Browsing by Author "Nel, Tarina"

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    iGenerasie : die gepastheid van die natuurwetenskaponderrig-en-leeromgewing binne 'n tersiere instelling
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Nel, Tarina; Botha, Marie Louise; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Curriculum Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT : According to Fataar (2017), we “fail to teach effectively because we don’t understand the group that we teach”. The current research aims to address the question whether we understand Generation Z enough to teach them effectively, to meet their teaching and learning needs? GenZ is referred to as digital natives, they were born in a time where technology was readily available. To them, it is as common as pen and paper are to those generations which preceded them. They do not know a world without it. This research reveals that as educators, we fail to consider the impact of exactly that. There is a continually growing divide between us and those we teach. This research is an attempt to seek knowledge to communicate, connect and teach this generation better. The exponential growth of technology and the reality of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) will start to shape the world with or without our input. This research, however, suggests that if we as teachers are willing to consider our practices and have a mindset of understanding GenZ and creating an environment in which they thrive, we will be able to teach them the skills they need to deal with 4IR, and create their own future. During the literature review of this study the researcher considered who GenZ is and what this generation’s perspectives on life are and what formed these perspectives, and considered the future of the generation. The perspectives are further discussed with reference to those aspects relevant to education. Natural science and the nature of science are further considered. A short discussion on the sustainable development goals of the United Nations and 4IR follows. The literature review is concluded by contextualising the research within Stellenbosch University as a higher educational environment. The research design is a collective case study, conveyed in an interpretive approach and is analysed qualitatively through a triangular, constant comparative method. Participatory, formal observations were completed by the researcher by attending first-year lectures, semi-structured questionnaires were completed online by students of the relevant modules and semi-structured interviews were held with relevant lecturers. This research ultimately leads to an attempt by the researcher to communicate an urgency that more research on this topic is needed. Suggestions are made and although this research was concluded within the environments of natural science and higher education, the findings of the research lead to conclusions and suggestions not limited to these environments. In fact, the researcher suggests that the answer to meeting the educational and learning needs of this generation might effectively lie outside the traditional classroom.