Many teachers have difficulty in implementing the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS). This is particularly true of the natural science curriculum. The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which natural science teachers interpret and implement the natural science curriculum in Grade Four. A further aim was to find out which factors impinge on teachers’ ability to implement the curriculum. The study is underpinned by a theory of implementation developed by Rogan and Grayson (2003) who argue that major changes in new curricula are difficult to implement and suggest that any curriculum innovation should be ahead of existing practices. Rogan and Grayson’s (2003) framework is further used to identify the levels at which teachers are located with regard to their ability to implement the curriculum. The research was conducted within the interpretive paradigm. It is a case study of four natural science teachers who teach in the Folweni cluster of the Umbumbulu district. The methods of data collection included a questionnaire, document analysis, pre- and post-semi structured interviews and class observation. The data was analysed using Rogan and Grayson’s framework. The findings indicate that teachers are at different levels with regard to their ability to implement the natural science curriculum. This is partly due to the way they interpret the curriculum and partly due to a number of factors that influence their capacity to implement a new curriculum. Teachers have different abilities with regard to their interpretation of the curriculum. These abilities were interpreted in terms of their understanding of content, outcomes and assessment, as well as their ability to teach in learner-centred ways. Teachers’ capacity to implement a new curriculum are influenced by factors such as their qualifications, the circumstances of the learners they teach; the physical resources available to them, the support they receive from the school management, as well as the ethos that prevails in the school. The study concluded that teachers be supported in different ways to improve their capacity to implement the natural science curriculum and that this can ultimately lead to an improvement in teachers ability to implement the natural science curriculum as set out in the Revised Curriculum Statement (2002). / M. Ed. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.

Whole language method--Integration of science and literature--Language centered orientation--Integrated curriculum.

The current study set out to determine the relationship between student gradelevel, implicit views of science ability, science achievement and science interest.Differences by grade level were also explored. The study also considered the differences in male and female implicit theories of science ability, science interest, and science achievement. Participants in the current study consisted of a total of 1910 students from six elementary schools from one south-central Kentucky district that participate in Project GEMS (Gifted Education in Math and Science). Data were analyzed by means of analysis of variance and Pearson correlations. Younger students evidenced lower scores on the implicit theories measure. No gender differences were observed in implicit theories of science ability or science interest. Females did evidence lower achievement in science than males. Implicit theories of science ability were significantly and positively correlated with science achievement. Conversely, no such relationship existed between implicit theories of science ability and interest. Limitations of the current study are discussed and possible future directions are offered. Findings from the current study underscore the importance of considering domain-specific views of ability when addressing poor science performance and when considering gender gaps in science achievement.

This study was conducted at a school designated as a higher primary school comprised of grade 0-9 learners (GET band) in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. With the advent of the new curriculum in South Africa, we are also grappling with the implementation of the new curriculum at this school. This motivated me to investigate the benefits of eliciting and integrating learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences during teaching and learning of acids and bases. Essentially, the study sought to gain insight into whether engaging learners during practical activities using easily accessible materials from their homes facilitated meaning-making of acids and bases. This study is located within an interpretive paradigm. Within this paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was conducted with the researcher’s Grade 7 class. To gather data, document analysis, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, lesson observations, stimulated recall discussions while watching the videotaped lessons as well as focus group interviews with learners were used. An inductive analysis to discover patterns and themes was applied during the data analysis process. The validation process was done through watching the videotaped lessons with the teachers who observed the lessons. Also, transcripts of the interviews and a summary of discussions were given back to the respondents to verify their responses and check for any misinterpretations. Rich data sets were analysed in relation to the research questions which were: How do Natural Sciences teachers elicit and integrate learners’ prioreveryday knowledge and experiences to facilitate learning of scientific concepts of acids and bases in their classrooms? Does engaging learners in practical activities using everyday substances enhance their conceptual development and understanding of acids and bases? The findings from the study revealed that the use of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences during teaching and learning of acids and bases facilitated meaningful learning. Furthermore, linking learning to learners’ everyday experiences enabled them to learn scientific concepts in a relaxed and non-threatening environment. It is thus recommended that teachers should be supported in their endeavours to incorporate learners’ real life experiences during their teaching and learning repertoires. Notwithstanding, as much as there were benefits in this study there were, however, also some challenges that were encountered, such as language, which warrants further research.

