Teachers' perceptions of inquiry-based learning in urban, suburban, township and rural high schools: The context-specificity of science curriculum implementation in South Africa

Ramnarain, Umesh

doi:10.1016/j.tate.2013.11.003

Cited by 65 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…It became evident from the interviews that teachers believe in the value of students doing inquiry, and they are prepared to persevere against hindrances in providing such opportunities for their students. This finding is support by research conducted by the author with teachers at similar schools in South Africa where a quantitative survey revealed that the perceived benefits of inquiry learning are that it is motivational, it facilitates conceptual understanding, and it leads to the development of scientific skills (Ramnarain, 2014).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Understanding the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on inquiry‐based science education at township schools in South Africa

Ramnarain

2016

J Res Sci Teach

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This mixed-methods research investigated teachers' perceptions of intrinsic factors (personal attributes of the teacher) and extrinsic factors (environmental) influencing the implementation of inquirybased science learning at township (underdeveloped urban area) high schools in South Africa. Quantitative data were collected by means of an adapted version of the Science Curriculum Implementation Questionnaire (SCIQ) ). The adapted version was renamed the Scientific Inquiry Implementation Questionnaire (SIIQ) and was administered to 186 science teachers at township schools in South Africa. The teachers at a township school were then interviewed in order to solicit in-depth information on the findings that emerged from the questionnaire analysis. The findings highlight a lack of professional science knowledge (content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, knowledge of students, educational contexts, curricular knowledge, and educational purposes) that contributes toward teachers' uncertainty in inquiry-based teaching. Also, extrinsic factors such as school ethos, professional support, resource adequacy, and time serve as significant constraints in the implementation of inquiry-based education at the school. The data collected from SIIQ provides a foundation for understanding at a high school level how factors influence the delivery of a curriculum underpinned by inquiry. # 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 53: 598-619, 2016 Keywords: inquiry-based learning; science curriculum delivery; environmental factors One of the key imperatives in the transformation of education in South Africa is the need to provide quality education for all (Department of Education, 2001). The issues of equity and redress were foremost in transformation of the segregated education system, and the accompanying curriculum reform. The previous Apartheid education system was comprised of separate education departments for Blacks, Whites, Coloreds, and Indians, with inequitable distribution of resources for the races. Apartheid education was characterized by gross inequalities in the financing of education. Although this was reflected in all areas of school funding, the legacy of these policies is most visible in school infrastructure. A study by the Foundation for Research Development (1993) showed that the per capita expenditure for a White student was five times that for a Black students. A legacy of the apartheid policies is therefore the enormous diversity of schools in terms of the availability of physical resources. This diversity is further exacerbated by

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Understanding the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on inquiry‐based science education at township schools in South Africa

Ramnarain

2016

J Res Sci Teach

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“…The scientific practices in Table 1 overlap with those advocated in science curriculum documents in South Africa where this study was carried out. Curriculum developments in this country mirror worldwide reform trends in science education (Ramnarain, 2014). For example, the South African physical sciences curriculum aims among other aspects to equip learners with such investigative skills relating to chemical and physical phenomena as communicating, designing an investigation, interpreting, drawing and evaluating conclusions, and formulating models (Department of Basic Education, 2011b).…”

Section: Domain Of Practice and Ibpwmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teaching practices linked to the implementation of inquiry‐based practical work in certain science classrooms

Akuma

Callaghan

2018

J Res Sci Teach

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Around the world, there have been curricula reforms involving the incorporation of the inquiry‐based teaching and learning strategy in secondary school science education in general and in practical work in particular. Research in inquiry‐based practical work (IBPW) has focused, for example, on aspects of the strategy itself, on teacher professional development, and on classroom teaching and learning based on the strategy. However, the question of the extent to which teaching practices linked to the implementation of practical work are actually inquiry‐based, was still to be answered. To draw on the answer to this question to inform professional development practice and research, we focused on the case of physical sciences classrooms in two resource‐constrained South African schools. In this regard, we used a conceptual framework based on the Interconnected Model of Teachers' Professional Growth and including a framework of teaching practices. In the data collection, we used a multimethod case study approach and to analyze the data, we combined the inductive and deductive approaches in thematic analysis. The results show that in the initiation, planning, and classroom implementation phases of practical work, many of the teaching practices of participants were inconsistent with inquiry‐based teaching and learning, although some other practices were consistent with this type of teaching and learning. At the same time, some of the consistent practices were at a rather low level of implementation. We have discussed the theory‐, practice‐, and research‐based implications of these results, in relation to the implementation of IBPW in resource‐constrained physical sciences classrooms in South Africa and internationally.

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“…However, as observed, practical work is not done in some schools in the country due to inadequate resources, lack of practical science skills and large classes in science (pers. Obs) and (Onwu & Stoffel, 2005;Ramnarain, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Effect of Practical Work on Grade 10 Learners’ Performance in Science in Mankweng Circuit, South Africa

Kibirige

Rebecca²,

Mavhunga³

2014

MJSS

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Teachers' perceptions of inquiry-based learning in urban, suburban, township and rural high schools: The context-specificity of science curriculum implementation in South Africa

Cited by 65 publications

References 37 publications

Understanding the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on inquiry‐based science education at township schools in South Africa

Understanding the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on inquiry‐based science education at township schools in South Africa

Teaching practices linked to the implementation of inquiry‐based practical work in certain science classrooms

Effect of Practical Work on Grade 10 Learners’ Performance in Science in Mankweng Circuit, South Africa

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