This diploma thesis is focused on the creation of model tasks (by means of an experiment) for the study of biology at secondary schools and concerns the effects of temperature on plant growth. The selected tasks utilize the new didactic approach by means of the so called inquiry based education. This method of teaching contributes to the development of individual deduction reasoning and encourages the students to actively think about the subject matter. The thesis provides the necessary theoretical background for the topic together with the description of methods and material needed for the conducting the experiments. Furthermore, the thesis describes the necessary instructions and procedures to conduct the experiment and its use in the secondary school teaching practice and presents the requisite methodical guidelines and worksheets for them. Simultaneously, the thesis verifies the didactic applicability of the experiment and the worked out materials through a questionnaire survey and monitored application of the model tasks at secondary schools. The main result of this diploma thesis is a modern, functional and verified method of teaching for high school about the effects of temperature on plant growth in accordance with modern approaches to education, which include own experiments, their...

The Dissertation work is focused on finding the effectivity of the inquiry-based science education of Chemistry subject at elementary schools and grammar schools concerning the topic of Chemistry process. The theoretical part proves the knowledge of inquiry-based science education (IBSE) in the 21 century, specifies the level of research, learning cycle 5E, its positives and negatives. The practical part is created by the files of methodology, particularly the methodological worksheets for teachers and worksheets for pupils as well, regarding the topic Substance Transformation for the elementary schools and for the grammar schools the topic Chemical Reactions and Chemical Equations. In the research part, there are shown the results of paedagogical research aiming at verifying the influence IBSE on to develop the higher mind operations according to Bloom taxonomy, to develop the scientific skills, as well as the survey of pupils' attitudes to this particular educational teaching process. The results obtained from the IBSE implementation and its verification performed by the cognitive tests and further by statistical evaluation, have confirmed the validity of the set hypotheses - the level of pupils' knowledge and skills has been increased, especially at weaker pupils in both degree of schools. By...

TITLE: Pupils's Skills in Biology AUTOR: Radka Čudová DEPARTMENT: Department of Biology and Environmental Studies SUPERVISOR: Doc. RNDr. Věra Čížková, CSc. ABSTRACT: The aim of this work is to create the structure and the categorization of primary and high school biological skills and find out the real condition of selected skills at student of particular school levels. In the theoretical part of the work, there was made a content analysis of selected world official school curricula and studies aimed at investigation the teaching of biology and the approaches to structuring of biological skills. In the practical part, there was established structured system of skills respecting inquiry-based science teaching (IBSE) based on the analysis and study of pedagogical-psychological literature. A questionnaire was made in a broader team of the project to which the thesis came under a survey which investigated the opinions and requirements of the skill level in biology of lower secondary (ISCED 2), secondary general (grammar) school teachers (ISCED 3) and academics. The results of this survey were used to create the test unit aimed at testing biological skills in four categories: A. Identification of biological problems and asking questions, B. Information searching and recording, C. Classification and process...

Diplomová práce se zabývá konceptem "závěrečných bakalářských prací žáků 5. tříd" na základní škole v kontextu badatelsky orientovaného vyučování. Práce si klade za cíl popsat celý proces vzniku takovéto závěrečné práce a popsat jeho souvislosti s badatelsky orientovaným vyučováním a rozvojem klíčových kompetencí. Autor v teoretické části vysvětluje jednotlivé kroky badatelsky orientovaného vyučování, definuje klíčové kompetence a přibližuje problematiku psaní a čtení odborného textu. V praktické části v kontextu badatelsky orientovaného vyučování pak analyzuje jednotlivé fáze procesu tvorby žákovské práce od výběru tématu až po závěrečnou obhajobu. Při analýze vychází ze zkušeností pedagogů základní školy a doplňuje ji o konkrétní ukázky ze žákovských prací. KLÍČOVÁ SLOVA badatelsky orientovaná výuka, žákovské "Závěrečné práce", čtení a psaní odborného textu, klíčové kompetence, 1. stupeň ZŠ ABSTRACT The thesis is looking into the concept of "final theses of 5th-grade pupils" attending primary school in the Czech Republic in the context of inquiry-based learning. The thesis aims to describe the whole process of creating such pupils' thesis and explain its links to inquiry-based learning and the development of key competencies. The author explains individual steps of inquiry-based learning, defines...

