Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the impact that use of a microcomputer-based
laboratory (MBL), in this case the TRAC PAC and associated software, had
on student understanding in relation to common 'alternative learner ideas'
and difficulties related to kinematics and kinematic graphs.
It was carried out in the South African context, and focussed on subject
matter that learners are expected to work with in preparation for the Senior
Certificate South African examination. Twenty Grade 12 learners from four
different schools participated in the study.
Three key questions were investigated:
1. What conceptual difficulties do learners in this context experience in
relation to kinematics and kinematic graphs?
2. Does use of the TRAC PAC as a microcomputer-based laboratory
contribute to learner understanding of graphs of motion and related
concepts?
3. If learning is enhanced using the TRAC PAC, what are some of the 'ways
of learning' evident as learners participated in the MBL programme?
To answer these questions, the study employed both an empirical quantitative
dimension and an ethnographic qualitative dimension.
The empirical study involved the use of pre- and post-questionnaires which
were administered before and after learners participated in a TRAC PACbased
learning programme comprising of six 3-hour learning activities
conducted over three days. Overall learner performance on the
questionnaires, as well as responses to individual questions, were analysed
statistically, as well as through use of an 'item and matrix' analysis
technique described by Svec (1999). Chapter 8 of this document reports on
this component of the study. The ethnographic component of the study made use of observational data, and
transcripts of video and audio recordings of learners as they participated in
the learning activities. The data gathered using these techniques was analysed
largely through use of a 'verbal analysis' technique described by Chi (1997).
Chapter 9 of this document reports on this component of the study.
In relation to Research Question 1, the main findings of the study were:
• A literature review highlighted common 'alternative learner ideas'
identified by other researchers, and these allowed me to group them into
four main areas. These are described in Chapter 4 of this report.
• The analysis of the questionnaires highlighted 'alternative learner ideas'
that the group of learners who participated in this project held. These are
described in Chapter 8 of this report.
• The analysis of the video and audio transcripts also allowed for the
identification of 'alternative learner ideas' held by this group of learners.
These are described in Chapter 9 of this report.
There was a high degree of commonality between the 'alternative learner
ideas' identified through use of these three different sources.
Research Question 2 was answered mainly through the empirical study
described in Chapter 8 of this report. It was found that the MBL experience
generally resulted in an improvement in learner understanding in this area of
kinematics and kinematic graphs. More detailed statistical and 'item and
matrix' analyses showed that the impact on learner understanding was better
in certain areas than in others.
The ethnographic study described in Chapter 9 contributed to answeri The degree of learner involvement in learning activities seemed to impact
on the effectiveness of the programme. Possible factors impacting on
involvement were identified .
• 'Alternative learner ideas' were made visible in the context of
'argumentation episodes' and 'discussion and explanation episodes'.
Consequently, these formed the contexts in which shifts in understanding
were most likely to take place. Key learner behaviours and skills
necessary for participation in these episodes are identified, and linked to
success and non-success on the programme.
Recommendations arrsmg from findings m the study are described m
Chapters 8, 9 and 10of this report. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ondersoek bestudeer
gebaseerde laboratorium, III
gepaardgaande sagteware, op
kinematikagrafieke het.
die uitwerking wat 'n
hierdie geval die TRAC
studente se begrip van
mikro-rekenaar
PAC en die
kinematika en
Die ondersoek is III 'n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks uitgevoer en is toegespits op
die vakmateriaal wat leerders behoort te beheers ter voorbereiding vir die
Suid-Afrikaanse Senior Sertifikaat. Twintig Graad 12' s van vier verskillende
skole het aan die ondersoek deelgeneem.
Drie sleutelvrae is ondersoek:
1. Watter begripsprobleme ondervind leerders in hierdie verband met
betrekking tot kinematika en kinematikagrafieke?
2. Dra die gebruik van die TRAC PAC as 'n mikro-rekenaar gebaseerde
laboratorium by tot die leerder se begrip van kinematikagrafieke en
verwante begrippe?
3. Indien "leer" deur die gebruik van die TRAC PAC bevorder word,
watter "vorme van leer" is waarneembaar as leerders deelneem aan die
MBL-program?
