The importance of a scientifically literate society is currently acknowledged both internationally and South Africa. The notion of scientific literacy in South Africa has emerged largely due to the government’s recognition of the role that science and technology plays in economic growth, employment creation, social redress and social development. However, in light of South Africa’s learner performance on international and national assessments such as TIMMS (2003) and PIRLS (2006), as well as the problems of teaching and learning in a second language, there appears to be a primary and pressing need to develop learners’ fundamental sense of scientific literacy (Norris & Phillips, 2003). Expanding learners’ ability to read, write and communicate in science may provide the necessary framework for engaging learners in the critical principles and foundations of the scientific endeavour (Hand, Prain, & Yore, 2001). As such, this study focuses on equipping and training grade six and seven science teachers to develop scientifically literate learners via professional development workshops with a strategy that supports reading, writing, talking and conducting (‘doing’) science through scientific investigations. The typology of triangulation and the mixed method research approach was supported by a fully mixed, concurrent, and equal status design (Leech & Onwuegbuzi, 2007). Quantitative data were collected from the baseline and post-intervention testing of learners’ problem solving skills, as well as their literacy skills in English and isiXhosa. Qualitative measures were generated through classroom observations, teacher interviews and learners’ science notebooks. The study was conducted in two different milieus in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The first setting, in the rural area of Tyumie Valley near the Hogsback Mountains, was comprised of a sample of grade six and seven (multi-grade classrooms) teachers (n=7) and learners (n=168) from five experimental schools and two comparison schools. The second setting, in the urban townships area east of Port Elizabeth, was comprised of a sample of grade six teachers (n=8) and learners (n=675) from six experimental schools and two comparison schools. Mean differences between the experimental and the comparison groups were computed for the Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM) and the literacy tests, and the data generated were treated with an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The data suggest that the scientific literacy strategy improved the experimental learners’ problem solving skills. Both experimental groups demonstrated greater gains than that of the comparison schools. However, statistically significant improvements were only detected in Port Elizabeth. Improvements in learners’ literacy skills in isiXhosa and English varied according to each milieu. While the teachers initially identified challenges to learners’ reading and writing abilities, the analysis of learners’ science notebooks suggested that they used writings to support their investigations. Some teachers cited difficulties with certain aspects of the model, such as problems with developing an investigable question and argumentation, yet overall, teachers found the strategy useful for developing learners’ language skills, as well for strengthening their pedagogical practices in science. Teachers’ gradual improvements in the use of the model suggest that they were able to use the scientific literacy strategy to support the cognitive and linguistic development of second-language learners.

Thesis (MPhil (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / This study investigates the degree to which Physical Science teachers (grades 10-12) are ready for the implementation of the new curriculum (NCS) and to what degree they, as well as the grade 9 Natural Science teachers, are capable of incorporating environmental issues in the curriculum. Data was collected by means of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.

This thesis examines existing curricula at colleges and universities about sustainability and uses results to develop an introductory post secondary course curriculum. The proposed course is organized around three major elements - - science, philosophy, and economics - - all integral to understanding sustainability. Materials needed to teach the proposed 3-semester hour course including syllabus, teaching modules, transparencies, handouts, and exams were developed. Suggestions on how to teach a one-semester hour course on sustainability and a workshop on sustainability are also presented. The following research and curriculum development was a project established and funded by the Texas Energy Office, Renewable Resources and Sustainability Program.

