Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2001. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 183, 2 p. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 156-158).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI/Dissertation Abstracts International.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Technology, Sydney, 2008.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This qualitative multiple case study explored the subjective experiences of four science teachers during the transition process from Natural Sciences in the General Education and Training (GET) band to Life Sciences in the Further Education and Training (FET) band. The study was guided by one main research question and four sub-questions. Data were collected using simple observation, an open-ended questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and photographic evidence. The study revealed that the experiences of the teachers are dependent upon their years of teaching experience, the quality of in-service training and workshops, available resources, the support the teacher receives from the school and the Department of Education and how each school is individually managed. The findings in this study further revealed that teachers feel alone and abandoned by the Department of Education, as there is very little to no support and communication between the teachers and the Department. The teachers reported that there is a misalignment between the content and assessment requirements in Grade 9 and Grade 10, which causes learners to struggle to adapt in Grade 10. Teachers then resort to measures such as structuring the GET more like the FET and reorganising and modifying the content of Natural Sciences across grades 8 and 9 in an effort to better prepare learners for Grade 10 Life Sciences. All the teachers who participated in the study revealed that they did not receive sufficient training to assist them with the transition process from GET to FET. Reasons offered included that in-service training and workshops focused more on administration instead of providing teachers with the necessary context-specific training required to implement the National Curriculum Statement. It is therefore evident that highly skilled teachers are needed to ensure a smooth transition from GET to FET. Teachers need to participate in curriculum initiatives, as it is the teachers who are ultimately responsible for implementing new curriculum initiatives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie kwalitatiewe veelvuldige gevallestudie is die subjektiewe ervarings van vier wetenskaponderwysers tydens die oorgangsproses van Natuurwetenskappe in die Algemene Onderwys en Opleiding (AOO-)band na Lewenswetenskappe in die Verdere Onderwys en Opleiding (VOO-)band ondersoek. Die studie is deur een hoofnavorsingsvraag en vier subvrae gerig. Data is deur eenvoudige waarneming, ’n oopeinde-vraelys, semigestruktureerde onderhoude en fotografiese bewyse ingesamel. Die studie het aan die lig gebring dat die ervarings van onderwysers afhang van hul onderwyservaring, die gehalte van indiensopleiding en werkswinkels, beskikbare hulpbronne, die ondersteuning wat die onderwyser van die skool en die Departement van Onderwys ontvang, en hoe elke skool individueel bestuur word. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie toon voorts dat onderwysers vervreem en afgesonder van die Departement van Onderwys voel, aangesien daar baie min of geen ondersteuning en kommunikasie tussen die onderwysers en die Departement is nie. Die onderwysers voer aan dat daar nie ooreenstemming is tussen die inhoud en assesseringsvereistes in graad 9 en 10 nie, wat meebring dat leerders sukkel om in graad 10 aan te pas. Onderwysers wend hulle dan na maatreëls soos om die AOO meer soos die VOO te struktureer en die inhoud van Natuurwetenskappe in graad 8 en 9 te herorganiseer en te wysig in ’n poging om leerders beter vir Lewenswetenskappe in graad 10 voor te berei. Al die onderwysers wat aan hierdie studie deelgeneem het, het aangedui dat hulle nie genoegsame opleiding ontvang het om hulle met die oorgangsproses van AOO na VOO te help nie. Redes hiervoor het ingesluit dat indiensopleiding en werkswinkels meer op administrasie fokus as wat dit onderwysers van die nodige konteksspesifieke opleiding voorsien om die Nasionale Kurrikulumverklaring te implementeer. Dit is duidelik dat hoogs opgeleide onderwysers nodig is om ’n suksesvolle oorgang van AOO na VOO te verseker. Onderwysers behoort toegelaat te word om insette tot kurrikuluminisiatiewe te lewer, aangesien dit uiteindelik die onderwysers is wat verantwoordelik is vir die implementering van nuwe kurrikuluminisiatiewe.

