Abstract: Transformation at a historically disadvantaged technikon in South Africa : a research project: South Africa is in the seventh year of democracy. During the first term of office, the ANC government proposed radical shift from the system(s) of education that was/were in existence in this country. A change in the education system in South Africa was inevitable. The ANC government have realised the need and proposed plans for a change in the education system in this country. We might be able to overcome the inequalities of the past and have an education system relevant for all South Africans that promote an equal opportunity for success as envisaged by Outcomes Based Education (OBE). This research project, using a qualitative case study methodology, reports on the readiness of Border Technikon in implementing Outcomes Based Education (OBE) as a teaching/lecturing strategy. Since 1998 Border Technikon organised a series of staff training workshops to empower the academic staff in Outcomes Based Education. A preliminary study on the topic was conducted during 1999, in which questionnaires (to 16 academic staff) and semi-structured interviews (with three academic staff) were used to collect data. During 2000, when the second and final round of this study was conducted semistructured interviews were employed with 4 staff members to gather data. Literature review and document analysis was also part of the research. The analysis of data indicated that the very nature of most of the Technikon Programmes demands an OBE approach in teaching/lecturing and hence OBE based teaching/lecturing is largely practised at Border Technikon. However a few areas of concerns were identified. Some of these concerns were: (i) Technikon employed academic staff (from industry, etc...) with no professional qualification in teaching and it was difficult to provide OBE training to such people and (ii) lack of sufficient support from the Technikon Management might be a cause for the poor attendance of academic staff during the training programme. Another aspect emerged from the data analysis was that all academic staff participated in this study expressed the need for further training in OBE and related topics. Abstract: Science for all - myth or reality?: Different educational projects around the world have made Scientific Literacy a world-wide concern. This study through a literature review shows that Scientific Literacy is a term that has many definitions and interpretations. This literature review reveals that, in the present system Science for All is a myth for various reasons. Governments around the world in general, and South Africa in particular, are in the process of introducing different projects such as the Year of Science and Technology (YEAST), science week and science exhibitions for the purpose of popularising science and technology. The Department of Education in Thailand has modified its education system to accommodate Science for All. In this literature review among other issues the status quo in South African science education and the Thailand model were examined. A few recommendations to achieve Science for All are also included in this project. Abstract: Developing and evaluating the use of learning material in science - a constructivist approach towards learning Newton's laws : a research project: The Government of National Unity in 1994 introduced a new educational policy for South Africa. This represented a shift in paradigm from a transmission mode of teaching and learning to a learner-centred education. The shift marks a transformation from a content-based curriculum to an Outcomes Based Education (OBE). Various authors found that different sections in the Physical Science syllabus in South Africa are often misunderstood by students for different reasons. One of the reasons was that students had their own ideas about laws of nature and these (mis)conceptions were resistant to change. From the literature and from the author's personal experience it was found that Bodies in Motion is a topic that is difficult to conceptualise by students of different age groups. The challenge facing educators is how to tackle this issue. In this research project a diagnostic test is developed and used to identify the topics where students have conceptual problems. To address these problem areas further, concept sheets/work sheets where developed and implemented. The different challenges and tasks given in the work sheets/learning material are organised in such a way as to make the students aware of their own ideas about Bodies in Motion in general and the key-concepts in particular and also to make them aware of the ideas of their peers (group members). It was also aimed at offering the learners the scientific alternative to their own beliefs. At the end, it was discovered that, even though the general understanding of the learners has improved in this topic (namely, Bodies in Motion), their original beliefs were largely unaffected. It is the hope of the researcher that the project would be the basis for further research on the development of learning material in science.

One of the purposes of the Namibian curriculum is to ensure cultural inclusivity. That is, it recognises the inclusion of traditional cultural practices and experiences in science lessons where appropriate. Based on my experiences both as a learner and a science teacher, I have noted there is a rapid decline and loss of values in most of our cultural practices and heritages. This triggered my interests to do a study on an Oshiwambo traditional beverage known as Ombike. This study is therefore aimed at enhancing conceptual development, meaning making and understanding of concepts in fermentation and distillation. This study was conducted with my grade 9 learners at a school where I was teaching in Omusati region of Namibia. A community member who served as an expert was also a participant. She was involved more in discussions, interviews and most importantly in showing and demonstrating to the learners how Ombike is made practically. Essentially, the goal of this study was to investigate how the indigenous practice associated with the making of Ombike can be used to support meaning making of fermentation and distillation processes. This research is located within an interpretive paradigm where a qualitative case study was adopted. I consider this methodological framework appropriate in this study because it allowed me to use the following data gathering methods: brainstorming and discussion, observation, semi-structured and focus group interviews, and practical activities worksheet. Multiple methods were used for the purpose of triangulation and validation. An inductive analysis was used to discover data patterns and themes from the data. Moreover, ethical considerations were also taken seriously and all the participants gave informed consent. The findings of the study revealed that brainstorming and discussions were an appropriate strategy in eliciting learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences on, in particular, the making of Ombike. Furthermore, learner engagement and conceptual development were enhanced. This suggests that contextualisation of knowledge can enhance meaningful learning if it is properly planned. It was also found that practical activities in conjunction with mind maps helped learners to make meanings of scientific concepts. Based on my research findings, I therefore recommend the following three aspects: the consideration of learners` prior knowledge and experiences; contextualising knowledge through use of indigenous knowledge; and the learners’ active involvement in practical activities with an emphasis on key scientific concepts to be developed. That is, there is a need to teach for conceptual understanding.

