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This is a case study of the learning of physical science of a high achiever, selected on the assumption that instruction in learning strategies and styles used by successful learners may improve learning effectiveness of less successful learners. Operating in an interpretive paradigm, qualitative data was gathered by participant observation aimed at sensing the complexities of the case. A rich, holistic description is given, enabling readers to form naturalistic generalisations of their own. The data corpus spans three years and is composed of audio-recorded lessons and interviews, field notes and written material. Data collection, analysis and interpretation were done in an inductive, cyclic manner, guided by research questions about learning strategies used by the learner, instructional strategies used by the teacher, and the roles played by intrinsic factors, practical work and problem solving, in contributing to effective learning of physical science by the high achiever. The study implies that effective learning, even by the highly intelligent, involves struggle and requires the use of a variety of strategies. This fits a constructivist, rather than transmissionist, view of learning, and thus supports learner-centered transformations in South African education. The learner is interpreted to be intrinsically motivated by interest and a high regard for knowledge precision, elegance, and transferability, to use a large number of learning strategies, particularly while solving open-ended problems and performing practical investigations, in order to come to a deep understanding of physical science. The study suggests that teaching children how to learn, particularly by addressing their outlook on learning and introducing them to a variety of strategies, should be an aim of physical science instruction, and that interesting, open-ended, learner-centered tasks should be used in attempts to induce self-regulated learning. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

This dissertation describes an action research study aimed at promoting critical thinking in learners while learning physical science within the South African national curriculum. The data were primarily qualitative in nature, and were collected primarily through participant observation, composed of audio- and video- recorded lessons, interviews, questionnaires, journal entries and written material. Data collection, analysis and interpretation were done in the inductive, cyclic manner of action research. This process was guided by research questions about task characteristics, their position in the teaching sequence, the role of the learning environment, and the need to adjust tasks to fit the needs of different learners, so as to effectively promote critical thinking. A pragmatic approach was used. It was found that it is possible, using particular strategies and tasks, to promote critical thinking while meeting the curriculum outcomes, although the intense syllabus pressure of the curriculum makes this challenging. Task design characteristics and positioning in the teaching sequence, and conditions of the learning environment, were found to affect a task’s effectiveness at promoting critical thinking. Various teaching strategies can improve attainability by a wider range of learners. An instructional model, The Ladder Approach, emerged as being most likely to promote success. This was found to be successful when evaluated against criteria of active engagement and interest by learners, attainability with effort, display of critical thinking traits, and compatibility with the South African curriculum. In this model, an interesting problem is posed at the start of a section, after which direct instruction and learner engagement with the problem run parallel to one another, linked by scaffolding tools which are engaged in individually and collaboratively. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

Current research on cognitive learning is applied to the designing of several experiments for use in high school physical science and physics classes. The goal of the project was to use simple inexpensive materials to construct experiments and demonstrations that illustrate physics concepts and can easily be modeled using simple mathematics.Saline solutions are used to show simple examples of refraction and effects of a solution of varying density. The refractive index of two liquids is measured. The continuous refraction of a stratified fluid is demonstrated. Fluid flow is investigated. This leads to a simple experiment that leads to an easy way to measure the acceleration of gravity.The goal was met with several simple experiments using inexpensive materials, modeling techniques, and simple mathematics derivations were designed and tested. Data from the experiments gives results that are very close to the accepted values. / Department of Physics and Astronomy

The purpose of the study was to collect and collate information pertaining to common misconceptions of components of the concept of chemical equilibrium amongst a sample of Transkeian matriculants. 'Equilibrium' is a fundamental concept in physics and chemistry and 'chemical equilibrium' is an important chemistry topic in both the higher grade and standard grade South African matriculation physical science syllabuses. In recent years, South African teachers have identified chemical equilibrium as the most difficult section of the matric physical science syllabus for both teachers and pupils. It has been shown that teachers themselves lack understanding of the basic concepts underlying chemical equilibrium. Constructivist learning theories arise out of research in cognitive psychology. These theories conceive of cognitive development as the assimilation and accommodation of new ideas into extant, dynamic cognitive structures. An inference from the theories is that a study of the preconceptions and/or misconceptions held by pupils before they are exposed to instruction would enable teachers to avoid generating or reinforcing misconceptions. Hence teachers could also take deliberate steps to eradicate those already existing. The sample consisted of 112 Transkeian matriculants from four government senior secondary schools in the Southern Transkei. All were taking physical science. The test consisted of a 40 item multiple choice battery. Each question had three distracters and the options were randomized to avoid patterns and hence guessing. Questions dealing with closely associated concepts were grouped in the paper but no indication of this was given in the paper. The questions are analyzed singly. A brief introduction and outline of the theory on which the group of questions was based is given in each case. The analysis makes use of the frequency of choice of all options, discrimination indices, although they were generally low and item difficulties. The intent in each analysis is to identify the possible misconception(s) underlying wrong answers. Finally conclusions based on the discussion are drawn and recommendations for teaching and further research made.