Scientific thinking is an essential skill for full application in society associated with responsible human decision-making. The development of research skills and knowledge also contributes to its complexity. For the possibility of their systematic development, it is necessary to map the current situation of students in primary schools. The aim of the work was to find out what are the research skills of these students in the field of correctly formulating a research question based on specific problem and after finding a solution to formulate an answer to a given research question. Four research-oriented tasks were used, which were solved by 58 students from the seventh grade of primary school. It was found that more than half of the students are not able to formulate the research question correctly and more than one third of the students are unable to formulate the answer to the given research question correctly.

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The creation of an instructional genius hour framework for classroom implementation is an objective of this study. Currently, genius hour educators use a wide variety of frameworks. Some genius hour educators do not follow a set framework, yet others continually modify their genius hour frameworks. This study draws attention to the need to create an instructional framework for classroom implementation. This study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with five of the most respected genius hour educators. For the purposes of this study, each individual educator was treated as a separate case study. During the semi-structured interviews, genius hour educators shared their personal experience with implementing genius hour, their personal philosophies and ideas related to genius hour, their recommendations regarding genius hour implementation, and their recommendations regarding genius hour frameworks for classroom implementation. Moreover, this study also conducted two observations of genius hour classrooms in action. These classroom observations offered data related to genius hour educational philosophy and the need for a genius hour framework. This study recommends that educators use an instructional framework when implementing genius hour. A framework will have a positive effect on the performance of genius hour because of the added structure and clarity it provides for students and educators. It is recommended that educators choose a framework, and modify it in order to best serve the academic needs of their particular genius hour programme. This study moves beyond the genius hour framework by identifying major themes that genius hour educators should consider when implementing genius hour in the classrooms. Alongside the importance of the framework model, the common themes of front-loading, learning from failure, developing passion, and mentoring emerged from the interviews and observations. In essence, this study developed a framework model, game time, based around the importance of incorporating the aforementioned themes. The findings within this study offer an understanding of the importance of using a genius hour framework for classroom implementation. This study envisions that educators can use the research gathered in order to create an optimal genius hour framework for classroom implementation. This offers a framework for classroom implementation, which should be individualized in order to best suit the classroom specific needs. / Hierdie studie het die skepping van ʼn genie-uur-onderrigraamwerk vir klaskamer-implementering ten doel. Tans gebruik genie-uuropvoeders ’n wye verskeidenheid raamwerke. Sommige genie-uuropvoeders volg nie ’n vasgestelde raamwerk nie, terwyl andere voortdurend hul genie-uurraamwerke verander. Hierdie studie vestig aandag op die behoefte om ʼn onderrigraamwerk vir klaskamerimplementering te skep. Hierdie studie is uitgevoer deur middel van halfgestruktureerde onderhoude met vyf van die mees gerespekteerde genie-uuropvoeders. Vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie is elke individuele opvoeder as ’n afsonderlike gevallestudie behandel. Gedurende die halfgestruktureerde onderhoude het genie-uuropvoeders hul persoonlike ervarings van die inwerkingstelling van genie-uur, hul persoonlike filosofieë en idees oor genie-uur, hul aanbevelings vir genie-uurimplementering, en hul aanbevelings vir genie-uurraamwerke vir klaskamerimplementering gedeel. Verder het