Beide 'n empiries-kwantitatiewe dimensie en 'n etnografiese kwalitatiewe
dimensie is in die navorsing gebruik.
Die empiriese ondersoek maak van beide 'n voortoets en 'n na-toets gebruik.
Hierdie vrae is aan die leerders voorsien voordat asook nadat hulle aan die
TRAC PAC gebaseerde leerprogram deelgeneem het. Die leerprogram het
bestaan uit ses leeraktiwiteite, elk drie uur lank, wat oor 'n tydperk van drie
dae gedoen is. Die leerders se prestasie/uitslae met betrekking tot die vrae
asook hul reaksie op individuele vrae is statisties ontleed, asook met behulp van die 'item en matriks' analitiese tegniek soos deur Svec (1999) beskryf.
Hoofstuk 8 van hierdie verslag verwys na hierdie deel van die ondersoek.
Die etnografiese komponent van die die ondersoek maak gebruik van
waarnemingsdata en transkripsies van band- en video-opnames van leerders
verkry tydens hul deelname aan die leeraktiwiteite. Die data so verkry, IS
hoofsaaklik geanaliseer deur van die 'n verbale analise-tegniek gebruik te
maak soos deur Chi (1999) voorgestel. Hoofstuk 9 van hierdie dokument
doen verslag oor hierdie komponent van die ondersoek.
Wat Navorsingsvraag 1 betref, IS die hoofbevindings van die studie die
volgende:
• 'n literatuur-oorsig beklemtoon die algemene alternatiewe
leerderopvattings wat deur ander navorsers geidentifiseer is. Dit het my in
staat gestelom hulle in 4 hoofareas te groepeer wat ek in hoofstuk 4 van
die verslag bespreek.
• Die analise van die vraelyste beklemtoon die alternatiewe
leerderopvattings van die groep leerders wat aan hierdie proj ek
deelgeneem het. Dit word in hoofstuk 8 van hierdie verslag bespreek.
• Die analise van die band- en video-opnames het ook bygedra tot die
identifikasie van' alternatiewe leerder-idees' wat by hierdie groep leerders
voorkom. Dit word in hoofstuk 9 van hierdie verslag bespreek.
Daar is 'n groot mate van ooreenkoms ten opsigte van die alternatiewe
leerderopvattings wat by hierdie drie verskillende groepe voorkom.
Navorsingsvraag 2 is hoofsaaklik beantwoord deur die emprrrese studie wat
in hoofstuk 8 van hierdie verslag bespreek word. Daar is bevind dat die MBLondervinding
oor die algemeen 'n vebetering in die leerders se begrip ten
opsigte van kinematika en kinematikagrafieke tot gevolg gehad het. 'n Meer
gedetailleerde statistiese 'item en matriks' -analise het getoon dat die
uitwerking op die leerders se begrip in sommige areas beter was as in ander. Die etnografiese studie wat in hoofstuk 9 van hierdie verslag beskryf word,
dra by tot die beantwoording van Navorsingsvraag 3. Sleutelbevindings met
betrekking tot hierdie vraag sluit onder andere in:
• Leerderdeelname aan leeraktiwiteite hou skynbaar verband met die sukses
wat hulle in die program behaal. Moontlike faktore wat 'n invloed op
deelname kon hê, is geidentifiseer.
• Alternatiewe leerderopvattings is In die konteks van 'beredeneringsepisodes
' en 'besprekings- en verduidelikings-episodes' uitgelig.
Hierdie "episodes" het die waarskynlikste verband uitgewys waarbinne
veranderings van insig/begrip kan plaasvind. Kernleerdergedrag en
vaardighede wat noodsaaklik IS vir die deelname aan hierdie episodes is
geidentifiseer, en is gekoppel aan 'n leerder se sukses en mislukking tydens
deelname aan die program.
Aanbevelings wat voortspruit uit die bevindings van die ondersoek word In
hoofstukke 8, 9 en 10 van hierdie verslag, bespreek.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50215 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Green, W. J.(Whitfield James) |
| Contributors | Jordaan, A. S., Duff-Riddell, W., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 532 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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