Esta pesquisa se desenvolve no âmbito do ensino de ciências, no que tange à formação continuada de professores de Ciências e sequências didáticas. Objetivando-se obter um levantamento palpável sobre as concepções dos professores de Ciências sobre Ciência e Tecnologia (C&T), foram utilizadas duas ferramentas de coletas de dados: Uma enquete e sequências didáticas (SD) desenvolvidas pelos professores cursistas participantes do Curso de Especialização em Ensino de Ciências da Faculdade de Educação da USP no Programa Rede de Formação Docente (EEC-FEUSP-REDEFOR) durante o segundo ano de oferecimento, 2011-2012. O foco principal do presente estudo é sistematizar as concepções sobre C&T dos professores cursistas e observar como estas permeiam o desenvolvimento de SD, para que se obtenham subsídios e reflexões sobre os objetivos da educação científica, da formação de professores e do entendimento dos professores de ciências sobre as questões sócio científicas (QSC). A análise dos dados se desenvolveu utilizando duas abordagens, quantitativa e qualitativa, de forma a se complementarem. As análises estatísticas nomeadas análise multifatorial e de cluster, e abordagem qualitativa descritiva documental dos resultados sustentam a análise como um todo, interpretando os resultados obtidos, trazendo assim uma visão ampla do objeto de estudo que aponta a presença de dez tipos de concepções, 8 tipos de perfis de concepções sobre C&T que se traduzem nas SD em categorias sintéticas como: conhecimento científico prediz, reverte e evita problemas ambientais; conhecimento científico explica e viabiliza melhoria de vida; C&T beneficiam sociedade e ambiente; homem prejudica e desperdiça; preocupação simplória com a degradação ambiental; conteudismo; aproximação CTS e consciência de bem social global; funcionalidade e acesso ao conhecimento científico; conhecimento científico e visões alternativas, e finalmente, impactos do desenvolvimento científico e tecnológico no meio ambiente. A importância de se reconhecer tais variações e sentidos das concepções mais comumente expressas se revela à medida que configuram tópicos de discussão relevantes aos cursos de formação inicial e continuada de professores e a observação da forma como estas SD poderiam sintetizar concepções mais ricas de possibilidades de discussões em sala de aula. / This research develops in the scope of science teaching, in what concerns to in service formation science teachers and didactic sequences. In order to obtain a palpable survey on the conceptions of the teachers on Science and Technology (S & T), two data collection tools were used: a survey and didactic sequences (DS) developed by the teachers participating in the Specialization Course in Science Teaching of the Faculty of Education of USP in the Program of Teacher Education (EEC-FEUSP-REDEFOR), along the second year (2011-2012). The main focus of the present study is to systematize the conceptions about Science and Technology of the teachers and to observe how they permeate the development of DS, to obtain subsidies and reflections on the objectives of scientific education, teacher training and teachers\' understanding Sciences on socio-scientific issues (SSI). The analysis of the data was developed using two approaches: quantitative and qualitative, in order to complement each other. The statistical analyses named multifactorial and cluster analysis, and qualitative documentary descriptive approach of the results support the analysis as a whole, interpreting the results obtained, thus bringing a broad view of the object of study that points out the presence of ten types of conceptions, 8 types of profiles of S & T conceptions that translate into DS in synthetic categories such as: Scientific knowledge predicts, reverses and avoids environmental problems; Scientific knowledge explains and enables improvement in life; Society and Environment; Man harms and wastes; Simplistic concern with environmental degradation; Content; CTS approach and global social welfare awareness; Functionality and access to scientific knowledge; Scientific knowledge and alternative visions, and finally, Impacts of scientific and technological development on the environment. The importance of recognizing such variations and meanings of the most commonly expressed conceptions is revealed by the fact that they configure topics of discussion relevant to the initial and in service formation courses and the observation of how these DS could synthesize richer conceptions of possibilities for discussion In the classroom.