hierdie stude ook twee waarnemings van genie-uurklaskamers-in-aksie uitgevoer. Hierdie klaskamerwaarnemings het data in verband met genie-uuronderwysfilosofie en die behoefte aan ’n genie-uurraamwerk opgelewer. Hierdie studie beveel aan dat opvoeders ʼn onderrigraamwerk gebruik wanneer hulle genie-uur in werking stel. ’n Raamwerk sal ’n positiewe uitwerking op die uitvoering van genie-uur hê as gevolg van die bykomende struktuur en duidelikheid wat dit aan studente en opvoeders bied. Daar word aanbeveel dat opvoeders ’n raamwerk kies en dit aanpas ten einde die beste in die akademiese behoeftes van hul betrokke genie-uurprogram te voorsien. Hierdie studie beweeg verder as die genie-uurraamwerk deur belangrike temas te identifiseer wat genie-uuropvoeders kan oorweeg wanneer hulle genie-uur in die klaskamers in werking stel. Afgesien van die belangrikheid van die raamwerkmodel het die algemene temas van voorkantlading, leer uit mislukking, ontwikkeling van passie en leidinggewing uit die onderhoude en waarnemings na vore gekom. Hierdie studie het wesenlik ’n raamwerkmodel ontwikkel, genaamd speeltyd, wat gebaseer is op die belangrikheid daarvan om die voorgenoemde temas te inkorporeer. Die bevindings van hierdie studie bied ʼn begrip van die belangrikheid daarvan om ’n genie-uurraamwerk vir klaskamerimplementering te gebruik. Hierdie studie stel in die vooruitsig dat opvoeders die navorsing sal gebruik wat ingesamel is om ʼn optimale genie-uurraamwerk vir klaskamerimplementering te skep. Dit bied ’n raamwerk vir klaskamerimplementering, wat geïndividualiseer behoort te word om die beste in die spesifieke behoeftes van elke klaskamer te voorsien. / Ukwakhiwa kohlaka lokufundisa ngendlela ye-genius hour oluzosetshenziswa ekilasini yiyona njongo yalolu cwaningo. Njengamanje, othisha abalandela indlela yegenius hour basebenzisa izinhlobonhlobo zezinhlaka. Abanye othisha abalandela indlela yegenius hour abasebenzisi izinhlaka ezibekiwe, kodwa abanye bayaqhubeka nokulungisa izinhlaka zabo zegenius hour. Lolu cwaningo luveza isidingo sokwakhiwa kohlaka lokufundisa oluzosetshenziswa ekilasini. Lolu cwaningo lwaluqhutshwa ngokuxoxisana okuhleliwe nothisha abahlanu abahlonishwa kakhulu begenius hour. Ngokwenjongo yalolu cwaningo, uthisha ngamunye wayethathwa njengowahlukile kwabanye abasetshenziswe ocwaningweni. Ngenkathi kuqhubeka izingxoxo ezihleliwe, othisha begenius hour baxoxa ngabahlangabezana nakho uma beqalisa ukusebenzisa igenius hour, imigomo abayilandelayo kanye namasu ahambisana negenius hour, izincomo zabo mayelana negenius hour kanye nezincomo zabo ngezinhlaka zegenius hour ezizosetshenziswa ekilasini. Phezu kwalokho, lolu cwaningo luphinde lwabuka kusetshenziswa igenius hour kabili emakilasini ngenkathi eqhubeka. Lokhu kubhekwa kwamakilasi kwaveza imininingwane eqondene nemigomo yezemfundo yegenius hour kanye nesidingo sohlaka lwegenius hour. Lolu cwaningo luncoma ukuba othisha basebenzise uhlaka lokufundisa uma beqala ukusebenzisa igenius hour. Uhlaka luzoba nomphumela omuhle ekusebenzeni kwegenius hour, ngenxa yokwakheka okwengeziwe kanye nokucacisa, ihlinzekela abafundi nothisha. Kunconywa ukuba othisha bakhethe uhlaka, balulungise kahle ukuze luhambisane nezidingo zezemfundo zohlelo lwabo oluthile lwegenius hour. Lolu cwaningo luhamba ludlulele ngale kohlaka lwegenius hour ngokuhlonza izingqikithi okufanele othisha begenius hour bacabange ngazo uma beqala ukusebenzisa igenius hour emakilasini. Ngaphandle kokubaluleka kwesimo sohlaka, izingqikithi ezejwayelekile zokufundisa ngokuhlahla indlela, ukufunda ngokwehluleka kuqala, ukukhula kothando kanye nokwalusa kwavela ezingxoxweni nasekubukeni. Empeleni. lolu cwaningo selwakhe isimo sohlaka, isikhathi semidlalo, okuncike ekubalulekeni kokuhlanganisa lezi zingqikithi ezibaliwe. Okutholakele kulolu cwaningo kunikeza ukuqonda kokubaluleka kokusebenzisa uhlaka lwegenius hour ekilasini. Lolu cwaningo lubona ukuthi othisha bangasebenzisa imininingwane etholakale ocwaningweni ukwakha uhlaka lwegenius hour olusebenza kahle oluzosetshenziswa ekilasini. Lokhu kuhlinzeka uhlaka oluzosetshenziswa ekilasini, okumele lwenziwe lusebenzele umuntu ngamunye ukuze luhambisane kahle nezidingo zekilasi ngalinye. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum and Instructional Studies)

