Evaluation Of Teachers’ Skills and their Current Level of Using Atomic Model Kits in Teaching Chemical Bonding and Atomic Structure in Gasabo District of Rwanda

This study investigates the current level of using the atomic model kits and their effectiveness in teaching atomic structure and chemical bonding. The study used a sample of 54 chemistry teachers randomly sampled from a list of all eligible teachers in Gasabo. An explanatory sequential research design was adopted to collect and analyze the data. The quantitative data collected through the Likert scale questionnaire were analyzed by using Excel 2016 and the Social Package for Social Science (SPSS). The qualitative data were analyzed by using interpretive and thematic analysis. The study revealed a substantial difference based on teachers' working experience and school type, favoring the most experienced teachers and those in boarding schools. Key issues mentioned include a scarcity and inadequacy of atomic model kits, insufficient skills on how to design these kits, and classroom size limits. The study recommends that chemistry teachers receive targeted training on the design and effective use of atomic model kits, supported by educational stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education, the Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB), school administrators, and teacher training institutions. These stakeholders should prioritize continuous professional development programs that build teachers’ practical and pedagogical competencies, aligning model-based instruction with the Competency-Based Curriculum. Such training would enable teachers to integrate atomic model kits more effectively, fostering interactive, hands-on learning and deeper conceptual understanding in chemistry.