This qualitative case study examined the efforts of one elementary public school teacher to implement a social justice curriculum unit in her fourth grade social studies classroom. The study was guided by two research questions and one sub-question. With the first research question, I examined the role of the teacher in an elementary public school classroom implementing social justice. With the second research question, I explored the manner in which social justice education was implemented in the elementary social studies and incorporated into a standards-based public school classroom. This study also examined the barriers to implementation faced by the teacher in a public school setting. The data collection for this case study included daily observation notes over a sixweek period, multiple interviews with the teacher participant, and classroom and unit artifacts. Four themes emerged from the data analysis. The first three themes each addressed the first research question and examined the role of the teacher in a classroom implementing social justice education. These themes examined the role of the teacher in terms of establishing a socially-just climate, creating a child-centered curriculum that allowed for voice and choice, and recognizing that education is value-laden. The fourth theme addressed the second research question and sub-question and examined the implementation of the social justice curriculum unit in a fourth grade standards-based public school classroom. The findings of the study suggest that the teacher has a pivotal role in the implementation of social justice education, as the teacher both serves as a model for social justice and sets the context for social justice education to emerge in the classroom. The findings also suggest that the teacher may have to negotiate and/or circumvent standardized curricula to implement a social justice curriculum unit. The findings of this case study further suggest that the structure and substance of the social studies at the elementary public school level may not adequately support social justice education. Finally, although there are many conceptualizations of social justice education, the findings of this study suggest that the teacher’s own perception of social justice education impacts its implementation in the classroom. / text

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

In Hong Kong, Earth Sciences are not a regular subject of the secondary school education. The aim of this project is to build up the students’ curiosity, prompting them to explore, investigate and learning more about Earth Science, ultimately attaining a more detailed understanding of where they live: the Earth. .To this end, a set of curriculum supporting materials, including fieldtrip planning, supplementary materials pack and learning outcomes, has been designed in consult with science curriculum co-ordinators, to facilitate both student learning and teaching of Earth Science-related Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) science subjects. Hong Kong Geopark represents a fantastic resource as a “natural science laboratory”, it is an ideal place for students to observe the real processes which are related to the current curriculums in their studies in secondary schools. Ma Shi Chau, one of the geo-sites in the Geopark, was selected as a destination of the fieldwork route in this project,as it provides an easily accessible opportunity to directly observe part of the Geopark’s superb geological landforms, and discover how their formation relates to fundamental principles of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, learned in the Science curriculum of the HKDSE. The set of the curriculum supporting materials was targeted especially for senior secondary students who are studying for the HKDSE in any Hong Kong traditional schools. / published_or_final_version / Applied Geosciences / Master / Master of Science

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This is a qualitative case study which sought to explore the integration of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in the teaching of conservation of biodiversity and natural resources by Grade 10 Life Sciences Educators in the Pinetown district. The study was done in two parts. Part one explored the Grade 10 Life Sciences educators’ understanding of the integration of indigenous knowledge in Life Sciences and the extent to which the educators integrated indigenous knowledge in their teaching of conservation of biodiversity and natural resources. The data analysed was collected through questionnaires with open ended questions. Part two interrogated how the two educators who were purposively selected from part one of the study integrated indigenous knowledge in their teaching; as well as what informed the way they integrated indigenous knowledge in their teaching. The data analysed was collected through a pre-observation interview, a lesson observation and a post-observation interview with each of the two participants. The data was analysed within the conceptual framework of teachers as cultural brokers. The National Curriculum Statement (NCS) policy document for Life Sciences explains indigenous knowledge as another way of knowing and as an alternative way of explaining concepts that are usually explained using scientific knowledge. Hence it encourages the interaction of different ways of knowing in formal schooling. The analysis of part one of the study showed that 90% of the educators that participated in the study said that they integrated indigenous knowledge in their teaching of conservation of biodiversity and natural resources. The analysis of how the educators integrated indigenous knowledge in their teaching and what they did when they integrated indigenous knowledge showed that, even though the educators verbally asserted that they integrated indigenous knowledge in their teaching, there was in fact no evidence of a proper understanding and integration of indigenous knowledge in their teaching. Instead, the educators’ integration of indigenous knowledge point to the educators using indigenous knowledge to foster and strengthen the learning of scientific knowledge and to promote the interest of their learners in the learning of science knowledge. At the core of the educators’ integration of indigenous knowledge is their concern with their learners’ learning of scientific knowledge. In this regard, the educators couldn’t be seen to function as cultural brokers in helping learners move between their indigenous knowledge and the science knowledge of the concept of the conservation of biodiversity and natural resources. The analysis showed a limited understanding of the principles and ideas upon which indigenous knowledge can be integrated into the Life Sciences curriculum. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

