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The purpose of this study is to determine the status of elementary science curricula in the different state universities and the leading teachers colleges in the United States.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research study investigated the use of a practical activities-based approach to Physical Sciences teaching using TRAC equipment to address learner conceptual difficulties in Electricity and Magnetism (E&M). TRAC uses practical activities based on the school curriculum to complement the theory through the utilisation of data logging equipment linked to a computer. The participants in this study were a group of black Grade 11 learners (n=47) from a township school in the province of the Western Cape, South Africa. Their ages range from 16 to 21, with isiXhosa the home language of most of them. A mixed methods approach was utilized to gather the research data. Quantitative data was collected, using pre- and post-testing of learners to determine their conceptual difficulties in E&M, as well as to measure the effect of the practical activities-based approach in addressing learner conceptual difficulties in E&M. Null hypotheses were formulated for the six concepts and t-tests were used to find any statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-test. Qualitative data was obtained from the learner transcripts, as well as from the questionnaires and observation schedules. The results indicated significant improvements in learner understanding of the concepts in five out of the six tests as well as reducing commonly held misconceptions in E&M. It is recommended that careful scaffolding should be done during a practical activity in order for learners to make the connection between the domains of observables and ideas. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingstudie het die gebruik van ‘n praktiese aktiwiteitsgebaseerde benadering tot Fisiese Wetenskappe onderrig met behulp van TRAC apparaat ondersoek. Die doel was om leerders se konseptuele haakplekke in Elektrisiteit en Magnitisme (E&M) aan te spreek. TRAC maak gebruik van ‘data logging’ apparaat om die teorie deur middel van praktiese aktiwiteite wat op die skoolkurriulum gebaseer is, te komplementeer. Die deelnemers in die studie was ‘n groep swart Graad-11 leerders (n=47) uit ‘n swart woongebied in die Westelike Provinsie, Suid Afrika. Hulle ouderdomme strek van 16 tot 21 met isiXhosa as die huistaal vir die meerderheid van hulle. ‘n Gemengde metode benadering was gebruik om die navorsingsdata te versamel. Kwantitatiewe data was deur ‘n voor- en natoets van die leerders versamel om hulle konseptuele haakplekke in E&M te bepaal. Die effek van die praktiese aktiwiteitsgebaseerde benadering om die leerders se konseptuele haakplekke in E&M aan te spreek was ook gemeet. Nul hipotese was vir die ses konsepte geformuleer en t-toetse was gebruik om statisties-beduidende verskille tussen die voor- en natoets te bepaal. Kwalitatiewe data was van die leerders se oorgeskryfde onderhoude sowel as vraelyste en observasieskedules verkry. Die resultate toon ‘n beduidende verbetering in leerders se begrip van die konsepte in vyf van die ses toetse sowel as ‘n afname in algemene wanbegrippe in E&M. Dit word aanbeveel dat versigtige opbouing gedurende die praktiese aktiwiteit gedoen moet word sodat die leerders ‘n verband tussen die domein van waarneembares en idees kan maak.

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.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Bug Fixer is a web-based application that complements lectures with hands-on exercises that encourage students to think about the logic in programs. Bug Fixer presents students with code that has several bugs that they must fix. The process of fixing the bugs forces students to conceptually think about the code and reinforces their understanding of the logic behind algorithms. In this work, we conducted a study using Bug Fixer with undergraduate students in the CSCE1040 course at University of North Texas to evaluate whether the system increases their conceptual understanding of the algorithms and improves their Software Testing skills. Students participated in weekly activities to fix bugs in code. Most students enjoyed Bug Fixer and recommend the system for future use. Students typically reported a better understanding of the algorithms used in class. We observed a slight increase of passing grades for students who participated in our study compared to students in other sections of the course with the same instructor who did not participate in our study. The students who did not report a positive experience provide comments for future improvements that we plan to address in future work.