Effectiveness of writing-to-learn activities in enhancing learners’ performance on the topic of intermolecular forces

Abstract

An important goal of South Africa’s National Development Plan is for the country to achieve a target of at least 450000 learners by 2030 qualifying to study for the Bachelor’s degree programmes in STEM disciplines in various institutions of higher learning. However, research studies and results from the National Senior Certificate show that South African learners are performing poorly in STEM subjects such as Physical Sciences where the number of learners who pass the subject with 40% and above has not reached 100000 since 2015. One of the identified challenges for poor performance is related to the language of instruction. Writing is one of the most important aspects of language that contributes to poor performance, and it is a fundamental skill associated with critical and creative thinking skills that are important for learning Physical Sciences. This study was an attempt to design a pedagogical intervention using ‘writing-to-learn as a pedagogy to enhance learners’ understanding of Physical Sciences concepts. A mixed-method approach was used to elicit responses from 317 Grade 11 learners from three schools in Mpumalanga Province of which 154 were taught through the normal traditional way and 163 through writingto- learn pedagogies to develop their abilities to construct scientific written explanations. The quantitative data was collected from tests (pre- and post-tests) focusing on overall academic achievement, science inquiry skills, and how learners define and explain concepts in the topic of intermolecular forces. Physical Sciences teachers from the participating schools were interviewed and learners participated in focus group interviews. The overall findings from the tests which were analysed through ANCOVA showed a statistical significance (df= 316; F=65.54; p<0.05) in favour of the learners who were engaged in writing-to-learn strategies. The WTL strategies also enhanced learners’ science Inquiry Skills (df= 316; f=40.600 and p<0.05) and understanding of basic IMF concepts (df= 316, F=79.798 and p<0.05). Data from the interviews and focus group interviews showed that the teachers and learners were positive about the incorporation of writing-to-learn activities in science classes. To offer recommendations for practice, a framework for incorporating writingto- learn strategies in science education was developed.

Maikemisetso a bohlokwa a Leanotlhabollo la Bosetshaba la Afrika Borwa ke gore naga e fihlelele nepo ya baithuti bao e sego ka fase ga 450000 ka ngwaga wa 2030 bao ba swanelegago go ithutela mananeo a Bachelor’s degree ka dithutong tsa STEM ka ditheong tsa go fapafapana tsa thuto ya godimo. Le ge go le bjalo, dinyakisiso tsa dinyakisiso le dipoelo go tswa go Setifikeiti sa Bosetshaba sa Bagolo di laetsa gore barutwana ba Afrika Borwa ga ba some gabotse dithutong tsa STEM. Physical Sciences ka mo go kgethegilego ke ye nngwe ya dithuto tsa STEM tseo barutwana ba di hwetsago e le tlhohlo. Palo ya baithuti bao ba phasago Physical Sciences ga se ya fihla go 100000 go tloga ka 2015. E nngwe ya ditlhohlo tseo di lemogilwego tsa go se some gabotse e amana le polelo ya go ruta. Go ngwala ke ye nngwe ya dikarolo tse bohlokwa kudu tsa polelo tseo di tsenyago letsogo go tshepediso ya go se some gabotse gomme ke bokgoni bja motheo ka ge gantsi bo tswalanywa le mabokgoni a go nagana gabotse le a boitlhamelo ao a lego bohlokwa go ithuta Physical Sciences. Thuto ye e be e le maitekelo a go hlama tsenogare ya thuto ka go somisa ‘go ngwala go ithuta bjalo ka thuto go godisa kwesiso ya baithuti ya dikgopolo Physical Sciences. Mokgwa wa mokgwa wa go hlakantshwa o somisitswe go hwetsa dikarabo go tswa go barutwana ba 317 ba Mphato wa 11 go tswa dikolong tse tharo tsa Profenseng ya Mpumalanga tseo ba 154 ba tsona di rutilwego ka mokgwa wa tlwaelo wa setso wa go ruta gomme ba 163 ka dithuto tsa go ngwala go ithuta go hlabolla bokgoni bja bona bja go aga dingwalwa tsa mahlale ditlhaloso. Datha ya boleng e ile ya kgoboketswa go tswa ditekong (pele le ka morago ga tlhahlobo) yeo e lebeletsego kudu phihlelelo ya thuto ka kakaretso, mabokgoni a nyakisiso ya mahlale le ka fao baithuti ba hlalosago le go hlalosa dikgopolo ka ga hlogotaba ya maatla a magareng ga dimolekule. Barutisi ba Physical Sciences go tswa dikolong tseo di tserego karolo ba ile ba boledisanwa le baithuti gomme baithuti ba tsea karolo dipoledisanong tsa sehlopha sa nepo. Dikutollo ka kakaretso go tswa ditekolong tseo di sekasekilwego ka ANCOVA di bontshitse bohlokwa bja dipalopalo (df= 316; F=65.54; p<0.05) bjo bo thekgago baithuti bao ba bego ba swaregile ka maano a go ngwala go ithuta. Maano a WTL a ile a godisa gape Mabokgoni a go Nyakisisa sa mahlale (df= 316; F=40.600 le p= 0.05 le kwesiso ya dikgopolo tsa motheo tsa IMF (df=316; F=79.798 le p=0.05) Datha go tswa dipoledisanong le dipoledisanong tsa sehlopha sa nepo e bontshitse gore barutisi le baithuti ba be ba na le maikutlo a mabotse ka ga go tsenywa ga mediro ya go ngwala go ithuta ka phaposing ya mahlale. Go fa ditshisinyo tsa go itlwaetsa, go ile gwa hlangwa tlhako ya go tsenya maano a go ngwala go ya go ithuta thutong ya mahlale.

