An investigation into how a grade 10 teacher conducts practical work in the context of the National Curriculum Statement.

Abstract

The study investigated how two grade 10 physical science teachers conducted practical work within the context of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS). The following research questions guided the study: 1. What are the grade 10 teachers’ ideas of the nature of practical work? 2. What are the grade 10 teachers’ ideas of the purpose of practical work? 3. How do the grade 10 teachers’ ideas of the nature of practical work and its purpose shape how they conduct practical work? Models used by Pekmez et al. (2005) for analysis and explanation of the thinking of teachers about practical work were used to frame the study. The case methodology was adopted for the study. Interviews and official documents in the form of laboratory reports and instruction sheets were used as the sources of data. Research questions, common sense, personal experience, literature reviewed and the theoretical and conceptual framework of the study were used to formulate initial categories to guide data analysis. The study showed that teacher M had ideas of the nature and purpose of practical work within the framework of the investigation movement. Teacher B had ideas of the nature and purpose of practical work within the process and investigation movements respectively. However both teachers conducted practical work tasks within the explanation model. Hence teachers’ ideas of practical work do not necessarily shape how they conduct it. Possible reasons for the teachers conducting practical work tasks within the framework different from that of their ideas are discussed. The implications of the findings for the NCS are discussed based on Rogan and Grayson’s (2003) theoretical model of implementation. Current methods of disseminating information on how to conduct practical work are questioned. More discussions on how to design and conduct practical work are recommended.