Are Grades 10-12 physical sciences teachers equipped to teach physics?
South African schools have been confronted with educational reform since the mid-nineties and the process is still continuing. The concomitant changes put a very high demand on physical sciences teachers and also have an impact on teacher behaviour. The purpose of this study was to probe whether te...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of the Free State
2012-09-01
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| Series: | Perspectives in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://196.255.246.28/index.php/pie/article/view/1775 |
| _version_ | 1797258051930030080 |
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| author | Ilsa Basson Jeanne Kriek |
| author_facet | Ilsa Basson Jeanne Kriek |
| author_sort | Ilsa Basson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
South African schools have been confronted with educational reform since the mid-nineties and the process is still continuing. The concomitant changes put a very high demand on physical sciences teachers and also have an impact on teacher behaviour. The purpose of this study was to probe whether teachers could be considered equipped to teach the physics part of the FET physical sciences curriculum. A revised framework on teacher behaviour, which includes three factors, namely teacher knowledge, teacher views and beliefs, and teacher attitudes, was used in conjunction with a questionnaire and a survey to analyse the data from individual and focus group interviews. A total of 68 FET physical sciences teachers from urban, township and rural schools participated in the research. Our findings indicate that teachers are positive about the curriculum. However, the problems identified with training, support and resources as well as the lack of teachers’ subject content knowledge, particularly in rural and township schools, cannot be blamed on the curriculum and therefore cannot be fixed by curriculum changes.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T22:47:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f6123b3041ce4e3981ab4f2cfcee6fbc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0258-2236 2519-593X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T22:47:24Z |
| publishDate | 2012-09-01 |
| publisher | University of the Free State |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Perspectives in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-f6123b3041ce4e3981ab4f2cfcee6fbc2024-03-18T11:11:51ZengUniversity of the Free StatePerspectives in Education0258-22362519-593X2012-09-0130310.38140/pie.v30i3.1775Are Grades 10-12 physical sciences teachers equipped to teach physics?Ilsa Basson0Jeanne Kriek1University of South AfricaUniversity of South Africa South African schools have been confronted with educational reform since the mid-nineties and the process is still continuing. The concomitant changes put a very high demand on physical sciences teachers and also have an impact on teacher behaviour. The purpose of this study was to probe whether teachers could be considered equipped to teach the physics part of the FET physical sciences curriculum. A revised framework on teacher behaviour, which includes three factors, namely teacher knowledge, teacher views and beliefs, and teacher attitudes, was used in conjunction with a questionnaire and a survey to analyse the data from individual and focus group interviews. A total of 68 FET physical sciences teachers from urban, township and rural schools participated in the research. Our findings indicate that teachers are positive about the curriculum. However, the problems identified with training, support and resources as well as the lack of teachers’ subject content knowledge, particularly in rural and township schools, cannot be blamed on the curriculum and therefore cannot be fixed by curriculum changes. http://196.255.246.28/index.php/pie/article/view/1775physical sciences teachersphysicscurriculum changesteacher behaviourteacher knowledge |
| spellingShingle | Ilsa Basson Jeanne Kriek Are Grades 10-12 physical sciences teachers equipped to teach physics? Perspectives in Education physical sciences teachers physics curriculum changes teacher behaviour teacher knowledge |
| title | Are Grades 10-12 physical sciences teachers equipped to teach physics? |
| title_full | Are Grades 10-12 physical sciences teachers equipped to teach physics? |
| title_fullStr | Are Grades 10-12 physical sciences teachers equipped to teach physics? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Are Grades 10-12 physical sciences teachers equipped to teach physics? |
| title_short | Are Grades 10-12 physical sciences teachers equipped to teach physics? |
| title_sort | are grades 10 12 physical sciences teachers equipped to teach physics |
| topic | physical sciences teachers physics curriculum changes teacher behaviour teacher knowledge |
| url | http://196.255.246.28/index.php/pie/article/view/1775 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ilsabasson aregrades1012physicalsciencesteachersequippedtoteachphysics AT jeannekriek aregrades1012physicalsciencesteachersequippedtoteachphysics |