This descriptive case study focuses on how Technology teachers interpret and enact the
interrelationship of the Technology-Society-Environment (TSE) theme with the
Technological Process and Skills (TPS) and Technological Knowledge and Understanding
(TKU) curriculum themes of the South African school subject, Technology. Science and
technology have influenced society in the twentieth and twenty-first Century to a
considerable extent. A critical study of this group of related influences is termed Science-
Technology-Society and addresses socially relevant topics that encourage critical and high
level thinking skills, problem-solving and decision making capacity. These issues are
included in the Technology curriculum as the TSE theme. Using the TSE theme in teaching
would have the potential to make the curriculum more relevant and learning more meaningful
as it provides scope for teachers to engage learners to construct knowledge at a critical level
in different real life contexts.
This study investigated the relationship between teachers’ understanding of the
interrelationship of TSE with Technological Process and Skills (TPS) and Technological
Knowledge and Understanding (TKU) themes and the extent to which the unique features
and scope for teaching Technology are met. The study was set in Bohlabela district of the
province of Mpumalanga, in South Africa and implemented between August 2011 and April
2012. Four teachers of different schools and circuits were interviewed, three were observed
during teaching, their lessons, work schedules and learners’ workbooks and project portfolios
were analysed. A novel combination of an adaptation of the Ben-Peretz scheme of curriculum
document analysis and Rogan and Grayson construct of implementation frame was used in
the analysis of the information obtained through documents and observations. The study established that only in exceptional cases teachers use learner centred approaches
that allow the integration of the TSE theme with the process (TPS) and knowledge (TKU)
themes. Evidence was found that while teachers planned such integration, learners
themselves do not show any examples of such integration in their workbooks. Teachers have
difficulties with specific knowledge areas of the Technology curriculum, in spite of formal
adequate basic training in the subject. Teachers ascribe these difficulties to resource
limitations, the absence of specific technology training and inadequate support by teacher
support personnel.
It is recommended that teacher support groups be established, and that the Department of
Education develop specific curriculum materials and train teachers in the interpretation and
enactment of the documents. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / gm2014 / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / unrestricted
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:up/oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/36796 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Ndlovu, Elliot Charles |
| Contributors | Braun, M. W. H., ecjnr@yahoo.com, Rauscher, W. J. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Mini Dissertation |
| Rights | © 2012 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
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