The study provides a closer look at Physical Science teachers in the rural secondary schools (of the Bafokeng area). It puts focus on the different teaching methods that they use in order to overcome the realities of teaching in an under-resourced environment. This includes different aspects that affect the teaching and learning process, both directly and indirectly. In view of the above, the study displays the necessity and roles that different stakeholders have to play. For instance, the contribution of NGOs/ companies towards the development of teachers and school learning areas. The need for parental involvement in their children's learning process has also been highlighted. In the midst of having problems with resources, and learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, this study enlightens that" by going an extra mile, teachers can make a difference in the (disadvantaged) teaching environment, as well as to the lives of learners. Teachers in this study do not use any unknown special methods to deal with their situation. They do what they feel has to be done in order to continue with what is expected of them. The study has not managed to link any direct negative impact between class size and learning, since the school which had most learners in Physical Science, seemed to have being doing well under similar conditions as others. Also highlighted, is the importance of the relationship amongst Physical Science teachers themselves. Since most of the schools in this study did not have enough materials for teaching Physical Science/Chemistry, building relations with other teachers from different schools seemed worthwhile. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2004.

As the purpose and function of secondary education evolved, secondary school science, while still presented as a discipline has been influenced by external aims and objectives. Two persistent difficulties have been the wide range of student ability and interest, and external examinations. [...]

The purpose of this study was to investigate how students in Grade Five and Six generate explanation for scientific phenomena and how they evaluate the quality of these explanations. In part, this was done by analyzing the in-class explanations that the students gave in response to questions stemming from two topics in the 1996 Alberta program of studies for Grade Five Science. In addition, the students shared their own perceptions of the sources of their questions and ideas and the methods by which they evaluated them. Analysis of in-class discussions and activities occurred on an ongoing basis between January and June 1998. In addition, five students who vary in their ability to generate and evaluate scientific ideas were selected for more in-depth interviewing outside of class time. These students were interviewed once during each of the main units of study. Their interviews focused on the manner in which their thoughts and ideas had progressed during previous class discusiions and activities, how they evaluated these ideas, the manner in which they were able to generate new ideas, and their continued evaluation of these ideas. This involved reflection stimulate by requests to summarize their findings as well as on-the-spot reflection as the students continued to evaluate and develop their ideas. Attention was paid to possible effects that the metacognitive activity encouraged during class discussions and during the interviews may have had on methods that the students used to construct meaning. Each of the students who participated in individual interviews pertaining to specific content areas also participated in a narrative interview that focused on their general interests and habits. The individual interviews and class discussions were fully transcribed, analyzed and compared to generate broad themes which were then able to guide further analysis of student work. / xiii, 539 leaves ; 29 cm.

The increasing installation of the SMART Boards (electronic interactive whiteboards - IWBs) in education is an issue that cannot be ignored. South Africa is not an exception in this issue. The IWBs are gaining popularity amongst schools and educators in South Africa. With the growing number of users of IWBs in South Africa, this modern technology might have brought challenges and new opportunities to education and instructional methods at all educational levels. The purpose of the study was to investigate the use of the IWBs in the teaching and learning science in high schools. The selected schools use modern technologies that enhance teaching and learning such as the IWBs. This study aimed at developing an understanding of educators’ experiences on the benefits and challenges posed by utilizing the IWBs in their current practice with a view to drawing implications for possible recommendations for this type of technology. The study adopted a qualitative research design and followed case study methodology. It employed qualitative data collection techniques such as semi-structured individual and focus group interviews and classroom observations with purposively selected science educators in two public high schools in the Durban metropolis. The participants were six educators and eight learners from the two schools. It also followed a guided analysis based on the principles of both Connectivism and Engagement theories that informed the study. The findings revealed both benefits and challenges on educators. The most prominent benefits which educators recognized included multimedia features of the IWBs; their capabilities in learning; and their support for different learning styles. Alongside these benefits, educators also perceived challenges which involved low level of educators’ ICT skills related to insufficient professional development and training, and lack of planning. Generally; the study revealed that the IWBs can be generically beneficial tools provided some major problems are rectified. Recommendations relating to these findings are also provided, with an emphasis on technology planning and professional development as prerequisites to proper implementation of the IWBs in schools. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