M.Ed. / This study was conducted with the main aim to inquire into the possibilities of the integration of themes on HIV/AIDS into the Natural Sciences (Grades 7-9) and Life Sciences (Grades 10-12) curriculum in such a way that learners can become aware of the danger of an epidemic such as caused by HIV/AIDS, and start to take care of themselves. The researcher also wanted to explore the views of educators as stakeholders’ perseverance and strategies for combating the pandemic spread of the HIV/AIDS amongst our youth and everyone else. It is generally accepted that many schools are already experiencing the effects of the disease as teachers, learners and members of their families fall ill and even die. This often results in the disruption of the normal school programme. At present, the assumption can be made that there is no integration of themes, knowledge and life skills on HIV/AIDS and the Natural Sciences (Grade 7-9) and Life Sciences (Grade 10-12) curriculum, and no teaching about the consequences of this disease. It is clear that HIV/AIDS, Natural Sciences (Grade 7-9) and Life Sciences (Grade 10-12) programmes should be designed to enable young learners to develop the skills, knowledge, attitudes and values that will prepare them to identify and solve problems and make decisions for their own benefit. At the same time, Natural Sciences (Grade 7-9) and Life Sciences (Grade 10-12) help learners to develop basic personal and community health knowledge and skills that would benefit the whole community. They will also learn about their rights and responsibilities and the causes and impact of problems that may affect their health and safety because the HIV/AIDS programmes can also be incorporated into the Natural Sciences (Grade 7-9) and Life Sciences (Grade 10-12) curriculum. Natural Sciences (Grade 7-9) and Life Sciences (Grade 10-12), and themes on HIV/AIDS, link closely to the knowledge and experiences the learners bring with them to school. The programmes should affirm both this prior knowledge and experience, and assist in the development of new life skills out of it. The Department of Education is expecting that the issue of HIV/AIDS should be taught in school. The problem that arises is HOW TO link or integrate HIV/AIDS and Natural Sciences (Grade 7-9) and Life Sciences (Grade 10-12). The educators need to be capacitated through in-service training and workshops to enable them to handle the issue of HIV/AIDS with all the sensitivity it deserves. Where teachers can draw on their relevant professional experiences and expertise to integrate and strengthen their Natural Sciences (Grade 7-9) and Life Sciences (Grade 10-12) skills, they should do so without hesitation. At the same time they should address the development of appropriate life skills and knowledge on HIV/AIDS to deal with the consequences of the disease and how to fight it. / Dr. M.C. van Loggerenberg

No description available.

Acompanha: A abordagem temática “reciclagem” integrando o currículo de ciências do ensino fundamental: investigando a percepção dos professores / Este trabalho investigou a percepção dos professores de ciências com relação à temática ambiental reciclagem no ensino de ciências do Colégio Estadual Olavo Bilac situado no município de Cantagalo/Pr. Defende-se que a reciclagem deve ser abordada em sala de aula de forma local, a fim de proporcionar aos estudantes mudanças de atitude com relação ao meio ambiente ao qual estão inseridos. Essa investigação traz como ponto de partida reflexões teóricas acerca dos documentos oficiais PCN e DCE e a educação ambiental através do tempo. Realizamos uma pesquisa qualitativa na modalidade de estudo de caso aplicando um questionário aos professores que ministram aulas de ciências nesta escola. Os questionários foram analisados por modalidades envolvendo escola, currículo, professores e sociedade. Os professores consultados evidenciaram que a influência no comportamento dos estudantes é possível, desde que seja efetivado um trabalho pedagógico continuado, não se esgotando na sala de aula, mas envolvendo o desenvolvimento de ações educativas que possam mobilizar os estudantes e envolver a própria comunidade. Os professores percebem a necessidade de uma prática de ensino diferenciada, mas ainda encontram dificuldades, como a de conseguir abordar todo o conteúdo curricular definido. As respostas do questionário nos levaram a construir uma unidade didática chamada “Cartilha da Reciclagem” que aborda a reciclagem de maneira local com particularidades do município, destinada aos professores a fim de enriquecer as aulas de ciências. / This study investigated the perception of Science teachers regarding environmental recycling theme in the science education from the OlavoBilacState School, located in the city of Cantagalo/PR. Argues that the recycling should be addressed in the classroom locally, in other to provide to students changings in the attitude towards the environment, which they belong. This research brings as a starting point for theoretical reflections, the official documents PCN and DCE and environmental education beyond the time. We conducted a qualitative study in the form of case study applying a questionnaire to the teachers that teach science at this school. These questionnaires were analyzed in themes such as school, curriculum, teachers and society, which provides a perception that an influence in the students‟ behavior is possible, using a continued pedagogical work, not extinguishing the classroom, but involving the development of actions in education that can mobilize the students to be part of the community. Teachers perceive the need of a differentiate education practice, but still have difficulties in address all the curricular content. The answers to the questionnaire led us to build a teaching unit called “Primer on Recycling”, that covers the local city recycling for teachers to enrich the science classes.

