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Teaching and Learning Review 2020
Maize field work
Step-by-step remote practical demonstration
Take-Home Practical Classes and the Use of Video Demonstrations Various departments were very innovative in their solutions to remote practical classes, from physics to biological, agricultural, and consumer and food sciences. Physics experiments were designed that used equipment that would be easy to find. Experiments included simulations (eg, mirrors and lens applet on the computer) and real experiments (Hooke’s law with a bottle of water suspended from rubber bands and friction involving a book wrapped in paper sliding off a paper-wrapped incline plane). Students also did a projectile motion practical class where free motion analysis software was used to track the
path of a projectile. Although most students opted to use the data supplied, some did the experiment themselves. In these experiments, several variations illustrated the details or limits of applicability of the physical law investigated; eg, with Hooke’s law, the deviation from ideal behaviour of the rubber bands was observed, and with friction, the relative independence of friction on a macroscopic contact area was investigated. The feedback received from the students indicated that they enjoyed doing these practicals, realising that one does not need purpose-made equipment to do real physics experiments. They also enjoyed the autonomy they had in designing the experiments. Three modules presented by the Department
of Plant and Soil Sciences, Introductory Soil Sciences (GKD 250), Principles of Plant Pathology (PLG 262) and Soil Fertility, Soil Microbiology and Plant Nutrition (GKD 420 / GDK 783) introduced ‘take-home’ practicals. Students had the opportunity to fetch prepared practical kits from campus (or the department couriered them to those who did not live in or around Pretoria), and students conducted the practical experiments/projects at home. Students had to take photos of their progress on a weekly basis, upload them on Google Drive, collect data and then write a practical report based on what they had and the results they obtained. In this way, students had to take ownership of their experiments/projects, execute and monitor a research investigation, and gather, manage and interpret data.
