BUILDING A CASE FOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN SCIENCE

The significance of first-hand experience based learning has been quite undermined when referring to discourse on quality component in science education. This study attempts to explore the contribution of a National Science Centre towards enrichment of science education by exploring the perceptions of students and teachers about the diverse exhibits and their context. The study has a qualitative design. The sample consisted of eighty students and twenty teachers. For the purpose of triangulation the data was collected through questionnaires, interviews and observation. The findings brought forth the insights into the contribution of science centre as a potent pedagogic and a learning resource through its experience based learning in an open and dynamic environment and that it has a major scope to supplement the classroom teaching and to develop a passion for science among students. The diverse nature of exhibits stimulated the teachers’ thinking towards creative pedagogy. The findings have implications at policy, planning and strategization levels to incorporate the experience based learning resources as integral component of the teacher education programmes as well as school science education.