Acompanha: A abordagem temática “reciclagem” integrando o currículo de ciências do ensino fundamental: investigando a percepção dos professores / Este trabalho investigou a percepção dos professores de ciências com relação à temática ambiental reciclagem no ensino de ciências do Colégio Estadual Olavo Bilac situado no município de Cantagalo/Pr. Defende-se que a reciclagem deve ser abordada em sala de aula de forma local, a fim de proporcionar aos estudantes mudanças de atitude com relação ao meio ambiente ao qual estão inseridos. Essa investigação traz como ponto de partida reflexões teóricas acerca dos documentos oficiais PCN e DCE e a educação ambiental através do tempo. Realizamos uma pesquisa qualitativa na modalidade de estudo de caso aplicando um questionário aos professores que ministram aulas de ciências nesta escola. Os questionários foram analisados por modalidades envolvendo escola, currículo, professores e sociedade. Os professores consultados evidenciaram que a influência no comportamento dos estudantes é possível, desde que seja efetivado um trabalho pedagógico continuado, não se esgotando na sala de aula, mas envolvendo o desenvolvimento de ações educativas que possam mobilizar os estudantes e envolver a própria comunidade. Os professores percebem a necessidade de uma prática de ensino diferenciada, mas ainda encontram dificuldades, como a de conseguir abordar todo o conteúdo curricular definido. As respostas do questionário nos levaram a construir uma unidade didática chamada “Cartilha da Reciclagem” que aborda a reciclagem de maneira local com particularidades do município, destinada aos professores a fim de enriquecer as aulas de ciências. / This study investigated the perception of Science teachers regarding environmental recycling theme in the science education from the OlavoBilacState School, located in the city of Cantagalo/PR. Argues that the recycling should be addressed in the classroom locally, in other to provide to students changings in the attitude towards the environment, which they belong. This research brings as a starting point for theoretical reflections, the official documents PCN and DCE and environmental education beyond the time. We conducted a qualitative study in the form of case study applying a questionnaire to the teachers that teach science at this school. These questionnaires were analyzed in themes such as school, curriculum, teachers and society, which provides a perception that an influence in the students‟ behavior is possible, using a continued pedagogical work, not extinguishing the classroom, but involving the development of actions in education that can mobilize the students to be part of the community. Teachers perceive the need of a differentiate education practice, but still have difficulties in address all the curricular content. The answers to the questionnaire led us to build a teaching unit called “Primer on Recycling”, that covers the local city recycling for teachers to enrich the science classes.

This study explored the effectiveness of a student question creation process engaging students actively in self, peer, and instructor interaction in development of affective, cognitive, and meta-cognitive skills. Employing a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design assigning both treatment and control activities sequentially in an alternating pattern over a six week period, students' performance on exams as well as their perceptions of various aspects of the student question creation process were used to evaluate the effectiveness of student-created questions (SCQs) activities as a cognitive strategy and to identify factors contributing to the effectiveness of question creation activities on students' learning. Subjects of this study were high performing and highly motivated graduate students in an 8-week online biomedical statistics course, part of a specialized master's program designed for medical school preparation. Survey findings and focus groups strongly supported the student question creation process as a facilitator of higher order thinking. However, the relatively short study duration, comparison of student question creation with another competing method for facilitating learning (discussion board) and not a pure control group, and availability of a common study guide course with student-created questions on all course topics may have muted assessment of the full impact of the strategy on learning. Although practically difficult in an education environment, further research to assess fully the impact of the student question creation strategy is desirable especially if these confounding factors can be greatly minimized, if not eliminated.

