In South Africa, Science and Technology Education faces many problems. Insufficient numbers
of Science and Technology teachers, inadequate in–service training, large classes, instruction
with the aim of narrowly orienting students towards examination passes an insufficient
integration of technology in the curriculum, and insufficient physical infrastructure dominates
the list. The Department of Education envisages the use of ICT as a tool for learning
and teaching. ICT has the potential to improve the quality of education and training. If adequate
resources are available, and teachers have confidence in the usefulness of ICTs, then
the integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) may improve the teaching
and learning of Mathematics and Science.
A review of the literature indicated that the deployment of ICT resources alone will not bring
about desirable pedagogical practices in the classroom. There exists a need for interventions
that will enhance ICT pedagogical practices in South Africa. The following main research
questions were formulated:
What are the ICT pedagogic practices used by grade 8 Mathematics and Science teachers in
South African classrooms?
How do the barriers that grade 8 Mathematics and Science teachers encounter, as well as
the support they receive, influence their pedagogical practices?
What is the Principal’s role in promoting the emerging pedagogic practices using ICT in
South African classrooms?
This research comprises a secondary data analysis of the SITES 2006 South African data
base. The population and sample for this study was based on the South African grade 8
Mathematics and Natural science teachers. In SITES 2006, the samples comprised more
than 504 schools. Due to the fact that ICT is only significantly implemented in two out of nine
provinces in South Africa, 25 strata were created to secure fair representation of the population
with 666 Mathematics teachers and 622 Natural Science teachers.
Bromfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Engeström’s Activity Theory was used to
investigate Natural Science and Mathematics teachers’ progress in their ICT pedagogical
practices through the time–frame 2004 to 2013, as stipulated in the South Africa’s White paper
on e–Education policy. Statistical analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences
was used to address the research and sub–questions. The study found that South African
Mathematics and Natural Science teachers’ level of ICT use is small; when they do use ICT, it is enhanced 21st century pedagogic practices. This is in accordance with findings from the
international literature study. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nwu/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/7286 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Varughese, James |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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