D.Ed. (Didactics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Many theories on the nature of science and the nature of learning have been proposed. In particular, two theoretical orientations have been identified as having a decisive impact on activities in the school science classroom, namely "Inductivism" and "Constructivism". Inductivism views observations as objective, facts as constants and knowledge as being obtained from a fixed external reality. The constructivist view sees all knowledge as "reality" reconstructed in the mind of the learner. Each view predisposes certain orientations towards the science curriculum and within it particularly to assessment. It is postulated that teachers' views on science will influence how they teach and assess it. An "inductivist" teacher is more likely to reward certain approved responses from learners whereas a "constructivist" teacher is more likely to attend to learners' unique observations as evidence of their thinking. In this study a questionnaire was developed in an attempt classify science teachers according to their views on the nature of science and learning, and during this process encourage them to reflect on these views. It is hoped that the instrument could measure any changes in teacher's views as a result of the teachers becoming more reflective practitioners over time. Research indicates that the majority of teachers have a predominantly inductivist view of science. The study confirmed the results of other researchers by showing that a majority of non-tertiary science educators could be classified as being strongly inductivist. However, the overall proportion of these teachers was not as high as expected. Of possible concern was the indication that the strongly constructivist group showed very strong inductivist tendencies when assessing written tests which involved pupils' responses to laboratory observations.

Changing classroom practice is a difficult and complicated business. It involves challenging both what teachers know and do in their classrooms. It involves a process of re-configuring both teacher knowledge and practice. Many attempts at teacher development have had less than spectacular results in this regard. This study explored one such attempt of a teacher development programme that was aimed at challenging and reshaping teacher’s science content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), with the aim of influencing classroom practice. Using Shulman’s argument on the importance of uncovering teachers’ knowledge, this study investigated teacher clusters or networks and the opportunities they provide for science teachers to collaborate and share their knowledge and classroom practices. The collaboration was intended to strengthen science content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in order to improve classroom practices. The context of the study was a professional development intervention on science and mathematics in Mpumalanga; the Mpumalanga Secondary Schools Initiative (MSSI) funded by the Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA), where the teachers met regularly to share knowledge and experiences in smaller groups commonly referred to as Teacher Clusters. Qualitative research methods in the form of case studies were used to investigate and understand how these clusters helped science teachers in particular to challenge and change their CK and PCK by working collaboratively. The study presents two case studies of science teacher clusters, and examines the interactions and mechanisms by which the clusters constituted resources for teacher learning and improvement in teaching practice. The major findings of this research are that: -- Teacher clusters indeed provided better resources for changing the classroom practice of science teachers by allowing them to focus specifically on their CK and PCK and the interactions between the two forms of teacher knowledge -- Most importantly, teacher clusters also functioned in such a way that they allowed teachers a substantially more and better set of collective resources from which to begin and sustain changes in classroom practice. In making these major findings, this research established the critical role of the structure and leadership of the cluster in helping to create conditions for successful clustering and teacher change. The study concluded by observing that clustering or networking does provide teachers with enhanced opportunities for professional growth and classroom change. Variations in forms of clustering and teacher leadership issues within the clusters still require further investigation and research than this study was able to provide. / Thesis (PhD (Science Education))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / unrestricted

