A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirements for the Doctoral Degree in the Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2013. / This study sets out to investigate the teaching of social sciences learning area in the context of curriculum change in the Senior Phase of the GET band. The main purpose of this study is to investigate educators’ experience and competence in the teaching of social sciences. The study targeted Senior Phase educators in the GET band because they had significant experience in teaching the new broad-field curriculum. This study is located within the interpretative paradigm using the methodology of critical analysis. It uses the mixed-mode approach, combining both qualitative and quantitative methods. Sampling of the participants was random owing to the poor accessibility of some schools in the circuit. The first research instrument was administered to Senior Phase educators to solicit their experiences of teaching learning areas since the implementation of NCS introduced the interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning in schools. The second research instrument was the interview, followed by observation, to collect information on educators’ perception on a broad-field curriculum which advocates an integrated approach to the teaching of history and geography in schools. The third instrument was an in-depth interview which was used together with focus groups to solicit information about educators’ disciplinary and pedagogical knowledge, both of which are necessary for teaching history and geography as one discipline. The results showed that social science educators are still facing challenges with regard to the integrated teaching of history and geography. The results of the study have revealed that social science teachers in the Senior Phase are still teaching history and geography as distinct fields of knowledge. The critical analysis of findings has indicated that teachers’ ability to understand the broad-field nature of social science is still weak and its implementation is in conflict with the policy guidelines of integration.

Upplevelser med hjälp av kroppen och användningen av olika sinnen är betydelsefullt för människans lärande. Inlärningsprocessen kan implementeras och förstärkas genom utomhuspedagogik. Trots lärares medvetenhet av effekter av utomhuspedagogiken är detta inte något som används allt för flitigt i dagens skola och frågan är varför? Hur kommer det sig att lärare väljer att stanna innanför klassrummets fyra väggar och undervisa? Vad är det som hindrar lärare att ta sig utanför klassrummet och undervisa i en utomhusmiljö? Syftet med studien är att bidra med ökad kunskap om utomhuspedagogikens svårigheter, möjligheter och effekter. Studien riktar sig mot mellanstadielärare i en mindre kommun i södra Sverige som undervisar i SO-ämnen. Två forskningsfrågor besvaras i resultatet som är följande; Vilka möjligheter och svårigheter kan So-lärare uppleva i arbetet med utomhuspedagogik? och Vad anser SO-lärare underlättar användningen av utomhuspedagogik? Studien utgår från Szczepanskis (2007) teori som belyser platsbaserat lärande där en människa lär i samband med kroppen och alla sina sinnen. Att få undervisning utomhus kan bidra till goda effekter på elevers lärande, bland annat handlar det om att elever får aktivera sig fysiskt och vara i en miljö som bidrar till en god hälsa. Genom att lämna en strukturerad klassrumsmiljö och få möta en ostrukturerad utemiljö lär eleven sig genom helhetsupplevelser. För att besvara studiens forskningsfrågor har sex mellanstadielärare med inriktning på SO-ämnena intervjuats genom semistrukturerad intervju. Med utgångspunkt i studiens syfte och frågeställningar formulerades resultatets huvudrubriker; utomhuspedagogikens svårigheter, utomhuspedagogikens möjligheter och främjande arbete. I resultatet framkom det att placering av skola, planering, tid, kompetens och läroplan har en stor betydelse för användandet av utomhuspedagogik i SO-ämnena. Det framkom även att skolledning och kollegialt arbete har en betydelse för att utomhuspedagogik ska vara genomförbart. / To physically experience and use different senses is valuable for the learning process. The learning process can be implemented and enhanced through outdoor pedagogy. Despite the awareness of the teacher regarding the positive effects of outdoor pedagogy, the method is not used extensively, which is questionable. Why do teachers decide to solely stay inside the classroom and teach? What is hindering the teachers to utilize the many advantages that comes with implementation of outdoor pedagogy? The purpose of this study is to contribute to the knowledge concerning the outdoor pedagogy and its possibilities, difficulties and effects. The study is delimited to intermediate stage teachers in a smaller municipality in the southern of Sweden teaching within the social science subjects. Two research questions are answered in the result which is as follows; What possibilities and difficulties does social science teachers experience when working with outdoor pedagogy? and Which aspects is considered to ease the implementation of outdoor pedagogy? These research questions are answered and discussed in the result section. The study has its base in the theory by Szczepanski (2007) which highlights the benefits of location-based learning where the cognitive and physical aspects interplay. Outdoor pedagogy contributes positive effects of the students learning, especially in environments where the learning is combined with physical activities learning to enhanced health. By adapting a more unstructured learning experience, which is in contrast to the traditional classroom-based learning, students can facilitate their environment in a holistic experience. To be able to answer the research questions, six social science teachers in intermediate stage teaching has been interviewed on behalf of their experiences and insight on outdoor pedagogy. The interviews were conducted through semistructured interviews. Based on the purpose and research questions of the study, the main headings of the result were formulated; the difficulties of outdoor pedagogy, the possibilities of outdoor pedagogy and promotional work. The results indicated the location of the school, planning, time, competence and curriculum to be of great importance for the implementation of outdoor pedagogy within the field of the social science subjects. Further, it was highlighted that school management and collegial cooperation was of importance to be able to implement outdoor pedagogy.