Abstract:
The Science Made Sensible (SMS) programme began as a partnership between
the University of Miami (UM), Florida, USA, and some public schools in Miami.
In this programme, postgraduate students from UM work with primary school
science teachers to engage learners in science through the use of inquirybased,
hands-on activities. Due to the success of the SMS programme in Miami,
it was extended internationally. The SMS team (two Miami Grade 6/7 science
teachers and two UM postgraduate students), 195 learners, and five South
African teachers at two primary schools in Pretoria, South Africa, participated in
this study. A quantitative research design was employed, and learners, teachers
and UM postgraduate students used questionnaires to evaluate the SMS
programme. The results show that the SMS team was successful in reaching the SMS goals in these South African schools. More than 90% of the learners
are of opinion that the SMS team from the USA made them more interested in
the natural sciences and fostered an appreciation for the natural sciences. All
the South African teachers plan to adopt and adapt some of the pedagogical
strategies they learned from the SMS team. This article includes a discussion
about the benefits of inquiry-based learning and the similarities and dissimilarities
of USA and South Africa’s teaching methods in the science classrooms.
