Doctoral Degrees (Science and Technology Education)

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Exploring grade 12 learners’ understandings of, and problem-solving approaches to work-energy-power in physical sciences in high schools=Ukhuphenya abafundi bebanga 12 Ukuqonda kanye nezindlela zokuxazulula izinkinga ekusebenzeni kwamandla kagesi esifundweni sePhysical Sciences ezikoleni zamabanga Aphezulu eLimpopo.
(2021) Maharaj, Jayanthi Siva Kumaree.; Govender, Nadaraj.
Learners in high schools are performing poorly on the topic Work Energy Power as is evident in the National Senior Certificate Examinations (NSC) since 2008. The purpose of this study was to explore Grade 12 learners’ understandings of, and problem-solving approaches to Work-Energy-Power in Physical Sciences in high schools. The combination of Phenomenography and Variation Theory (VT) have been found to be best suited as an approach with which to tackle the research questions in this study as it enabled the researcher to probe into learners’ understandings and problem-solving approaches through their (the learners’) eyes which was the purpose of this study. This research employed a mixed methods approach as it used both quantitative and qualitative methods underpinned by pragmatism and interpretivism. The mixed methods approach was heavily weighted on the qualitative aspect with the quantitative aspect focusing primarily on descriptive statistics that was used to inform the qualitative aspects. The sample comprised of 100 National Senior Certificate Physical Sciences Paper One examination scripts and eight Grade 12 Physical Sciences learners. This sample was selected from six schools in one province in South Africa. The sampling method involved convenience sampling and typical case sampling, which is a type of purposive sampling, at different stages of the sampling process. A semi-structured interview schedule, Think Aloud Questionnaire (TAQ) and the NSC examination scripts were used to collect raw data. The TAQ (Appendix 10) was the instrument that was used to gain insights into the “thinking” of learners using the Think Aloud Method. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected via document analysis, thematic analysis and Think Aloud, all of which were underpinned by phenomenography and VT. The use of several data collection instruments and methods assisted with ensuring trustworthiness by triangulation. It was found that learners display seven alternative conceptions (ACs) about work, four ACs about energy and three ACs about power. Seven problem-solving approaches (PSAs) among Grade 12 Physical Sciences learners were identified, and these were missed the point state (MPS), limited (L), plug-and-chug-trial (PACT), layman’s approach (LAY), by elimination (BE), not shown (NS) and linked and integrated state (LIS). All the PSAs had problem-solving difficulties (PSDs) embedded in them except for the LIS approach. It was also found that awareness, simultaneity, discernment, reason, logic and clarity are important conditions for learners to fully understand scientific phenomena and successfully solve problems in physics. The last three conditions in the previous sentence, namely reason, logic and clarity, are being proposed in this study as additions to the current discourse on learning proposed by VT. The four patterns of variation namely contrast, generalisation, separation and fusion have been employed in this study as a possible explanation for the prevalence of alternative conceptions and problem-solving difficulties among Grade 12 Physical Sciences learners. IQOQA Abafundi ezikoleni zamabanga aphezulu abenzi kahle esihlokweni sokuSebenza kwaMandla kaGesi njengoba kubonakala emiphumelweni yabo kazwelonke yesitifiketi sikamatikuletsheni, i-National Senior Certificate Examinations (NSC) kusukela ngo-2008. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwakunguphenya ukuqonda kwaBafundi beBanga 12 ngeZindlela zoKuxazulula iziNkinga esifundweni sePhysical Science ezikoleni zamabanga aphezulu. Ukuhlanganisa iNjulalwazi yoShintsho kanye neyoHlalanto, i-Variation Theory (VT) sekutholakale ukuthi yikhona okungcono nokulungele indlela yokumelana nemibuzo yocwaningo kulolu cwaningo njengoba kuvumela umcwaningi ukuhlokoloza ukuqonda kwabafundi kanye nezindlela zokuxazulula izinkinga ngokwamehlo okubona kwabafundi. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise izindlela zocwaningongxube njengoba kusetshenziswa zombili izindlela, eyocwaningozinombolo kanye neyekhwalithethivu, ezesekelwe izinhlelomqondo zenjulalwazi yokungenzeka kanye neyomhumusho. Indlela yocwaningongxube ibukwe kakhulu ngasohlangothini lwekhwalithethivu, bese kuthi ingxenye yocwaningozinombolo yona yagxila kakhulu ekuchazeni izinombolo. Isampula ibandakanye amaphepha ayi-100 okuhlola i-Physical Sciences iPhepha Lokuqala lokuhlola umatikuletsheni kanye nabafundi abayisishiyagalombili beBanga 12 be-Physical Sciences. Uhlaka lwezingxoxo esizakuhleleka, izinhlamibuzo zokucabanga ngokukhuluma, i-Think Aloud Questionnaire (TAQ) kanye namaphepha okuhlola e-NSC kusetshenzisiwe ukuqoqa imininingo. I-TAQ ibe ithuluzi elisetshenzisiwe ukuthola ukuzika ekucabangeni kwabafundi besebenzisa indlela yokuCabanga beKhuluma. Yomibili imininingo yocwaningozinombolo kanye neyekhwalithethivu kwaqoqwa ngokuhlaziya amadokhumenti, ukuhlaziya kwezindikimba kanye nokuCabanga ngokuKhuluma. Kutholakale ukuthi abafundi bakhombisa okunye ukuqonda okuyisikhombisa okwehlukile, i- alternative conceptions (ACs) mayelana nomsebenzi, ama-AC amane mayelana namandla kagesi kanye nama-AC amathathu amandla. Izindlela eziyisikhombisa zokuxazulula inkinga, ama-problem solving approaches (PSAs) phakathi kwabafundi beBanga 12 be-Physical Sciences atholakala futhi lokhu kwaba amagebe ezimo ezingatholakalanga, ama-missed the point state (MPS), okungaphelele, oku-limited (L), ama-plug-and-chug-trial (PACT), indlela kaLayman, i-layman’s approach (LAY), ngokususa, okusho ukuthi, by elimination (BE), okungaveli, okusho ukuthi- not shown (NS) kanye nesimo esixhumene kanye nesiyinhlanganisela, okusho ukuthi, linked and integrated state (LIS). Wonke ama-PSA ayenezinkinga zokuxazulula izinkinga, ama-problem solving difficulties (PSDs) ayeyamaniswe nawo ngaphandle kwendlela ye-LIS. Kwatholakala futhi ukuthi ukuqwashiseka, ukwenzeka kanye kanye, ukwahlulela okucacile, isizathu, umqondo kanye nokucaciseleka kuyizimo ezibalulekile kubafundi ukuze baqonde ngokugcwele isimo esinobusayensi kanye nokuxazulula izinkinga ngempumelelo esifundweni sePhysics. Izimo ezintathu zokugcina emushweni owandulela lo, okuyisizathu, isimo sokuqonda kanye nokucaciseka, kuyaphakanyiswa kulolu cwaningo njengezengezo kucwaningonto oluhlaziywayo ekufundeni okuphakanyiswe i-VT.
Exploring science educators’ reproduction and subversion of gender stereotyping in a College of Education in Nigeria.
(2021) Allu, Daniel Asilika.; Govender, Nadaraj.; James, Angela Antoinette.
