Radio science project report 1989-1990

The evaluation covers the period 1988-1990. The project"s scope is broad, reflecting the complexity of the problem of improving science teaching and learning in Papua New Guinea. Accomplishments to date have been as follows. For grades 4 and 5, the project has developed 60 radio lessons with accompanying student worksheets and teacher guidelines; similar materials are being developed for grade 6. Teacher training activities have included radio education programs in the Central Province, 8 training workshops, and the development and testing of audio cassette-based teacher training lessons. The project has also implemented training programs for scriptwriters, actors, and other staff, and developed a stable broadcasting team. The project has carried out formative and summative evaluations of the grade 4 and grade 5 science programs, the latter evaluations in control schools in the East Sepik Province. The project has also administered questionnaires on the science teaching and radio programs to both experimental and control teachers, and completed a technical evaluation of the School Broadcast studio, which led to the repair of major technical problems. The success of the radio science program is evident in that it has been recognized as an official program that will be made available to teachers on a national basis beginning with grade 6 in 1991 and grades 5 and 4 during the following two years.