Advancing Knowledge Non-Profit Company (AK NPC) has continued with its professional development programme for Natural Sciences educators into the second term of the school year. During the first term, the programme dealt with Life Sciences as stipulated by the CAPS curriculum for Natural Sciences at both Intermediate Phase (grades 4-6) and senior phase (grades 7-9). The second term programme was directed at the Matter and Materials knowledge area generally referred to as chemistry. This second of four professional development sessions planned for Cape Winelands natural sciences teachers in 2025 took place in the science laboratory of Noorder Paarl Secondary in Paarl – a science laboratory constructed through the partnership between AK NPC, Garden Cities Archway Foundation (GCAF) and Western Cape Education Department (WCED). The training offered to intermediate phase teachers was conducted on Friday 25 April while senior phase teachers attended the training on Saturday 26 April 2025.
The continued professional development sessions are arranged around the practical and experimental (inquiry-based) hands-on application of curriculum content required in each term in order to assist teachers in their preparation of that term’s practical content. Prof Shaheed Hartley (AK NPC Director) welcomed teachers to the sessions and reminded teachers of the importance of including the inquiry-based activities in their everyday lessons. The participation of teachers was arranged in collaboration with the Cape Winelands education district’s subject advisors Mr Ziyaad Moerat and Ms Chantel Cupido. The facilitators for the chemistry sessions were Ms Zaiboeniesa Ahmed (intermediate phase) and Prof Shaheed Hartley (senior phase) assisted by AK NPC staff Somila Dlakavu and Yusra Joubert (science interns) and projects coordinator Melissa Petersen.
CHEMISTRY FOR INTERSEN (GRADE 4-7) TEACHERS
A total of 33 InterSen (grades 4-7) natural sciences teachers attended the training session at Noorder Paarl High School on Friday 25 April 2025. The facilitator introduced teachers to the basics of chemistry at intermediate phase, guided them through the important components of the inquiry-based approach including the scientific method and conceptions around dependent, independent and constant variables, investigative and experimental activities in solubility of compounds, elementary chemical reactions, paper chromatography, compressibility of matter, acid
base reactions and indicators, forces and balancing of forces, testing the strength of materials and the periodic table. The chemistry activities used hands-on practical examples such as various chemical reactions between substances, chromatography, paper strength and applicability of materials, pH testing of everyday substances using different indicators to get every teacher hands-on and participating. Teachers were exposed to chemistry activities that they could take directly into their science lessons. The inquiry-based science philosophy and hands-on activities directed teachers to ask questions of themselves, their colleagues and the facilitators. The following are some of the teachers reflections:
• I really enjoyed today’s session and made sure I video recorded all of the activities especially the ones that I normally struggled to teach. [Teacher] • These experiments are really straight forward. Now that I have had an opportunity to do them myself I can see how my learners will enjoy doing these in groups. A wonderful way to keep them busy but also learning. [Teacher] • As a new teacher to natural science and especially the experimental part of it, I feel confident enough to try this out with my learners but only as Prof said, after I tested it on my own first. [Teacher]
• I am so glad that our teachers participated so excitedly today. It is now up to them to implement what they have experienced here. I will follow up on them to see the progress of inquiry-based teaching in their classes. [Science Subject Advisor]
CHEMISTRY FOR SENIOR PHASE (GRADES 8 and 9) TEACHERS A number of the senior phase natural sciences teachers were also teaching FET Physical Sciences which allowed the session to flow much smoother. The facilitator introduced the notion of science, science education and inquiry-based science. Teachers understanding of the “scientific method” were challenged by a simple problem statement that had them offering their best solutions or hypotheses which they had to test resulting in interesting results and conclusions. Teachers debated the basic concepts of chemistry, matter, phases of matter, mixtures, elements, the periodic table, formation of compounds, chemical reactions and balancing of equations. Each of the concepts was accompanied by a challenging activity which was meant to have teachers not only be hands-on but also questioning their own understanding of the concepts. Teachers engaged in chromatography, separating liquids of differing viscosity, acids and bases experiments including titrations for neutralisation, preparation of various gases including oxygen, hydrogen and carbon dioxide, combustion of metals and non-metals in oxygen, etc.. Teachers expressed their appreciation of the session in their reflections:
• I enjoyed the session as we don’t always have the opportunity to try out these experiments and, chemistry can sometimes be very scary. We were given time, space and advice on each of the practical and experiments that we participated in. [Teacher]
• This was a higher grade session as we were challenged in terms our thinking, practical skills and our knowledge of chemistry. Overall it was very enjoyable and exciting. [Teacher]
• As a new teacher, this was an important session as it guided me on how to do practical and experimental work in my chemistry lessons. I really enjoyed the various chemistry activities. I video-recorded them also so now I have a record that I can refer back to. [Teacher]
• I am very appreciative of the fact that Prof and his team took their time to do inquiry-based training at the intermediate and senior phase where most of the challenges higher up can hopefully be alleviated. Teachers must make sure that learners get to do at least some of the activities in the natural science lessons. Thank you again for the exciting sessions. [Science subject advisor].