The study rests on the assumption that teachers of Natural Sciences apply various assessment strategies in their interaction with learners. Among the strategies that are proposed by the National Department of Education is the use of formative assessment. Due to the challenges that face teachers of this learning area, the researcher opted to explore the implementation of formative assessment, especially because there is vast lack of implementation of various departmental programmes and initiatives that are aimed at the betterment of our education system during this transformation period. To engage in this study, the researcher purposively selected three primary schools with Grade Seven classes in Umlazi District. Three research methods are employed to investigate the implementation of formative assessment in Grade Seven Natural Science classes, namely, semi-structured interviews, semi-structured observations and document analysis. Purposive, criterion-based selection was used to select participants to the study. Participants involve teachers of Natural Sciences at Grade Seven level. Data were collected using the afore-mentioned methods, and were analysed using Vygotsky’s theory constructivism and his concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Data were presented narratively, graphically and in tabular forms. The data are extensively discussed with reference to literature on formative assessment. The discussion is aimed at responding to the three research questions that drive the entire investigation. Findings thereof are presented in narrative form. The data collected helped the researcher to make sound conclusions about the implementation of formative assessment in the three sampled primary schools. Recommendations are made concerning the implementation of formative assessment in respect of what could help teachers achieve the prescribed learning outcomes and assessment standards through the use of formative assessment. Though the findings presented indicate the contextual factors typical to the three sampled schools, particularly the Grade Seven classes, they could be transferred to other institutions with similar settings because this is a case study research. This means that what happens in the three selected schools could be common to other schools as well regarding the use of formative assessment during teacher-learner interactions. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

This case study explores a relatively new and stimulating method of incorporating / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

This work is a case study of the opinions of four young people who studied physical science while at a technical high school and then went on either to study in a scientific field at a tertiary institution or went to work in a technical field. The purpose was to try and find out what contribution studying physical science at high school makes to learners who choose a career path in a technical workplace or in a scientific/technical field in tertiary education. The questions asked were firstly ''What is the value of having studied physical science at high school to students entering the workplace and entering higher education?" and then "What skills and knowledge are required for employment in a technical workplace and for tertiary education?" and "What are the views of students, employers and lecturers on the preparation given to physical science students for the world of work and for tertiary studies?" Questions were asked of the young people, their lecturers, and their employers. The idea was to find out whether subject-specific knowledge was important or whether there were certain skills which were considered more valuable. Skills were broadly defined as competencies that would enable a person to cope with the requirements of a new and different learning and work environment after leaving school. Four young people with similar high school backgrounds were interviewed and their opinions noted. Structured interviews were conducted and compared for similarities and differences. The employers and lecturers were given a questionnaire to complete. They were asked what they expected of new employees and new students, and how their ideals matched the actual applicants whom they accepted. These answers were compared to those given by the young people. It was found that although the subject content knowledge that learners received at high school was important, there was a general and definite lack of preparation in terms of critical thinking skills and preparation for coping with unfamiliar problems. It seemed that the current examination-driven school system is not the best preparation for either tertiary education or technical employment, although much did depend on the particular teaching methods experienced by each student. This study opens up a possibility of more detailed research into why so few learners who pass senior certificate physical science are adequately prepared for the fields which are under consideration in this enquiry. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, 2003.

The aim of this research was to contribute towards the evaluation of a trialled preparatory science programme called 'Into Science', by investigating to what extent there was an improvement in the participating students' understanding of scientific concepts and their command of science skills. The sample group involved in the trialling ofthe 'Into Science' course was students from three interested KwaZulu-Natal Colleges of Education. The research instruments used to determine whether there was an improvement in scientific understanding were largely two sets of pre- and post-tests. The first set was designed around concepts and skills specifically taught by the 'Into Science' course whilst the second set attempted to assess whether there had been any development ofthe recognised science process skills, using questions which had been designed by the Assessment ofPerformance Unit (APU) in the United Kingdom. In addition to these preand post-tests, a qualitative dimension in the research was also included since it was felt that the impressions ofthe sample group involved in the trialling of these materials was also important. The results from this research indicate that the 'Into Science' programme could be successfully used in South Africa, despite some minor reservations discussed in this dissertation. Findings included the following. • Although almost all the students showed an improvement between the pre- and the posttest on the questions testing 'Into Science' concepts and skills, in the post-test many were still scoring poorly on fairly simple questions. Noticeable improvements were made in areas such as the understanding and application of scientific topics such as area, volume, density, concepts and tenninology associated with basic chemistry, and the plotting and understanding of graphical representations. • Although it became apparent during the research that certain of the questions used in the 'APU' derived pre- and post-tests were problematic in various ways, answers from the students to the questions did complement some of the results obtained from the 'Into Science' pre- and post-tests. For example, responses to 'APU' derived questions also showed an improvement with respect to the interpretation of graphical representations and the plotting of graphs. In addition however, their answers also provided for some other interesting feedback such as the following. Many of the students experienced problems in answering questions where the data was presented less sequentially or the question was posed in a fonnat which they were not used to. Problems were experienced with the application of conceptual knowledge to experimental situations. • During interviews conducted at the three colleges, it was found that the majority of the students involved in the trial were most enthusiastic and positive about the 'Into Science' materials and the type of teaching and learning fonnat that they had been introduced to during the 'Into Science' course. Indeed, the students indicated their interest in pursuing further studies along similar lines, should the opportunity present itself to them at a later date. If the 'Into Science' programme is to be successfully used in South Africa, the recommendation 11 is that a variety of support structures will also need to be made available in order to ensure the success ofthe programme. These support structures include the following. • Weekly tutorial sessions. • Additional explanation inserts, exerCIses and assignments III areas of perceived difficulty. • The establishment of greater confidence with respect to experimental work through the use of frequent laboratory sessions. • Telephonic and e-mail help lines, fax facilities etc. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

