M.Ed. (Science Education) / The nature of science (NOS) remains a problematic construct, which many science teachers do not address in their science teaching. This is owing to an uninformed understanding of the NOS by teachers, who therefore do not include NOS aspects in their science teaching. It is, however, imperative to introduce learners in the Intermediate Phase to NOS elements because it is during this phase that they formally learn science Although there is no specific definition of the NOS, there are guidelines in the framework provided by Chiappetta, Fillman and Sethna on the NOS elements that should be included in science textbooks. The NOS framework for science textbook analysis comprises four themes: Science as a body of knowledge, Science as a way of investigating, Science as a way of thinking and the Interaction among Science, Technology and Society. My study focuses on the analysis of workbooks in the Intermediate Phase Natural Sciences and Technology that were distributed by the South African Department of Basic Education during 2013. These workbooks were distributed as part of the implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) in the Intermediate Phase. The workbooks are a combination of textbook and writing book. These workbooks contain ample information about science concept knowledge and colourful illustrations of real life science phenomena. The NOS units of analysis as stipulated in the NOS framework by Chiappetta et al., were identified for the content analysis of science textbooks, in this case science workbooks. As part of the process of content analysis, a qualified science teacher and I analysed the identified pages in each of the six workbooks from Grades 4 to 6. The overall agreement of codes indicated that the NOS themes are substantially covered in the Natural Sciences workbooks, especially the theme Science as a way of investigating and Science as a body of knowledge. The NOS theme Science as a way of thinking receives more coverage than the NOS theme Interaction among Science, Technology and Society. The latter theme was poorly covered in the identified pages of analysis from the six different workbooks. It is suggested that future writing of science textbooks, especially in the Intermediate Phase, should cover all four NOS themes equally. This could assist Intermediate Phase learners in gaining an informed understanding of the nature of science in order to make educated decisions in the scientific enterprise as adults.

M.Ed. (Education) / This study is an analysis of Grade 9 Natural Sciences textbooks for their representation of the nature of science. The textbooks analysed are CAPS compliant and approved by the Department of Basic Education. Like any other modern education system in a democratic dispensation, the South African education system has undergone several curricular changes post- independence (1994). These changes have been due to, but not limited by, factors pertaining to political and economic reforms. Curricular revisions have spanned a period of almost 20 years, commencing with Curriculum 2005 (C2005) to the current revised Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS). Science curriculum documents subscribe to the tenets of the nature of science (Lederman, 2007). Bell (2008) suggests that science is best defined by its characteristics, otherwise known as the tenets of NOS. Eleven key aspects of NOS that are intricately related to the basic tenets of science derived by Lederman (2007) form the analytical framework used in this study. The aspects are: Empirical; Inferential; Creative; Theory-driven; Tentative; Myth of the scientific method; Scientific theories; Scientific laws; Social dimensions of science; Social and cultural embeddedness of science and Science vs. pseudoscience. These aspects further formed a detailed scoring rubric to record the extent to which NOS is represented in the units of analysis, which comprise complete paragraphs, activities, worked examples, figures with captions, tables with captions, charts with captions, and marginal comments of the sampled topics ...

Thesis (M. Ed. (Language Education)) --University of Limpopo, 2018 / Assessment is a crucial component in the learning and teaching environment. Many educators often go about assessment design by emulating their own teachers or predecessors. Gronlund (1993:1) argues that “despite the widespread use of achievement testing and the important role it plays in instructional programmes, many teachers receive little or no instruction on how to construct good achievement test.” Gronlund (1993) posits that the result is that there is no innovation towards good tests construction because many educators do not study the principles that guide effective test construction. Carey (1994:1) says that “effective teachers must also be proficient in testing, and proficiency in testing requires the synthesis of many different skills.” In Limpopo Province, especially in the under-resourced regions, the actual on-site practices by educators suggest that there are problems with the implementation of school based assessment tasks as prescribed by the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) through the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). This problem is further echoed in the sentiments of some academics that are skeptical about the authenticity of marks generated by educators and schools. This loss of confidence in the assessment practices impacts negatively on the worth of the education of the learners and their readiness to take their place in the academic and vocational spheres. The purpose of this study is to find the degree of success and failure in the implementation and management of school based assessment (SBA) in English Additional First Language in Grade 10 classes. Grade 10 is a crucial level of entry into the Further Education and Training (FET) Phase in schools because it lays the foundation for focused, rigorous and careeroriented high school learning in South Africa.

