It has been discovered that in many countries, both locally and internationally, girls have low participation rates in science at secondary school level. This thesis examines the factors that underscore the persistence of girls' low participation rates in schools. The major reason for this examination is to establish ways in which secondary school teachers, interested individuals or groups of people, and the ministry of education in Lesotho can manage this problem. Kelly (1981) argues that causes of girls' negative attitudes towards science are multifaceted. Thus, in attempting to understand these causes and to develop strategies to manage this behaviour, a single approach, which focuses on student-teacher classroom interaction, was considered. This thesis therefore, seeks to investigate the responses of girls and science teachers in schools with least numbers of girls having opted for science in the last five years. Due to less numbers of science teachers in schools, I involved in this study, all those found in schools surveyed. To survey girls' responses to this problem, I drew a random sample of both those who have opted for, and those who have opted out of science. I then used a self-administered questionnaire as the research instrument for this study. Basing myself on my judgement's analysis, I therefore concluded that gender discrimination is the major source of girls' negative attitudes towards science in Lesotho, the country that condones female subordination. The unfavourable learning atmosphere that male teachers create for girls in science lessons, such as, the harassment, the harshness, deprivation of opportunity to participate in class, to use the laboratory equipment and other ways and means of ill-treating and frustrating girls are all a result of male domination. A number of recommendations to manage this problem have therefore been proposed. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

This study sought to explore teachers' experiences in teaching Mathematics and Science through second language in Standard 4 at rural primary schools in Lesotho. In addressing this purpose, a qualitative case study method of data production was used. The participants were four Standard 4 Mathematics and Science teachers from three selected schools. Qualitative data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and lesson observations in the classroom. These were analyzed using a qualitative thematic approach. The study is informed by Vygotsky‟s social constructivist theory and Shulman‟s pedagogical content knowledge theory. The findings revealed that teachers experienced several challenges in teaching Mathematics and Science through second language in a transitional class. The greatest challenge that the participants experienced was the language that is used for instruction in Standard 4. According to the Educational Policy of the Government of Lesotho, English has been approved as the medium of instruction (MOI) from Standard 4 upwards. In Standards 1-3 pupils are taught in their mother tongue (Sesotho); thereafter the MOI changes to English. The participants reported that the shift from Sesotho to English posed a serious problem in the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in Standard 4. They further claimed that most pupils in Standard 4 do not proceed to the next class, since these two subjects are core subjects and the MOI makes passing them problematic. Teachers regularly employed code-switching as a strategy to make meaning for their pupils in their classrooms. It is recommended that the Government of Lesotho should consider changing the medium of instruction to English from Standard 1. It is also recommended that the inspectorate service should be decentralised and that one teacher at primary level should not teach all the subjects but teach according to specialisation. There should also be more regular in-service training of Mathematics and Science teachers. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.

The Problem: The problem investigated is the preparation of science teachers at institutions for the education of Indians in Natal. In this study a brief comparison of the preparation of science teachers is also made with some institutions in Great Britain and parts of the United States of America. Motivation: In 1968 the writer participated in a Summer Institute in Pennsylvania in the United States. It was there that he was exposed to modern science curriculum projects and new trends in the teaching of science. Being a lecturer in science at a college of education, he was motivated to examine current trends in science education and more particularly the preparation of science teachers amongst Indians. Methods and materials used in the investigation: The following methods were used: 1. For background information books, journals, periodicals, reports etc. were consulted. 2. To examine the position of science teaching at high schools and to find out some of the problems with which science teachers are confronted, questionnaires were used. Questionnaires were also administered to first year students at a college of education in order to get some idea of the teaching of science and its problems from the students' point of view. 3. Visits were made to various institutions in Britain and America to examine science education programmes. 4. Personal interviews were held with the lecturing staff at institutions overseas and at the Springfield College of Education and University of Durban Westville. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1975.

