The aim of this diploma thesis is to present a specific type of teaching of social sciences in high school, namely the multiparadigmatic type. In accordance with the multiparadigmatic character of social sciences, this teaching type accentuates the plurality of approaches to a given social topic and does not indoctrinate the learner with one specific approach or paradigm. The theoretical part of this diploma thesis describes the concept of scientific paradigms, mostly on the basis of the findings of philosopher T. S. Kuhn, who addresses this issue in the context of natural sciences. Next, it is explained why the concept of paradigms can be related to social sciences and how these two science areas differ. The multiparadigmatic character of social sciences is then applied to their didactics, where selected methodological aspects of multiparadigmatic teaching are discussed, such as the choice of paradigms, working with them, and the attitude of the teacher. This part of the diploma thesis also illustrates the concepts of monoparadigmatism and multiparadigmatism with the comparison of two didactic manuals and two curricular documents from various environments. Furthermore, it describes the reasons for the employment of multiparadigmatic teaching as well as its conditions and limitations. The...

Views of teaching: implications for the didactic training of mathematics teachers. School mathematics teaching is an essential learning area in South African schools. Owing to persistent traditional positivist-based views and approaches, it still suffers from a variety of teaching-learning problems. Various national attempts have already been made to develop an effective teaching-learning program for school mathematics. Prominent researchers reveal that the failure of teaching-learning programmes often have to be attributed to the lack of an underlying grounded didactic theory. Therefore this study focused on the development of a grounded teaching-theoretical framework for school mathematics teaching. A further problem regarding school mathematics is that its teaching and learning traditionally are viewed from a narrow school subject disciplinary perspective. Therefore this study departed from a general didactic-theoretical perspective, creating the opportunity to approach and solve problems from a wider angle. A constructivist-based post-positivist view of effective teaching was developed, before entering the field of school mathematics. In this way an integrated ontologicalcontextual view of teaching was developed in terms of six identified ontological essential features, and their contextual coherence, namely: intention, teacher, leamer, interaction, content and context. Contrary to traditional positivist views, no causal relationship between teaching and learning was imposed, and teaching was not qualified in terms of learning products. Instead, teaching was characterised and qualified on ontological grounds, departing from the phenomenon itself. In this way the limitations of positivist process-product views of teaching could be identified, explained and overcome. Alternatively, a dynamic integrated view of teaching as a human act, directed at the facilitation of relevant and meaningful learning, was grounded and developed. Based on this general ontological-contextually based view, a specific ontologicalcontextual view of effective school mathematics teaching was grounded and developed. To this end a variety of prominent contemporary views of and approaches to school mathematics, and its teaching and learning, needed to be analysed in a critical way. According to this analysis school mathematics, and its teaching and learning should be viewed and approached from a constructivist-based dynamic change-and-grow perspective as human acts. In addition, it could have been proved that the perspective concerned can facilitate the treatment and solving of the currently experienced teaching-learning problems. This requires the reconsideration, from a similar perspective, of the current school mathematics curriculum, as well as the preservice didactic training of mathematics teachers. Specific implications of the developed ontological-contextual view of effective school mathematics teaching were identified, and practically tested in the corresponding preservice didactic training situation in the North West Province. Based on this an integrated model for the training concerned was formulated. It was found that the current training largely contributed to the continuation of traditional views of and approaches to school mathematics teaching, and its essential features. From the developed integrated ontological-contextual perspective definitive proposals regarding the transformation of school mathematics teaching and the corresponding didactic training were made and motivated. Further areas for investigation and development, resulting from this study, were identified, as well. This study aimed at investigating, and revealing for further exploration, the specific and broadening interaction between the general teaching and subject didactical fields and research, particularly in the two contexts of effective school mathematics teaching and the corresponding preservice didactical training. A particular attempt was made to accomplish this in a grounded and integrated way, to the benefit of both fields. / Thesis (PhD)--PU for CHE, 1998.