Esta pesquisa se desenvolve no âmbito do ensino de ciências, no que tange à formação continuada de professores de Ciências e sequências didáticas. Objetivando-se obter um levantamento palpável sobre as concepções dos professores de Ciências sobre Ciência e Tecnologia (C&T), foram utilizadas duas ferramentas de coletas de dados: Uma enquete e sequências didáticas (SD) desenvolvidas pelos professores cursistas participantes do Curso de Especialização em Ensino de Ciências da Faculdade de Educação da USP no Programa Rede de Formação Docente (EEC-FEUSP-REDEFOR) durante o segundo ano de oferecimento, 2011-2012. O foco principal do presente estudo é sistematizar as concepções sobre C&T dos professores cursistas e observar como estas permeiam o desenvolvimento de SD, para que se obtenham subsídios e reflexões sobre os objetivos da educação científica, da formação de professores e do entendimento dos professores de ciências sobre as questões sócio científicas (QSC). A análise dos dados se desenvolveu utilizando duas abordagens, quantitativa e qualitativa, de forma a se complementarem. As análises estatísticas nomeadas análise multifatorial e de cluster, e abordagem qualitativa descritiva documental dos resultados sustentam a análise como um todo, interpretando os resultados obtidos, trazendo assim uma visão ampla do objeto de estudo que aponta a presença de dez tipos de concepções, 8 tipos de perfis de concepções sobre C&T que se traduzem nas SD em categorias sintéticas como: conhecimento científico prediz, reverte e evita problemas ambientais; conhecimento científico explica e viabiliza melhoria de vida; C&T beneficiam sociedade e ambiente; homem prejudica e desperdiça; preocupação simplória com a degradação ambiental; conteudismo; aproximação CTS e consciência de bem social global; funcionalidade e acesso ao conhecimento científico; conhecimento científico e visões alternativas, e finalmente, impactos do desenvolvimento científico e tecnológico no meio ambiente. A importância de se reconhecer tais variações e sentidos das concepções mais comumente expressas se revela à medida que configuram tópicos de discussão relevantes aos cursos de formação inicial e continuada de professores e a observação da forma como estas SD poderiam sintetizar concepções mais ricas de possibilidades de discussões em sala de aula. / This research develops in the scope of science teaching, in what concerns to in service formation science teachers and didactic sequences. In order to obtain a palpable survey on the conceptions of the teachers on Science and Technology (S & T), two data collection tools were used: a survey and didactic sequences (DS) developed by the teachers participating in the Specialization Course in Science Teaching of the Faculty of Education of USP in the Program of Teacher Education (EEC-FEUSP-REDEFOR), along the second year (2011-2012). The main focus of the present study is to systematize the conceptions about Science and Technology of the teachers and to observe how they permeate the development of DS, to obtain subsidies and reflections on the objectives of scientific education, teacher training and teachers\' understanding Sciences on socio-scientific issues (SSI). The analysis of the data was developed using two approaches: quantitative and qualitative, in order to complement each other. The statistical analyses named multifactorial and cluster analysis, and qualitative documentary descriptive approach of the results support the analysis as a whole, interpreting the results obtained, thus bringing a broad view of the object of study that points out the presence of ten types of conceptions, 8 types of profiles of S & T conceptions that translate into DS in synthetic categories such as: Scientific knowledge predicts, reverses and avoids environmental problems; Scientific knowledge explains and enables improvement in life; Society and Environment; Man harms and wastes; Simplistic concern with environmental degradation; Content; CTS approach and global social welfare awareness; Functionality and access to scientific knowledge; Scientific knowledge and alternative visions, and finally, Impacts of scientific and technological development on the environment. The importance of recognizing such variations and meanings of the most commonly expressed conceptions is revealed by the fact that they configure topics of discussion relevant to the initial and in service formation courses and the observation of how these DS could synthesize richer conceptions of possibilities for discussion In the classroom.