3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/45
Browse
Search Results
Item Investigating 4th year pre-service teachers’ levels of understanding of the disciplinary nature of Life Sciences as a discipline(2017) Xaba, NomzamoDisciplinary knowledge is recognised as teacher professional knowledge base that is central in promoting effective teaching and learning in science education. Although that is the case, in one of the South African University, that this study was conducted in, the 4th year Life sciences Pre-service teachers’ were not tested on their understanding of the disciplinary nature of their subject of specialisation. As a result, the type of disciplinary gaze that they acquired by the end of the teacher training remained unknown within the institution. Thus, this study then used a case study methodology to investigate the Pre-service teachers’ levels of understanding of the disciplinary nature of Life Sciences as a discipline. The participants of this study consisted of twenty nine 4th year Pre-service teachers’ who were enrolled for a Life sciences Bachelor of Education program and one Life sciences lecturer who was involved in teaching the subject. This research took on a qualitative approach, which yielding both qualitative and quantitative data, through the use of questionnaires as well as semi-focused interviews as research instruments. The outcomes of this study showed that, although the Pre-service teachers’ were not explicitly taught about the nature of the subject, but they still showed a satisfactory understanding of it. Although that was the case, the Pre-service teachers’ still demonstrated a fractured comprehension of the disciplinary knowledge aspects, such as the history, philosophy and the nature of science. On the other hand, the findings of this study also demonstrated that, the Pre-service teachers’ acquired an extensive gaze of understanding of Subject Matter Knowledge, which is another component of Disciplinary knowledge, and this was because, this knowledge base was explicitly taught and assessed with the teacher training program.Item Investigating PGCE pre-service teachers' level of understanding of life sciences as a scientific discipline(2017) Ahanonye, Uchechi AgnesThe aim of this study was to investigate PGCE pre-service teachers’ level of understanding of life sciences as a scientific discipline. The investigation was carried out at a Higher Education institution where Life science is studied. A questionnaire containing a Likert scale section with twenty two items, and open ended section with two statements was administered for this study. The participants were sixteen Postgraduate certificate in Education (PGCE) Life science pre-service teachers at a South African Higher Educational institute. Also, an interview was conducted with the participating students and two teacher educators who teach in the PGCE program. The theoretical framework adopted for this research is built on Bernstein’s legitimation code theory (LCT). The data was deductively analysed qualitatively by using the legitimation code theory (LCT) dimensions to answer the research questions posed for this study. The findings of this study revealed that PGCE Life science pre-service teachers show an understanding of their disciplinary knowledge in terms of its important knowledge content (specialization), diversified nature of the disciplinary knowledge (density) and the emergent and existence of the accumulated knowledge (Temporality). Also in their responses, it was evident that they recognize the place of Nature of science (NOS) as part of their disciplinary knowledge, that is, they have a better gaze of the need for SMK, inquiry based skills, and history of science (HoS). The educational implications as well as recommendations of this study were explained. The recommendation for this study is that, the nature of Life science as a discipline of knowing should be made explicit to students.Item Investigation of teachers' use of language during teaching of evolution in South African life sciences classrooms(2017) Mupfawa, ShunguIn South Africa there are eleven official languages and every citizen has a right to receive education in any of these languages. Nevertheless, the language of learning and teaching (LOLT) in most schools is either English or Afrikaans. Of the two languages English is more dominant because it is a global language and is preferred by parents. In a bid to embrace the call by UNSESCO (2007) which encourages science learning and teaching to be done in the mother tongue, South Africa implemented the teaching of science in indigenous languages in the lower grades in primary (1-3). Nonetheless, this endeavor has its merits and demerits. In South African schools most teachers and learners are English Second Language speakers. This study investigated the South African life sciences teachers’ use of science classroom language (technical and non-technical components) when teaching evolution to grade 12 learners in public schools. The primary objective of this study was to establish South Africa’s life sciences teachers’ awareness of the difficulty of the science classroom language towards suggesting strategies that they use to assist learners to better understand the science language. Three grade 12 life sciences teachers from two public schools in Johannesburg were observed and audio recorded three times while teaching evolution. A follow-up interview with each teacher was conducted to obtain clarity on language related issues that arose from the observations. As a result, the empirical data consisted of nine recorded lessons and accompanying field notes for each lesson as well as three recorded interviews. The interviews and the field notes were analysed using an interpretive approach whilst a strategy known as content analysis was used to analyse classroom observations so as to conclude on the teachers’ preferred approach to language use during teaching. From the findings, it can be suggested that South African life sciences teachers who participated in this study employed a variety of strategies to present technical terms to their learners but lacked explicit awareness of the difficulty of the science classroom language.