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West Coast Science teachers strengthen physics and astronomy inquiry-based teaching skills
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The Mail & Guardian
Practical investigations included constructing salt-water cells, assembling electrical circuits from inexpensive materials, testing conductors and insulators, measuring voltage, current and resistance with multimeters, and investigating balanced and unbalanced forces.
Throughout the programme, facilitators modelled inquiry-based pedagogy by encouraging participants to observe, predict, question, investigate, analyse evidence and justify conclusions using scientific reasoning.
The emphasis on affordable resources demonstrated that high-quality practical science is achievable even in schools with limited laboratory facilities.
"Although working with electrical circuits and multimeters initially seemed intimidating, the practical investigations helped me understand the relationships between voltage, current and resistance."
The training demonstrated the value of sustained, inquiry-based professional development in strengthening teachers' subject knowledge, pedagogical skills and confidence to facilitate practical science learning.