In biology education, the study of structure has traditionally involved the use of dissection. Animal-rights campaigners have caused biology educators and learners to question the necessity of dissections. This study reviews the research evidence for the efficacy of alternatives to dissection and then turns to research evidence on attitudes to dissection. It suggests that the place, practice, and purpose of dissection in biology education can act as an indicator of the state of society in which those practices are embedded. The current situation in South Africa is reviewed to illustrate how social factors outside the laboratory influence pedagogic practice.
Migrants consider South Africa to be a country of greener pastures in a sub-region blighted by political and economic instability. In South Africa's education system, Zimbabwean teachers constitute the largest group of migrant teachers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the social and professional needs of migrant Zimbabwean teachers, and their advice to prospective migrant teachers. Fifteen migrant Zimbabwean teachers in public high schools or combined schools (private schools) took part in semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. The data were analysed qualitatively using open coding. The findings of the study revealed that these migrant teachers need support to overcome difficulties in classroom management, in acquiring legal documentation, and in dealing with the issues of safety and xenophobia. The findings also revealed that the teachers were in need of induction, professional development, and social and financial support. In spite of their many needs, the migrant teachers' advice to prospective migrant teachers was that they should try their luck in South Africa.
This study explored the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and its development of four experienced biology teachers in the context of teaching school genetics. Pedagogical content knowledge was defined in terms of teacher content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and knowledge of students" preconceptions and learning difficulties. Data sources of teacher knowledge base included teacher constructed concept maps, pre-and post-lesson teacher interviews, videorecorded genetics lessons, post-lesson teacher questionnaire and document analysis of teacher"s reflective journals and students" work samples. The results showed that the teachers" individual PCK profiles consisted predominantly of declarative and procedural content knowledge in teaching basic genetics concepts. Conditional knowledge, which is a type of meta-knowledge for blending together declarative and procedural knowledge, was also demonstrated by some teachers. Further, the teachers used topic-specific instructional strategies such as context based teaching, illustrations, peer teaching, and analogies in diverse forms but failed to use physical models and individual or group student experimental activities to assist students" internalization of the concepts. The finding that all four teachers lacked knowledge of students" genetics-related preconceptions was equally significant. Formal university education, school context, journal reflection and professional development programmes were considered as contributing to the teachers" continuing PCK development. Implications of the findings for biology teacher education are briefly discussed.
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