Browsing by Author "Edwards, Nazeem"

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    Die gebruik van ondersoekgebaseerde wetenskaponderrig om studente se konseptuele begrip van gelykstroomelektrisiteit te bevorder
    (AOSIS, 2017-05-26) Edwards, Nazeem; Le Grange, Lesley
    Navorsing in wetenskaponderwys het ontstaan uit die positivistiese paradigma waarin wetenskaplike kennis as onveranderlik beskou was. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die gebruik van ondersoekgebaseerde wetenskaponderrig as ’n pedagogiese strategie om voornemende wetenskaponderwysers se konseptuele begrip van gelykstroomelektrisiteit te bevorder. Daar word voorgestel dat Vygotsky se sosiale konstruktivisme en Dewey se pragmatisme gemeenskaplike elemente het wat as ’n filosofiese raamwerk vir ondersoekgebaseerde wetenskaponderrig kan dien. ’n Voorbeeld van die transformerende veronderstellinggedrewe onderrigeksperiment as ’n ontwerpstudie in wetenskaponderwys, word uiteengesit. ’n Terugskouende ontleding word verskaf om ’n leeromgewing te ontwikkel wat tot beter konseptuele begrip van basiese gelykstroomelektrisiteit deur voornemende wetenskaponderwysers kan bydra.
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    Using design-based research to analyse the development of an inquiry-based approach for teaching direct current electricity to pre-service teachers
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) Edwards, Nazeem; Le Grange, Lesley Lionel Leonard; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Department of Curriculum Studies
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT : This study uses a design-based research (DBR) approach to develop pre-service science teachers’ (PSSTs) conceptual understanding in the domain of direct current electricity. A preliminary study was conducted with a group (n=51) of PSSTs in 2010 to examine the literature, outline conceptual trajectories for the activities and assessments, and to investigate various pedagogical strategies. This was followed by a transformative conjecture-driven teaching experiment that was conducted with three cohorts of PSSTs from 2011 to 2013. The three cycles of the teaching experiment consisted of four phases each that were followed by a retrospective analysis of all the data to place it in a theoretical framework. The conjecture was advanced that an inquiry-based science teaching strategy within a social constructivist learning environment will promote the development of PSSTs conceptual understanding in the domain. Various pedagogical strategies such as science investigations, modelling, argumentation and problem-solving were adopted to help achieve this goal. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using student assessment records and transcriptions of video data which were analysed as evidence of their conceptual understanding. The findings show that an inquiry-based science teaching approach can help to foster a better conceptual understanding of direct current electricity with varying degrees of success. The development of the students’ multimodal translation skills are reasonably developed, but most lack the ability to interpret data and draw adequate conclusions. Most of the students are able to construct a physical model as evidence using principles of electricity, but not many produce appropriate arguments to explain their model. Quantitative and qualitative problem-solving is an area where the students performed poorly, except for the 2013 cohort. The findings support previous studies in the domain that students have a poor understanding of direct current and potential difference, especially as far as parallel combinations are concerned. Another important design principle to emerge is that inquiry-based science teaching strategies are not effective all the time. In such instances there is a need to complement it with traditional expository teaching strategies to develop the student’s conceptual understanding of direct current electricity. The study concludes with the theories of domain-specific learning and the means to support that learning.