>From: shiyammy@...
>
>I find that the science classroom(=laboratory) furniture is suitable
>only for practical work and not for ''theoretical'' work, ie.
>learning science concepts. I like to develop concepts by having
>discussion/argumentation for which all pupils need to listen to each
>other's ideas/arguments. This is utterly impossible when pupils are
>sitting among huge tables(meant for practical work), fiddling with
>gas taps and electricity plugs(fixed on the table for practical
>work), chatting with each other in whispers(teacher circulation is
>impossible with the huge teacher's table-part of the storage space in
>the laboratory as well as a teacher's platform in addition to the
>pupils' huge tables) or pupils speaking in various sign languages
>because they sit around tables facing each other.
>I have been to schools where after refurbishing laboratories teachers
>do their best to avoid teaching in the new laboratories. Certainly
>those teachers didn't have a say in the choice of new furniture and
>the person who chose the furniture didn't know the choices in
>catalogues or what learning science means.I have learnt that a few
>schools have a 'normal classroom' on one side and 'practical area' on
>another side of a room. Teachers need to be very clear about what
>learning science means and instruct furniture designers appropriately.
>
>[from another list:
>
>homepage:
><http://www.egroups.co.uk/group/learning-science-concepts>http://www.egroups.co\
.uk/group/learning-science-concepts]
>

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Dr. Keith S. Taber
Senior Lecturer in Science Education
Homerton College, University of Cambridge

Royal Society of Chemistry Teacher Fellow 2000-2001

Visiting Fellow
Science & Technology Group
University of London Institute of Education
20 Bedford Way
London
WC1H 0AL

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<kst24@...> (at University of Cambridge)

<k.taber@...> (at University of London Institute of
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