The development and testing of a computer aided instructional resource for the teaching of physical science
| dc.contributor.advisor | Jordaan, A. S. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Van der Westhuizen, P. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Van Zyl, Kevin Clive | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2011-08-12T12:30:17Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2011-08-12T12:30:17Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2004-12 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study set out to develop and test a Computer Aided Instructional Resource for Physical Science in Grades 11 and 12. The software was tested in the context of Newtonian Mechanics. This study differed from most other studies in that it did not develop or test tutoring-type software that the learner uses on a one to one basis in a computer laboratory. It did, however, test and develop software to be used by the teacher in the classroom while teaching. A theoretical framework is presented, built on experience-based as well as literature-based theory. In this framework, the effects of computer interventions on the teaching and learning situation as reported in the literature are viewed within the South African context. In the light of what is reported in the literature, the education authorities’ attempts to disseminate the curriculum with the use of technology, are questioned. Reasons for not doing a quantitative assessment of learner understanding of concepts are presented with reference to criticism in the literature against such assessments. The dissertation reports on the type of questions that need to be asked according to the literature. This discussion then leads to research questions that describe a process for the developing and testing of a resource that could assist teachers in teaching Physical Science. Developmental methods as well as ways of assessing had to be researched to determine the best way in which such a resource could be developed and tested. During this research it was found that the implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to deliver the curriculum had focused more on the development of tutoring type software and it seemed that the use of computers for actual classroom instruction did not receive as much attention. It was however possible to identify developmental and assessment principles that were common to research that had been done and the project that is reported in this dissertation. The Computer Aided Instructional Resource (CAIR) was developed by the researcher in the form of a presentations package that the teacher could use in the classroom while teaching. It was tested in a Prototyping Stage in the researcher’s classroom before being tested in eight project schools during the Piloting Stage. This was done by connecting personal computers up to 74cm televisions and then displaying the CAIR on the TV whileteaching. This was made possible by TRAC South Africa that funded the project. It also provided an opportunity to assess the use of the TRAC system in the same schools. After assessment criteria had been identified, assessment instruments were developed to assess the project in different ways. There were questionnaires for each stage to be completed by learners and teachers as well as an observation instrument that was used by the researcher during classroom visits. These assessment instruments made it possible to assess the CAIR with respect to didactical, visual and technical considerations. Results of the empirical study are presented under the assessment criteria that had been identified and are discussed with reference to the original research questions. The results of the assessment were very positive for both the CAIR and TRAC systems. The study has however tried to focus on the negative rather than positive outcomes to present as unbiased a picture as possible of the assessment results. It was also necessary to focus on the negative to determine how and where the CAIR could be improved and, to make recommendations regarding the implementation of the TRAC system. Recommendations are also made for immediate action and further investigations. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het gepoog om a rekenaar gesteunde onderrighulpmiddel te ontwikkel en te toets. Die sagteware is ontwikkel en getoets in die konteks van die onderrig van meganika. Die studie verskil van die meeste ander studies daarin dat die sagteware nie ontwikkel is vir die gebruik van leerders in ’n een-tot-een situasie in ’n rekenaar laboratorium nie. Die sagteware is eerder ontwikkel om deur die onderwyser gebruik te word terwyl onderrig in die klaskamer plaasvind. ‘n Teoretiese raamwerk wat op ondervinding en literatuurnavorsing gebou is, word aangebied. In hierdie raamwerk word die effek wat rekenaarintervensies op die onderrigleer situasie het, soos in die literatuur vermeld, binne die Suid Afrikaanse konteks geplaas. Die opvoedkundige owerhede se pogings om die kurrikulum te versprei met behulp van tegnologie, word bevraagteken na aanleiding van inligting wat in die literatuur verkry is. Redes waarom ‘n kwantitatiewe evaluering van leerderbegrip van konsepte nie gedoen is nie, word aangebied met verwysing na kritiek teen sulke evaluerings vanuit die literatuur. Vrae wat volgens die literatuur wel gevra moet word, word gerapporteer. Hierdie bespreking lei na die navorsingsvrae wat ‘n proses beskryf vir die ontwikkeling en toetsing van ‘n hulpmiddel wat onderwysers van nut kan wees in die onderrig van Natuur en Skeikunde. Ontwikkelingsmetodes sowel as kwalitatiewe evaluering is nagevors om die beste metodes vir ontwikkeling en toetsing te bepaal. Daar is gevind dat die implementering van Inligting en Kommunikasie Tegnologie om die kurrikulum oor te dra, meer op tutorial-tipe sagteware gefokus het. Die gebruik van rekenaars vir klaskamerinstruksie het nie soveel aandag in die literatuur geniet nie. Dit was egter moontlik om beginsels vir ontwikkeling en toetsing te identifiseer wat in ander studies gebruik is en wat hier ook toegepas kon word. Die hulpmiddel is ontwikkel in die form van ’n aanbiedingspaket wat die onderwyser in die klaskamer kan gebruik terwyl hy of sy onderrig gee. Die prototype is in die navorser se klaskamer getoets voordat dit in agt projekskole in ’n loodsprogram getoets is. Dit is gedoen deur ‘n persoonlike rekenaar in elke klaskamer aan ’n 74cm televisie te koppel.Dit is moontlik gemaak deur TRAC Suid-Afrika wat befondsing vir die projek verskaf het. Dit het ook ’n geleentheid verskaf om ’n kwalitatiewe evaluering van die TRAC stelsel in dieselfde skole te doen. Nadat evalueringskriteria geïdentifiseer is, is meetinstrumente ontwikkel om die projek op verskillende maniere te toets. Vraelyste moes in elke fase deur leerders en onderwysers voltooi word. Daar was ook ’n instrument vir gebruik deur die navorser tydens klasbesoek. Die hulpmiddel kon sodoende getoets word in terme van didaktiese, visuele en tegniese aspekte. Die resultate van die empiriese studie word aangebied onder die evalueringskriteria en word bespreek met verwysing na die oorspronklike navorsingsvrae. Die resultate was baie positief vir beide die onderrighulpmiddel en die TRAC stelsel. In die studie is gepoog om resultate so neutral moontlik aan te bied deur eerder op die negatiewe te konsentreer. Dit was egter ook nodig om op die negatiewe te konsentreer om te bepaal hoe die hulpmiddel verbeter kon word en om aanbevelings ten opsigte van die implementering van die TRAC stelsel te maak. Aanbevelings is ook gemaak oor onmiddellike aksie wat geneem kan word, sowel as vir moontlike verdere ondersoek. | af |
| dc.format.extent | ix, 320 leaves : ill. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/16077 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch | |
| dc.rights.holder | University of Stellenbosch | |
| dc.subject | Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Science -- South Africa -- Computer-assisted instruction -- Testing | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Computer programs | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Computer software -- Development | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Theses -- Education | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Dissertations -- Education | en_ZA |
| dc.title | The development and testing of a computer aided instructional resource for the teaching of physical science | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |