Initially, this particular follow-up interview with the learners was originally intended to merely check on what the learners had learnt from the community member, that is, field experience in conjunction with classroom experience. It struck me during the process that this agenda was too narrow and should be expanded for learners to speak directly about how teacher should make sense of distillation. In a real sense this interview with the learners was twofold, namely, sense making of the topic distillation and improving the teaching of the topic distillation.
IQ.1: Do you think science teachers should consider learners’ prior everyday knowledge when they are teaching distillation?
L1: Yes prior knowledge is important. For instance like the presented topic of yesterday. The teachers have to ask question to find out if the learners knows something about the topic before introducing the new topic. And if the teacher is continuing with the previous topic he or she should revise the covered topic to see if learners understood the topic or not. To find out if they have really acquired skills and kept it in mind about the topic.
L2: It is very important for the teachers to consider the prior knowledge of the learners in a class. Because, when we talk of Physical Science is like a combined of knowledge
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from school and the communities which need to be used and come up with solid solution. And this will make the learners to understand the topic like distillation. L3: It is very importance because it will make the teacher aware of the people he is
working with and what he is going to talk about. Just like distillation if they know what use to happen at home they will bring that at school and make a teacher to relate it to the main topic. Taking examples of experiments on distillation, if there is a person who did it already it is easier to make other understand it also. This helps the teacher to know where to start.
L4: It makes the work of the teacher easier. As the one who knows something about the topic will be able to lead the topic and make the lesson to flow. Because the learner might do about the topic at home or previous grade then it is easy for other to follow. This will automatically save time of the teacher by not explaining more and more repeating the same topic.
IQ.2: Do you think it is importance to involve a community member in the learning of science (distillation) at school? Like the way we are doing it now with the woman who is preparing Kashipembe.
L1: It is very importance because the community member might know something which we do not know. So, by involving that person he or she will teach us those things which we do not only then we learn it from him/her. And will show us that this you do it like this and that you do it like that its better.
L2: Yes they are needed. For instance in school we use beakers but in the community they can use other container to substitute a beaker. As this community member is showing us all this, we are exploring and knowing a lot about the materials used to carry out distillation in the absence of scientific materials.
L3: It is very important. Because a teacher will teach and learners will not understand what the teacher is teaching. But when that community member will explains it in our vernaculars’ we learners will understand it better. Really it very important to involve the community members in the teaching of science topic like distillation.
L4: It is very important because some learners do not understand English used. So, when they will explore in their vernaculars they easily know that this is called a beaker, a horse pipe or others. Because even if you know things in English and you do not know them in your language it is a problem and you might not progress.
IQ.3: Looking at the topic presented, do you think it helped all the learners or just the few of the learners?
L1: To me it just helps some few individuals. Because, some of the learners who did it or knows the things already it helped them and understood the topic. While for other learners did not understand it as it was only for drawing did not see reality.
L2: The topic help and it is important to learners. Some might not see its importance but they might need it in the future. Especially, when the time of parties you might be told to make Kashipembe or vinegar. Then you will recall with what you have been taught at school then it might be helpful. I can say whatever they teach in the class is all useful.
L3: In addition to that, it was important to everybody in the class. Because even myself I did not know how distillation process works, but after that presentation I could catch up with the topic. And now I know that these things are done in this way.
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L4: Yes, it was helpful. The drawing sometimes is helpful because the more you are drawing the more you know it and you will be able to connect it yourself if they are given to you. If you do not know how to draw it will not help you, you will just see the picture there but you do not know how to connect it. This might lead to you to wrongly connect the apparatus in their right position on the figure.
IQ.4: How do you view practical work in Physical Science on the topic distillation?
L1: Practical’s are helpful in school. As things which you do by touching is easier to remember it. Yes, you can study by figure on papers but still practical’s are just the best as you will be hands-on doing the work. Practical’s helps learners to remember the work even when asked in examination. Practical is very important.
