Teachers are expected to uphold the philosophy of the NCF-FET Life Science Policy Document through their teaching. Teachers are expected to support the philosophy of the NCS-FET Life Science Policy Document in their teaching.
PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY
CRITICAL QUESTIONS
RATIONALE
As such, it will serve as a basis for identifying the science process skills that teachers focus on when engaging in practical work. In this way, this study will provide a means of assessing the extent to which science processes skills.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
CLARIFICATION OF TERMS
SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS I PROCESS SKILLS
Screen (1986) describes scientific processes as the sequence of events that researchers engage in while engaging in a scientific investigation. 1989) refers to scientific process skills as being related to skills in. The fact that these skills are broadly transferable makes them important for students to acquire, whether or not they are headed for a career in science.
PRACTICAL WORK
These are interwoven with practical work: every type of practical work involves mastering scientific process skills. This study will highlight teachers' practices in practical work and scientific process skills development using a questionnaire and a focus group interview.
INTRODUCTION
- INTRODUCTION TO CONSTRUCTIVISM
- COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTVISM, SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM AND SOCIOTRANSFORMATIVE CONSTRUCTIVISM
- SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM
- RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONSTRUCTIVISM AND THE
- CONSTRUCTIVISM AND PRACTICAL WORK
This lack of concern for the socio-cultural removes it from the philosophy of the NCS-FET Life Science Policy Document. The philosophy behind the NCS-FET Life Science Policy Document (DoE, 2003) is based on the principles of social transformation; outcome-based education (OBE), learner-centred or activity-based education, high knowledge and high skills, human rights, inclusivity, environmental and social justice.
PAST STUDIES
The following studies I will discuss will support my research on the use of hands-on work in teaching basic and integrated science process skills and show how the type of hands-on work done affects the types of process skills developed in students. Brotherton and Preece (1996) investigated how practical work can be used to develop higher order/integrated science process skills in grades 7, 8 and 9 in two small towns in the UK. It goes without saying that practical work enhances learning, so the challenge is to focus on different types of practical work to develop specific target skills.
The South African studies show that the opportunity for students to do independent research work is still limited and that practical work is limited to the use of 'cookbook' methods. The NCS-FET Life Science Policy Document is largely based on international studies on what practical work should entail and what skills should be developed in students.
CONCLUSION
Unlike countries such as Australia and England, in South Africa not all biology teachers are trained as biology teachers and their knowledge of biology content is often insufficient. The document focuses on issues of social transformation and social justice, not taking into account past injustices related to teacher development and training.
INTRODUCTION
WHY THIS STUDY INVOLVES QUALITATIVE DATA
After reading and understanding what quantitative and qualitative methodology has to offer, I decided to use both methods to address the types of questions this study investigates. Therefore, both methodologies are used in this study to complement each other in data acquisition and data analysis.
DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
QUESTIONNAIRE
- THE MAIN STUDY
An open questionnaire was used as it invites an honest and personal comment from the respondents. The questionnaire was piloted to check the clarity of the questionnaire items, eliminate ambiguities or problems with work. According to Cohen et al., (2000) a pilot serves to increase the reliability, validity and feasibility of the questionnaire.
The questionnaire was sent by post to the 45 biology teachers in the 24 secondary schools in the Phoenix area of KwaZulu-Natal. The letter described the purpose of the study and teachers were assured of confidentiality regarding their responses.
FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEW
The Phoenix area in KwaZulu-Natal was chosen as I have been assisting subject advisors with Grade 12 moderation of continuous assessment of students and teacher portfolio files. questionnaire was sent to the biology teachers with a covering letter. The teachers were informed that there were no right or wrong answers to the questions, but only truthful answers. According to Vaughn et al. 1996) the main assumption of focus groups is that with a permissive atmosphere that promotes a range of opinions, a more complete and revealing understanding of the issues will be achieved.
According to Saunders (1999), open coding is a qualitative method for analyzing data in the form of themes that emerge when the data are viewed repeatedly, which allows the themes to be categorized.
CREDIBILITY OF DATA GATHERED
THE ANALYSIS OF CRITICAL QUESTION ONE
THE ANALYSIS OF CRITICAL QUESTION TWO
ANAL YSISOF CRITICAL QUESTION THREE
CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
CRITICAL QUESTION ONE: WHAT ARE TEACHERS CONCEPTIONS OF PRACTICAL WORK?
It appears that the teacher's design of practical work does not include student participation and student-led research. If the teacher's design of practical work really included research and student participation, we would expect these percentages to be closer to 71.1. The data presented in the focus group interview illustrate that the teachers' idea of "hands on" actually matches their idea of practical work.
Teachers' conception of practical work includes "hands on", guided inquiry, team work and student participation. Therefore, teachers' conception of practical work is consistent with their own conception of practical work.
CRITICAL QUESTION TWO: WHAT TYPE OF PRACTICALS DO TEACHERS CLAIM TO USE TO TEACH SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS
CRITICAL QUESTION TWO: WHAT TYPES OF PRACTICAL DEMAND TEACHERS USE TO TEACH SCIENCE PROCESSING SKILLS. A variety of reasons were cited by teachers in the open questionnaire for using this particular method of doing practical work as illustrated in Figure 3 below. We illustrated in research question one that teachers' conception of practical work was congruent with "practical activity".
While teachers' perception of practical work involves "hands on activities" in their actual classroom practice.
I HANDS ON ACTIVITY I DEMONSTRATION
I REASONS FOR PRACTICAL WORK Reinforce theory (52,6 % )
CRITICAL QUESTION THREE: WHICH SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS DO TEACHERS FOCUS TO DEVELOP WHEN DOING PRACTICAL
In relation to practical work, teachers develop the following science process skills in learners, viz. Basic science process skills include observation, inference, measurement, recording of information, classification and prediction, while integrated science process skills involve the control of variables, operational definition, hypothesizing, interpretation of data, formulation of models, design of experiments. The results of this study indicate that the type of science process skills developed in learners is skewed towards the development of basic science process skills.
For example, more than 50% of teachers focus on data recording and observation, which are considered basic skills of the scientific process. These findings should be viewed against the background of the research by Staer et al.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
DISCUSSION ON PATTERNS THAT EMERGED
What is worth noting in the figure below is the noticeable but almost "imperceptible" impact that the assessment (exam) requirement has on teachers' practice; the science process skills they focus on and the teacher's concept of practical work. The figure above shows that in relation to the research question, one of the teachers conceptualizes practical work as a "hands-on" activity where students manipulate devices. In relation to the second research question, the figure above shows that teachers use demonstrations as the main method of practical work.
In relation to the third research question, the diagram above reveals that the science process skills that teachers focus on during practical work are the basic science process skills, namely observation; data recording, measuring and drawing. Because of the "network effect" of assessment requirements, practical work is not what it should be - a platform for developing integrated science process skills.
CHALLENGES FACING TEACHERS IN ESPOUSING THE NCS-FET LIFE SCIENCE POLICY DOCUMENT
But when asked to describe practical work in terms of their practice, they see it as manipulation of the apparatus. Teachers do not conceive of practical work as involving inquiry-based learning, problem solving, critical and creative thinking, and designing experiments. Teachers do not have enough equipment/resources for each student to engage in individual practical work.
In terms of teacher readiness, we must allude to the fact that many of our practicing teachers were trained in a content-based paradigm where the focus was on curriculum coverage and preparing students to excel in. In a content-based curriculum, little or no attention was paid to development of integrated scientific process skills.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Short development programs should take place on a regular basis to provide support and encouragement to teachers to ensure that a learner-centred environment is enabled. In this regard, more support material for teachers in terms of good examples of good practice that will promote the development of integrated science. There is an urgent need to show teachers how to engage students in these types of activities.
IMPLICATIONS OF THIS STUDY
The results of the survey show that if we have creative ways of assessment, the current teaching practice will very likely become more creative. Policymakers must also be clear about the time frame within which they hope the policy document will be implemented. They must liaise with the Curriculum Development Units to retrain teachers accordingly before.
Subject advisors should assist teachers to review the current method of assessment and provide greater input to policy makers on the need to change methods of assessment. As for teacher training centres, they must ensure that trainee teachers are exposed to different methods of teaching and assessment so that they can create a truly learner-centred environment.
CONCLUSION
The interwoven influence that assessment has on teacher conception, teacher practice and science process skills focused on in relation to practical work actually extends beyond the realm of the teacher. How often do you give out practical work in grades 7 - 9 (or the grades in which you teach). This survey is conducted to investigate the use of practical work in the :eling of science process skills at Secondary Schools .. the information collected. of this survey will be used for my study purpose and NOT for the department's records.
What forms I type of practical work ( ego demonstrates. closad inves1ations ) do you use in the teaching of the current biology syllabus. Not so long ago you received a questionnaire from me that focused on 1rs' conception of practical work, types of practical work that teachers use to teach science process skills .. the science process skills that teachers develop. Our conception of practical work is consistent with, it aligns with the philosophy document on this point. I would like clarity on which practical activity.
We need to look at the way our practical work is done. If we are to be careful, we need to look at this within the local South African context.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
De Beer, J.J.J (1993) An evaluative investigation into the value of practical work in Biology teaching at the senior secondary school level. Studies in Science Education Vol. 1972): A Critical Survey of Practical Work in Biology at the Senior Secondary Indian High Schools in Natal. 33 '0 Loughlin, M (1996): Rethinking Science Education: Beyond Piagetian Constructivism to a sociocultural model of Teaching and learning.
Osborne, J.F (1996): Beyond Constructivism: Science Education Vol. 1985): The generative learning model and its significance for science education. A master's thesis Faculty of Education.University of Wits. 1998): Strategies for Resistance: Toward Socio-Transformative Constructivism and Learning to Teach Science for Diversity and for Understanding.