Thesis (MEd (Education))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / This study aims to narrate the lived experiences of Grade 12 Physical Sciences learners. According to UMALUSI reports on National Senior Certificate (NSC) of 2011 and 2013, there seems to be a steady decrease in the number of learners writing Physical Sciences from 2008 to 2013. One of the aims of this study is to investigate why there is a steady decline in the number of learners choosing the subject and what their classroom experiences are. A related aim is to describe how these learners’ perceptions of their Physical Sciences educators affect their mental experiences in the subject. The study used phenomenology both as a research methodology as well as the underpinning theoretical framework. Twelve Grade 12 learners from 3 different schools in the Metro North Education District in Cape Town were chosen to participate in this research. The data were collected using two rounds of in-depth semi-structured interviews. The interviews were transcribed and explicated using Giorgi’s phenomenological method. The findings show that although Physical Sciences educators are trying to support their learners, they are failing to meet the expectations of the learners. These findings provide new insights into understanding the world of the learner better and that the recommendations could have transformative implications for curriculum planners, curriculum advisors and pedagogical strategies in how the subject is presented to learners.

In most South African schools Grade 12 Physical Sciences learners are generally not performing well. As Examiners’ Reports reveal, they are particularly weak on the topic of electrical circuits. Because of this, the Examiners recommended that conventional practical activities and revision should be implemented to improve learners’ performance whilst they are in Grade 11. These factors contributed to the rationale of this study in using the ‘straw electricity’ analogy in conjunction with a conventional practical activity to mediate learners’ sense making of Ohm’s law. The study falls within the interpretive paradigm, whose focus is on the understanding of human world-views. Within the interpretive paradigm a qualitative case study approach was employed. It is a case study because it aimed to investigate a group of learners in a given context. This qualitative case study used purposive sampling to select participants. Various data gathering techniques were employed, namely, documents, observations and stimulated recall interviews. The gathered data was analysed so as to determine the indicators of how learners made sense of Ohm’s law. The findings of this study are that learners were able to construct new knowledge within a social context where the ‘straw electricity’ analogy, using easily accessible resources, was incorporated in tandem with a conventional practical classroom task. Moreover, the ‘straw electricity’ analogy enabled a better understanding of science concepts as it tested and supported different learning skills.

