What are science clubs?

Science clubs are organizations (in our case based at a particular school) intended to provide opportunities for students to explore science. The clubs are usually initiated by an educator/learners at a particular school, science communicator/educator / parent or a scientist/engineer. No two clubs are the same, mainly because they are run by different people, in different environments, for different children and while some clubs focus on science broadly, others focus a particular field e.g. astronomy, physics or biotechnology. Certainly all science clubs fuel the wonder and the joy of learning science in interactive, fun, informative, challenging and informal ways.

Our context as a country

Our country generally suffers from low levels of scientific literacy, increasingly declining numbers of learners doing mathematics and science on a higher grade and hence very low numbers of learners taking up science, engineering and technology studies at tertiary education level. There is also a great need to increase the number of quality, inspired and qualified science educators. Those educators already in service are faced with larger classes, teaching overload, adapting to the curriculum change, learner discipline problems and extra mural activities. They have limited opportunities to focus on deepening and broadening the science they teach.

Our strengths in South Africa

The existence of science centers, science museums, observatories, planetarium and aquaria serve to ignite the spark of the beauty, utility and power of science however this is left to the individual learners, educators and parents to transform the initial excitement to a solid interest in science. Science clubs can alleviate the challenges we face!

Why Science Clubs?

Science clubs are a fantastic opportunity for learners to explore aspects of science that are always possible within the constraints of a normal school timetable. They can stretch and challenge gifted and talented learners, motivate and appeal to the interests of struggling learners. In general science clubs motivate and encourage learners of all ages and abilities

These clubs can enhance the positive experiences that learners have with science by allowing them to explore their own ideas and interests as well as by exposing them to role models (scientists and engineers) who may encourage them to think of becoming scientists themselves.

Science clubs can also help to build confidence of the learners as well as change their attitudes towards science, technology and engineering. They can also help learners develop problem-solving skills. Further learners can also develop social skills such cooperative learning, communication and leadership.

Members of the club always have readily available projects and studies for their formative assessment. The clubs can serve also as support base for learners participating in science expo, science Olympiads as well as science fairs.

Science clubs encourage links between schools and industry, schools and science centers/ museum as well as schools and science research institutes. Clubs can also serves as links to other local schools as well as international communities and scientists.