Leveraging a peer-learning community and expert community members in the integration of indigenous knowledge into the learning and teaching of Grade 10 Chemistry on the rate of reactions
- Authors: Simasiku, Fredrick Simataa
- Date: 2023-03-29
- Subjects: Chemical kinetics Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Ethnoscience Namibia , Scientific knowledge , Peer teaching Namibia , Pedagogical content knowledge , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/366211 , vital:65843 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/366211
- Description: The integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) in science teaching in Namibia is part of the transformation agenda that hopes to revitalise and make science accessible and relevant to learners’ everyday life experiences. However, there seems to be contradictions between the intended curriculum, the enacted curriculum and the attained curriculum. This disjuncture is exacerbated in part by the fact that science teachers seem to be struggling to be cultural knowledge brokers. It is against this backdrop that this formative interventionist study sought to leverage a peer-learning community and expert community members in the integration of IK into the learning and teaching of Grade 10 Chemistry on the rate of reactions. To achieve this, we mobilised the indigenous technologies of preserving and pounding Mahangu and making Oshikundu to mediate learning of the rate of reactions. The study was guided by the broad overarching research question: How does a peer-learning community and expert community members leverage the integration of indigenous knowledge into the learning and teaching of Grade 10 Chemistry on the rate of reactions? In this study, I used two complementary paradigms, viz. the transformative research paradigm and the indigenous research paradigm. Within these paradigms, I employed a qualitative case study research design using the community of practice and participatory action research as research approaches. Five Grade 10 Chemistry teachers from three schools in the Ohangwena region were involved in this study. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, co-analysis of curriculum documents, workshop presentations and discussions, practical demonstrations, participatory observation, lesson observation, stimulated recall interviews, and participants’ reflections. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) were employed as theoretical frameworks in this study. Additionally, within PCK, Mavhunga and Rollnick’s Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge components were used as an analytical framework. I used an inductive-deductive approach to data analysis to come up with sub-themes and themes. The main finding of this study revealed that leveraging a peer-learning community and the expert community members (ECMs) empowered the Chemistry teachers involved in this study to be cultural knowledge brokers and their understanding of how to integrate IK in their teaching improved. Both their subject matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge improved through co-developing and enacting exemplar lessons that integrated IK from the expert community members as well as from their own environments. A main insight of this study is that Chemistry teachers should seek opportunities to create peer-learning communities that engage with expert community members who are the custodians of the cultural heritage. The study also shows that this approach will support them to become better cultural knowledge brokers and help their learners bridge the divide between school science and what they have learnt in their homes or community. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2023
- Full Text:
- Authors: Simasiku, Fredrick Simataa
- Date: 2023-03-29
- Subjects: Chemical kinetics Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Ethnoscience Namibia , Scientific knowledge , Peer teaching Namibia , Pedagogical content knowledge , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/366211 , vital:65843 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/366211
- Description: The integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) in science teaching in Namibia is part of the transformation agenda that hopes to revitalise and make science accessible and relevant to learners’ everyday life experiences. However, there seems to be contradictions between the intended curriculum, the enacted curriculum and the attained curriculum. This disjuncture is exacerbated in part by the fact that science teachers seem to be struggling to be cultural knowledge brokers. It is against this backdrop that this formative interventionist study sought to leverage a peer-learning community and expert community members in the integration of IK into the learning and teaching of Grade 10 Chemistry on the rate of reactions. To achieve this, we mobilised the indigenous technologies of preserving and pounding Mahangu and making Oshikundu to mediate learning of the rate of reactions. The study was guided by the broad overarching research question: How does a peer-learning community and expert community members leverage the integration of indigenous knowledge into the learning and teaching of Grade 10 Chemistry on the rate of reactions? In this study, I used two complementary paradigms, viz. the transformative research paradigm and the indigenous research paradigm. Within these paradigms, I employed a qualitative case study research design using the community of practice and participatory action research as research approaches. Five Grade 10 Chemistry teachers from three schools in the Ohangwena region were involved in this study. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, co-analysis of curriculum documents, workshop presentations and discussions, practical demonstrations, participatory observation, lesson observation, stimulated recall interviews, and participants’ reflections. