This study sought to explore the pedagogical practices of teachers in science
classrooms. In this study, pedagogical practices are taken as interactions between
teachers, learners and learning tasks which aim to promote and facilitate learning of their
learners
The study adopted an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to collect both
quantitative and qualitative data from the senior phase (i.e. grades 7-9) Science
teachers. The teachers were purposively selected; two from rural schools and two from
urban schools in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Data on teachers’ pedagogical
practices were collected using survey questionnaire, focus group interview and lesson
observation.
The main research question for the study is “what are teachers’ pedagogical practices
when teaching science?” This overriding research question was addressed by exploring
the specific research questions: 1) how do science teachers teach their lessons? And 2)
what informs teachers’ pedagogical practice when teaching science?
The null hypothesis for this study was “there is no significant difference between teachers’ qualification and their pedagogical practice when teaching science” while the
alternative hypothesis was “there is significant difference between teachers’ qualification
and their pedagogical practice when teaching science”.
The quantitative data collected by means of structured questionnaires was analysed
using a computer package (i.e. SPSS version 22) while the qualitative data collected by
means of focus group interviews and lesson observation was analysed using content
and thematic analysis.
The findings from the study revealed that teachers in the study incorporate in varying
degrees learner – centred; and teacher- centred pedagogies in their science lessons.
Whilst majority of the teachers in the study expressed a behaviouristic view of learning,
which indicates a predisposition to teacher – centred pedagogy in the classroom;
however, other pedagogical practices indicated by the teachers and observed in the
science lessons are consistent with constructivist or learner – centred pedagogy which suggests strategies that may be used to provide a meaningful learning experience in
science.
The study further found that there is a significant association between the educational
qualification and their pedagogical practice when teaching science in the visited
schools; therefore the alternative hypothesis is accepted and the null hypothesis is
rejected.
Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are made:
i. In service training on subject content knowledge for natural science teachers,
especially those without science qualifications so that they can grapple with the
subject content knowledge.
ii. Science workshops to be organized from time to time to train teachers on effective
teaching practices in the classroom.
iii. Outsourcing or involving more than one teacher in the teaching of natural science in
schools.
iv. Equipping of schools with science laboratories so that teachers can carry out
science experiments with learners.
v. The schools must ensure that only teachers with science qualifications are assigned
to teach natural sciences in the senior phase. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / Ph. D. (Education (Curriculum Studies))
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/27229 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Nwosu, Chidiebere Marcellinus |
| Contributors | Mokiwa, Hamza Omari |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (193 unnumbered leaves) : illustrations (chiefly color), color graph, application/pdf |
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