In schools in the Amathole District and throughout the rest of South Africa efforts are being made to encourage learners to pursue the Science and Applied Science curriculum stream in Grades 10 to 12. The aim of this study was both to determine and to explore those factors which, according to grade 9 learners, would either attract them to or deter them from following the Science and Applied Science curriculum stream from Grade 10 onwards. The study also sought to ascertain the views of teachers regarding the issues raised by the learners. A sample comprising 346 learners and 3 teachers were involved in the study. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods within the context of a post-positivist paradigm and utilising questionnaires and interviews, the study found that, consistent with existing research, there are both intrinsic and extrinsic related factors which play a role in the intention of learners to consider pursuing the Science and Applied Science curriculum stream. The intrinsic factors include learners‟ enjoyment of practical work and love for the Science and Applied Science. Extrinsic factors include perception that jobs in the field of Science and Applied Science compensate well. However, it was the intrinsic factors that pushed the learners to have the intention to follow the Science and Applied Science curriculum stream. Sociological, economic and personal dynamics seem to account for these patterns in the results. By contrast, two key sets of factors deterred the learners from the Science and Applied Science curriculum stream. One relates to factors in their internal loci of control, and the other to factors in learners‟ external loci of control. The internal locus of control factors had a greater influence, which suggests, according to attribution theorists, that the learners were inclined to look within themselves for the reasons that deterred them from the Science and Applied Science curriculum stream. In addition, a cluster analysis was conducted to ascertain whether the demographic profiles of the learners played a role in respect of their intention to pursue the Science and Applied Science curriculum stream. This cluster analysis revealed that, in terms of gender, males were more inclined than females to follow the Science and Applied Science stream. However, it was also significant that peer influence played an important role in attracting males to the Science and Applied Science curriculum stream, whereas it was career interest factors that attracted the females. In terms of ethnic groups, Indians and blacks were more inclined than coloureds and whites to follow the Science and Applied Science stream with whites being the least attracted to this stream. Career choice dynamics provide some explanations for these outcomes. The key contribution of this study lies in the fact that the study has shown that practical work as a teaching strategy may result in greater learner participation in the Science and Applied Science curriculum stream. The study recommends that, in order to promote greater participation in the Science and Applied Science curriculum stream in schools, strategies related to teaching in terms of which both genders are taken into consideration should be implemented. Other recommendations were also made. Nevertheless, it must be borne in mind that the study is a case study and that it is, therefore, not possible to generalise the findings.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufh/vital:16157 |
| Date | January 2009 |
| Creators | Komle, Lindumzi Johnson |
| Publisher | University of Fort Hare, Faculty of Education |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Masters, M Ed |
| Format | xii, 202 leaves; 30 cm, pdf |
| Rights | University of Fort Hare |
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