The main goal of this study was to investigate how grade 9 learners make sense of prior everyday knowledge and practical learning through exploring tooth decay problems in their local context. The study was conducted at a deep rural Junior Secondary School situated in Onangalo Village, Tsandi constituency in Omusati political region, northern part of Namibia. My research was triggered by the transformation in the Namibian curriculum, which now recognizes a need to contextualize science and make it relevant to the learners’ everyday life experiences. An interpretivist paradigm informed this study. Within this paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was employed. The unit of analysis was the various activities undertaken by my grade 9 learners with a view to make meaning of prior everyday knowledge and practical investigations in chemistry. A variety of data generating techniques were used in this study, namely, brainstorming and discussion sessions, questionnaires, practical activities with worksheets and semi-structured interviews. A video recorder was used to capture events throughout. Analytical categories emerged as a result of a coding system called pawing. From the analytical categories, analytical statements were formulated. The generated data was validated by a critical friend who was a Life Science teacher at the same school at which I did this study. Further validation was done through learners watching the video recordings and through focus group interviews. Methodological triangulation was also used to validate the data. The study revealed that the use of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences in teaching and learning promoted active learners’ participation and enhanced meaning making. Thus, the study recommends the adoption of well-structured science lessons which take into consideration learners’ prior everyday knowledge. The study recommends that these science lessons be used in conjunction with practical activities to promote active learner engagement and conceptual development. Despite the benefits of integrating learners’ prior everyday knowledge during teaching and learning, the study however also revealed some challenges such as limited time and difficulties of English language proficiency amongst learners.

The Departments of Computer Science and Information Systems at Rhodes University currently share certain honours-level (fourth year) course modules with students from the corresponding departments at the previously disadvantaged University of Fort Hare. These lectures are currently delivered using video-conferencing. This was found to present a number of problems including challenges in terms of implementing desired pedagogical approaches, inequitable learning experiences, student disengagement at the remote venue, and inflexibility of the video-conferencing system. In order to address these problems, various e-learning modes were investigated and synchronous e-learning were found to offer a number of advantages over asynchronous e-learning. Live Virtual Classrooms (LVCs) were identified as synchronous e-learning tools that support the pedagogical principles important to the two universities and to the broader context of South African tertiary education, and commercial LVC applications were investigated and evaluated. Informed by the results of this investigation a small, simple LVC was designed, developed and customised for use in a predominantly academic sphere and deployment in a South African tertiary educational context. Testing and evaluation of this solution was carried out and the results analysed in terms of the LVC’s technical merits and the pedagogical value of the solution as experienced by students and lecturers/facilitators. An evaluation of this solution indicated that the LVC solves a number of the identified problems with video-conferencing and also provides a flexible/customisable/extensible solution that supports highly interactive, collaborative, learner-centred education. The custom LVC solution could be easily adapted to the specific needs of any tertiary educational institute in the country, and results may benefit other tertiary educational institutions involved in or dependant on distance learning.

This study investigated factors that cause the poor performance of learners in the science subjects at the Ingwavuma Circuit. Using a mixed method design, samples were chosen purposefully in four high schools in the Ingwavuma Circuit. The schools identified were schools that underperformed in the science subjects in the year 2014. Grade 12 science teachers and Grade 12 science learners participated in this study. The data were collected by means of two closed-ended questionnaires. One of the questionnaires was designed for completion by the teachers (3) and one by the learners (98). In addition, structured interviews were conducted with eight teachers and eight learners. The data were analysed using SPSS and manual analysis. The data were recorded and summarized by means of descriptive statistics and was interpreted using literature review. The results of this study indicate that factors that contribute to poor performance are, namely a change in the curriculum, the time allocated for each science topic, the teachers’ teaching load, resources, the educators’ lack of specialized content knowledge, the medium of instruction, the involvement of the parents, poverty, and motivation. From these results recommendations for policy were suggested. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

