Practical hands-on learning has been identified as the antidote to the lack of interest in Science,Technology, Engineering and Mathematics or otherwise called STEM Education in Ghana.
This was contained in a research conducted by Practical Education Network, PEN, an NGO whose focus is education.
Statistics from the research indicate that Students with Practical hands-on learning improved by 28 percent in their BECE results, which is 14 per cent more than students with little or no practical hands-on learning.
A researcher with PEN, Jacob Babb, bemoaned what he described as the chew, pour, pass and forget method of teaching and learning that has characterised STEM Education in Ghana.
Mr. Babb was speaking at a forum to disseminate research findings on practical STEM education.
The research which focused on a number of public basic schools in the Greater Accra region, was conducted in the 2017/2018 academic year.
Final year students from the schools were made to provide answers to questions such as their favourite subject and whether they enjoy being in science class.
The report described schools that adopted the practical approach, as the experimental scoring schools, while those that did not, were labeled the controlled scoring schools.
A researcher with Practical Eeducation Network, Jacob Babb explained that classes which engaged in the hands-on practical approach, had increased test scores and begun to exhibit favourable attitudes towards STEM education, compared to their peers who had little or no practical learning.
A content marketer with PEN, Nana Araba Plange announced a Practical teachers roadmap Program, which would award performing teachers under Science, Technology,Engineering and Mathematics.
The forum was dubbed: “Practical STEM education in the Ghanaian classroom; its impact and the way foward.
Story by Nathaniel Nartey.
