DOI 10.5958/2230-7311.2015.00001.X

Assessing the Science Laboratory Learning Environments at

the Senior Secondary Level in An Indian School

Adit Gupta 1 , Rekha Koul 2 and Moolraj Sharma 3

1 Model Institute of Education and Research, Jammu, India.

2 Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia.

3 Model Institute of Education and Research, Jammu, India.

ABSTRACT

Learning science can be made more interesting by providing the students hands on experience through experimentation and

project work etc. This is especially true for science laboratories where students get a chance to test their ideas and learn difficult

science concepts by performing experiments. Science laboratories have become a very important part of learning science in schools

and thus students’ perceptions of their science laboratory learning environments would provide valuable insights as to how science

laboratories can be further improved and the right kind of environment is created that fosters learning. This study, which is the

first of its kind in India, reports the use of the modified form of Science Laboratory Learning Environment Inventory (SLEI) for

assessing the students’ perceptions of their learning environments in General Science laboratories. Analysis of data of 460 students

from higher secondary classes i.e. grades 10 th to 12 th provides evidence for the reliability and validity of the questionnaire for

use in Indian school settings. The same data is also used for studying gender differences and the associations between students’

perceptions of their science laboratory learning environments with their attitude towards science.

Keywords: Science Laboratory, Learning Environment, SLEI, Attitude, Indian School.

The next generation of youngsters, as it passes through school,

need a ‘new breed’ of people who can combine science with

must be as well educated in and about science to enable

other talents, as for example, the scientist, librarian and the

them to prosper in our democratic society. Moreover, the ever-

science reporter. Good science teaching is one of the most

increasing scientific and technological progress challenges

valuable ways to meet this urgent need for science-educated

man’s ingenuity to improve his methods of processing, retrieving

citizens and workers. Enthusiastic, intelligent, and well-educated

and reporting all sorts of scientific information. In a sense, we

science teachers inspire and prepare students to investigate

the great questions of science and the questions raised by

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the scientific discoveries that affect us and our society. Mainly

Publisher

through the inspiration of devoted science teachers, great

Website:

http://www.ndpublisher.in

numbers of students develop lifelong scientific interests and

learn to appreciate and understand the nature of science and

its usefulness to mankind (Ediger and Rao, 1996).

DOI:

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I have been associated with the educational process at the

school level for the last 16 years in Jammu which is part of the

Address for correspondence

Adit Gupta, Model Institute of Education and Research, Jammu, India.

E-mail: adit@mier.in

Submission: 2 January, 2015

Accepted : 21 February, 2015

Acceptance: 3 March, 2015

Educational Quest: An Int. J. of Education and Applied Social Sciences Vol 6 l Issue 1 l April 2015

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