abilities. These results have implications on science teacher education, chemistry teaching and learning, and chemical education research

Asia Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Dec 1, 2011

Introduction o Methodology o Results o Discussion o Conclusions o

The purposes of this study were (a) to examine Zambian Junior high school pre-service science tea... more The purposes of this study were (a) to examine Zambian Junior high school pre-service science teachers\u27 familiarity with, interest in learning more about electrochemistry, and their conceptual understanding and performance on electrochemistry (b) to examine the pre-service science teachers\u27 ability to identify misconceptions on electrochemistry and their pedagogical ideas on how to address the identified misconceptions in junior high school classrooms, and (c) to establish the extent to which pre-service science teachers\u27 familiarity with, interest in, conceptual understanding of, performance on, and pedagogical ideas for, electrochemistry are related. The electrochemistry concepts examined in this study were categorized into basic and advanced concepts. A sample comprised 66 junior high school pre-service science teachers at Mufulira College of Education in Zambia. The study used a mixed methods research design, and data were collected using a questionnaire, performance test, and interviews. The first two instruments collected quantitative data which was analyzed using non-parametric tests - Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests. The third instrument collected qualitative data which was analyzed by identifying the emerging themes that formed categories. The pre-service science teachers reported high familiarity and interest in the electrochemistry concepts examined. There were statistically significant differences in familiarity with and interest in all concepts among all the groups. The year in college and level at which electrochemistry was learned showed statistically significant differences for both familiarity and interest. Results further showed low pre-service science teachers\u27 conceptual understanding and performance on electrochemistry test. Between group comparisons on conceptual understanding and performance were statistically significant for year in college and levels at which electrochemistry was learned. The pre-service science teachers interviewed exhibited inability to identify misconceptions in most scenarios on basic electrochemistry concepts. Furthermore, teachers\u27 suggested pedagogical ideas for addressing the misconceptions comprised both learner-centered and teacher-centered instructional practices. As such, the pre-service science teachers\u27 self-reported knowledge of electrochemistry was not consistent with their actual knowledge. Correlational analysis of familiarity, interest, conceptual understanding and performance revealed statistically significant correlations between familiarity and conceptual understanding, r(64) = 0.56, p = 0.000 and between performance and conceptual understanding r(64) = 0.64, p = 0.000 only. These results have implications for teacher education and science teaching and learning

Studies on inquiry-based instruction in inclusive science teaching have mainly focused on element... more Studies on inquiry-based instruction in inclusive science teaching have mainly focused on elementary and middle school levels. Little is known about inquiry-based instruction in high school inclusive science classes. Yet, such classes have become the norm in high schools, fulfilling the instructional needs of students with mild disabilities. This study explores high school chemistry teachers' perceived benefits and challenges of inquiry-based instruction in inclusive chemistry classes. The study also seeks to establish chemistry teachers' knowledge of inclusive teaching. Participants in this study are 61 chemistry teachers in different school districts across the United States. A questionnaire is used to collect data. Results show that most teachers have no training in inclusive teaching, lacked knowledge of chemistry teaching in inclusive classes, and have moderate confidence in teaching chemistry in inclusive classes. However, most teachers acknowledge that inquiry instruction in inclusive chemistry classes has several benefits and challenges to students. On the other hand, teachers believe there are more challenges on inquiry-based instruction for them than for students in inclusive chemistry classes. Results have implications on science teaching and learning and teacher education.