The cultural production and reproduction of discriminatory gender practices in education and in society has been a global and local concern, thus attracting attention in current debates. Therefore, knowledge theorization aims at questioning and interrogating the socio-historical and patriarchal gender practices in the 21st century. A global transformation of gender may be one of the vital paths to empowering woman and the marginalized in education. In this study, gender equity, which is a process of attaining equality, is obstructed by socio-cultural relations of power, linked to discrimination, domination and entrenched stereotyping in society and is particularly now a focus too in science and science education. Science has been considered a male domain; a liberal feminist analysis views the space of women in science and science education as emanating from a long history of oppression of females in a patriarchal society. Therefore, orientations related to patriarchy, sexuality and culture currently dictate classroom engagements in science education, which impacts on student’s intellectual and career progress. However, an exposure to the impact of gender stereotype and inequality in science education is a possibility towards the intellectual, political, and economic transformation of females. This study explores six Nigerian science educators’ reproduction and subversion of gender stereotyping in physical and life sciences classes and is located within the critical interpretive paradigm. The research methodology comprised qualitative methods using questionnaire, interviews, classroom observations, reflective journals, and collective reflections. A qualitative case study research design was used for the study. Then, I used purposive and convenience sampling techniques to select six experienced science educators with heightened gender awareness in a college situated in North Central Nigeria where the study was conducted. The narrative method employed captures the selection and experiences of science educators and allowed for a nuanced understanding of educators’ views about gender stereotype reproduction and subversion. The data were analyzed for themes using gender lens of Critical Theory (CT), Critical Feminist Reproduction Theory (CFRT) and Critical Consciousness Theory (CCT) regarding cultural production and reproduction and gender transformation. The findings reveal that the construct ‘gender’ is indeed social construction, repeated acts linked to identity construction of male and female science educators. In this study, educators in physical and life sciences classes are shown to implicitly and/or explicitly reproduce gender stereotypes, but sometimes to subvert discrimination, consciously and unconsciously. Furthermore, educators, especially the male pre-service teachers, collude to stereotype female pre-service teachers. Also, female pre-service teachers are equally complicit in their own oppression. It appears the science educators, male and female pre-service teachers are not explicitly aware of their complicit gender stereotyping roles in science education during teaching and learning engagements. It was observed that female pre-service teachers are often overtly deterred from participating in the science education space. The unconscious and conscious actions of stereotyping by educators towards their female pre-service teachers are likely to reinforce multiple oppressions in their charges that will impact their future teaching and gendered roles in class. A pedagogic transformative gender model of enabling a contradictory, transformative and political college space for science educators and pre-service teachers to negotiate power differentials for a new social gender order is then proposed for collective action.
Integrating Indigenous Knowledge (IK) artefacts and IK strategies in teaching mechanics: insights from community elders, physics teachers, and learners in Zimbabwe.
(2019) Mudzamiri, Edson.; Govender, Nadaraj.
The study is an exploration of how physics teachers can integrate indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) through using indigenous artefacts when teaching Advanced Level concepts in mechanics. It adds to the growing body of research on decolonizing indigenous curricula. The researcher was motivated by the negative effects of colonization in physics education, lack of contextualization when teaching Advanced Level physics, both of which make the subject difficult for learners resulting in low pass rates, high dropout rates, and loss of interest in the subject. The study also seeks to empower local communities of elders, teachers, and learners to participate in their education. The study was conducted in Masvingo District, a rural area in Masvingo province in Zimbabwe. It identified and explored a variety of indigenous artefacts that can be integrated in the teaching of physics. The artefacts are thus cognitively valuable in providing culturally sensitive scaffolding or meditational tools that facilitate deeper understanding of mechanics concepts. Theoretical frameworks of Vygotsky‟s sociocultural theory grounded in an indigenous research paradigm and humanity/Unhu/Ubuntu were used in this study. A transformative participatory Research (TPR) design was employed. Qualitative data were generated from a purposefully selected sample comprising 18 teachers, 15 learners from each of the three high schools and 22 elders from the community. The following research instruments were used in the study: observations, questionnaires, individual interviews, and focus group discussions. The findings revealed that the twenty indigenous artefacts identified in this study could be used in physics for conceptual teaching. The findings pointed to a culturally aligned, decolonizing, and contextualized and community acknowledged pedagogical science-IKS model which allows enrichment and understanding of physics concepts through IK artefacts, without challenging the fundamentals of traditional physics principles. The study implies that physics concepts can be understood through the indigenous knowledge systems of teachers, learners and the community together with the associated IK artefacts. The researcher recommended that IKS and associated IK artefacts should be integrated in all the components of the teaching processes and the school infrastructure should also promote the integration of western science with IKS.
Nigerian root and tuber farmers’ responses to climate change: the role of indigenous knowledge=Izindlela abalimi bokusampande baseNigeria ababhekana ngazo nesimo sokushintshashintsha kwesimo sezulu: Iqhaza lolwazi lwendabuko.
(2022) Olaniyan, Bolanle Susan.; Govender, Nadaraj.
This study explores the role of indigenous knowledge (IK) in Nigerian root and tuber farmers’ responses to Climate Change (CC). Root and tuber production in Nigeria has been steadily increasing despite the adverse effects of Climate Change. A literature review by the researcher showed that the farmers deploy their indigenous knowledge extensively in root and tuber production and respond to CC in the process, hence the need to document these indigenous practices for inclusion into mainstream climate change adaptation strategies and education curricula, which have hitherto been dominated by scientific knowledge. The study was framed by postcolonial theory, which is about how formerly colonized people write their narratives in their own words, without the coloured lens of the colonizers. Since IK is learnt by doing, situated learning theory (SLT), which posits that learning is a social phenomenon that occurs during everyday interactions, was employed in the exploration of IK used by the root and tuber farmers. Participatory phenomenology, which is a combination of participatory research and phenomenology was the methodology used to document the farmers’ experiences and report their responses concerning CC and IK. Focus group discussions were held in six villages across Kwara state, Nigeria, to elicit their experiences of CC and one participant per village was then selected for in-depth interview and participant observation. Inductive thematic analysis was applied to the data generated. The findings showed that the major experience of CC by the root and tuber farmers has been changes in the rainfall pattern, which takes the form of early or delayed onset of rainy season, and reduction in the amount and intensity of rainfall. Other indicators of CC were also identified. The farmers also responded to CC by use natural resources in a sustainable manner. They used their IK of soil water conservation by making mounds on which they planted, they maintained soil fertility by practising crop rotation, and used compost made from household waste. The farmers’ preference for IK in adapting to CC was attributed to IK being effective, easily accessible and inexpensive along with their antipathy towards scientific interventions. The study leads to suggested ways of including the documented IK into mainstream adaptation strategies in Nigeria, and the agricultural curriculum at the secondary and tertiary education levels, to engender adoption of the blended strategies by all members of the society. IQOQA Lolu cwaningo lwalubheka iqhaza elibanjwa ulwazi lwendabuko i-indigenous knowledge (IK) ekubhekaneni nesimo sokushintshashintsha kwesimo sezulu iclimate change (CC) kubalimi bokusampande ezweni laseNigeria. Ukukhiqizwa kwezilimo ezisampande eNigeria kulokhu kukhula kancane kancane yize kunemiphumela emibi yokushintshashintsha kwesimo sezulu. Ukufunda imibono yongoti ngocwaningo oselwenziwe ikhombisa ukuthi abalimi basebenzisa ulwazi lwendabuko (IK) kakhulu ekukhiqizeni izilimo ezisampande kanti indlela abenza ngayo inokubhekana nalesi simo seCC. Ngaleyo ndlela kubonakale kunesidingo sokuzibhekisisa nokuziqopha lezi zindlela ukuze zifakwe njengengxenye yamasu okubhekana nesimo sezulu kanye nekharikhulamu yezemfundo ebibonakala ibuswa kakhulu ulwazi lwezesayensi. Ucwaningo lwasebenzisa ipostcolonial theory, okuyinjulalwazi ebheka ukuthi abantu ababeqonelwe amanye amazwe phambilini bazibhala kanjani izindaba ngempilo yabo ngawabo amazwi, ngaphandle kokuqonelwa yihlo lomcindezeli. Njengoba ulwazi lwendabuko i-IK lufundwa ngokwenza, isituated learning theory (SLT), ebeka ngokuthi ukufunda yinto eyenzeka emphakathini ngokuxhumana kwabantu kwansuku zonke, yaba wumgogodla walolu cwaningo. Ucwaningonto lokubamba iqhaza, okuyinhlanganisela yokubamba iqhaza kanye nohlaziyonto, kwaba yizindlela ezasetshenziswa