With the acceptance of Outcomes-based Education (OBE) in South Africa, the emphasis shifted from a teacher-centred to a learner-centred instruction approach. The learner-centred teaching approach of OBE is based on the social constructivistic teaching view. This view is based on the fundamental acceptance that people construe knowledge through interaction between their existing knowledge and beliefs and new ideas or situations within a social environment or milieu. It is thus essential that future Geography education students receive training in a similar manner as that which is expected of them as future practising teachers. Lecturers' and students' beliefs and perceptions of how instruction must take place, in the majority of cases, still support the traditional direct instruction approach where lecturers transfer knowledge to students mainly through formal lectures. The acceptance of the social constructivistic teaching approach for the training of Geography education students implies that the beliefs of lecturers and students as well as their roles in the teaching learning process, must change. This means that the purpose of contact time between lecturer and students must necessarily change. Contact time should not just be used by the lecturer for presenting content. It is the task of the Geography lecturer to create a learning environment where students are actively involved in cooperative learning environments in the learning process. The lecturer acts as facilitator, guide, enabler and fellow-explorer in the learning process. Contact sessions must be used to offer the students the opportunity to report back on the learning assignments and activities or to reflect on what has been learnt. Continuous formative assessment takes place during contact and non-contact times to give quick feedback on learning. The lecturer and students are involved in the assessment process. Clear assessment criteria must be compiled by the lecturer in cooperation with students so that the students will know precisely what is expected of them. Together with the learner-centred teaching approach, certain universities worldwide have been obliged to decrease contact time between lecturer and student. Reasons for this can mainly be ascribed to an increase in student numbers and to effectively vii manage the lecturers' time so that more time can be spent on research. The lecturer is supposed to design and plan a specific module so that the set learning outcomes could be achieved within the reduced time. Different guidelines are identified in the context of reducing contact time so as to ensure the effective achievement of learning outcomes. The lecturer should prepare, plan and manage contact time. Students must also accept larger responsibility for independent learning and attain some of the learning outcomes during non-contact times. To support students during non-contact times and to guide them in the attainment of learning outcomes and completion of assignments, students must make use of resource-based learning. The interactive study guide and work planning, as developed and compiled by the lecturer, is necessary for providing students with assistance and guidance so that students know precisely what is expected of them, what resources to use and when. It is furthermore necessary that the assessment strategies, that are used in the teaching of Geography, support the decrease in contact time. Bigger responsibility is given to students in the assessment process and is included in self and peer group assessment of and feedback to assignments. The Geography education lecturer involved in the development of the different Geography modules must make sure that over-assessment does not take place, but that students are exposed to multiple assessment methods. Decision-making by university management on decreased contact time was probably taken without considering the full implications for learner-centred teaching. This study is an attempt to implement a learner-centred teaching approach in the Geography training of education students within the optimising of contact time between lecturer and students. A concept model for the Geography training of education students was developed to ensure the successful attainment of learning outcomes. The perception and attitudes of the students regarding the concept model in Geography-training within the optimising of contact time was analysed, after which the examination results of the students were compared with results of previous years. From the information required in the literature as well as in the implementation of the concept model in Geography training, criteria and strategies for the effective training of Geography teachers in the optimising of contact time were developed. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Views of teaching: implications for the didactic training of mathematics teachers. School mathematics teaching is an essential learning area in South African schools. Owing to persistent traditional positivist-based views and approaches, it still suffers from a variety of teaching-learning problems. Various national attempts have already been made to develop an effective teaching-learning program for school mathematics. Prominent researchers reveal that the failure of teaching-learning programmes often have to be attributed to the lack of an underlying grounded didactic theory. Therefore this study focused on the development of a grounded teaching-theoretical framework for school mathematics teaching. A further problem regarding school mathematics is that its teaching and learning traditionally are viewed from a narrow school subject disciplinary perspective. Therefore this study departed from a general didactic-theoretical perspective, creating the opportunity to approach and solve problems from a wider angle. A constructivist-based post-positivist view of effective teaching was developed, before entering the field of school mathematics. In this way an integrated ontologicalcontextual view of teaching was developed in terms of six identified ontological essential features, and their contextual coherence, namely: intention, teacher, leamer, interaction, content and context. Contrary to traditional positivist views, no causal relationship between teaching and learning was imposed, and teaching was not qualified in terms of learning products. Instead, teaching was characterised and qualified on ontological grounds, departing from the phenomenon itself. In this way the limitations of positivist process-product views of teaching could be identified, explained and overcome. Alternatively, a dynamic integrated view of teaching as a human act, directed at the facilitation of relevant and meaningful learning, was grounded and developed. Based on this general ontological-contextually based view, a specific ontologicalcontextual view of effective school mathematics teaching was grounded and developed. To this end a variety of prominent contemporary views of and approaches to school mathematics, and its teaching and learning, needed to be analysed in a critical way. According to this analysis school mathematics, and its teaching and learning should be viewed and approached from a constructivist-based dynamic change-and-grow perspective as human acts. In addition, it could have been proved that the perspective concerned can facilitate the treatment and solving of the currently experienced teaching-learning problems. This requires the reconsideration, from a similar perspective, of the current school mathematics curriculum, as well as the preservice didactic training of mathematics teachers. Specific implications of the developed ontological-contextual view of effective school mathematics teaching were identified, and practically tested in the corresponding preservice didactic training situation in the North West Province. Based on this an integrated model for the training concerned was formulated. It was found that the current training largely contributed to the continuation of traditional views of and approaches to school mathematics teaching, and its essential features. From the developed integrated ontological-contextual perspective definitive proposals regarding the transformation of school mathematics teaching and the corresponding didactic training were made and motivated. Further areas for investigation and development, resulting from this study, were identified, as well. This study aimed at investigating, and revealing for further exploration, the specific and broadening interaction between the general teaching and subject didactical fields and research, particularly in the two contexts of effective school mathematics teaching and the corresponding preservice didactical training. A particular attempt was made to accomplish this in a grounded and integrated way, to the benefit of both fields. / Thesis (PhD)--PU for CHE, 1998.