This study was concerned with science teachers' professional development activities in KwaZulu-Natal and finding out their views on the effectiveness of those professional development activities. It intended also to highlight both science teachers' perceived needs for improving their existing skills and ways of helping them to best address those needs. A postal questionnaire was sent to science teachers and interviews were conducted and tape-recorded with in-service providers. These data collection tools aimed at answering the questions: Firstly, what professional development activities are science teachers in KwaZulu-Natal participating in? Secondly, what kinds of professional development activities are considered to be the most effective? Thirdly, what competencies are recognised as in need of professional development? Lastly, what in the view of teachers and providers are considered to be the most effective ways of improving these competencies? The data from both the postal questionnaire and interviews were coded, captured, analysed, and interpreted. Among the more significant findings were: (a) workshops were the professional development activity most attended by science teachers in the study closely followed by formal courses; (b) teachers considered formal courses that led to a degree or a diploma that helped them to improve professionally, as the most effective professional development activity while providers felt the quality of the development activity was more important than the type of activity; (c) teachers in the study considered the understanding of OBE and the new curriculum as their most pressing needs while providers saw the need for an improvement of content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge; and (d) in the opinion of teachers, their daily practice would most likely be improved if equipped laboratories and libraries were made available. These findings should assist policy makers and in-service providers in terms of rethinking ways of providing professional development activities by taking into account science teachers' perceived needs and views about the best ways of meeting these needs. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

The Advanced Certificate in Education Programme was launched in 2002 at the School of Education, Training and Development, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, in an attempt to upgrade and retrain science educators, given the drastic shortage of qualified science educators in South Africa. This research study investigated the development of scientific literacy within a group of fifteen educators during the first semester of their two-year Advanced Certificate in Education Programme. The study focused on scientific literacy and the relationship between language comprehension skills, readability and scientific literacy. This study aimed to examine whether the Natural Sciences and Biological Sciences module of the Advanced Certificate in Education Programme was effective in raising the level of scientific literacy of educators. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in the collection of data. Students wrote a pre-test at the beginning of the first semester and the same test was written as the post-test at the end of the first semester. Semi-structured interviews with tutors were also conducted. Responses of students in the Student Evaluation Questionnaire, given at the end of their first year of study, were analysed to ascertain their perceptions about the tutors, their knowledge and understanding of the content and skills of the modules and the learning material. The questions used in the achievement test were adapted from the question bank of the Science Achievement Test used for Grade 8 learners in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat in 1998/1999. The same achievement test was used in the pre-test and post-test, using questions from the Life Science and Scientific Inquiry and the Nature of Science content areas. The results from this research study indicated that although the level of scientific literacy of educators improved, it was not statistically significant. The study also highlights that language and comprehension skills and inability of students to express their answers in writing hampered their performance in the scientific literacy test. This was demonstrated by the significant positive correlation between language comprehension and readability with scientific literacy. Specific areas of conceptual difficulty were also highlighted in this study. Implications of these findings for further research and delivery of mixed-mode programmes are discussed. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003

The BSc4 (Foundation) programme offered at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) caters for students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds, with lower matriculation points, offering them the opportunity to pursue studies in science. The students in the BSc4 (Foundation) programme are registered for foundation modules in science, viz. biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics as well as an academic literacy course. It is in the context of these foundation modules in science within the BSc4 (Foundation) programme that this study is undertaken. This study explores the discipline-specific literacies that the BSc4 (Foundation) students require in order to learn science and to acquire science discourse. The study uses case study as a research design, the interpretive research paradigm and the qualitative research approach to analyse data obtained from multiple research instruments. Research findings reveal that with the change in student profile, module changes within the BSc4 (Foundation) programme were implemented. In light of these, the study explores factors such as the ‘articulation gap’ between school and university; and disadvantaged educational experiences. The findings also suggest that students experience challenges with the use of the language of science and the use of discipline-specific literacies in science in the modules offered in the BSc4 (Foundation) programme. However, there exists the scope for stronger engagement between the academics who teach the foundation modules in science and the academic literacy specialists to assist students in the acquisition of the discipline-specific literacies required to learn science and for science discourse. / Ph.D. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.

Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to document the three-year journey of 16 effective teachers in an elementary science, inservice project in order to gain understanding of factors which influence the development of investigative science teaching skills and commitment. The need for this study arises from the paucity of elementary teachers able to teach science in a fashion advocated by national science groups, and from the difficulty of bringing about lasting, widespread changes in science teaching. A triangulation was accomplished by examining Stages of Concern statements, teacher portfolios, and Levels of Use of the Innovation interviews.The findings underline the length of time and the intensity of involvement associated with full acceptance of investigative science teaching by this sample of teachers. There was a progression in Stages of Concern from self, to management of the science setting, to student effects, to helping other teachers.Analysis of "best selection" portfolios by trained raters, using analytic/holistic rubrics, showed that by the end of the second year the teachers were proficient in their ability to: guide students in the use of process skills to investigate concepts; conduct student assessments; design age-appropriate lessons; allow time for concept understanding; and, uncover, rather than "cover," topics. In spite of this proficiency, the teachers continued to have concerns about management and student achievement with each new unit.By the end of year two, teachers were still teaching some units exactly as presented in the workshop, but many teachers were also starting to make modifications which, for some, led to integration across disciplines. It was not until the end of the second year that 56 percent of the teachers expressed the need to share their expertise. And, it was not until the end of the third year that 43 percent of the teachers were most concerned about sharing with other teachers. Coincidentally, the Levels of Use of the Innovation interview at this time revealed that teachers were involved in a variety of strategies for helping colleagues improve their science teaching. The interviews also identified the solidification of social/professional relationships that evolved during the project. / Department of Biology

Assessment of science process skills in the elementary school is essential to a hands-on science program. Concern arises with the realization that there are few performance assessment instruments of science process skills, and most of the available instruments do not have documented reliability and validity standards. This study examines the reliability and validity of a set of science performance assessment instruments through the application of currently available statistical methods. The Performance Assessment of Science Skills (PASS) tests, which were formulated by S. M. Johnson as an alternative assessment of science process skills in the elementary school grades, are the subject of investigation.Third-grade students completed PASS instruments which measured the process skills of observation, binary classification, and measurement, and fifth-grade students completed PASS instruments which measured the science process skills of prediction, designing a controlled experiment, and hierarchicalclassification.Reliability and validity for the PASS instruments focused on alternate form reliability, internal reliability, inter-rater reliability and construct validity. This study revealed that statistical reliability and validity can be documented for some alternative assessments of science process skills. / Department of Biology

This creative project consisted of the development of a workbook entitled, Building a Chemical Background for the Study of Biological Sciences. The workbook has been created for use in advanced high school level science classes or as a reference in undergraduate college biology courses. The workbook covers the following subject: atomic structures, covalent bonding, acids and bases, energy, water, hydrocarbons, functional groups, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.Field-testing was done on the workbook by one advanced high school chemistry class and two college freshman level biology classes. The percent gain for the high school field-testing was 68.9%, while the percent gain for the college experimental group was 22.7% and the percent gain for the college control group was 20.9%.

This study implemented an experimental introductory CS course for non-CS majors focusing on two pedagogic factors: 1) the use of a visual blocks programming language known as App Inventor for Android (AIA) and 2) the adoption of SBL as the main teaching methodology. Participants included 30 undergraduates enrolled in two introductory CS courses; the experimental course (CS116) and a traditional lecture oriented CS course. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) was implemented in both courses at several stages. Statistically significant differences were found in the Control of Learning Beliefs, Help Seeking, and Intrinsic Motivation scales, were CS116’s participants scored higher rates. In CS116, entry and exit interviews were conducted as well as a mind maps analysis. Their results showed a positive response to the pedagogic factors, positive attitudes towards CS, and an improvement in the understanding of CS. The majority of participants did very well and showed creativity with not one student failing the course. They found the experimental course to cultivate collaboration, creativity, and motivation to learn. The experimental approach was found have a positive effect on students’ motivation, achievement, and attitude towards CS. / Department of Computer Science