No abstract available. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1980.

M.Ed. (Subject Didactics) / In a formal education situation pupils are accompanied to reach proper adulthood. On their way to adulthood new demands are continually made and adults-in-the-making are expected to conform. For example a standard seven pupil is expected to choose his final study course, a selection of subjects and the grade or level on which the effects to take his chosen subjects. This situation in which the standard seven pupil of necessity finds himself, in which he has to make these choices, is such that he is forced to make a decision and that there is no other way out. As a result of the far-reaching implications this decision has on the future of the pupil, it is of imperative that pupils should be able to weigh all the possible alternatives. Only then the actualisation of their choice will be significant and could be justified educationally. In view of the fact that most standard seven pupils find themselves in adolescence, the point of departure of this study is that pupils will also be, as far their choice of subjects is concerned,' in need of assistance and support. Because of the fact that pupils will most probably be influenced by a great many factors, it might pose a problem taking a decision as to their choice of subjects. Consequently, specific determinants which might have an influence in the opting of pupils for Biology have been identified and will be explored in this study.

M.Ed. / The purpose of this research was to examine misconceptions held by pupils about Ecology and make suggestions on how these misconceptions could be eliminated. Although there has been much published research identifying misconceptions in the understanding of biological concepts by pupils, relatively little has appeared locally to indicate how misconceptions in this field might best be eliminated, changed or minimized. As part of this research, Biology pupils were given a test to complete. The main aim of the test was to identify misconceptions that the pupils held after classroom instruction. The pupils were also given a questionnaire to complete. The questionnaire was designed to assess pupils' attitude towards Biology in general, Ecology and fieldwork in particular. The pupils' knowledge of Ecology following instruction was further assessed by interviews. Teachers were also given questionnaires to complete. The main aim of the teachers' questionnaire was to determine if fieldwork could play any significant role in the teaching of Biology. Furthermore, the teachers' questionnaires also explored some of the problems or limiting factors experienced by teachers when they undertake fieldwork. This study revealed that pupils held misconceptions about energy flow in the ecosystem, basic ecological terms/concepts, nutrient cycling, the food web, etc. The research also suggested that fieldwork helps pupils to understand certain other sections of the Biology syllabus better. It is recommended, amongst others, that experienced Biology teachers, authors of Biology textbooks, lecturers at in-service training centres, and subject advisors should do all they possibly can to assist their colleagues and pupils to avoid misconceptions about Ecology.

M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies) / Education must be seen as dynamic, that is responding to the demands made on it by science, technology and society. According to Fay (1975: 19) natural science has provided men with a certain kind of knowledge by means of which they can control their natural environment by making it more hospitable and more productive. It is for this reason that technology and science are seen as exercising a great influence on our daily lives. Changes in the nature of high school population and the geometrically - increasing quantity of scientific knowledge are identified as causes leading to the changes in the high school Biology; curriculum (Falk, 1971: 21). The introduction of the new senior Biology syllabus to Soweto secondary schools should be seen as a reaction to changes in the nature of scientific knowledge. According to a report of a Workshop held by SCISA (Science Curriculum Initiative for South Africa) at Michael house, 11-12 January 1989, it was realized that the current syllabus, and syllabus development and implementation processes are "out of balance and in need of review, This implies that the current syllabus fails to meet the needs of the learner as well as those of society.

