Knowledge and Implementation of Laboratory Safety Skills Possessed by Pre-Service Science Teachers in Anambra State, Nigeria: Implications for Practical Science Learning

Abstract

The study investigated the knowledge and implementation of laboratory safety skills possessed by pre-service science teachers in Anambra State, Nigeria: Implications for practical science learning. The study's main purpose was to determine the knowledge and implementation of laboratory safety skills possessed by pre-service science teachers in Anambra State, Nigeria. Six research questions guided the conduct of the study. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The population is comprised of 2722 pre-service science teachers in Anambra State. A sample of 360 pre-service science teachers obtained using a multi-stage sampling procedure was used for the study. The instrument titled "Laboratory Safety Skills Questionnaire (LSSQ)", adapted from Muhammad (2017) was used to collect data for the study. The instrument was validated by relevant experts, and the reliability test conducted on the instrument using the Cronbach Alpha technique gave an index of 0.84.  Data were collected using Google forms. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to analyze the collected data.  Based on the findings, the study revealed that pre-service science teachers possess a high level of knowledge of laboratory safety skills but implement the knowledge on a moderate level. The findings also showed a disparity in the NCE and Undergraduate degree pre-service science teachers' level of knowledge and implementation of laboratory safety skills. It was recommended amongst all those teachers and other relevant stakeholders should emphasize more on laboratory procedures, to give students more opportunities to implement the knowledge of the laboratory safety skills that they possess.