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The study investigated the impact of a dialogical argumentation instructional model (DAIM) as an intervention teaching strategy to assist pre-service science teachers to implement integrated science-indigenous knowledge (IK) lessons during their seven week block teaching practice at schools in the Western Cape. This imperative is found in Specific Aim 3 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) of the South African School Curriculum (Department of Basics Education, 2011). The study focussed on the pre-post conceptions of pre-service science teachers’ conceptions of the nature of science and the nature of indigenous knowledge. In addition the study examined pre-service teachers’ sense of self-efficacy in deploying a dialogical argumentation instructional model to implement an integrated science-IK lesson. The sample consisted of a cohort of thirty (30) Post-graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) students training to teach at the Further Education and Training (FET) phase of school. They were a combined class enrolled for method in Natural Sciences, Life Sciences and Physical Sciences. A mixed methods approach was used to generate quantitative and qualitative data using a series of questionnaires, reflective diaries, journals and focus group interviews. Transcripts provided a rich bank of data of which only exemplars were used to highlight trends and to illustrate how theoretical constructs were used as analytical tools. The theoretical constructs used were Toulmin’s (1958/2003) Argumentation Pattern (TAP), Ogunniyi’s (1997) Contiguity Argumentation Theory (CAT) and Banduras’ Social Cognitive Theory (1986). The findings showed that the pre-service teachers appeared to overestimate their sense of self-efficacy (i.e. the ease and comfort) in using DAIM to implement a science- IK curriculum at the pre-test than at the post-test. The study also identified important implications for policy, teacher training programmes, teaching practice, pre-service science teachers, learners and further research. Furthermore, the pre-service reflective experiences indicated their increased awareness of the challenges and successes related to using dialogical argumentation to integrate a science-IK lesson. The most important contribution of this study to an argumentation paradigm was the emergence of a visual model called the Pyramid Argumentation Model that succinctly connected the apparent disparate module units in a holistic way (To be discussed in follow-up reports). The findings revealed numerous complexities as the participants navigated their own cosmologies of a scientific worldview and that of their indigenous knowledge worldview. Finally, the findings have not only corroborated the findings in earlier studies with respect to the merits and demerits of argumentation instruction but also identified various challenges that prospective and even practicing teachers might encounter in an attempt to make school science relevant to the sociocultural environment of learners especially those living in indigenous or traditional societies like the participants in this study.

Garantir que todas as crianças tenham acesso à educação escolar de qualidade é uma das maiores preocupações no atual cenário social, político e cultural do nosso país. Para que esse objetivo seja atingido, é preciso formar professores bem preparados, capazes de se envolver e participar da formação cultural e cidadã dos alunos. Apesar da importância social do papel do professor, a carreira é pouco atrativa devido a fatores como baixos salários, péssimas condições de trabalho, dentre outros. No entanto, mesmo diante dessa perspectiva desanimadora, existem estudantes que desejam se tornar professores. Na presente pesquisa foram analisados os diálogos de um grupo de estudantes de um curso de Licenciatura em Ciências da Natureza da escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades da Universidade de São Paulo durante uma sessão de grupo focal com o objetivo de identificar alguns dos motivos que os levaram a escolher a profissão docente. As respostas e os diálogos forneceram um rico material para nos aproximar do que pensam estes professores em formação inicial. Inicialmente, elaboramos um questionário para identificar alunos que possuíam o desejo de se tornar professores. O questionário foi respondido por diversos alunos do curso de Licenciatura em Ciências da Natureza. Sete estudantes que expressaram a vontade em seguir a carreira docente foram convidados a participar de um grupo focal. A discussão foi gravada e posteriormente transcrita para análise de dados, que se deu através da análise textual discursiva. Durante o estudo, emergiram nove categorias, que possuíam algumas características em comum. Assim, elas foram agrupadas no que denominamos de domínios: o Individual e o Social. As categorias emergentes do domínio Individual são: reconhecimento - desejo de ser admirado pelos outros; vocação - crença que se possui uma aptidão nata; admiração pela docência - apreço pela profissão; conhecimento - gosto pelo aprendizado; e relação ético/afetiva - prazer na relação com o aluno. As categorias do domínio Social são: relação ético/transformadora - possibilitar que o aluno mude sua própria realidade; política - comprometimento em lutar por uma educação de qualidade e engajar os alunos nas questões políticas; importância para a sociedade - reconhecimento do caráter essencial da profissão em relação a formação de todos os cidadãos; e transformação - potencial de transformar a sociedade. As categorias foram organizadas partindo da mais íntima e pessoal para a mais abrangente e coletiva. Depois, traçamos um paralelo entre as categorias e as regulações do contínuo de motivação da Teoria da Autodeterminação. Concluímos que os licenciandos em Ciências da Natureza que desejam se tornar professores podem possuir diversas regulações que os motivam. Essas regulações podem ser muito individuais ou compreender razões que envolvam o coletivo. A análise dos dados e do estudo dos referenciais teóricos aponta para uma crise de sentido no papel do professor. Os alunos compreendem a importância do professor, entretanto apontam muitos aspectos negativos da carreira. É necessário oferecer melhores salários e condições de trabalho, além de proporcionar uma formação inicial e continuada de qualidade. Assim, é possível aumentar a atratividade da profissão e formar cada vez mais professores comprometidos e empenhados na formação de uma sociedade mais justa e democrática. / Ensuring that all children have access to quality education is a major concern in our country\'s current social, political and cultural scene. In order for this objective to be achieved, it is necessary to train well-prepared teachers capable of becoming involved and participating in the students\' cultural and citizen formation. Despite the social importance of the role of the teacher, the career is unattractive due to factors such as low wages, poor working conditions, among others. However, even in the face of this discouraging prospect, there are students who wish to become teachers. In the present research were analyzed the dialogues of Naturals Sciences degree students\' group of School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities of the University of São Paulo during a focus group session that aimed of identifying some of the reasons that led them to choose the teaching profession. The answers and dialogues provided a rich material that bring us closer to what these teachers in inicial formation think. Initially, we developed a questionnaire that aimed to identify students who had the desire to become teachers. Several students of Natural Sciences degree answered the questionnaire. Seven students who expressed their willingness to start a teaching career were invited to participate in a focus group. The discussion was recorded and later transcribed for data analysis, which occurred through the discursive textual analysis. During the study, nine categories emerged, which of them had some common feature. Thus, they were grouped into what we\'ve called domains: the Individual and the Social. The emergent categories of the Individual domain are: recognition - desire to be admired by others; Vocation - belief that has a natural ability; Admiration for teaching - appreciation for the profession; Knowledge - learning appreciation; And ethical / affective relationship - pleasure in the relationship with the student. The categories of the Social domain are: ethical / transforming relationship - enable the student to change his / her own reality; Policy - commitment to strive for quality education and engaging students in policy issues; Importance to society - recognition of the essential character of the profession in relation to the formation of all citizens; And transformation - the potential of transforming the society. The categories were organized from the most intimate and personal to the most comprehensive and collective. Then we draw a parallel between the categories and the regulations of the motivational continuum of Self-Determination Theory. We conclude that the major students in Natural Sciences that wish to become professors can have several regulations that motivate them. These regulations can be very individual or understand reasons involving the collective. The analysis of the data and the study of the theoretical references points to a crisis of meaning in the teacher\'s role. Students understand the importance of the teacher, however they point out many negative aspects of the career. It is necessary to offer better wages and working conditions, as well as to provide initial and continuing quality training. Thus, it is possible to increase the attractiveness of the profession and to train more and more teachers who are committed to the formation of a more just and democratic society.