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / This qualitative, single high school case-study conveniently sampled eight natural sciences teachers and, after conducting lesson observations and document analysis, interviewed all participants to obtain their perceptions about the effectiveness of inquirybased teaching in motivating learners to specialise in sciences. The major finding was that most participants were sceptical about inquiry-based teaching. Participants from a behaviourist epistemology did not believe that learner motivation resulted from inquirybased teaching while those from an eclectic epistemology preferred a complementary use of both approaches. The few participants oriented towards inquiry acknowledged the link between learner motivation and inquiry-based teaching but faced the challenge of limited time to prepare all the apparatus and procedures required for inquiry-based teaching. This researcher recommends employing laboratory assistants to assist teachers with setting up apparatus for inquiry-based lessons, trimming some content to reduce overload in the Annual Teaching Plans (ATP), and in-service training on inquirybased teaching to develop learner interest in sciences. / Hierdie kwalitatiewe gevallestudie het agt natuurwetenskap onderwysers betrek en na leswaarnemings en dokumentanalise, is onderhoude met die deelnemers gevoer om hul sienings te bekom oor die bydrae van die ondersoek-gebaseerde konstruktivistiese benadering as ’n strategie om leerders te motiveer om in wetenskap-verwante vakke te spesialiseer. Die belangrikste bevindings was dat die deelnemers logiese positivistiese en eklektiese benaderings verkies; dat hulle skepties is oor ondersoek-gebaseerde onderrig en dat hulle nie leerder motivering aan onderwysbenaderings koppel nie. Daar was egter enkele deelnemers wat wel ondersoekend onderrig het en wat leerder belangstelling in wetenskap aan ondersoek-gebaseerde onderrig gekoppel het. Op grond van die data wat verkry is, beveel hierdie navorser aan dat laboratoriumassistente aangestel moet word om onderwysers by te staan met die opstel van apparaat vir ondersoek-gebaseerde lesse; dat spesifieke modelle van ondersoek in die “CAPS”- dokument ingesluit word; dat inhoud afgeskaal moet word om oorlading in die jaarlikse onderrigplanne (ATP) te verminder, en dat voor- en indiensopleiding aan onderwysers oor ondersoek-gebaseerde onderrig verskaf word as ‘n manier om die belangstelling van die leerders in die wetenskappe te prikkel. / Lesisifundo socwaningo esenziwe esikoleni esisodwa samabanga aphakeme lwakhetha othisha beSayensi Yemvelo (NS) abayisishiyagalombili ukuze kwazakale ukuthi bayibona kanjani indlela yokufundisa iSayensi ngophenyo (inquiry-based teaching) ehlose ukukhuphula intshisekelo yabafundi kwiSayensi. Ngemuva kokubona othisha beSayensi befundisa, lomcwaningi wahlaziya incwadi eziphathelene nokufundiswa kohlelo lwe CAPS, waphinde wenza izingxoxo nabothisha. Okumqoka okutholakale kuloluphenyo kube ukuthi iningi lababambe iqhaza, abakhuthalela ukufundisa ngendlela egxile kuthisha (logical positivism) bangabaza ukuthi abafundi bafunde bephenya njalo abakubonanga ukuxhumana kwenzindlela zokufundisa nokunyuka kwentshiseko yabafundi ezifundweni ze Sayensi. Ababambiqhaza abahlanganisa indlela yokufundisa egxile kuthisha ne ndlela yokufundisa ngophenyo (eclectic) bakholelwa ukuthi indlela yokufundisa egxile kuthisa nendlela yokuthi abafundi bafunde bephenya, kuyomela zisetshenziswe zombili. Kwatholakala ingcosana yabothisha eyenelisa ukufundisa isayensi ngendlela yophenyo eyayisezingeni eliphansi njalo yaqinisekisa ukuthi bukhona ubudlelwano phakathi kwendlela zokufundisa nokunyusa intshiseko yabafundi kwi Sayensi. Ngokolwazi olutholakele, lolucwaningo luncome ukusebenzisa abasizi basemagunjini okusebenzela ososayensi ukusiza ukuhlela amalungiselelo okwenza uphenyo lwezifundo, nokuhlinzekwa kwezindlela eziqondile zokuphenya izincwadi zikaCAPS, kanye nokunciphisa okunye okuqukethwe, kwehliswe umthwalo kuhlelo lokufundisa lonyaka (i-ATP), ukuqeqeshwa kothisha kwi ndlela yokufundisa iSayensi ngokuphenya ukuze kuthuthukiswe intshiseko yabafundi. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The ongoing debate about the capacity of distance learning (DL) to assist in the development of teaching skills and to improve teaching practice is the focus of many inquiries in the field of teacher education. The practice-based nature of Foundation Phase teaching poses unique challenges for professional development of teachers through DL programmes. In order to address inadequacies identified in the literature and previous research, a practical component was designed and included in the revised version of the Advanced Certificate: Education - Foundation Phase, as part of a bursary project. In 2011 the Northern Cape Department of Education (NCDoE) enrolled 50 practising Foundation Phase teachers for this distance learning programme as the first of three cohorts in the bursary project. A learning portfolio and audio-visual resources, designed according to principles derived from previous research and related literature, formed part of this practical component. The aim was to support teacher applied competence through developing pedagogical content knowledge, self-directedness, and a professional attitude, and through guiding the application of new knowledge and skills in practice. The completed portfolios further served as an instrument for the assessment of teacher performance with regard to applied competence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of the practical component of the revised Foundation Phase ACE programme delivered by the NWU via distance learning with specific focus on the way this component facilitates the development of applied competence and the way the portfolio provides for the assessment of professional classroom competencies of practising Foundation Phase teachers. The study further aimed to put forward a model for the development of applied practice based on the findings of the study. In order to attain the aims of the study, the literature was explored to firstly determine the elements which contribute to applied competence in effective teacher professional development programmes. The literature was further explored to determine what the body of scholarship indicates with respect to programme design features that support applied competence in DL programmes for teacher professional development. An implementation evaluation study was then conducted on the programme by collecting data from 50 Foundation Phase teachers as the first of three cohorts enrolled for the bursary project. Data were primarily collected through multiple qualitative methods including a focus-group interview, individual interviews, written expectations as well as open ended questions of questionnaires. Descriptive data were also collected through semi-structured questionnaires. Qualitative data were analysed through content analysis to determine the theoretical and conceptual implications of the profile and teaching context of the Northern Cape Foundation Phase teacher enrolled for the DL Foundation Phase ACE programme, the expectations of these teachers regarding the way the practical component would support their applied competence in their contexts, and the teachers’ experiences of the way the programme component supported the development of their applied competence. The study further determined the extent to which the learning portfolios interrogate the elements of applied competence. Quantitative data collected through semi-structured questionnaires were statistically analysed and served to support the interpretation of qualitative data. The investigation was approached from a constructivist paradigm; an approach that falls under an interpretivist philosophical orientation. Although quantitative methods were used to gather descriptive statistical data in support of the qualitative data, the study is grounded in qualitative research methodology where the concern is with the formative evaluation of the DL programme component The findings strongly confirm the value of such a practical component as part of a DL programme to support the elements of applied competence. However, the way the programme accommodates teacher profiles and teaching contexts will greatly influence the sustainability of the programme outcomes in practice. The findings further show that the portfolio as instrument for the assessment of applied competence requires careful planning and should provide strong guidance in the reflective process to support sustained outcomes of the programme in practice. A suggested model for a DL programme for the professional development of Foundation Phase teachers is based on the findings of the study. / PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The ongoing debate about the capacity of distance learning (DL) to assist in the development of teaching skills and to improve teaching practice is the focus of many inquiries in the field of teacher