شبكة المعلومات العربية التربوية

This study aimed at identifying the extent of using school laboratories in teaching science and the most important global safety standards that must be met. It also sought to identify how important the availability of these standards in the reality of school laboratories from the viewpoints of the study sample subjects as well as identifying the differences among the study sample responses in light of the study variables. The sample consisted of 130 subjects representing the supervisors, teachers, and lab technicians of science at the general education in Asir Educational Directorate. A questionnaire consisted of 28 standards distributed on three axes (design, equipment, practices) was utilized. Results revealed that the percentage of users of the laboratory in science amounted to 81% while the number of those who do not use the labs was 19% of the total study sample. Results also showed the importance of all of standards in the study tool from the viewpoints of the three sample slices (supervisors, teachers, practitioners) and the standards are available in the three axes (design, equipment, practices), despite the variation in the degree of availability of each standard separately. Results also showed that there were statistically significant differences in the degree of appreciating the importance of the standards among Chemistry, Physics, and Biology specializations favoring Chemistry. There are also significant differences regarding the importance of standards of the " design axis" among staff members at high schools, primary schools and complexes favoring high school staff members. There are significant differences in the estimation of the importance of the standards of the equipment axis favoring high school staff members. There are significant differences in the estimation of the importance of standards in the total study sample favoring high school personnel. Results showed there are no statistically significant differences with regard to the importance of standards estimate according to the academic qualifications differences. There are no statistically significant differences in ratings of the study sample in the degree of availability of safety standards in the laboratories of science teaching in the light of specialization, school stage , work nature and academic qualifications, while there are significant differences in the estimation of the degree of availability of the standards of the practices axis with regard to work nature between the supervisors and lab technicians favoring lab technicians, as well as between teachers and lab technicians favoring teachers. In light of these results, the important role of laboratory in achieving the goals of teaching science and availability of safety standards in the laboratory has been confirmed. A similar study about science laboratories at universities and schools for girls can be conducted. Finally, a training program in the light of the study tool standards for training practitioners can be administered. (Published abstract)