Negative Impacts of the Current COVID-19 Crisis on Science Education in Kenya: How Certain Can We Be About the Efficacy of the Science Learning Framework Online?

Recently, there has been a significant interest in the possibility of continued disruption to school learning due to the spiraling COVID-19 crisis worldwide. Consequently, online learning has been widely adopted. However, in the least- and medium-developed countries like Kenya, the digital learning models used particularly for science-based courses have either been superficial or ambiguous, making it difficult for students to properly grasp concepts. Conducting online lectures of STEM subjects, without providing simulations and experimental learning experiences, is defective, since such an approach does not appreciate the inherent uncertainty concerns in science education. Besides, delivering only theoretical virtual lectures without integrating students' ideas may be ineffective. The approach masks certain skills that are important for proper interpretation of scientific concepts. This paper presents a framework to examine the detrimental impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on science education and also an out-of-class learning framework that addresses some of the uncertainties. The proposed framework consists of four blocks: (i) a theoretical virtual lecture model that impacts the basics of the scientific concept to be studied; (ii) simulation model to stimulate the understanding of the experimental concept; (iii) a home-based experimental model that propagates the understanding between (i) and (ii); and (iv) an interactive feedback model attributed to the proportion of the home-based experimental activity outcomes to model assumptions and objective values. This structure can be of great benefit to students as it incorporates key tenets of interest to the future for learning of science outside the classroom.