South Africa needs an economy which is competitive and successful. Therefore, it is important that an education system will provide a skilled work force. Learners need to develop biology skills that will equip them for life, enable them to solve problems and think critically. Unfortunately South Africa is presently encountering a lack of skilled citizens. The reasons for this most probably is that the biology curriculum is mainly discipline-based, content-loaded and largely irrelevant, resulting in learners not furthering their studies in biology and related fields. The biology matriculation examination has a strangle hold on what is taught. Lengthy, content-loaded curricula emphasise the memorising of facts by means of expository teaching methods, leaving little opportunity to teach the application of information and skills to solve problems in real life situations. The teaching methods of biology are thus not sufficiently stimulating and motivating. Biology teaching should not only concentrate on facts or explain facts to learners, but should also concentrate on ways or processes by means of which these facts can be obtained. To implement a process approach where learners can develop basic- and integrated skills is not an easy task for those involved. The empirical research of this study, confirmed the findings throughout the literature study that various factors hamper the effective implementation of the process approach. It is important that negative factors such as 'large classes' and 'a lengthy syllabus' (in historically disadvantaged [HD] and advantaged schools [HA]) and 'lack of equipment' and 'resource material' (only in HD schools) which received high percentages in the survey, will duly be considered when implementing the process approach, curriculum 2005 or 21. These factors can exert a powerful influence on the success of any changes in biology education. To ensure the successful implementation of the process approach it is important that all teachers receive adequate in-service training to keep abreast with new teaching strategies and methods / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (Didactics)

The purpose of this study was to investigate if teacher, pupil, curriculum and classroom environment variables were significantly related to adolescents' attitudes towards Biology. The study also investigated whether certain factors (as moderator variables) significantly influenced the relationships between pupils' attitudes towards Biology and each of the independent variables. For the investigation a sample of 426 standard eight, nine and ten pupils from three school-types completed an attitude questionnaire. Parametric statistics were used to analyse the results. Findings from the correlation and stepwise regression analysis revealed that the curriculum was the strongest correlate of attitude and accounted for most of the variance in pupils' attitudes towards Biology. An analysis of variance revealed no significant difference in pupils' attitudes towards Biology when gender, standard, parental levels of formal education and type of school were used as moderator variables. These findings suggest a complete restructuring of the Biology curriculum. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

M.Ed. / Teaching and learning activity is characterised by effective communication. Teaching and learning as communication is successful when the learner has taken in new information with understanding. Effective teaching cannot take place unless effective communication takes place. On the other hand effective communication depends on media that are used in the teaching-learning activity (Heinich, et al, 1989: 13). In the teaching and learning of biology, educational media are important. The study of biology is a practical venture that requires the use of media e.g. realia, models, pictures and chemicals. Biology needs to be learnt through active participation, experience, observation and investigation by both the learner and the educator. This is not possible without the . use of media. In real life, the learner's senses are stimulated by media such as real objects, pictures, radio, television, books, etc. In the teaching of biology, the learner's senses must be equally stimulated. It is therefore necessary that the biology teacher be continuously reminded of the Chinese proverb which says, " I hear, and I forget; I see and I remember. I do, and I understand" (Dwyer, 1993: 194).

This study analyzes the effect of three different high school scheduling options on the delivery of biology instruction, on student achievement, and on student perceptions of their instructional activities. Participants were biology students and teachers from twelve high schools in a north Texas urban school district of 76,000. Block classes had 11 to 18 percent less instructional time than traditional classes. Texas Biology I End-of-Course Examination achievement results for 3,195 students along with student and teacher surveys provided information on instructional activities, attitudes, and individualization. Using an analysis of variance at a j i< .01 the following results were found; student achievement was significantly different for each of the scheduled comparisons groups, test score means were not statistically significant between the scheduled comparison groups for different ethnic groups, economically disadvantaged students, and magnet students. No significant differences were found between the science learning activity index for each of the scheduled groups. Student response data when disaggregrated and reaggregrated into program groups found a statistically significant higher index of science activity at a p. < .01 for magnet students when compared to both the regular and honor students. Regular program students had a significantly higher index of individualization than honors program students. Accelerated and rotating block classes were found to hold a significantly more positive attitude about their science learning conditions than did the traditional students. These data suggest that during the first two years of block scheduling, the initial impact of block scheduling, where total time for science is reduced, results in lower student achievement scores when compared to traditionally scheduled classes. Yet, block scheduled student attitudes and perceptions about science learning are significantly more positive than the traditionally scheduled students.

The purpose of this study was to compare instructional effectiveness of traditional animal dissections and computer simulation dissections related to student achievement and attitudes.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Education / Master / Master of Education