Mediating sense making by science teachers of electrical current using an analogy of water flow in a narrow and wide pipe in under resources schools

Abstract

Analogies are used in Science practices as mediating tools for teaching and learning. This study’s main goal was to explore teachers’ perceptions on the use of an analogy of water flow in a narrow and wide tube for sense making of electrical resistance. The study then strove to have an insight on what teachers consider as the strengths and weaknesses of the use of the water flow in a narrow and wide tube analogy for sense making of electrical current flow to mitigate a situation where mediating tools are lacking. In an effort to ensure that the goals of education are realized in schools which are under-resourced in the Zambezi Region, the study explored the effects of incorporating an analogy of water flow in a narrow and wide pipe to teach electrical current flow and factors affecting it to Grade 10 learners. Sometimes schools in rural settings grapple to come up with teaching and learning apparatus as their science teachers fail to promote the use of different mediating tools as they strive to ensure that education is universal. Absence of varying mediating tools compromises the goals of education systems. To address this through use of analogy, participating science teachers ended up engaging cognitive activities to make sense of factors that could affect electrical resistance. Cognitive constructivism was embraced as the theoretical framework. Through use of interviews to the teachers and observation of teachers when they used water flow in a pipe as analogy for electrical current flow some of the key findings were; analogies can be used to ensure that almost all the goals of science education in the Zambezi Region are addressed in rural schools which are under-resourced if mathematical skills are employed to map the variable concepts in water flow in a pipe to electrical current flow. Also, scientific literacy can be improved in schools which initially could not have engaged in hands-on practical activities which well-resourced schools engage in. Finally, analogy usage can lead to meaningful learning and learners’ development based on their prior knowledge which serves as a key role in independent thinking.