This study examined the nature of quality assurance frameworks in science education and the factors negatively affecting the quality of science education in the Johannesburg South district. The study explored the quality assurance practices, challenges that impede the attainment of quality science education in schools and the impact of quality assurance on the quality of science education. The Integrated Quality Management System, which encompasses whole-school evaluation, is the main policy used in secondary schools’ quality assurance system. A mixed methodology design was used in the research. The data collected was both qualitative and quantitative and was obtained from both primary and secondary sources. The qualitative data provided research opportunities which extended the type of information collected. It implied an interpretive or subjective approach with the focus being on how the respondents experienced and understood the quality assurance processes. Concurrent triangulation designs or convergent parallel design was used in order to develop a complete understanding of the research problem by obtaining different but complementary data for validation purposes and enhancing triangulation. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected at the same time and the findings were integrated in order to understand deeper the quality assurance mechanisms applied in science education. The use of multiple perspectives, theories and research methods resulted in rich information being gathered for analysis. The study revealed that quality assurance practices, ranging from Integrated Quality Management System, Whole-school Evaluation and Assessment Quality Assurance among others, had a positive influence on the quality of science education. The results indicated that quality assurance policies and mechanisms present were followed by schools and the district support helped to improve the quality of science education. The presence of quality assurance policies and mechanisms had a positive bearing on the quality of science education. The lack of infrastructural resources, non-availability of laboratory technicians, science educator work overload, parents’ non-involvement in academic support, poor learner subject selection criteria and non-rigorous quality assurance follow-up mechanisms were the main factors hindering the quality of science education. / Educational Studies / D. Phil. (Education)

The aim of this investigation was to determine whether there is a significant difference in the academic achievement of sixth grade Science students when teaching styles are matched to their learning styles. The research problem is encompassed in the following question: "Is there a relationship between matching teaching and learning styles and the academic success in Science?" A quantitative approach was undertaken, specifically, the pretest-posttest control group experimental design. The population comprised of sixth grade students selected according to a non-probability sampling method of convenience. The sample comprised of two class units randomly selected. The dependent sample t-test inferential statistic was used to analyze the data collected. The results indicated a statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores of the experimental group. The conclusion reached is that matching teaching styles to learning styles improves the academic success of sixth grade learners in Science. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)

The research problem reflected a lower number of female postgraduate students and academics as compared to their male counterparts within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. A descriptive survey was disseminated to a stratified sample of undergraduate final year students in the disciplines of Chemical, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, Computer and Bioresources Engineering. An online survey was also sent to the nine female academics within the Faculty. The study indicates that the social and academic environment within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of KwaZulu-Natal was not a deterrent to female graduates studying further and entering academia. The exam performance of both male and female students was similar and neither the drop-out rate nor failure was due to gender but rather to the choice of degree. An issue of concern to both the student and the academic group was the low numbers of female academics. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

The purpose of this research was to investigate the role that science education can play both in facilitating and in enhancing the delivery of environmental education at South African schools. The theoretical links between science education and environmental education were examined. This was followed by a practical investigation which involves the researcher conducting interviews with educators of natural science in order to determine their perspectives on the relationship between science education and environmental education. The results of the research indicate that science education has tremendous potential for incorporating and enhancing the delivery of environmental education. However, this potential is not being fuIly realised due to a number of limiting factors. It is, therefore, imperative that the education authorities take immediate action to rectify this situation so that the synergy between science education and environmental education comes to fruition. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

A growing body of research has emphasised the social processes by which teachers – who are curriculum policy implementing agents – are trained and supported on how to practically implement policies in the classroom. Yet, little attention has been paid to the factors that influence teachers’ interpretation of curriculum policy and how their understanding of policy implementation influences the ways in which they respond to policies. Some research has already been done on the implementation of curriculum policies in schools, with findings centred largely on the disjuncture between policy and practice. Research has also established that much of what teachers are doing in the classroom does not reflect policy. Although teachers have opportunities to enhance the implementation of policy, there are also factors that negatively influence their implementation of educational policy. This is basically because of the gap between the policy makers and the implementing agents. The lack of a shared understanding between these two stakeholders’ results in a perception of policy as a set of strict rules and procedures meant to be followed by teachers. This study aims to develop an understanding of what influences teachers in their attempts to implement the curriculum policy on environmental education in the classroom. The study further aims to gain an understanding, from the practitioners’ perspectives, of how policy implementation challenges their habitual patterns of teaching and schooling and whether, to them, this implementation seems to threaten the conventional disciplinary curricular structures of fixed timetables and depending on textbooks, and leaves little room for outdoor or hands-on activities. The focus on teachers is motivated by the fact that they are the primary curriculum implementers in schools and as such, are expected to play a significant role in implementing the curriculum according to policy. This study advocates an interdisciplinary approach to implementing environmental education policy in teaching and learning in the Natural Sciences. This entails environmental education becoming part of the curriculum, and being taught as a cross-curricula component. In this context, environmental education will form part of teaching and learning in every learning area of the curriculum for the General Education and Training band of the South African education system. What this means for teachers is that they have to integrate environmental concepts or topics within their respective learning areas, and that they have to follow a learner-centred approach that allows learners the opportunity to become active participants, responsible for their own learning. This implies that, for learners to develop knowledge, skills, and correct attitudes regarding the environment, teachers have to use available, local teaching materials or resources. As the classroom becomes free from traditional teaching styles, learners become active and take responsibility for their own learning. They discuss and share ideas with one another, and the teacher becomes the facilitator of the teaching and learning process. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)