Faculty of Education
School of Educational Studies
Department of Curriculum Studies
Selected Highlights from Research Findings
A study was conducted to identify the distinguishing qualities of exceptional science teachers working in disadvantaged learning environments. Research participants were selected from the list of finalists for the National Science and Technology Forum Award for Exceptional Science Teaching, as well as from individuals who had gained a reputation for teaching excellence within the academic community or the Department of Education.
Interviews were conducted with these teachers, and transcripts of the interviews were subjected to discourse analysis. Prior to the study, it was thought that science teachers who rise above the norm generally fit a fairly uniform profile.
However, the research results did not confirm this expectation. Instead, it was found that different teachers draw on different strengths. For example, some teachers rely on a charismatic personality to inspire learners, while others are adept at guiding classroom discussions towards autonomous discovery or at employing examples from learners’ everyday experience to illustrate abstract scientific concepts.
One significant insight gleaned from the study was that a teacher’s ability to facilitate learning in science does not always correlate with his or her organisational talents. (One teacher was not able to produce a single file documenting preparation for classes.)
Another illuminating finding is that exceptional science teachers do not all hold identical views regarding the nature of science. For instance, one teacher emphasises the importance of formulating hypotheses and testing them against objective data, while another encourages learners to think of this method as one of several alternative ways to gain valid knowledge of the world.
These results point to the need for a differentiated model that maps out the various routes by which science teachers can approach the pinnacle of success in their profession. Dr A Hattingh
Curriculum Studies
+27 (0) 12 420 2771
annemarie.hattingh@up.ac.za
The Limpopo Project aims to encourage and support gifted young black students to take up a career in teaching by exposing them to high-quality teacher education.
The project commenced in 2002 with a selection process targeting learners from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Limpopo Province. Selected learners enrolled as first-time students at the University in 2003.
In 2005, an in-depth evaluation of the Limpopo Project was conducted and published by Prof Kobus Maree. The evaluation found that, of the 100 learners initially selected to participate in the project, only 19 had enrolled for studies in education at the beginning of 2005.
Two thirds of the remainder had either not attained high enough matriculation results to enrol at university or had abandoned their studies prior to reaching their third year.
The other third had applied for and been accepted in other fields of study. When investigating the reasons why these 27 students had changed courses, Maree found that the decision had in some instances been prompted by the significant personal development and exposure to alternative career options that the students had enjoyed since arriving at the University.
A more ominous finding is that many students had been warned – by classmates and lecturers alike – that education was a cul-de-sac with limited prospects of leading to employment. It seems evident that teaching has lost its allure as a profession and that South Africa may be staring a critical teacher shortage in the face.
The picture painted by the evaluation is not entirely negative, however. Despite some administrative and interpersonal problems, the marks of students who persevered show a steady improvement over time, as does their ability to cope in their new environment.
The results of this study provide a valuable knowledge base for improving the effectiveness of future initiatives aimed at empowering disadvantaged youth, swelling the ranks of the teaching profession and contributing to the transformation of South African society.
Prof JG Maree
Curriculum Studies
+27 (0) 12 420 2130
kobus.maree@up.ac.za
One of the key challenges of teacher education is the fact that, although students acquire extensive theoretical knowledge during their training, they frequently fail to integrate this knowledge with their teaching practice.
As a consequence, they might not succeed in developing their full potential as teachers. The Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is a unique course offered by the Faculty of Education that aims to close this gap through a transformational approach to learning that integrates theory and practice, reason and intuition, action and reflection.
The year-long course, which was instituted in 2002, differs from most teacher education programmes in that students spend sixty percent of their time at schools working under the guidance of mentor teachers.
At the end of each school day they return to the University, where they are required to reflect on their day’s teaching experience and relate this to established educational theory.
The curriculum of the PGCE is not a static entity, but is subject to continuous appraisal and improvement. The course itself therefore functions as a large-scale, “in vivo” research program, the aim of which is to uncover principles that underlie the design of an effective curriculum for teacher education – a curriculum that produces professional, confident and empathetic teachers who are also lifelong learners and whole human beings.
One of the insights gleaned from this research is that it is vital to engage in dialogue with partnership schools so that mutual expectations regarding their role in the preparation of the future teachers can be clarified.
It was also found that a three-day workshop for mentor teachers significantly enhanced the quality of support they were able to provide for student teachers.
Another significant finding is that students’ preconceived notions regarding their role as teachers frequently stand in stark contrast, not only with the ideals presented to them by the university-based component of the program, but also with the (often grim) realities of many South African schools.
These contrasts tend to induce considerable emotional turmoil, and it was found necessary to implement “cooperative buddy support groups” to enhance students’ resilience.
The knowledge amassed through such research has helped place South Africa at the forefront of innovation in the domain of teacher education.
Prof DM de Kock
Curriculum Studies
+27 (0) 12 420 2758
thea.dekock@up.ac.za
Since 1994, a number of former white schools in South Africa have embarked on a program of deliberate integration and diversification at the level of students, staffing and curriculum.
Dr Saloshna Vandeyar leads a research project that aims to assess whether, how and to what extent they have succeeded in accomplishing this transformation. The study employs a highly innovative methodology called portraiture, which resembles a portrait painted by an artist in that it offers a full and sensitive portrayal of the subject, focusing on and drawing out the most positive features of each school.
Preliminary results indicate that successful transformation can in a large part be ascribed to the efforts of school principals who act as catalysts of change.
Nevertheless, their efforts are sometimes undermined by the fact that their school’s organisational culture is not aligned with the new dynamics.
Vandeyar is also a co-investigator in a project that aims to identify best practices in dealing with issues of diversity and inequality regarding race, class and gender in schools.
The study employed a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. An initial survey was conducted among nine schools across three provinces.
The results of the survey were then used in combination with other sources to select four schools for more detailed case studies. The results of the study suggest that best practices include drawing on the life-world of each learner, incorporating those experiences into their daily institutional lives, challenging established power relations, fostering a sense of belonging among learners and ensuring that they feel at home in the school environment.
Both projects promise to yield valuable lessons for informing racial desegregation and cultivating greater social integration within schools. As such, they have important implications for the future of South Africa.
Today’s learners will be tomorrow’s leaders, and the development of healthy learning environments and appropriate intercultural learning practices are crucial for the sustainability of our society.
Dr S Vandeyar
Curriculum Studies
+27 (0) 12 420 2003
saloshna.vandeyar@up.ac.za
|