Currently South African museums are faced with the challenge of evaluating and transforming their roles and functions as a response to changing national educational needs. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether aspects of the integrated strategies approach to promoting scientific literacy can be successfully employed in a museum context. The approach was used as part of the education programmes at the Port Elizabeth Museum School (Bayworld) and mixed methods were used to gather qualitative and quantitative data on the teachers’ ability to adopt the strategy. Data were also generated on the teachers’ perceptions of teaching and learning, possible activities which supported the approach, and aspects of the strategy which the learners adopted most readily. The findings suggest that active engagement in the process resulted in effective adoption of the strategy by the teachers, improved attitudes towards science learning by both the teachers and children who participated in the process, and improved scientific literacy in both.

The problem in this study is to determine the worth of natural science as an incentive to the learning of the retarded pupils in the group, and as a means of orienting the new pupils in the group.

Transmedia books are new and emerging technologies which are beginning to be used in current classrooms. Transmedia books are a traditional printed book that uses multiple media though the use of Quick Response (QR) codes and augmented reality (AR) triggers to access web-based technology. Using the transmedia book Skills That Engage Me students in kindergarten through second grade engage in curriculum designed to introduce science skills and careers. Using the modified Draw-a-Scientist Test (mDAST), observations and interviews, researchers analyzed pre and post data to describe changes students have about science and scientists. Future study may include the development and validation of a new instrument, Draw a Science Student, and examining the mDAST checklist with the intention of updating the parameters of what is considered positive and negative in relationship with work a scientist conducts.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

A mini-dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Magister Educationis (M Ed) at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / This mini-dissertation describes the difficulties faced by educators who teach Natural Science in Grade 6 using isiXhosa mother tongue instruction. The researcher has investigated how educators dealt with Natural Science terminology when they were teaching Grade 6. The sample consisted of 10 educators from 10 schools in Gugulethu who were teaching Grade 6 Natural Science. The researcher used a focus group interview of 10 educators from 10 schools in Gugulethu. The researcher unpacked the issues of teaching Natural Science in mother tongue instruction, as it was the policy of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). The researcher looked at the measures put in place by the WCED to pilot schools, such as resources and training of the educators. As a researcher I looked broadly and compared educational policies in other neighbouring countries, such as Mozambique and Swaziland, to South Africa. In a purposive sample, one was likely to get the opinions of one’s target population, but one was also likely to overweight subgroups in one’s population that were more readily accessible. Researcher also consulted some literature such as that of Baker, Alexander, Brock-Utne etc. In conclusion, the researcher used exploratory studies for hypothesis generation, and by researchers interested in obtaining ideas of the range of responses on ideas that people had. However, in this study the researcher used the qualitative methods, with a focus group interview, to gather data on the implementation of mother tongue instruction in a Grade 6 Natural Science classes. The findings of the study seem to indicate that learners understand better if they are taught Natural Science in isiXhosa mother tongue. Therefore, recommendations pose a number of challenges to those committed in the implementation of mother tongue instruction in the Western Cape schools.

This thesis examines the readability of two grade 4 Natural Sciences textbooks currently used in South African schools. Being important sources of classroom input, particularly in grade 4 where learners are reading to learn, textbooks should be readable. That the Natural Sciences subject is only introduced in grade 4 makes the assessment of Natural Sciences textbooks at this level significant. The goal of this research therefore, is to assess the readability of two grade 4 Natural Sciences textbooks and their understandability by learners who speak English as an additional language. The goal of assessing the Natural Sciences textbooks is achieved by the use of cloze and traditional comprehension tests, classic readability formulae, textual analysis and teacher interviews. Cloze and traditional comprehension tests are used to test learners’ understanding of the textbooks and classic readability formulae are meant to assess the grade levels of the textbooks. The tests gauge learner understandability while readability formulae establish text readability. Textual analysis allows the assessment of text readability on the basis of more factors than those accommodated by readability formulae. The textual analysis also helps to identify the readability factors supporting or impeding readability. Teacher interviews are conducted to better understand the teachers’ perceptions on the readability of the Natural Sciences textbooks. The major findings of the study are that the two Natural Sciences textbooks used in the study are generally above the reading level of the intended readers, grade 4 learners and that the participating learners do not understand these textbooks. The challenges with the readability of the textbooks stem mainly from the vocabulary and concepts used in the textbooks which are not well explained.