ukuqopha okwenziwa abalimi bese kubikwa ngezimpendulo zabo mayelana neCC kanye ne-IK. Izingxoxo zamaqoqo ababambiqhaza zenziwa emiphakathini eyisithupha eKwara State, eNigeria, ukuze kuzwakale izimvo zabo ngeCC. Umbambiqhaza oyedwa emphakathini ngamunye wakhethelwa imposambuzo ejulile kanye nokucwaninga ngokuqaphela umbambiqhaza. Uhlaziyongqikithi oluholela kokuthile lwasetshenziswa ukuhlaziya imininingo. Imiphumela yakhombisa ukuthi ulwazi lweCC olunzulu lwabalimi bokusampande lwalumayelana nokuqaphela ukushintsha kwendlela imvula eyayina ngayo kanti nezinye izinkomba zeCC nazo zahlonzwa. Abalimi bahlangabezana nesimo seCC ngokusebenzisa izinsizasidingo zemvelo ngendlela esimamisayo. Basebenzisa ulwazi lwendabuko i-IK lokonga amanzi enhlabathini ngokwenza izindunduma okuyizona ababetshala kuzo, bakwazi ukugcina ukuvunda kwenhlabathi ngokutshalakushintshanisa, base besebenzisa nomquba owakhiwe ngemfucuza yobekusetshenziswa endlini. Ukuthi abalimi bakhethe i-IK ukuze babhekane neCC kwenziwa wukuthi le ndlela yolwazi lwendabuko isebenza kahle, ifinyeleleka kalula kanti ishibhile uma iqhathaniswa nokungenelela ngokwesayensi ababengakuthandisisi. Ucwaningo lwaholela ekutheni izindlela zendabuko ezahlonzwa zaqoshwa zibandakanywe kulawo masu ajwayelekile okumelana nezimo eNigeria, kanye nakuyo ikharikhulamu yezolimo emabangeni aphezulu nasemfundweni ephakeme ukuze kwamukelwe amasu axubile okwenza izinto emphakathini.
Swaziland pre-service teachers’ understanding and enactment of inquiry-based-science teaching: a case of a university in Swaziland.
(2019) Nhlengethwa, Khanyisile Brenda.; Govender, Nadaraj.; Sibanda, Doras.
The current study adopted a case study design to understand the knowledge and skills related to inquiry-based science teaching (IBST) held by pre-service teachers at the conclusion of their three years training in science courses in an educational institution in Swaziland. Placed in the pragmatism paradigm, the study used a multi-methods approach. The purposively selected study sample consisted of 34 pre-service teachers at the end of their 3-year teacher preparation programme. In the first phase of the study, the researcher assessed the 34 preservice teachers’ understanding of IBST using a teaching scenario based questionnaire in combination with individual interviews with eight of the participants. Six participants from the sample of eight also volunteered for the second phase of the study, where their lesson plans, classroom observation recordings, and lesson interviews were used to gather evidence pertaining to their enactment of IBST during teaching practice. Data were analysed using a conceptual framework of IBST that outlines two dimensions: the cognitive and guidance dimensions. Findings from the first phase indicated that at the completion of the training programme preservice teachers held inadequate but varying conceptions of IBST. They either regarded IBST as engagement of learners in constructing knowledge about phenomena themselves based on evidence; or associated the pedagogy with different forms of learner engagement during the teaching process. Participants only identified prominent characteristics of the cognitive dimension of IBST, particularly those of the procedural domain. Concerning the guidance dimension, they connected IBST more with teacher directed activities. In their enactment of IBST, the six participants focused more on the conceptual domain while the epistemic domain was least represented. Concerning the guidance dimension of IBST, they mainly guided learners in formulating evidence-based conclusions. In the main, their enactment of IBST was shaped by their comprehension of the cognitive dimension of inquiry and their pedagogical content knowledge for facilitating inquiry-based learning. Extensive recommendations for teacher education and educational leadership are given. The effectiveness of the conceptual framework for identifying the pre-service teachers’ conceptions is discussed.

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Science and Technology Education) by Author "Govender, Nadaraj."