The purpose of this study was to explore Physical Science learners' conceptions of nature of science. Grade ten learners were the focus in this study. They were the second group of learners who had experienced outcomes-based education in the General Education and Training band. The main research question that framed this study was: What are grade ten Physical Science learners' conceptions of nature of science? In order to answer the key research question this study also attempted to determine if learners held contemporary views of nature of science as accepted by the scientific community and as required by the new Natural Sciences curriculum and if there were differences in conceptions between groups such as male and female or different cultural groups namely Black and Indian learners. The research was conducted using a mixed methods approach where both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered. This study is embedded in a survey design. Quantitative data was obtained by administering a survey questionnaire to 190 grade ten Physical Science learners from seven different schools. Qualitative data was obtained from an open-format questionnaire, using a number of science-based scenarios, that was administered to a single class. The purpose was to obtain a deeper understanding of learners' nature of science conceptions in action. The findings of this study indicated that learners had mixed conceptions of nature of science. They possessed contemporary conceptions for certain aspects of nature of science but others were rooted in positivism. The results of this study concurred with the abundant international literature on nature of science. The findings have also revealed that there were significant differences for certain aspects of nature of science between the groups. Indian and Black learners had different conceptions for certain aspects of nature of science and so did the males and females. The intention of this study was to provide baseline data and guidance to teachers on what conceptions or alternate conceptions learners have about nature of science. Limited research exists on nature of science in South Africa. This study opens up the possibility of more detailed research into learners' views on nature of science within the new reforms of our South African science curriculum. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

This study was designed to investigate the extent to which the biology teachers and student teachers are aware and understand biology-related problems that affect the African communities in the Natal north-coastal region. The basis of the research is modelled on the premise that because biology-related problems such as health, shortage of food and water resources, population explosion, pollution are prevalent in South Africa, biology teachers may well be teaching about ways of coping with these problems. In essence the aims of the study are to: (1) Identify the most important biology-related social problems that impinge on life in the African community, the extent to which they are understood, and the sources of information used by teachers and student-teachers to obtain information about biosocial issues. (2) Establish whether biosocial issues form a constituent part of the current biology curriculum at senior secondary school level, and to identify important biology-related issues that should be included in the biology curriculum. The procedure used surveys from two separate sample populations practising biology teachers (N=99) and student teachers (N=93 who were at final year of their Secondary Teachers Diploma. Data were computer-analyzed using frequencies and percentages, ranking and cross tabulations. The study is broadly structured around nine chapters. The first chapter gives an overall orientation to the study and further elucidation of methodology is in Chapter 5. Chapter 2 specifically treats the impact of African education on biology education in South Africa. Chapters 3 and 4 discuss the conceptual sources and relationships which exist between science, technology, society and the relevance of biology education in the African communities of South Africa. Chapters 6, 7 and 8 deal with empirical data in the form of field survey responses, analysis and interpretation. The overall summary of the study, its implications and conclusions are presented in Chapter 9. The major conclusions of the study are: First, that biology teachers and student-teachers identified the most important biology-related problems in the north-coastal region of Natal as food and water resources, health and diseases, energy resources and nature conservation. Secondly, that whereas most teachers and student-teachers indicated that they were knowledgeable about these problems, the nature of their understanding was mostly a narrow and factual view of the concepts which neglected the social perspective. Thirdly, both teachers and student-teachers rely heavily on the schools and textbooks as sources of information. However evidence from an analysis of biology syllabuses used in secondary schools indicates that there is over-emphasis of factual knowledge and little reference to the application of that knowledge to life situations. As a result, textbooks which are closely modelled along the dictates of syllabuses, have little or no worthwhile information on biosocial issues. Fourthly, that to make the biology curriculum relevant to the needs and interest of the African community, biosocial issues that were identified as important should be incorporated in the biology curriculum. The study has important implications for the goals of biology education, the selection of biology content offered in schools, and the involvement of teachers in curriculum development. In the north coastal region of Natal, biology education does not contribute to better understanding of one's environment that could lead to the solution of problems and improving the quality of life in the community. Involvement of teachers in the selection of biology content which is viewed as important for fulfilling community needs and interests should be considered because teachers know and can articulate the aspirations of their local communities. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1993.

There is no abstract available for this thesis.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation.