This study explored university-community engagement (U-CE) by pre-service science teachers through the study of a biology module that interacted with the 'community of students' residing in university campus residence. Keywords: University-community engagement (U-CE), critical pedagogy, transformation, consciousness, pre-service teachers, pedagogy of consciousness.
ORIENTATION OF THE STUDY
- Introduction and background
- Purpose and focus of this study
- Location of the study
- Rationale for the study
- Significance of the study
- Limitations of the study
- Research aims
- Research questions
- Research design
- Findings
- Overview of chapters
- Conclusion
This study challenges the 'technical' nature of delivering curriculum content to students in the university setting, a traditional method where students are located. This study was conducted at one of four public universities in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
University Community Engagement (UCE)
- Community
- Conventional University Community Engagement (UCE) in the
- Service-learning and biology module
- Criticisms of University Community Engagement (UCE)
- UCE conceptual models
- Silo model of CE
- Intersection model of CE
- Infusion (cross-cutting) model of CE
The involvement of student representatives in improving university rules and regulations demonstrates inclusiveness in the governance of universities in South Africa. Noting the South African Council for Higher Education (2010) definition in the preceding sentence, I argue that university research takes it into account.
Social challenges confronting the student community in the universities
- Importance of food and vegetables to healthy living
- Food insecurity and hunger
- Food insecurity and hunger among students in universities of developed
- Food insecurity and hunger among students in universities in South
- Health problems and wellbeing related to nutrition affecting the university
The author linked inequality in the income gap to socioeconomic factors such as access to health, literacy levels, and neighborhood quality. Students from historically disadvantaged communities, who are predominantly African, constitute a large population of the total undergraduate student contingent in South Africa.
The need for a pedagogy that responds to the needs of pre-service teacher
- Pre-service teacher professional identity
- Indigenous knowledge infusion in university curriculum vis-a-vis
In the teacher development process, from pre-service to in-service teaching, the issue of teacher identity is significant (Alsup, 2006; Danielewicz, 2014; Friesen & Besley, 2013). To confirm the result of Oswald and Perold (2015), Steenekamp, van der Merwe and Mehmedova (2018) found that preschool teachers'.
Gaps in the literature
My study is significant in the context of the claim made by Koopman (2018) because pre-service science teachers who participated in my study became aware of the values of IQ in science. Literature is scarce on his epistemology on the South African context with pre-service teachers.
Theoretical framework guiding this study
- Critical theory
- Critical pedagogy
- The link between the theoretical construct and this study
Some scholars have criticized the use of the concept of critical pedagogy in the classroom. In addition, the introduction of critical pedagogy into the pre-service teacher training curriculum is important for the transformation of society (Barnum & Illari, 2016; Cappy, 2016; Ferrigno, Hemphill, & Lee, 2005; Keesing-Styles, 2003).
Conclusion
Many developing countries are affected by food insecurity and most of these nations are found in the African continent based on the findings of the literature. According to the literature, the lack of a good diet rich in micro- and macronutrients can have detrimental effects on students' health and academic performance.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
Context of the study
Furthermore, the 12 NBPSTs, who volunteered and self-classified, who came from a low socio-economic background, were purposively selected to form part of the case study. These NBPST participants received as little as R400 per month or no allowance for groceries from their families at home.
Paradigm
Pre-service science teachers who participated in this study believed that some of the food garden crops planted could improve the well-being of students in the university community. Involvement of more students from the university community in the project 1.2 Sustainability of the project 2.
Approach
Design
The author argued that phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography and case study are the four most prominent types of qualitative research designs. For this research entitled 'Exploring university-community engagement of pre-service science teachers through the study of a biology module, I employed the use of a qualitative case study research design.
Sample
These participants involved in this study were purposively selected from the stream of pre-service teachers who were undergraduates teaching biology module EDBS 310 in the first semester of the 2017 academic year in that university under study. The biology students were deliberately selected from the registered stream of students in the biology (EDBS 310) module of the first semester in the 2017 academic year.
Data Generation
- Data generation and instruments
- Focus Group Interview (FGI)
- Individual Interview
- Reflective Journals
- Student Portfolio of Evidence
- Data generation methods fit for purpose
The data generated during the U-CE project helped answer the research questions in my study. The six groups of PSSTs were given 8 to 12 weeks (project period) to complete the portfolio of evidence.
Triangulation
Some authors admit that there are four types of triangulation: data triangulation, researcher triangulation, theory triangulation, and methodological triangulation. Fusch, Fusch, and Ness (2018) argued that research students usually confuse data triangulation with methodological triangulation.
Pilot study
The authors agree that data triangulation uses the collaboration of data generated over time in different places and with participants, while methodological triangulation validates data within a method or between methods and between methods. Data from focus groups, individual interviews, reflective diaries and evidence portfolios were carefully validated for a better in-depth understanding of the phenomenon as expressed by the participants, allowing me to analyze the data accordingly.
Data analysis
At the same time, the topics should be synchronized with the codes and articulated with the literature and the theoretical framework of the study. I systematically examined main ideas according to theory and literature related to the phenomenon, coded, categorized codes, and generated themes necessary to provide answers to the study's research questions.
Rigour of the research
- Measure of trustworthiness
- Credibility
- Transferability
- Dependability
- Confirmability
The researcher must take responsibility for any changes that occur during the study and how the change affects the research perspective. According to Bertram and Christiansen (2013, p. 201), “confirmability refers to the degree to which the researcher's analysis can be confirmed by someone else, either another researcher or the reader.