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) were employed as theoretical frameworks in this study. Additionally, within PCK, Mavhunga and Rollnick’s Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge components were used as an analytical framework. I used an inductive-deductive approach to data analysis to come up with sub-themes and themes. The main finding of this study revealed that leveraging a peer-learning community and the expert community members (ECMs) empowered the Chemistry teachers involved in this study to be cultural knowledge brokers and their understanding of how to integrate IK in their teaching improved. Both their subject matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge improved through co-developing and enacting exemplar lessons that integrated IK from the expert community members as well as from their own environments. A main insight of this study is that Chemistry teachers should seek opportunities to create peer-learning communities that engage with expert community members who are the custodians of the cultural heritage. The study also shows that this approach will support them to become better cultural knowledge brokers and help their learners bridge the divide between school science and what they have learnt in their homes or community. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2023
- Full Text:
Revitalisation and indigenisation of the Science curriculum through drum making, drumming, music and dance
- Authors: Liveve, Angelius Kanyanga
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Curriculum change Namibia , Science Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Traditional ecological knowledge Namibia , Drum Performance , Drum making , Pedagogical content knowledge , Social learning
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405482 , vital:70175 , DOI 10.21504/10962/405482
- Description: The integration of IK is a common phenomenon in many postcolonial states, where it is viewed as a means to redress the injustices of the colonial era. It is believed that the recognition of IK in education represents an acknowledgement of diversity and other ways of knowing. In Namibia, for instance, the National Curriculum for Basic Education encourages the integration of IK in Science teaching. However, this goal is still far from being achieved because the curriculum seems to be silent on how teachers should integrate IK into their teaching. As a result, research shows that many Science teachers in Namibia seem to find it difficult to integrate IK into their science teaching because they were not properly trained to do so during both their pre-service and in-service training. This suggests that there is a dire need to empower science teachers who are implementers of the curriculum on appropriate pedagogical content knowledge on how to integrate IK into their science teaching in particular. It is against this backdrop that this interventionist study sought to explore how to mobilise the indigenous technology of drum making, drumming, music and dance for cultural revitalisation and indigenisation of the science curriculum. The study is underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm and augmented with an indigenous research paradigm. The interpretivist paradigm enabled me to understand the teachers’ perspectives in their contexts. On the other hand, within the indigenous research paradigm, I used the Ubuntu perspective which afforded each of us an opportunity to understand each other’s ways of knowing, doing and being. Within these two complementary paradigms, a qualitative case study approach was employed. The case study was in the form of intervention with six Grade 10 Physics teachers from three senior secondary schools in the Kavango West Region in Namibia. Moreover, a critical friend who was a lecturer at the university and expert community members of the Unongo Cultural Youth Group who are the custodians of the cultural heritage. Data were generated using semi-structured interviews, workshop discussions (audio-recorded), observations (participatory and lesson observations), stimulated recall interviews as well as journal reflections. Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural Theory, Ogunniyi’s Contiguity Argumentation Theory and Mavhunga and Rollnick’s Topic-specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge were used as the theoretical lenses in this study. The data gathered were analysed thematically and then categorised into sub-themes and themes. The findings of the study revealed that tapping into the cultural heritage of community members through giving them a voice has great potential to revitalise and indigenise the science curriculum. It also emerged in this study that storytelling is a potential instructional strategy to make science accessible and relevant to learners. The use of the indigenous technology of drum making, drumming, music and dance contributed to the Physics teachers’ agency and empowered them to co-develop their learning and teaching support materials in the form of exemplar lesson plans that integrated IK. Moreover, their pedagogical content knowledge was enhanced through enacting such exemplar lessons and thereafter reflecting on them. The study thus recommends that those in academia should promote the use of indigenous technologies as hubs for mediating the learning of science concepts. It also recommends that learners should be taken out of their science classrooms into the community to learn IK and wisdom from expert community members, something which could assist them in understanding the science taught at school. This might also benefit teachers in effectively implementing the integration of IK in schools and thereby use learners’ cultural heritage as a starting point to enrich meaningful and authentic learning. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Authors: Liveve, Angelius Kanyanga
