Dr N Nkopodi, Dr P Heeralal and Brain Gray
Brian Gray, renowned Science Education Lecturer (ret) shared his story on his extensive involvement with various science education projects around Southern Africa in mainly rural areas. He began the lecture by presenting a timeline of his fascinating journey with science education. Brian is one of the co-founders of the Science Education Project (SEP) in the late 1970’s. After this he became involved in KwaNgwanase, Ingwavuma and Mbazwana, in some of the most remote and rural areas of Northern KZN which borders on Mozambique. With the focus on intrinsic motivation for the professional development of Science Educators, the Kwa Ngawanase Science Project (KSP) was formed by a network of teachers from that area in the early 1990’s. They arranged meetings and developed their own in-service training (INSET). Brian says it is a one of the challenges to not let INSET be driven extrinsically by the Education department but that a compromise between grassroots and top-down approaches needs to be found in these projects.
Dr Prem Heeralal listening the Brain Gray while he answered a question which showed how well versed Brian is in his field
By 2005 the KSP had decided to get involved in the national Science Expo for young scientists by first understanding the concept and then getting their learners involved. To encourage and develop ‘out the box way of thinking’ took about three years. By 2008 the kids in KwaNgwanase were winning medals at regional and national finals of science EXPO. By 2010 two of the learners from the area had won gold medals at the KZN regional finals in Durban followed by winning medals at the National Science Expo. These successes spurred other learners on to continue entering their projects into the Science Expo. When their science teacher left, some learners teamed up with a local doctor to study the quality of learners’ eyesight. The study showed some learners had poor vision and remedial action was arranged by the Health Department.
This is an example of how getting involved in Science expos results in learners immersing themselves in real life science and as a result they learn a myriad of science process and problem solving skills. Developing these skills encourages learners to strongly consider pursuing tertiary studies in the critical areas of science and engineering. Brian elaborated on similar projects in Lesotho and Zimbabwe and it appears that with even fewer resources our neighbours seemed to achieve more. It goes to show that the biggest resources are the Science educators themselves and when intrinsically motivated they become champions of best practice.
Brian Gray together with interested Maths, Science and Technology lecturers from the College
A most fruitful interaction with Unisa staff ensued after the lecture. The model of CPD that Brain follows is to help establish teacher-driven networks that are supported by some outside resource person (friend). He currently supports nine such networks in RSA, five in Zimbabwe and one in Lesotho. He encouraged UNISA staff to consider outreach to teachers in rural areas in the same way. The Executive Dean, Prof Dzvimbo thanked Brian for sharing his experiences and the lessons he learnt and requested all to put renewed vigour into addressing the critical challenges facing Science, Technology and Maths education in Southern Africa. Prof Dzvimbo encouraged staff to do so using the triad of research, tuition and community service. Thank you also to Dr Nokopodi, Dr Ngoepe and Dr Heeralal, a past student of Brian, for establishing and setting up a collaboration link with Brian Gray.
