A Study of Teachers’ Perception towards the Impact of Effective Use of Hands-on Activities on the Academic Performance of Lower Secondary Students in Science: Evidence from Karachi

Abstract

The aim of this study was to find out how lower secondary science teachers view the advantages of engaging their pupils in productive hands-on activities. Since elementary school is a critical time for scientific learners, the advancement of science and technology calls for significant changes in the way science is taught at this level. The survey approach was used to gather the data. To facilitate the survey, a questionnaire was created. 104 general science teachers working in Karachi's public and private sectors at the lower secondary level made up the study's sample. The frequencies and percentages of the responses were used to interpret the data. The nature of this research study was descriptive. Finding the most important elements and their function in the efficient use of hands-on activities was another aspect of the study. The most crucial elements in the successful implementation of hands-on activities in general science at the lower secondary level are the teacher's self-motivation and the preparation of the activities. The results of the study also indicated that the hands-on activities in the formative assessments should receive 20–25% of the possible points. Easy and straightforward tasks are meant to take precedence over ideas that are expensive or nonexistent. Based on the results, specific suggestions were made.