education. The practice-based nature of Foundation Phase teaching poses unique challenges for professional development of teachers through DL programmes. In order to address inadequacies identified in the literature and previous research, a practical component was designed and included in the revised version of the Advanced Certificate: Education - Foundation Phase, as part of a bursary project. In 2011 the Northern Cape Department of Education (NCDoE) enrolled 50 practising Foundation Phase teachers for this distance learning programme as the first of three cohorts in the bursary project. A learning portfolio and audio-visual resources, designed according to principles derived from previous research and related literature, formed part of this practical component. The aim was to support teacher applied competence through developing pedagogical content knowledge, self-directedness, and a professional attitude, and through guiding the application of new knowledge and skills in practice. The completed portfolios further served as an instrument for the assessment of teacher performance with regard to applied competence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of the practical component of the revised Foundation Phase ACE programme delivered by the NWU via distance learning with specific focus on the way this component facilitates the development of applied competence and the way the portfolio provides for the assessment of professional classroom competencies of practising Foundation Phase teachers. The study further aimed to put forward a model for the development of applied practice based on the findings of the study. In order to attain the aims of the study, the literature was explored to firstly determine the elements which contribute to applied competence in effective teacher professional development programmes. The literature was further explored to determine what the body of scholarship indicates with respect to programme design features that support applied competence in DL programmes for teacher professional development. An implementation evaluation study was then conducted on the programme by collecting data from 50 Foundation Phase teachers as the first of three cohorts enrolled for the bursary project. Data were primarily collected through multiple qualitative methods including a focus-group interview, individual interviews, written expectations as well as open ended questions of questionnaires. Descriptive data were also collected through semi-structured questionnaires. Qualitative data were analysed through content analysis to determine the theoretical and conceptual implications of the profile and teaching context of the Northern Cape Foundation Phase teacher enrolled for the DL Foundation Phase ACE programme, the expectations of these teachers regarding the way the practical component would support their applied competence in their contexts, and the teachers’ experiences of the way the programme component supported the development of their applied competence. The study further determined the extent to which the learning portfolios interrogate the elements of applied competence. Quantitative data collected through semi-structured questionnaires were statistically analysed and served to support the interpretation of qualitative data. The investigation was approached from a constructivist paradigm; an approach that falls under an interpretivist philosophical orientation. Although quantitative methods were used to gather descriptive statistical data in support of the qualitative data, the study is grounded in qualitative research methodology where the concern is with the formative evaluation of the DL programme component The findings strongly confirm the value of such a practical component as part of a DL programme to support the elements of applied competence. However, the way the programme accommodates teacher profiles and teaching contexts will greatly influence the sustainability of the programme outcomes in practice. The findings further show that the portfolio as instrument for the assessment of applied competence requires careful planning and should provide strong guidance in the reflective process to support sustained outcomes of the programme in practice. A suggested model for a DL programme for the professional development of Foundation Phase teachers is based on the findings of the study. / PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015