Ethical issues
- Permission to conduct the study
- Informed consent from participants
- Anonymity and confidentiality
- Accuracy
- Data use and disposal
The purpose, objectives of the study, data collection methods, and participants' choice to decline or withdraw from the study without any consequences were detailed in the informed consent document. McMillan and Schumacher (2014) agreed that the identity of the participants and the location of the study should not be made public or printed.
Limitations of the study
The disposal of the data would take place after five years and in this way interview transcripts, copies of research journals and portfolios of evidence would be shredded. The audio of the interviews would be permanently erased from all storage devices, including the audio recorder and any external drives where they were stored.
Conclusion
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
The preamble to data presentation
How pre-service science teachers implement university-community engagement through their study of a biology module. What are pre-service science teachers' views on requirements for effective university-community engagement through a biology module.
Research Question One: How do pre-service science teachers implement
Other researchers, such as Mudaly (2018) and Mudaly and Ismail (2013), argued that PSSTs value learning about IC as part of the science teacher education curriculum. This study provided evidence that through U-CE projects such as food gardening, PSSTs can gain knowledge through unconventional means that go beyond the prescribed content included in the university curriculum, as well as the school curriculum, which governs the teaching of theirs.
Given the above, the PSSTs who participated in this U-CE research demonstrated teamwork, which is one of the vital employability skills for a successful life in the workplace. The excerpt from PoE2 (displayed as an event plan) was evidence of planning and organization by PSSTs while working as a team.
The PSSTs' survey, group interactions, and self-directed research provided information on the type of garden crops selected and grown for the U-CE project. It follows that the self-directed inquiry with which the PSST participants in my study embarked (by identifying the idiosyncratic needs of part of the university student community) resonated with these claims of the academic scholars and the higher education institutions.
Research Question Two: What are pre-service science teachers’ views
It emerged from the data that students associated the requirements for U-CE with two broad classifications, namely: student-driven initiatives and university-driven initiatives. The following themes emerged from the student-driven initiatives from the dataset in this study:
An example of this is the University of the Witwatersrand, where a student organization took the initiative to bring students together to grow and produce different food crops to ease the suffering of underprivileged and hungry students at their institution (University of the Witwatersrand, 2018). I conclude that the ingenuity of the student organization to identify food insecurity and other food challenges among students at the University of the Witwatersrand is demonstrated by U-CE, which resonates to a small extent with this study.
The foregoing data shows that many of the PSTs involved in the U-CE agreed that the project should be implemented throughout the year. The PSTs alluded to the view that the university should play a key role in driving U-CE in addition to student initiatives, as discussed earlier, for the effective implementation of the activities.
In the same way, the data from the reflective journals (below) suggested the involvement of more students in U-CE by university management. I can be happy if the university will include this kind of project in the modules that everyone can participate in to fight poverty and develop skills.
I think the university should give these kids land (by which I mean non-Bio students from disadvantaged backgrounds) to garden. If the university cannot allocate sufficient land for gardening, vertical garden options can be a valuable alternative.
Research Question Three: What are pre-service science teachers’ views
From the foregoing, it can be inferred that PSSTs integrated their knowledge of natural sciences with the needs of the students who live in the university community and the selection of plants for this project. The above extract from the portfolio of evidence (PoE2) further indicated the challenges of food insecurity among the PSTs in the university community and suggests that the food garden could be an appropriate response.
Research Question Four: How does engaging in a university-community
Furthermore, Mayer (1999) stated that learning the fundamentals of teaching such as methods, content and curriculum is the first aspect of teaching, while developing a teacher identity towards teaching (a second aspect) includes motivating feelings to make a difference in teaching. profession. The data from the reflective journal and the individual interview further testify to the awakening of activism and agency in the PSSTs acquired through participation in U-CE.
Conclusion
Data revealed that PSSTs' engagement in U-CE influenced their identity as teachers in the future. This signaled the potential to become teachers rather than just being teachers in the future.
PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS USING THE THEORETICAL
- Introduction
- Elevating Consciousness
- Focus on the Marginalized
- Collaboration and democracy
- Empowerment
- Transformation, Emancipation and Identity formation
- Conclusion
Consequently, Giroux (2013a) asserted that “New illiteracy is about more than not knowing how to read the book or the word; it is for not knowing how to read the world". The participating PSSTs were instructed by the lecturer to research the nutritional and health needs of the student community residing in the university campus residence.
SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND CONCLUSIONS
Introduction
Summary of significant research findings
Most participants agreed that the scope of the project could be expanded to include students in many disciplines at the university rather than being limited to the implementation of biology students. Additionally, Theme 2 of the Second Research Question explained the role that university management should play in supporting the U-CE project.
Recommendations: Insights derived from findings
- Insight one: Implementation of U-CE requires adequate planning,
- Insight two: Effective U-CE entails a collaboration between students and
- Insight three: U-CE has the potential to positively improve the nutritional
- Insight four: Engaging in U-CE can raise the consciousness of PSSTs
Therefore, the proposal of many participants to make the U-CE project available to all students of various disciplines at the university was unanimous. This view of the author will allow community members to have equality and greater participation in the democratic process of society.
Adebayo’s Model on University-Community Engagement (AU-CE)
Therefore, the statement "Becoming a teacher" resonates with the principles of KP which includes the transformation and emancipation of the oppressed for the betterment of society. "Becoming a teacher" enumerates the civic nature of the political and practical aspects of citizenship.
The implication for further research
Conclusion
Changes and challenges of the service-learning movement in higher education institutions in South Africa. Community Engagement in South African Higher Education Community Engagement in South African Higher Education - Kagisano 6.