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The purpose of this study was to understand one case of undergraduate inquiry-based science instruction through the words and actions of college science faculty. The case details the progression of curriculum development and implementation of Frontiers of Science. The specific aim of this study was to examine how a team of multi-disciplinary college science faculty created an inquiry-based course, centralized around scientific Habits of Mind, for undergraduate non-science majors. The participants for this study included four faculty instructors. I found the instructors’ course goals—(a) teaching students how scientists do science, and (b) using multi-disciplinary content to develop students’ content knowledge of the big ideas in science—were consistent with my field observations and the students’ evaluations of their experience in the course. This study also documents novel Communities of Practice (CoP) within the science faculty and Science Teaching Fellows (STFs). Cognitive Apprenticeship occurred between the faculty to the more novice STFs and helped to increase pedagogical skills as well as refine formal and informal assessments. This study is the one of first to document college science instructors centering their instruction around the scientific Habits of Mind to teach multidisciplinary science content in both large lecture format (500+ students) and smaller seminars (20 students) using inquiry-based activities.

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Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of school libraries in supporting an inquiry based approach for teaching and learning science subjects in senior secondary schools in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The significance of this study revolves round the prominence given to science education being a mechanism for realising national advancement in Nigeria. This was emphasised in the Nigeria National Policy on Education (2013) as the Federal Government of Nigeria adopted science education as an instrument for effecting national development. This study addressed the following research questions: What is the status of secondary school libraries in Ekiti State, Nigeria? To what extent does the quality of library resources influence science curriculum implementation? To what extent do science teachers advocate using information resources beyond textbooks?

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