Acompanha produto:"Pegada ecológica do lixo" / A Educação Ambiental de forma transversal no currículo escolar contribui para contextualização do ensino. Além da ótima receptividade, as discussões dos temas ambientais trazem para o Ensino de Ciências contribuições que permitem despertar o sentido de pertencimento e tomada de responsabilidade em relação ao meio ambiente. Nessa dissertação o objetivo foi analisar o desenvolvimento crítico, analítico e científico de estudantes do 6ºano do Ensino Fundamental do Colégio Estadual Júlia Wanderlei, de Curitiba-PR. Para isso foi desenvolvido um Recurso Educacional Aberto com o tema “Pegada Ecológica do Lixo” e aplicado numa Sequência Didática para uso nas aulas de Ciências com enfoque na Educação Ambiental. A metodologia da pesquisa foi qualitativa na modalidade pesquisa participante. Os dados foram coletados através da aplicação de um questionário inicial antes da aplicação da Sequência Didática e outro depois. A análise dos dados teve como método a Análise de conteúdo onde se constatou no questionário inicial pouco ou quase inexistente alfabetização científica relacionada à temática estudada, além de uma crítica moderada, carente de argumentos e pouco analítica quanto à problemática do lixo. O questionário final permitiu verificar que as discussões acerca da Educação Ambiental de forma contextualizada no Ensino de Ciências possibilitaram a sensibilização dos estudantes quanto ao Meio Ambiente evidenciando suas potencialidades, suscitando a adoção de posturas pessoais e comportamentos sociais construtivos, colaborando para a construção de um ambiente saudável. Pôde-se concluir que é preciso inserir a Educação Ambiental no currículo escolar e no Ensino de Ciências de forma contextualizada e romper com práticas isoladas e pontuais e com a Educação mecanicista e conservadora, visto que o desenvolvimento de ações integradas e participativas potencializa as discussões que emergem das relações entre os seres humanos, sociedade e natureza. Além disso, a sensibilização dos estudantes quantos aos problemas da geração e destino do lixo os tornam em cidadãos críticos, analíticos e conhecedores das ciências, sendo ativos na preservação do Meio Ambiente. / Environmental Education across the school curriculum contributes to the contextualization of education. Besides the great receptivity, the discussions of the environmental themes bring to Science Education contributions that allow awakening the sense of belonging and taking responsibility in relation to the environment. In this dissertation the objective was to analyze the critical, analytical and scientific development of students from the 6th grade of Elementary School of the Júlia Wanderlei State College, Curitiba-PR. For this, an Open Educational Resource with the theme "Garbage Ecological Footprint" was developed and applied in a Didactic Sequence for use in Science classes focusing on Environmental Education. The research methodology was qualitative in the participant research modality. The data were collected through the application of an initial questionnaire before the application of the Didactic Sequence and another one afterwards. The analysis of the data had as a method Content analysis where the initial questionnaire found little or almost no scientific literacy related to the subject studied, as well as a moderate criticism, lacking in arguments and little analytical regarding the problem of garbage. The final questionnaire allowed us to verify that the discussions about Environmental Education in a contextualized way in Science Teaching made it possible to raise students' awareness about the Environment, highlighting their potentialities, leading to the adoption of personal postures and constructive social behaviors, collaborating to construct an environment healthy. It could be concluded that it is necessary to insert Environmental Education in the school curriculum and in the teaching of science in a contextualized way and to break with isolated and punctual practices and with the mechanistic and conservative Education, since the development of integrated and participative actions potentiates the discussions that emerge from the relationships between human beings, society and nature. In addition, the students' awareness of the problems of the generation and destination of garbage make them critical, analytical and knowledgeable citizens of the sciences, being active in the preservation of the Environment.