Xikongomelo xa nkoka xa Kungu ra Nhluvukiso wa Rixaka ra Afrika-Dzonga i ku va tiko ri fikelela xikongomelo xa vadyondzi lava nga riki ehansi ka 450000 hi 2030 lava faneleke ku dyondzela tiphurogireme ta tidigiri ta Bachelor’s eka tidyondzo ta STEM eka swivandla swo hambana swa tidyondzo ta le henhla. Hambiswiritano, tidyondzo ta ndzavisiso na mbuyelo ku suka eka Xitifikheti xa le Henhla xa Rixaka swi kombisa leswaku vadyondzi va Afrika-Dzonga a va tirhi kahle eka tidyondzo ta STEM. Ngopfungopfu Physical Sciences i yin’wana ya tidyondzo ta STEM leti vadyondzi va ti kumaka ti ri na ntlhontlho. Nhlayo ya vadyondzi lava pasaka Physical Sciences a yi si fika eka 100000 ku sukela hi 2015. Yin’wana ya mintlhontlho leyi kumiweke eka matirhelo yo biha yi fambelana na ririmi ra dyondzo. Ku tsala i xin’wana xa swiyenge swa nkoka swinene swa ririmi leswi hoxaka xandla eka matirhelo yo biha naswona i vuswikoti bya xisekelo tanihileswi byi talaka ku fambelanisiwa na vuswikoti byo ehleketa hi vukheta na byo tumbuluxa lebyi nga bya nkoka eka ku dyonda Physical Sciences. Dyondzo leyi a ku ri ku ringeta ku dizayina ku nghenelela ka dyondzo hi ku tirhisa ‘ku tsala-ku-dyondza tanihi dyondzo ku ndlandlamuxa ku twisisa ka vadyondzi eka miehleketo ya Sayense ya Ntivo-vutomi. Endlelo ra maendlelo yo hlangana ri tirhisiwile ku kuma tinhlamulo ku suka eka 317 wa vadyondzi va Giredi ya 11 ku suka eka swikolo swinharhu eXifundzheninkulu xa Mpumalanga laha 154 wa vona va dyondzisiweke hi ku tirhisa ndlela ya ntolovelo ya ndhavuko yo dyondzisa na 163 hi ku tirhisa tiphedagoji ta ku tsala ku dyondza ku hluvukisa vuswikoti bya vona byo aka leswi tsariweke hi sayense tinhlamuselo. Data ya nhlayo yi hlengeletiwile ku suka eka swikambelo (pre na post-test) leyi kongomisaka eka ku humelela hi ku angarhela ka dyondzo, vuswikoti byo vutisa sayense na ndlela leyi vadyondzi va hlamuselaka na ku hlamusela miehleketo eka nhlokomhaka ya matimba ya le xikarhi ka timolekhuli. Vadyondzisi va Sayense ya Miri ku suka eka swikolo leswi ngheneleke va burisanile naswona vadyondzi va nghenelerile eka mimbulavurisano ya ntlawa lowu kongomisiweke. Swikumiwa hinkwaswo ku suka eka swikambelo leswi kamberiweke hi ku tirhisa ANCOVA swi kombisile nkoka wa tinhlayo (df=316, F=65.54; p<0.05) ku seketela swichudeni leswi a swi nghenelerile eka tindlela to tsala ku dyondza. Maqhinga ya WTL ya tlhele ya ndlandlamuxa Vuswikoti bya Vulavisisi bya sayense (df= 316; f=40.600 na p= 0.05 na ku twisisa miehleketo ya masungulo ya IMF (df=316; F=79.798 na p=0.05) Data ku suka eka mimbulavurisano na mimbulavurisano ya ntlawa lowu kongomisiweke yi kombisile leswaku vadyondzisi na vadyondzi a va ri na ntshembo hi ku nghenisiwa ka migingiriko ya ku tsala ku dyondza etlilasini ya sayense. Ku nyika switsundzuxo swa ku titoloveta, ku endliwile rimba ro nghenisa tindlela to tsala ku dyondza eka dyondzo ya sayense.