This research made a diagnostic assessment of some aspects of pupil performance in General Science on entry to secondary school. This assessment included written content and skills assessment of all standard 6 pupils at a secondary school in KwaZulu-Natal. The written skills assessment of 302 pupils involved two tests, one in English and one in Zulu. General Science in the research school was taught in English, while two-thirds of the standard 6 pupil population had Zulu as their first language. All pupils first wrote the test in English, and then the Zulu pupils took the same test again in Zulu. The test was designed to assess pupil performance in areas of a) symbolic representation of data b) application of science concepts c) interpretation of data and d) planning of investigations. The questions used in the test were adapted from the question bank of the Assessment of Performance Unit in the United Kingdom. The written content assessment was designed to test pupils' understanding of various science concepts encountered in primary science. Their recognition of various pieces of science equipment was also tested. Questionnaires regarding various aspects of Science, science teaching practice and perceptions of pupil abilities were administered to pupils' past (standard 5) and present (standard 6) science teachers. A focused group discussion with science teachers at the research school investigated some thoughts on skills-based teaching and assessment. The researcher was also able to draw on experiences of classroom observation as she is a teacher at the research school. As hypothesised, pupils' performance in the skills tested was generally poor, especially in the skills more specifically related to science. Content assessment revealed that almost half of the pupils in the classes analysed held common misconceptions about certain science concepts, not unlike those held by primary school children tested in other countries. Pupil performance generally increased when pupils were presented with a test in their mother-tongue. In other areas, e.g. planning of investigations, poor performance in both English and Zulu tests indicated that these questions were either not known or understood, rather than an issue of linguistic difficulty. Teachers highlighted several factors which retarded the progress of skills-based teaching methods in 'real-life' classroom situations. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1996.

Studies by different academics (Marsh 1997; Allen 2004; Dunn 2006; Austin, 2010 & Stears & Gopal, 2010) reveal that outcomes and assessment strategies cannot be divorced. Outcomes and assessment strategies are meant for various purposes in education, ranging from establishing the starting point, to monitoring and evaluation of the outputs of what have been planned for the lesson. The study investigates the experiences and practices of Form Three integrated science teachers with regard to the outcomes and assessment strategies. The motivation behind this study is related to the problem that teachers are trained on discipline base while they are expected to teach integrated science in the junior level (form one - form three). Integrated Science plays a major role in the Lesotho education system because it prepares learners at Secondary School level (Form One - Form Three) to study specialised science subjects namely: Biology, Chemistry and Physics at High School level (Form Four – Form Five) and this resulted in learners‟ interest in science at higher education being clearly oriented (Oludipe & Oludipe, 2010). This study was achieved by investigating teachers‟ experiences and practices of outcomes and assessment strategies in the way they do, through the use of the following data gathering instruments: document analysis, observation and semi-structured interviews. This study is mainly qualitative, interpretive case study of two schools and is informed by two theories namely: social constructionist theory and Bloom‟s Taxonomies. Social constructionist underpins social practices and practitioners‟ views on them. On the other side, Bloom‟s taxonomy provides details of construction of assessment tools towards attaining outcomes at the end of the learning period. In terms of analysing the data from the field, the data are presented using the themes and categories generated from the interviews. In addition, in presenting the data, the study would ensure that the voices of the participants were not lost. Therefore, verbatim quotations are infused in the data presentation. The emerging trends and patterns from the presented data are then outlined. According to the findings, the teachers are more interested in their areas of specialisation from the universities and colleges and this resulted in some other parts of the syllabus being sidelined. The study also revealed that teachers still lack knowledge of stating or writing observable and measurable learning outcomes even thought they are aware of theimportance of stating learning outcomes at the beginning of each and every Integrated Science lesson. The research concluded with a set of recommendations to ensure the effectiveness of the teaching of Integrated Science in Lesotho. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2012.