Difficulties That Face Using School Laboratories For The 10th Grande From The Teachers Point Of View In Nablus District

This study aimed at finding the rate of laboratory experiments performed during the scholastic year 1998/1999 in the three science subjects (Chemistry, biology, and physics) for the 10th graders it also aimed at finding whether the variables of (sex, years of experience, area, academic qualification and training courses ) have any effect on performing experiments. The study also intended to know the obstacles that face using school laboratories for the 10th graders from the teachers' point of view for the three subjects. The population of the study comprised all the 10th grade teachers of the three subjects (physics, chemistry, biology) in Nablus District government school in the scholastic year 1998-1999 .The total was 200 male and female teachers with academic qualification in 70 basic and secondary school that have the 10th grade, The population included 42 male school and 28 female schools .The study sample included all the population of the study. For the purpose of this study, the researcher distributed 210 questionnaires: 70 for the physics teachers; 70 for the chemistry teachers, and 70 for the biology teachers. Only 180 questionnaires were returned; 85.71% of the total, with 60 questionnaires for each subject, for which statistical analysis was done. The researcher checked the validity of the tool by submitting it to a panel of judges and specialists. While validity coefficient was calculated for each questionnaire by using Person's Cofficience Test Reliability, it was 0.87 for physics and 0.89 for chemistry and 0.90 for biology. Findings of the study: 1- Results concerning difficulties that face laboratory work. This study found that the most common obstacles in lab work concerning the three subjects ( Physics, Chemistry, Biology ) are: 1- Lack of material, instruments and laboratory devices.... (60.20%, 69.20%, 67.83% ) 2- Unavailability of a special laboratory room. (57.17%, 59.21%, 53.02%) 3- Lack of time because of the heavy class burden. ( 51.76%, 55.64%, 57.73%, ) 4- Lack of time for preparing the experiments because of the heavy class burden. . (50.12%, 50.89%, 50.06%) 5- The great number of students in one class (48.86%, 46.61%, 48.14%). 6- Unavailability of water, electricity, and heat in laboratory rooms. (45.46%, 54.06%, 49.52%). 7- insufficient time for performing experiments.( 43.54%, 43.16%, 50.74%). 2- Results concerning performing experiments in the three subjects. The study revealed that 64.23% of the physics experiments were performed, while 35.77% of the total were not. The study also revealed that 63.11% of chemistry experiments were performed but 36.89% were not. As far the biology experiments, 57.30% were performed, whereas 42.70% were not. The results also showed that the percentage of female teachers who performed physics and chemistry experiments exceeded that of male teachers who performed experiments of the same subjects 68.67% of the physics experiments were performed by female, and 64.11°A of the chemistry experiments were also performed by females. Male teachers performed 61% of the physics experiments and 62.41% of the chemistry experiments. But male teachers had the superiority over female teachers in performing biology experiments. 58.03% of the biology experiments were performed by males, while females performed only 56.28% of the biology experiments. The study also showed that teachers with long experience-over 10 year —had the superiority over teachers with short or medium experience in performing experiments in the three subjects. Superiority in performing experiments for the three subjects was scared for village teachers in comparison with city schoolteachers. The study also showed that the rate teachers with Diploma qualification who performed physics experiment exceeded the rate of teachers with 13.A qualification who perform experiments for the same subject. The rate of chemistry and biology teachers with BA qualification who performed experiments for these subjects was more than that of teachers who have B.A and diploma. The rate of teachers with special training courses in laboratory work that performed lab. Experiments exceeded the rate of teachers who performed lab experiments but didn't have training courses in lab. work. The researcher recommended in the light of his study conducting similar studies but for secondary school teachers, and that student should participate in these studies. Similar studies in different parts of Palestine should also be conducted. The researcher also recommended that schools be provided with materials and Lab. Devices, special Lab. Rooms in each school. He also recommended that the number of students in classrooms should be decreased. The researcher recommended that there should be special classes for laboratory work.