M.Ed. (Mathematics and Science Education) / The goal of this study is to explore using the lens of achievement goal theory, learner motivation towards science learning. Mastery goal in science learning is found to increase conceptual understanding (Patrick & Yoon, 2004), while performance goal orientation is associated with public recognition that one has done better than others or performed in a superior manner (Meece, Blumenfeld & Hoyle, 1988). The study investigates the achievement goal orientation of poor-performing grade 12 Physical Sciences learners from a disadvantaged community, and thereafter examines how classroom factors relate to this orientation in the learning of science. Task, authority, recognition, grouping, evaluation and time are presented as classroom factors that can have an influence on learners’ achievement goal orientation. The study adopted a sequential explanatory mixed method research design. Firstly, 131 learners from three schools participated in completing an achievement goals theory questionnaire developed by Vedder-Weiss and Fortus (2010). I also conducted interviews with six learners per school and did classroom observations of science lessons. The results have revealed that learners from disadvantaged schools have a mixed goal orientation that is a hybrid of mastery and performance goal orientation. Despite this mixed goal orientation, the classroom observations point towards a teacher-directed, didactic approach that does promote a performance goal orientation. In view of the prevailing poor performance of learners in Physical Sciences recommendations are made for a change in the pedagogical practice of teachers towards an approach that is more learner-centred and activity-based.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Science, School of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, in partial fulfilment of the award of Master of Science (MSc.) in Science Education May, 2016 / There have been indications of inadequate content knowledge of South African physical science teachers and poor pedagogical content knowledge in making the concepts accessible to students. With this, the pre-service teachers are considered a part of the science education foremost links to schools and young science learners. Empirically, it has been reported that this unique teacher knowledge could be developed particularly in pre-service teachers in a planning context and that the new technique of developing pre-service teachers’ PCK within a topic helps in their good mastery of teaching concepts and thus making them specialists in topics. The Topic Specific PCK (TSPCK) construct focuses on the transformation of the understanding of content of a particular topic. This study investigated the extent to which focus on kinematics improves pre-service teachers’ PCK in the topic and possible transferability of the learnt pedagogical competence to a new physics topic – electric circuits. Guiding this study were two research questions: What is the impact of the intervention on the quality of pre-service teachers’ Topic Specific PCK in Kinematics? To what extent is the preservice teachers’ learnt pedagogical transformation competence transferrable to their planning of a new topic in physics topic – Electric circuits? This study used mixed methods to investigate TSPCK in pre-service teachers. It was located in the methodology class of Twenty-three (23) 4th year physical science majors. The study included an intervention where the theoretical framework for TSPCK was used to introduce the construct in Kinematics. The intervention explains each of the five components of Topic Specific PCK using the knowledge concepts of Kinematics. Data were collected using three instruments: an instrument measuring content knowledge in kinematics; an instrument measuring the quality of Topic Specific PCK in kinematics administered as a set of pre/post intervention tests; and an instrument measuring transferability of learnt competence in planning for teaching a new topic electricity. The pre-service teachers’ written responses to the TSPCK kinematics tool were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Both methods of analysis revealed that the pre-service teachers improved in their quality of TSPCK in kinematics following the intervention. It was also found out that the pre-service teachers’ improvement in the quality of TSPCK in kinematics was as result of rigorous engagement with the TSPCK components at varying degrees. Similarly, on the topic of transfer, electricity which was not discussed during the intervention, TSPCK tool in electric circuits was administered to the pre-service teachers and few records of their actual classroom teaching were analyzed. This was done to examine possible transferability of learnt pedagogical transformation competence to the new physics topic of electricity. The findings revealed that the pre-service teachers had ‘developing level’ of TSPCK in the topic of transfer similar to the finding in the topic of kinematics. The study demonstrated that focus on a single topic in a methodology course will enable transfer to another topic provided the teachers have the pre-requisite content knowledge. The findings of this study would contribute to the training of the Physical science student teachers and specifically improve their planning of other physics topics to enhance effective teaching and learning process.

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented event in world history with a global impact. In the United States, emergency remote teaching (ERT) was utilized due to significant changes in the educational system, including temporary closures, shifts to remote and hybrid learning, and the addition of various infection control measures such as the wearing of masks, social distancing, and quarantine guidelines to reduce the community spread of COVID-19. These changes impacted those working and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative multiple-case study sought to describe and compare the professional experiences of four high school physical science teachers in the United States during the pandemic. Data was collected using surveys, participant artifacts, interviews, and focus groups between the spring of 2020 and the spring of 2022. The data were analyzed inductively using holistic and descriptive coding as well as inductively through a cross-case analysis by utilizing social reproduction theory (SRT) and teacher self-efficacy (TSE) theoretical frameworks. Four individual participant case descriptions and a cross-case analysis are reported. The findings indicate that teachers experienced significant changes to their schedules, technology use, instruction, and assessment. Teachers’ ability to communicate professionally was impacted, as was teacher professional development (PD) and evaluation. These changes resulted in learning gaps, which were more significant for struggling and marginalized students. The results demonstrate that the teachers and their students experienced the pandemic differently depending on various factors, such as resource access and school type. The findings indicate that the teachers’ students with more economic, social, and cultural capital were best positioned to access remote learning, which generated social reproduction and exacerbated inequalities. TSE decreased due to a lack of mastery and vicarious experiences, negative social and verbal persuasion, and the teachers’ adverse physiological and emotional states. TSE was also reduced due to ecological factors such as increased uncertainty and role demands, powerlessness, and isolation. The pandemic displayed how inequities across our educational system must be addressed and how the educational system must better prepare and support teachers and students during educational disruptions. The teachers gained a greater appreciation for in-person instruction, became more confident in their use and implementation of classroom technology and remote teaching, and became more aware of inequities among students.