L2: Practicals are very important in science because when a learner will work with those equipments he will not forget. Because when the learner is going to write exam he or she will remember how it was used and will be able to give correct answers. For example the use of the thermometer, the learner will remember it easily because the thermometer was used during the experiment.
L3: Practical helps us to understand things more, the more you do it is the more you understand it and that is the more they are becoming easier. Because if you just see it, it is not enough. Like thermometer you just see it and know its function but you do not know how you can read it and take the temperature. If you do not know how to use it you might fail it in examination.
L4: In general practical’s. Let’s say you used the equipments at school during practical, when you reach at home somebody might ask you the uses of a certain apparatus. Then, it is easy to tell the person all the uses you gained from the practical. In other words we need action not just talk there and leave.
IQ.5: How do you feel about being a participant in this study?
L1: I feel very happy because the study is helping me. Even maybe in future I will do the same work I know what the basic procedures to be follow. I will be able to follow it as it was given to us and I have learned how to approach learners to negotiate just like how you did it to us.
L2: I am also happy to be a participant in this study. It helped me to know how this process is being carried out and to relate it to school science. Being a member also gave me ideas on how I can assist other learners to partake in research like this one. Because in class we only talk about investigation and we do not go out and experience it in the society instead they just write it down. During this research for us we went in the community and discuss with the community member and find out. And now even when you present it to your teacher he will also be surprised because some they do not do it correctly they just write and submit. With this I mean some they just sit in their houses and write everything. And now even us we will follow what you did when we will reach there to produce good report.
L3: To me is like this research should continue like that, because it really inspired me and be interested in the topic distillation. I am able to connect it with what we learn in school. There some terms which I did not know but now I know them I am proud to
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involve in this research as a whole. Now I know much better about distillation then previous years of my studies.
A brief analysis of the above data derived from the interview with the learners
The main idea behind this follow-up interview with the learners was to understand how the Grade 11 Physical Science teachers could improve their teaching of the topic distillation taking into account the views of the learners. The learners outlined that teachers should first find out what learners know about the topic before he or she goes in detail (see Section 2.6). Prior knowledge also makes the teacher aware of their learners’ background knowledge on the specific topic and this gives direction on how to teach the topic effectively.
IQ1.L2, above said the following:
“It is very important for the teachers to consider the prior knowledge of the learners in a class. Because, when we talk of Physical Science is like a combined of knowledge from school and the community practices which need to be used and come up with solid solution. And this will make the learners to understand the topic like distillation”.
Moreover, the learners supported the idea of involving the community member in the learning of science. The learners in this study stated that sometimes community members can teach both learners and teachers something. Similarly, learners and teachers could also do the same for the community members. That is, this could be of mutual benefit. Interaction with the community could build a strong bond between the school and the community. Furthermore, this interaction and integration of knowledge could help the science teachers develop good teaching strategies which would enable learners to grasp the topic distillation. The support of the parents would make teaching even more effective as the more involved they are in the education of their children the better for everyone.
The following was said by learner two above: IQ.2.L2: Yes they are needed. For instance
in school we use beakers but in the community they can use other containers or cut cans to substitute a beaker. As this community member were showing us all this, we were exploring and knowing a lot about the materials used to carry out distillation in the absence of scientific materials. The teachers can make use of this knowledge of substituting apparatus to teach the
scientific concepts with readily available materials within the community. This interrelationship of schools and community can create a good teaching and learning atmosphere in the school in collaboration with the community.
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Practical activities are very important in science subjects. The learners maintained that practical topics like distillation need to be studied while carrying out distillation practically. IQ.4.L1 above states that practical’s are helpful in school. As things which you do by touching
is easier to remember it. Yes, you can study by figures on papers but still practical’s are just the best as you will be hands-on doing the work. Practical’s helps learners to remember the work even when asked in examination. Practical is very important. The time spent on
preparing and doing the demonstration by the community member serves as an example to the