BEYOND THE TEXTBOOK: A REFLECTIVE JOURNEY ON USING EXPERIMENTAL PEDAGOGY FOR TEACHING THE CONCEPT OF CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM IN THE PAKISTANI CONTEXT

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the impact of a teacher development workshop on the use of experiments to teach the challenging concept of chemical equilibrium in resource-constrained Pakistani classrooms. Grounded in a constructivist framework, the two-day workshop equipped 28 secondary chemistry teachers from diverse regions with hands-on strategies, including simple demonstrations, worksheets, and simulations for illustrating Le Chatelier's principle. One-year post-intervention, 23 teachers (82% of participants) were interviewed to assess implementation. The findings show a high adoption rate, with 78% of respondents successfully integrating these experiential methods. Teachers reported a profound transformation in classroom dynamics: student engagement and curiosity increased markedly as abstract concepts became visually tangible through activities like colour-change experiments. This shift positioned students as active investigators and co-learners, improving conceptual understanding and academic performance. However, the implementation journey was significantly challenged by systemic barriers, primarily severe resource scarcity, time constraints due to a crowded curriculum, and large class sizes. Teachers demonstrated notable resilience and agency in adapting the strategies to navigate these constraints. The study concludes that targeted professional development can catalyse meaningful pedagogical change even in difficult contexts. It recommends systemic support through continuous teacher training, provision of standardized low-cost laboratory kits, and alignment of curriculum and assessment with inquiry-based learning to sustain a culture of experiential, dialogic science education.