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Curriculum change Namibia , Science Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Traditional ecological knowledge Namibia , Drum Performance , Drum making , Pedagogical content knowledge , Social learning
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405482 , vital:70175 , DOI 10.21504/10962/405482
- Description: The integration of IK is a common phenomenon in many postcolonial states, where it is viewed as a means to redress the injustices of the colonial era. It is believed that the recognition of IK in education represents an acknowledgement of diversity and other ways of knowing. In Namibia, for instance, the National Curriculum for Basic Education encourages the integration of IK in Science teaching. However, this goal is still far from being achieved because the curriculum seems to be silent on how teachers should integrate IK into their teaching. As a result, research shows that many Science teachers in Namibia seem to find it difficult to integrate IK into their science teaching because they were not properly trained to do so during both their pre-service and in-service training. This suggests that there is a dire need to empower science teachers who are implementers of the curriculum on appropriate pedagogical content knowledge on how to integrate IK into their science teaching in particular. It is against this backdrop that this interventionist study sought to explore how to mobilise the indigenous technology of drum making, drumming, music and dance for cultural revitalisation and indigenisation of the science curriculum. The study is underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm and augmented with an indigenous research paradigm. The interpretivist paradigm enabled me to understand the teachers’ perspectives in their contexts. On the other hand, within the indigenous research paradigm, I used the Ubuntu perspective which afforded each of us an opportunity to understand each other’s ways of knowing, doing and being. Within these two complementary paradigms, a qualitative case study approach was employed. The case study was in the form of intervention with six Grade 10 Physics teachers from three senior secondary schools in the Kavango West Region in Namibia. Moreover, a critical friend who was a lecturer at the university and expert community members of the Unongo Cultural Youth Group who are the custodians of the cultural heritage. Data were generated using semi-structured interviews, workshop discussions (audio-recorded), observations (participatory and lesson observations), stimulated recall interviews as well as journal reflections. Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural Theory, Ogunniyi’s Contiguity Argumentation Theory and Mavhunga and Rollnick’s Topic-specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge were used as the theoretical lenses in this study. The data gathered were analysed thematically and then categorised into sub-themes and themes. The findings of the study revealed that tapping into the cultural heritage of community members through giving them a voice has great potential to revitalise and indigenise the science curriculum. It also emerged in this study that storytelling is a potential instructional strategy to make science accessible and relevant to learners. The use of the indigenous technology of drum making, drumming, music and dance contributed to the Physics teachers’ agency and empowered them to co-develop their learning and teaching support materials in the form of exemplar lesson plans that integrated IK. Moreover, their pedagogical content knowledge was enhanced through enacting such exemplar lessons and thereafter reflecting on them. The study thus recommends that those in academia should promote the use of indigenous technologies as hubs for mediating the learning of science concepts. It also recommends that learners should be taken out of their science classrooms into the community to learn IK and wisdom from expert community members, something which could assist them in understanding the science taught at school. This might also benefit teachers in effectively implementing the integration of IK in schools and thereby use learners’ cultural heritage as a starting point to enrich meaningful and authentic learning. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
Catchment and River Management in Graduate Teacher Education: A Case Study of Student Teacher Learning and Teaching in the Upper uThukela Valley, KwaZulu-Natal
- Authors: Heath, Gavin Edward Craig
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Geography Study and teaching (Higher) South Africa KwaZulu-Natal , Watershed management Study and teaching (Higher) South Africa KwaZulu-Natal , Pedagogical content knowledge , Environmental education South Africa KwaZulu-Natal , Teacher effectiveness South Africa KwaZulu-Natal , Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS)
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/190635 , vital:45012 , 10.21504/10962/190635
- Description: This study developed as a progressive focus on a design research process towards the inclusion of new environmental knowledge in teacher education. It is centred on the clarification of pedagogical content knowledge for the teaching of catchment and river management in Geography teacher education. The study was developed as a design research case study with three phases or iterations of experiential engagement and data collection during the teaching of Postgraduate Certificate in Education students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal where I lecture Geography Education. The study’s iterative design was developed around pedagogical content knowledge refinement with curriculum knowledge analysis (phase 1) that was followed by lecture delivery and analysis (phase 2) and analysis of student engagement during fieldwork, and on teaching practice in rural classroom contexts (phase 3). Data and insights were generated across the successive stages of knowledge differentiation and