Acompanha produto:"Pegada ecológica do lixo" / A Educação Ambiental de forma transversal no currículo escolar contribui para contextualização do ensino. Além da ótima receptividade, as discussões dos temas ambientais trazem para o Ensino de Ciências contribuições que permitem despertar o sentido de pertencimento e tomada de responsabilidade em relação ao meio ambiente. Nessa dissertação o objetivo foi analisar o desenvolvimento crítico, analítico e científico de estudantes do 6ºano do Ensino Fundamental do Colégio Estadual Júlia Wanderlei, de Curitiba-PR. Para isso foi desenvolvido um Recurso Educacional Aberto com o tema “Pegada Ecológica do Lixo” e aplicado numa Sequência Didática para uso nas aulas de Ciências com enfoque na Educação Ambiental. A metodologia da pesquisa foi qualitativa na modalidade pesquisa participante. Os dados foram coletados através da aplicação de um questionário inicial antes da aplicação da Sequência Didática e outro depois. A análise dos dados teve como método a Análise de conteúdo onde se constatou no questionário inicial pouco ou quase inexistente alfabetização científica relacionada à temática estudada, além de uma crítica moderada, carente de argumentos e pouco analítica quanto à problemática do lixo. O questionário final permitiu verificar que as discussões acerca da Educação Ambiental de forma contextualizada no Ensino de Ciências possibilitaram a sensibilização dos estudantes quanto ao Meio Ambiente evidenciando suas potencialidades, suscitando a adoção de posturas pessoais e comportamentos sociais construtivos, colaborando para a construção de um ambiente saudável. Pôde-se concluir que é preciso inserir a Educação Ambiental no currículo escolar e no Ensino de Ciências de forma contextualizada e romper com práticas isoladas e pontuais e com a Educação mecanicista e conservadora, visto que o desenvolvimento de ações integradas e participativas potencializa as discussões que emergem das relações entre os seres humanos, sociedade e natureza. Além disso, a sensibilização dos estudantes quantos aos problemas da geração e destino do lixo os tornam em cidadãos críticos, analíticos e conhecedores das ciências, sendo ativos na preservação do Meio Ambiente. / Environmental Education across the school curriculum contributes to the contextualization of education. Besides the great receptivity, the discussions of the environmental themes bring to Science Education contributions that allow awakening the sense of belonging and taking responsibility in relation to the environment. In this dissertation the objective was to analyze the critical, analytical and scientific development of students from the 6th grade of Elementary School of the Júlia Wanderlei State College, Curitiba-PR. For this, an Open Educational Resource with the theme "Garbage Ecological Footprint" was developed and applied in a Didactic Sequence for use in Science classes focusing on Environmental Education. The research methodology was qualitative in the participant research modality. The data were collected through the application of an initial questionnaire before the application of the Didactic Sequence and another one afterwards. The analysis of the data had as a method Content analysis where the initial questionnaire found little or almost no scientific literacy related to the subject studied, as well as a moderate criticism, lacking in arguments and little analytical regarding the problem of garbage. The final questionnaire allowed us to verify that the discussions about Environmental Education in a contextualized way in Science Teaching made it possible to raise students' awareness about the Environment, highlighting their potentialities, leading to the adoption of personal postures and constructive social behaviors, collaborating to construct an environment healthy. It could be concluded that it is necessary to insert Environmental Education in the school curriculum and in the teaching of science in a contextualized way and to break with isolated and punctual practices and with the mechanistic and conservative Education, since the development of integrated and participative actions potentiates the discussions that emerge from the relationships between human beings, society and nature. In addition, the students' awareness of the problems of the generation and destination of garbage make them critical, analytical and knowledgeable citizens of the sciences, being active in the preservation of the Environment.