published_or_final_version / Curriculum Studies / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This small but in-depth comparative study sought to explore the extent to which a rural ex-farm school and an urban ex-model C school were in a position to implement C2005. It was acknowledged that a small-scale study could not address the question of whether the two schools actually were implementing the new curriculum. The question was rather whether their circumstances were conducive to C2005 implementation. Bernstein's (1971) definition of curriculum as comprising content, pedagogy, and evaluation was found to be useful categories for analysing classroom practice in relation to C2005 design features, namely the outcomes based approach, an integrated curriculum, and learner centred teaching. The social relationships associated with weak classification (or the Integrated Code) directed the study towards forms of school organisation that would be necessary for the reception of C2005. Bernstein's concept of framing was useful in that its related concepts of sequencing and pacing of lessons provided a means of analysing classroom practices. Data collection tools included semi structured interviews and observations in the two schools. While both schools experienced difficulty in implementing C2005 in grade 9, findings indicated that the rural ex-farm experienced significantly greater difficulty. Historical disadvantage, poverty, lack of resources and lack of adequate departmental support seemed to combine with a lack of will on the part of educators to develop the kinds of lessons and materials on which C2005 depends. While teachers at this school supported the idea of C2005, they felt it could not be implemented in their context. The former model C school was advantaged by its relatively favourable situation with respect to both human and physical resources, and was making impressive progress towards C2005 implementation. Despite the fact that C2005 aimed at achieving equity, the evidence from this study suggests that the gap that had previously existed between these different schools was in fact widening. The gulf separating policymakers and their planners on the one hand, and teachers and their classrooms on the other, was particularly great in the case of the ex-farm school. Implications arising from this are discussed in terms of forms of teacher development that might alleviate the difficulties experienced in disadvantaged schools. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

Within the last decade, reports have indicated that the number of students classified as learning disabled (LD) has increased by 119%. Issues and research relating to this increment such as problems with assessment practices, special education decision-making practices, and the demands made by the regular education curriculum are reviewed. Research in both special and regular education has pointed directly or indirectly to curriculum-based assessment (CBA) and collaboration between the two systems as effective alternatives for assisting students with learning problems. However, barriers to implementation (e.g., personnel resistance) have been observed in schools implementing these alternatives.In order to develop grassroots support, a contextually appropriate model, Curriculum-Oriented Remediation/Prevention System (CORPS) was designed to ease the implementation and administration of CBA via problem-solving teams and consultation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects an "instructional package", designed to train inservice school personnel in components of CORPS, had on the behavior of personnel and students referred for reading problems. Social validation (satisfaction ratings) of personnel and students with CORPS and procedures used to implement CORPS was also examined. Twenty implementors (school psychologists; special, regular, and Chapter 1 educators) accurately and reliably implemented CORPS for 30 elementary studentsResultsThe repeated measures ANOVA used to evaluate the changes in classroom behavior (pre-postobservations) was inconclusive due to the small sample size and the variability of behaviors resulting from different instructional arrangements in reading. However, while not statistically significant, the desired trend was observed in the amount of time students were actively engaged in academic tasks. Results from supplemental reading data indicated that 90% of the students demonstrated progress in reading. Satisfaction data suggested that personnel were quite positive about the effectiveness of CORPS and procedures used to implement CORPS. Student responses to satisfaction questionnaires were also positive.DiscussionResults are discussed regarding the overall effectiveness of the CORPS program and satisfaction of school personnel and students regarding the effectiveness and acceptability of CBA as implemented within the CORPS model. Limitations of the study and the need for future research are delineated. / Department of Special Education

Using methods of empirical ontology this thesis tells of the emergence, over the last decade of the twentieth century, of the Australian National Training Package, and shows how this device, with agency in contemporary Australian workplaces and educational institutions, has displaced curriculum as the means through which nationally recognised vocational education and training in Australia is organised and regulated.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2007. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-141). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-99).