The South African Environmental Observation Network science education camps and science career choice : a 4-year case study among grade 11 Phalaborwa learners.
Date
2015-05-14
Authors
Sibiya, Ready Joe
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Abstract
Up to a short time ago in South Africa the focus of scientific education was mostly on the
white minority as its area of relevance for future careers. On the other hand the black
majority was excluded as a matter of policy in terms of financing and management of
science during the apartheid era. As a result, many black students were not exposed to or
aware of careers in science. As of consequence, this study is undertaken to investigate the
effect of the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) science
education camps initiative aimed at encouraging science careers selection among the
Grade 11 Phalaborwa learners. This study follows the Social Learning Theory of Career
Selection (Krumboltz, 1976). The theory suggests that a choice of career is a process
influenced by combination of a number of factors such as social and economic forces,
learning experiences. This study lends itself to a mixed methods approach of data
collection. For this reason, both quantitative and qualitative methods have been
employed. Four focus questions are addressed:
1. What are the career choices of Grade 11 learners before participating in the
SAEON science camp?
2. What careers do the former SAEON camp participants follow at tertiary
institutions?
3. Do other factors influence SAEON science camp participants to follow science
careers or not?
4. How do the SAEON science camps stimulate camp participants’ scientific
knowledge, skills and values?
Likert Scale-style of questionnaires was used to gather data from fifteen participants. Five
participants were randomly selected on availability and interest to participate in formal
face to face interviews to establish their career paths and to get an informed sense of the
effect of the science camps regarding their career choice.
The results of this study revealed that the science camp is a valuable tool and has
positively stimulated participants’ scientific knowledge, skills and values, sparked love for
science and has potential to encourage science career choice. The overall majority of
participants; nine (n=9; 60%) of the fifteen (n=15) followed science related careers
although not environmental in nature, compared to five (n=5; 40%) who chose other. To
that effect combinations of a number of factors such as financial support, good matric
results, job opportunities and surrounding environment had a great influence on the
career choice and studies the study participants are following or have followed.