The purpose of the study was to evaluate the teaching of evolution in selected grade 10 classrooms in Namibia. Some teachers from Oshikoto region in Onyaanya circuit have indicated the difficulties they have encountered when teaching the topic in Life Science of Namibian curriculum. Moreover, the teaching of evolution has a great practical value for student directly or indirectly, evolutionary biology has made many contributions to society. An understanding of evolution is essential in finding and using natural resources and it will be indispensable to establish sustainable relationship with the natural environment. Specifically, this study examined a set of variables including teachers’ understanding of evolution. The data were collected from Life Science teachers through administration of evolution content knowledge. Qualitative case study approach was employed. The population comprised of three Life Science grade 10 teachers from three schools. Three teachers were selected by using a purposive sampling technique. The sampling technique was chosen because is relevant to the conceptual framework and the research questions addressed by the research. The qualitative research was executed by applying the phenomenological method. Mason (2012) claims that: “qualitative research is used when the research wishes to understand meanings, beliefs and values”. The study was drawn from the theory of social constructivism theory by Vygotsky, 1978. According to Vygotsky, (1978) “much important learning by the child occurs through social interaction with a skilful tutor”. The researcher collected qualitative data by means of classroom observations and semi-structured I with three Life Science teachers from three different schools. The following research questions were attempt to be answered: What is the nature of teacher’s content knowledge on evolution teaching in grade 10? What is the nature of teachers’ instructional strategies during evolution teaching? How does the teachers’ content knowledge and instructional strategies shape the teacher’s interactions and discourse? The collected data was analysed using Classroom Practice Diagnostic Framework (CPDF). Participants used their teaching experiences to teach evolution. This study indicated a lack of content knowledge among teachers and teaching and learning resources at schools. It is recommended that the Ministry of Education allocate enough textbook funds to regions to cater for every learner’s textbook. Life Science education officer should collaborate with biology education officer to organise a workshop for Life Science teacher in their region. The workshop will equip teachers with more information on evolution and will help in the improvement of learners’ performances. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

Performance in Lesotho at senior level (COSC) has been poor. One of the subjects which is performed poorly is Biology 5090. This prompted the researcher to examine factors responsible for the poor performance in Biology 5090. The study also aimed at finding ways in which teachers envisage to improve Biology 5090 performance. Data was collected from three schools through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The study also adopted the General System Theory (GST) as the theoretical framework. Data was analyzed in line with qualitative content analysis, and from the perspective of the GST. The data analysis scheme was developed and presented (appendix P). The results of the study showed that Biology 5090 performance was affected by factors such as human resources, and the transformation process. The study also suggested ways in which Biology 5090 performance could be improved in Lesotho. These include: in-serving training, team work and others. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

Text in Afrikaans / An increase in information accompanied by scientific and technological development necessitates the re-evaluation of the present Biology Curriculum, as the curriculum does not meet the demands of the community. An analysis of the above-mentioned problem reveals the structure and principles of Biology as a subject and the bio-ethic factors which to a larger extend influence man's values as technology and information change. By means of a literature study and personal interviews the development and design of a lifescience curriculum for Biology is formulated. Within this, several aspects concerning the teaching of a lifescience Biology Curriculum will be discussed. Important methods and strategies required for the successful teaching of Biology include a process approach, a constructivism approach, demonstration, discovery, reflective and metalearning, practical work, discussions and co-operative learning methods. The successful teaching of Biology, however, goes hand in hand with effective preservice and inservice training of Biology teachers. / lnformasievermeerdering gepaardgaande met wetenskaplike en tegnologiese ontwikkeling noodsaak 'n herevaluering van die huidige Biologiekurrikulum aangesien die kurrikulum nie voldoen aan die eise en behoeftes van die gemeenskap nie. Ter ontleding van bogenoemde probleem, word die struktuur en grondslae van Biologie as vak en die bio-etiese faktore wat toenemend die mens se waardedimensie beinvloed, namate die tegnologie en inligting verander, bespreek. Deur middel van 'n literatuurstudie en persoonlike onderhoude word die ontwikkeling en ontwerp van 'n Lewenskunde Biologiekurrikulum uiteengesit. Hieruit sal verskeie aspekte rakende die onderrig van 'n Lewenskunde Biologiekurrikulum bespreek word. Belangrike metodes en strategiee wat vir suksesvolle Biologie-onderrig benodig word, sluit die prosesbenadering, 'n konstruktivistiese benadering, demonstrasie-, ontdekkende -, reflektiewe - en metaleer, praktiese werk, besprekings- en kooperatiewe leermetodes in. Die sukses van Biologie-onderrig gaan egter hand-aan-hand met effektiewe voordiens- en indiensopleiding van Biologie-onderwysers. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didaktiek)

This study focused on curriculum development in biology education. It was based on the present biology curricula from grade 10-12. The purpose of the study was to investigate the attitudes of secondary school learners towards involvement in curriculum development and specific biology content areas of all three grades. The assumption was that future curriculum planning and development in science (biology) education should consider learners' preferences, interests and needs. For the empirical investigation, a sample of 666 grades 10, 11 and 12 learners from three different school types (rural, ex-model C and private schools) in the Northern Province completed an attitude questionnaire. Statistical analysis of the results led to the following findings, amongst others. • With regard to willingness to be involved in curriculum development, the results were as follows: (a) Significant differences were found between learners when age and school type were used as moderator variables. (b) No significant differences were found when grade and gender were used as moderator variables. Regarding the attitudes of learners towards involvement in curriculum development and specific biology content, some low but significant relationships and a number of significant differences were found between learners' attitudes towards involvement in curriculum development and specific biology content for all the grades. In each instance, age, gender and school type were also taken into consideration. These findings suggest a complete and significant restructuring of the biology curriculum in secondary schools. A learner-centred curriculum design that actively involves learners in decision-making will consider the needs and interests of learners. This is seen as appropriate in an outcomes-based approach and may lead to more motivated learners. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Department of Psychology of Education)

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The foregoing fable casts much doubt on some elements of the instructional process. All children cannot fit in the same shoe size just as all children cannot learn the same things at the same rate, following the same teaching strategies. These individual differences should be taken into consideration. The situation is not at all helped by attaching labels to the students. Children are not cows that we herd from one grade to another, all needing the same nutritional requirements. They should be compared more to various species of plants. Some may be like the cactus which only needs water once a month, and too much water would kill it. Other plants may need watering every day. Likewise, all students are individuals and have many different needs.The problem to be examined here concerns the “gifted feet" which were put into the "red shoes". The word "gifted", in referring to students, seems to imply that these students are all geniuses, and, therefore, the term needs some clarification. For the purpose of this paper, the term "gifted" is broadened to also include the "talented" and/or “highly motivated.” For the sake of simplicity, the term "talented" will be used throughout the rest of this paper, but with the understanding that the other two terms are included in the meaning.

Writing-to-learn strategies have been administered in the past to enrich student learning. The purpose of this study was to see if K-W-L prompts in science journal writing could benefit student content knowledge within biology. Two high school biology classes were provided with learning journals. The journals given to the students during the treatment unit were provided with K-W-L question prompts to guide student learning while during the comparison unit students were given an open ended writing assignment. Pre and posttests were administered to determine student-learning gains. Student motivations and opinions of the treatment were collected through student interviews. The combined results were used to determine to what extent could K-W-L prompts in science journal writing influence comprehension of content knowledge. This study found there to be no difference in student learning gains when utilizing the K-W-L literacy strategy versus another free-writing activity. When scored, student K-W-Ls total scores did correlate to student success on unit tests. This opens up the potential for K-W-Ls to serve as an adequate tool for formative assessment. Here the K-W-L could be expanded to enrich student question asking, potentially aid students learning English, and potentially be used by students without teacher scaffolding.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Performance in Lesotho at senior level (COSC) has been poor. One of the subjects which is performed poorly is Biology 5090. This prompted the researcher to examine factors responsible for the poor performance in Biology 5090. The study also aimed at finding ways in which teachers envisage to improve Biology 5090 performance. Data was collected from three schools through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The study also adopted the General System Theory (GST) as the theoretical framework. Data was analyzed in line with qualitative content analysis, and from the perspective of the GST. The data analysis scheme was developed and presented (appendix P). The results of the study showed that Biology 5090 performance was affected by factors such as human resources, and the transformation process. The study also suggested ways in which Biology 5090 performance could be improved in Lesotho. These include: in-serving training, team work and others. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

Text in Afrikaans / An increase in information accompanied by scientific and technological development necessitates the re-evaluation of the present Biology Curriculum, as the curriculum does not meet the demands of the community. An analysis of the above-mentioned problem reveals the structure and principles of Biology as a subject and the bio-ethic factors which to a larger extend influence man's values as technology and information change. By means of a literature study and personal interviews the development and design of a lifescience curriculum for Biology is formulated. Within this, several aspects concerning the teaching of a lifescience Biology Curriculum will be discussed. Important methods and strategies required for the successful teaching of Biology include a process approach, a constructivism approach, demonstration, discovery, reflective and metalearning, practical work, discussions and co-operative learning methods. The successful teaching of Biology, however, goes hand in hand with effective preservice and inservice training of Biology teachers. / lnformasievermeerdering gepaardgaande met wetenskaplike en tegnologiese ontwikkeling noodsaak 'n herevaluering van die huidige Biologiekurrikulum aangesien die kurrikulum nie voldoen aan die eise en behoeftes van die gemeenskap nie. Ter ontleding van bogenoemde probleem, word die struktuur en grondslae van Biologie as vak en die bio-etiese faktore wat toenemend die mens se waardedimensie beinvloed, namate die tegnologie en inligting verander, bespreek. Deur middel van 'n literatuurstudie en persoonlike onderhoude word die ontwikkeling en ontwerp van 'n Lewenskunde Biologiekurrikulum uiteengesit. Hieruit sal verskeie aspekte rakende die onderrig van 'n Lewenskunde Biologiekurrikulum bespreek word. Belangrike metodes en strategiee wat vir suksesvolle Biologie-onderrig benodig word, sluit die prosesbenadering, 'n konstruktivistiese benadering, demonstrasie-, ontdekkende -, reflektiewe - en metaleer, praktiese werk, besprekings- en kooperatiewe leermetodes in. Die sukses van Biologie-onderrig gaan egter hand-aan-hand met effektiewe voordiens- en indiensopleiding van Biologie-onderwysers. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didaktiek)