3. INTRODUCTION
Science teaching is different from the teaching of other
subjects for the fact that here the theoretical lessons are accompanied or
followed by practical work with apparatus and materials. The word ‘Laboratory’
generally means a spacious room in which a group of students carry out
practical. Other rooms are usually essential if the science teaching of a school is
to be efficiently organized. For an effective and efficient teaching in science a
good laboratory with necessary equipment is essential. In recent years the
purpose of teaching science at the secondary stage has undergone drastic change.
We don’t aim at suffering the minds of the pupils with mere facts of science but
at developing in them the application ability, skills of experimentation,
construction, improving scientific attitude, interest, appreciation e t c. These can
be achieved only if the students get the opportunities to work with their own
hands in an atmosphere which pervades in science teaching.
One of the important function of the science laboratory is the
deepening of student’s understanding that scientific concepts and applications
are closely related their own natural environment. In the laboratory the students
can be taught more readily to be discriminating in observation to evaluate,
evidence of data and to sense the importance of care and skill in taking of
measurement. Laboratory should be represented as an integral part of instruction
in science. So the laboratory in all its forms help in the achieving the aims of
teaching science which in turn help in the future developments in the field of
science. While constructing the science laboratory in the schools the science
teacher s or science educators should be asked to collaborate with the architect in
getting it built on the standard and recommended plan in order to draw out the
best educational purposes.
4. SIGNIFICANCE OF SCIENCE LABORATORY
Learning by doing is one of the cardinal principles of teaching science.
Experimentation has put many theories on a sound footing and has also resulted in
the rejection of many. The achievement of modern science is mainly due to the
application of the experimental method. It is therefore important that practical
work should form a prominent feature in any science course and the primary
objective in determining a technique of instruction is to provide for a maximum
pupil activity. Science laboratory has the following values.
The things learnt by the students through purposeful activities are
permanently affixed in the mind of pupils. They find out the truth of the
statement made by the teacher or written in the books when they perform
experiments in the laboratory. The knowledge imported without
experimental evidence remains superficial, hazy and imperfect.
The children have the curiosity to handle things and when they do the
experiments; their curiosity is to a greater extent satisfied. Practical work
provides an activity which can be profitable and emotionally satisfying.
Acquiring of scientific knowledge and scientific outlook, which are the two
main objectives of teaching science, can be achieved only through regular
practical work in the laboratory. A student should not only be a passive
observer but an active worker, an enthusiastic experimenter and a
discoverer.
It provides opportunities for training in scientific method. The pupil faces so
many problems in the laboratory and they get a good deal of training in the
scientific way.
As a result of practical work the pupils form many good habits like co-
operation, resourcefulness, initiative, self dependence, self reliance e t c,
which are applicable in the daily life of the pupils.
It provides opportunities for exercise in reading and making diagrams and
accustoms the pupils to use various hand tools of the scientists.
5. ORGANIZATION- DESIGNING A HIGH SCHOOL
LABORATORY
PLANNING A SCIENCE LABORATORY
Before constructing the laboratory, the following factors should be taken in to
consideration at the planning stage.
1) The number of pupil working at a time.
2) The minimum space necessary for each pupil for comfortable working.
3) Limitation of number of science teachers in school.
4) Need for ancillary accommodation for storage.
5) Designing the science classroom and laboratory in such a way that it could be
used for science teaching for middle as well as for high classes.
6) Imperative need for economy.
A number of laboratory designs and their equipment have been
suggested by different people. Some of these laboratories which suite the
conditions of our country and which have been accepted by scientist and
education.
FOR HIGHSCHOOLS
Lecture –room –cum Laboratory plan
The plan was developed by Dr. R H White House, formally principal
of central training college, Lahore. Dr White House suggested a combined
lecture and laboratory of x of a class of students in demonstration
and in practical wor he floor should be cemented or side lightning
three windows of across and or high are provided ne near the practical
bench and two near the seating accommodation. There are two doors one
near the lecture room and another near the laboratory. Towards the lecture
room, side is provided a wall blac board x t can be simply a cemented
6. area of the wall t a distance of from it is the teacher’s table x high
Towards the laboratory side is provided a wall blackboard. The tables are
arranged properly in the class room. No sinks are provided with the laboratory
tables. To compensate it three sinks are fitted, one for the teacher and two for
the students.
This combined lecture and laboratory plan is advantageous because of the
following reasons.
1. It is economical.
2. The seating accommodation is natural and comfortable.
3. The furnishing is cheap, serviceable and easily movable.
4. It provides seating and storage accommodation in the compact and
restricted space.
5. The atmosphere of science prevails and working in the same laboratory
gives an idea of the unity of science.
All Purpose Laboratories
This type of laboratory serves the purpose of both practical as well as
theoretic work, but it may not be possible to carry out an effective teaching of
special subject with this type of laboratory. The size of laboratory can be varied
according to the number of students in the class he usual dimension of x is
sufficient for 40 pupils. Storage –cum preparation room should be provided with the
laboratory. This will improve the efficiency of working and preserving of apparatus.
Provisions can be made in the walls for reagent, bottles etc in such a way that it
neither abstracts light nor looks ugly. The window may be fitted with good blinds so
that the room may be darkened when need be. It is advisable to use movable tables
with flat top. So that the table can be used both for practical work and for writing
purpose and can be placed against one another at certain occasions. The side bench
may be provided with sink, water and gas taps. Cup board may be provided under
these benches for storage purpose. A space of about should be left between the
wall and the tables wo blac boards of x may be provided one on each side of
the laboratory.
7. CONCLUSION
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or
technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Scientific
laboratories can be found in schools, and universities, in industry, in government or
military facilities. Laboratory techniques are the some of procedure used on natural
sciences such as chemistry, biology, physics, etc. In order to conduct an experiment,
all of them follow scientific method, lab activities and experiments engage student’s
mind which help them to acquire necessary skill and confidence. To provide
firsthand knowledge to the students about the subject, the biology lab should be
fully equipped with all the required specimens, thus helping students to acquire
necessary skills and confidence in an innovative environment.
8. REFERENCE
R C Sharma, C .S. Shukla (2003)., Modern science Teaching, Published by
Dhanpat Rai Publishing company.
Yogesh Kumar Singh, Ruchika Nath., (2007) , Teaching of General Science.
En.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Laboratory.
Science blogs. com