With the acceptance of Outcomes-based Education (OBE) in South Africa, the emphasis shifted from a teacher-centred to a learner-centred instruction approach. The learner-centred teaching approach of OBE is based on the social constructivistic teaching view. This view is based on the fundamental acceptance that people construe knowledge through interaction between their existing knowledge and beliefs and new ideas or situations within a social environment or milieu. It is thus essential that future Geography education students receive training in a similar manner as that which is expected of them as future practising teachers. Lecturers' and students' beliefs and perceptions of how instruction must take place, in the majority of cases, still support the traditional direct instruction approach where lecturers transfer knowledge to students mainly through formal lectures. The acceptance of the social constructivistic teaching approach for the training of Geography education students implies that the beliefs of lecturers and students as well as their roles in the teaching learning process, must change. This means that the purpose of contact time between lecturer and students must necessarily change. Contact time should not just be used by the lecturer for presenting content. It is the task of the Geography lecturer to create a learning environment where students are actively involved in cooperative learning environments in the learning process. The lecturer acts as facilitator, guide, enabler and fellow-explorer in the learning process. Contact sessions must be used to offer the students the opportunity to report back on the learning assignments and activities or to reflect on what has been learnt. Continuous formative assessment takes place during contact and non-contact times to give quick feedback on learning. The lecturer and students are involved in the assessment process. Clear assessment criteria must be compiled by the lecturer in cooperation with students so that the students will know precisely what is expected of them. Together with the learner-centred teaching approach, certain universities worldwide have been obliged to decrease contact time between lecturer and student. Reasons for this can mainly be ascribed to an increase in student numbers and to effectively vii manage the lecturers' time so that more time can be spent on research. The lecturer is supposed to design and plan a specific module so that the set learning outcomes could be achieved within the reduced time. Different guidelines are identified in the context of reducing contact time so as to ensure the effective achievement of learning outcomes. The lecturer should prepare, plan and manage contact time. Students must also accept larger responsibility for independent learning and attain some of the learning outcomes during non-contact times. To support students during non-contact times and to guide them in the attainment of learning outcomes and completion of assignments, students must make use of resource-based learning. The interactive study guide and work planning, as developed and compiled by the lecturer, is necessary for providing students with assistance and guidance so that students know precisely what is expected of them, what resources to use and when. It is furthermore necessary that the assessment strategies, that are used in the teaching of Geography, support the decrease in contact time. Bigger responsibility is given to students in the assessment process and is included in self and peer group assessment of and feedback to assignments. The Geography education lecturer involved in the development of the different Geography modules must make sure that over-assessment does not take place, but that students are exposed to multiple assessment methods. Decision-making by university management on decreased contact time was probably taken without considering the full implications for learner-centred teaching. This study is an attempt to implement a learner-centred teaching approach in the Geography training of education students within the optimising of contact time between lecturer and students. A concept model for the Geography training of education students was developed to ensure the successful attainment of learning outcomes. The perception and attitudes of the students regarding the concept model in Geography-training within the optimising of contact time was analysed, after which the examination results of the students were compared with results of previous years. From the information required in the literature as well as in the implementation of the concept model in Geography training, criteria and strategies for the effective training of Geography teachers in the optimising of contact time were developed. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.