teaching and learning interactions over time, and included reflection with students involved in the lectures, fieldwork and teaching practice programme. The analytical work covered a review of trajectories in new environmental knowledge, social-ecological systems, sustainability competencies, practice architecture and fieldwork pedagogy. This was done using three research lenses, namely social-ecological systems, social learning and practice architectures. All the design research and review processes served to develop, clarify and refine pedagogical content knowledge for sustainability-oriented teacher education. Thus the study conformed to the tenets of design-based research that was centred on clarification and review of pedagogical content knowledge that was carried into phases two and three. Research was focused at the nexus of pedagogical content knowledge and sustainability concerns that is necessary for the teaching of catchment and river basin management within a social-ecological systems perspective for integrated water resources management in South Africa and globally. The findings informed an illustrative model on how the research was carried out. Six design research insights and principles conclude the study and encapsulate the contribution it makes to new knowledge on how teacher education practice can be progressively aligned with new content knowledge teaching and the teaching of sustainability concerns. Specific findings in the form of six research insights indicated that the fieldworkbased teaching practice experience proved a successful learning crucible to develop sustainability competences. The cohort of student teachers passed their fieldwork teaching practice despite inadequate covering of foundational concepts in school and university. The teaching of a catchment management strategy case study was valuable in all three phases of research. A multi-contextual teaching and learning environment was successfully negotiated and navigated by the student teachers. The present Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement does not speak to the reality on the ground, particularly in deep rural environments. A compulsory virtual Geography teacher training experience is recommended. Lastly, varied and broad responses to the noted multi-contextual challenges are needed in order to prepare and equip student teachers for the demands of the new environmental knowledge in the curriculum. Based on the groundwork provided by this study, there is scope for further research especially regarding the varied and broad responses to this new environmental knowledge in the curriculum. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2021
- Full Text:
- Authors: Heath, Gavin Edward Craig
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Geography Study and teaching (Higher) South Africa KwaZulu-Natal , Watershed management Study and teaching (Higher) South Africa KwaZulu-Natal , Pedagogical content knowledge , Environmental education South Africa KwaZulu-Natal , Teacher effectiveness South Africa KwaZulu-Natal , Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS)
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/190635 , vital:45012 , 10.21504/10962/190635
- Description: This study developed as a progressive focus on a design research process towards the inclusion of new environmental knowledge in teacher education. It is centred on the clarification of pedagogical content knowledge for the teaching of catchment and river management in Geography teacher education. The study was developed as a design research case study with three phases or iterations of experiential engagement and data collection during the teaching of Postgraduate Certificate in Education students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal where I lecture Geography Education. The study’s iterative design was developed around pedagogical content knowledge refinement with curriculum knowledge analysis (phase 1) that was followed by lecture delivery and analysis (phase 2) and analysis of student engagement during fieldwork, and on teaching practice in rural classroom contexts (phase 3). Data and insights were generated across the successive stages of knowledge differentiation and teaching and learning interactions over time, and included reflection with students involved in the lectures, fieldwork and teaching practice programme. The analytical work covered a review of trajectories in new environmental knowledge, social-ecological systems, sustainability competencies, practice architecture and fieldwork pedagogy. This was done using three research lenses, namely social-ecological systems, social learning and practice architectures. All the design research and review processes served to develop, clarify and refine pedagogical content knowledge for sustainability-oriented teacher education. Thus the study conformed to the tenets of design-based research that was centred on clarification and review of pedagogical content knowledge that was carried into phases two and three. Research was focused at the nexus of pedagogical content knowledge and sustainability concerns that is necessary for the teaching of catchment and river basin management within a social-ecological systems perspective for integrated water resources management in South Africa and globally. The findings informed an illustrative model on how the research was carried out. Six design research insights and principles conclude the study and encapsulate the contribution it makes to new knowledge on how teacher education practice can be progressively aligned with new content knowledge teaching and the teaching of sustainability concerns. Specific findings in the form of six research insights indicated that the fieldworkbased teaching practice experience proved a successful learning crucible to develop sustainability competences. The cohort of student teachers passed their fieldwork teaching practice despite inadequate covering of foundational concepts in school and university. The teaching of a catchment management strategy case study was valuable in all three phases of research. A multi-contextual teaching and learning environment was successfully negotiated and navigated by the student teachers. The present Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement does not speak to the reality on the ground, particularly in deep rural environments. A compulsory virtual Geography teacher training experience is recommended. Lastly, varied and broad responses to the noted multi-contextual challenges are needed in order to prepare and equip student teachers for the demands of the new environmental knowledge in the curriculum. Based on the groundwork provided by this study, there is scope for further research especially regarding the varied and broad responses to this new environmental knowledge in the curriculum. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2021
- Full Text:
Continuing teacher professional development in the Environment Sector: A case study of Fundisa for Change continuing teacher professional development programme
- Authors: Nkhahle, Lebona Jerome
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Environmental education South Africa , Pedagogical content knowledge , Teachers In-service training South Africa , Curriculum-based assessment South Africa , Fundisa for Change , Practice Architectures
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/192724 , vital:45254 , 10.21504/10962/192724
- Description: The importance of teachers being engaged in professional development initiatives is widely acknowledged in the literature and in most cases these initiatives are largely focused on addressing teachers’ lack of subject content knowledge. The problem of teachers having inadequate environmental knowledge is common in South Africa due to the fact that much of the environmental content knowledge in the curriculum is new, and environmental education itself is a new field. This is an area of interest in South Africa as a third iteration of the post-apartheid curriculum, the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) has recently been introduced into schools and many subjects have environmental learning content. Inadequate subject content knowledge influences teachers’ abilities to choose appropriate teaching and assessment methods and this might negatively affect the process of teaching and learning. Knowledgeable teachers are needed to help learners understand the current issues affecting citizens, and in particular, environmental issues, which form the focus of this study. The main research questions addressed are: 1. What are the teachers’ experiences of the Fundisa for Change continuing teacher professional development programme in relation to environment and sustainability content knowledge? 2. How does the Fundisa for Change continuing teacher professional development programme influence teachers’ practice? 3. What practices of the Fundisa for Change teacher professional development programme are characteristic of effective continuing teacher professional development initiatives? 4. How are (if at all) the practices of teacher training, teacher learning, teaching and assessment of Biodiversity content in CAPS living practices? This work was conducted as a qualitative case study and it was carried out in the provinces of Gauteng, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga in South Africa. It included four teachers from the Eastern Cape and five from Mpumalanga. Seven teacher trainers also participated, two of which were based in Gauteng and the rest in the Eastern Cape. Data were generated through interviews and document analysis, and included analysis of teacher portfolios showing evidence of classroom practice. The study explored teachers’ experiences of an environmental education training programme called ‘Fundisa for Change’, which has been set up as a national partnership initiative to strengthen teachers’ environmental knowledge and teaching skills in order to address the above-mentioned problem. It focused on training teachers in the Life Sciences, particularly on new content knowledge on Biodiversity, and on teaching and assessment skills. It also looked into how the training influenced teaching practice. The study worked with practice theory, in particular Kemmis and Grootenboer’s (2008) theory of practice architectures, to look at the sayings, doings and relatings pertaining to the teaching of Biodiversity, and the enabling and constraining of this practice. The features and the teachers’ experiences of the Fundisa for Change professional development programme have been presented and explained. The study also used the ecologies of practices theory to describe the living nature of practices. The following are the key findings: • The Fundisa for Change programme improved the participating teachers’ Biodiversity content knowledge, teaching and assessment skills. • Practices of the Fundisa for Change teacher professional development programme characteristic of effective continuing teacher professional development initiatives are: duration; active involvement of teachers; providing teachers with subject content knowledge; promoting establishment of professional learning communities; coherence; follow-up; and assessment of teachers. • The conditions that affect the participating teachers’ teaching practice are: the use of language (both scientific and instructional); infrastructure (availability of computer laboratories, science laboratories, extra classrooms and libraries); teaching and learning support materials including laboratory apparatus; class size; and policies. • The Fundisa for Change programme encourages teachers to improvise and use the local environment in their teaching to try to tackle the problem of lack of funds and equipment. • Teaching Biodiversity practice is ‘living’ as it is characterised by the principles of living ecologies. Recommendations based on the findings are: • There is a need for more teacher training by Fundisa for Change and other organisations whose training activities are SACE approved to cater for more teachers. • A more structured plan of action from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is needed to assist and involve more organisations and stakeholders. • Provision of infrastructure and teaching and learning resource materials to schools by the DBE needs to be accelerated as it is legally binding. • Follow-up should be formally incorporated into Fundisa for Change programme activities. • Formation of professional learning communities is very important to help new teachers as there is no formal induction programme in South Africa. • An induction policy by the DBE needs to be formulated to help establish an induction programme for newly qualified teachers. Recommendations for further research are: • Use of lesson observation for data collection to improve results. • A larger sample could be used to expand the insights gained in this study. • Fundisa for Change practices can be studied at the level of teacher professional development practices. • Other modes of teacher professional development initiatives such as Lesson Study can be tested out to overcome the challenge of teachers not wanting to be observed. • More research can be carried out on the practices of teacher training, teacher learning, student learning and assessment, as practices associated with teaching Biodiversity. The study was important in that it gave an understanding of what makes continuing teacher professional development initiatives effective. The study also looked at teaching Biodiversity through the use of contemporary forms of a practice theory which are the theory of practice architectures and the theory of the ecologies of practices. This provided understandings into how professional development programmes are experienced in practice, and showed that though the teachers were trained and positive benefits accrued, there are factors which enable or constrain their actual teaching Biodiversity practice. The study also showed that practices are interrelated in ecologies of practices. These factors need to be considered in professional development programming. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2021
- Full Text:
- Authors: Nkhahle, Lebona Jerome
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Environmental education South Africa , Pedagogical content knowledge , Teachers In-service training South Africa , Curriculum-based assessment South Africa , Fundisa for Change , Practice Architectures
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/192724 , vital:45254 , 10.21504/10962/192724
- Description: The importance of teachers being engaged in professional development initiatives is widely acknowledged in the literature and in most cases these initiatives are largely focused on addressing teachers’ lack of subject content knowledge. The problem of teachers having inadequate environmental knowledge is common in South Africa due to the fact that much of the environmental content knowledge in the curriculum is new, and environmental education itself is a new field. This is an area of interest in South Africa as a third iteration of the post-apartheid curriculum, the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) has recently been introduced into schools and many subjects have environmental learning content. Inadequate subject content knowledge influences teachers’ abilities to choose appropriate teaching and assessment methods and this might negatively affect the process of teaching and learning. Knowledgeable teachers are needed to help learners understand the current issues affecting citizens, and in particular, environmental issues, which form the focus of this study. The main research questions addressed are: 1. What are the teachers’ experiences of the Fundisa for Change continuing teacher professional development programme in relation to environment and sustainability content knowledge? 2. How does the Fundisa for Change continuing teacher professional development programme influence teachers’ practice? 3. What practices of the Fundisa for Change teacher professional development programme are characteristic of effective continuing teacher professional development initiatives? 4. How are (if at all) the practices of teacher training, teacher learning, teaching and assessment of Biodiversity content in CAPS living practices? This work was conducted as a qualitative case study and it was carried out in the provinces of Gauteng, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga in South Africa. It included four teachers from the Eastern Cape and five from Mpumalanga. Seven teacher trainers also participated, two of which were based in Gauteng and the rest in the Eastern Cape. Data were generated through interviews and document analysis, and included analysis of teacher portfolios showing evidence of classroom practice. The study explored teachers’ experiences of an environmental education training programme called ‘Fundisa for Change’, which has been set up as a national partnership initiative to strengthen teachers’ environmental knowledge and teaching skills in order to address the above-mentioned problem. It focused on training teachers in the Life Sciences, particularly on new content knowledge on Biodiversity, and on teaching and assessment skills. It also looked into how the training influenced teaching practice. The study worked with practice theory, in particular Kemmis and Grootenboer’s (2008) theory of practice architectures, to look at the sayings, doings and relatings pertaining to the teaching of Biodiversity, and the enabling and constraining of this practice. The features and the teachers’ experiences of the Fundisa for Change professional development programme have been presented and explained. The study also used the ecologies of practices theory to describe the living nature of practices. The following are the key findings: • The Fundisa for Change programme improved the participating teachers’ Biodiversity content knowledge, teaching and assessment skills. • Practices of the Fundisa for Change teacher professional development programme characteristic of effective continuing teacher professional development initiatives are: duration; active involvement of teachers; providing teachers with subject content knowledge; promoting establishment of professional learning communities; coherence; follow-up; and assessment of teachers. • The conditions that affect the participating teachers’ teaching practice are: the use of language (both scientific and instructional); infrastructure (availability of computer laboratories, science laboratories, extra classrooms and libraries); teaching and learning support materials including laboratory apparatus; class size; and policies. • The Fundisa for Change programme encourages teachers to improvise and use the local environment in their teaching to try to tackle the problem of lack of funds and equipment. • Teaching Biodiversity practice is ‘living’ as it is characterised by the principles of living ecologies. Recommendations based on the findings are: • There is a need for more teacher training by Fundisa for Change and other organisations whose training activities are SACE approved to cater for more teachers. • A more structured plan of action from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is needed to assist and involve more organisations and stakeholders. • Provision of infrastructure and teaching and learning resource materials to schools by the DBE needs to be accelerated as it is legally binding. • Follow-up should be formally incorporated into Fundisa for Change programme activities. • Formation of professional learning communities is very important to help new teachers as there is no formal induction programme in South Africa. • An induction policy by the DBE needs to be formulated to help establish an induction programme for newly qualified teachers. Recommendations for further research are: • Use of lesson observation for data collection to improve results. • A larger sample could be used to expand the insights gained in this study. • Fundisa for Change practices can be studied at the level of teacher professional development practices. • Other modes of teacher professional development initiatives such as Lesson Study can be tested out to overcome the challenge of teachers not wanting to be observed. • More research can be carried out on the practices of teacher training, teacher learning, student learning and assessment, as practices associated with teaching Biodiversity. The study was important in that it gave an understanding of what makes continuing teacher professional development initiatives effective. The study also looked at teaching Biodiversity through the use of contemporary forms of a practice theory which are the theory of practice architectures and the theory of the ecologies of practices. This provided understandings into how professional development programmes are experienced in practice, and showed that though the teachers were trained and positive benefits accrued, there are factors which enable or constrain their actual teaching Biodiversity practice. The study also showed that practices are interrelated in ecologies of practices. These factors need to be considered in professional development programming. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2021
- Full Text:
Exploring indiginising the university’s science curriculum through bottom-up decolonisation: Affordances and hindrances
- Authors: Mutanho, Chrispen
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Decolonization South Africa , Ethnoscience South Africa , Ubuntu (Philosophy) , Pedagogical content knowledge , Culturally relevant pedagogy , Science Study and teaching South Africa , Science teachers In-service training South Africa , Transformative learning South Africa , Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT)
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/191668 , vital:45146 , 10.21504/10962/191668
- Description: The integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) in the science curriculum is a spreading phenomenon driven by the need to bring about relevancy and equality in science education. In South Africa, for instance, the need to integrate IK in science education is part of the global effort to build a democratic state from the debris of apartheid. Henceforth, the integration of IK is backed up by both the National Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) and the South African Department of Basic Education’s (2011) National Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement. However, the success of this policy seems to be hindered in part by the fact that the teachers who are the implementers of the curriculum changes seem to lack the relevant pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) to integrate IK in their science teaching repertoires. Such a trend is often blamed on their Eurocentric educational background. Interestingly, very little research has been done to explore ways of supporting teachers to develop the relevant conceptual tools and teaching strategies that will enable them to integrate IK in science teaching. It is against this background that an interventionist case study on how to support the Bachelor of Education Natural Sciences in-service teachers in particular to develop exemplar science lessons that integrate IK as easily accessible resources was conducted. The study is underpinned by three complementary paradigms, namely, the interpretive, the critical, and indigenous research paradigms. While the interpretive paradigm enabled me to understand and interpret descriptive data, the critical paradigm enabled me to take an emancipatory stance and challenge the micro-aggressive elements embedded in conventional research practices; within the indigenous research paradigm, Ubuntu was the relational perspective that informed the researcher-participant relationships in this study. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory was used as an overarching theoretical framework, in conjunction with the cultural historical activity theory. Additionally, the topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge provided the methodological and analytical tools. Data were gathered through questionnaires, individual face-to-face interviews, focus group interview, participatory observation, and the teachers’ reflections. This study established that if teachers are given back the agency to collaboratively resolve the contradictions that confront them in their workplaces, they can generate their own ideas on how to integrate IK in science vii teaching. The teachers in this study experienced a shift in their agency from a paralysed state of resisting the integration of IK at the beginning of the intervention to an ‘I can do it’ attitude at the end of the intervention. Thus, it could be argued that this study’s major contribution to new knowledge lies in demonstrating possible ways of supporting teachers to integrate IK as easily accessible resources in their science teaching. Additionally, the study also challenged the Eurocentric approach to ethics and offered Ubuntu as a relational perspective that can be used to complement the shortcomings of Eurocentric research paradigms. The study thus recommends that continuing professional development or professional learning communities should afford teachers the opportunity to collaboratively engage with the challenges that they face in their workplaces in order to resolve the contradictions that confront them. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2021
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- Authors: Mutanho, Chrispen
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Decolonization South Africa , Ethnoscience South Africa , Ubuntu (Philosophy) , Pedagogical content knowledge , Culturally relevant pedagogy , Science Study and teaching South Africa , Science teachers In-service training South Africa , Transformative learning South Africa , Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT)
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/191668 , vital:45146 , 10.21504/10962/191668
- Description: The integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) in the science curriculum is a spreading phenomenon driven by the need to bring about relevancy and equality in science education. In South Africa, for instance, the need to integrate IK in science education is part of the global effort to build a democratic state from the debris of apartheid. Henceforth, the integration of IK is backed up by both the National Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) and the South African Department of Basic Education’s (2011) National Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement. However, the success of this policy seems to be hindered in part by the fact that the teachers who are the implementers of the curriculum changes seem to lack the relevant pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) to integrate IK in their science teaching repertoires. Such a trend is often blamed on their Eurocentric educational background. Interestingly, very little research has been done to explore ways of supporting teachers to develop the relevant conceptual tools and teaching strategies that will enable them to integrate IK in science teaching. It is against this background that an interventionist case study on how to support the Bachelor of Education Natural Sciences in-service teachers in particular to develop exemplar science lessons that integrate IK as easily accessible resources was conducted. The study is underpinned by three complementary paradigms, namely, the interpretive, the critical, and indigenous research paradigms. While the interpretive paradigm enabled me to understand and interpret descriptive data, the critical paradigm enabled me to take an emancipatory stance and challenge the micro-aggressive elements embedded in conventional research practices; within the indigenous research paradigm, Ubuntu was the relational perspective that informed the researcher-participant relationships in this study. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory was used as an overarching theoretical framework, in conjunction with the cultural historical activity theory. Additionally, the topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge provided the methodological and analytical tools. Data were gathered through questionnaires, individual face-to-face interviews, focus group interview, participatory observation, and the teachers’ reflections. This study established that if teachers are given back the agency to collaboratively resolve the contradictions that confront them in their workplaces, they can generate their own ideas on how to integrate IK in science vii teaching. The teachers in this study experienced a shift in their agency from a paralysed state of resisting the integration of IK at the beginning of the intervention to an ‘I can do it’ attitude at the end of the intervention. Thus, it could be argued that this study’s major contribution to new knowledge lies in demonstrating possible ways of supporting teachers to integrate IK as easily accessible resources in their science teaching. Additionally, the study also challenged the Eurocentric approach to ethics and offered Ubuntu as a relational perspective that can be used to complement the shortcomings of Eurocentric research paradigms. The study thus recommends that continuing professional development or professional learning communities should afford teachers the opportunity to collaboratively engage with the challenges that they face in their workplaces in order to resolve the contradictions that confront them. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2021
- Full Text:
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