Exploring and improving curriculum implementation through continuing professional development programmes of Grade 10 science teachers : a multiple case study

Abstract

Implementing an effective curriculum is expected by all science teachers since they are the curriculum implementers. However, it was revealed that many of these teachers, especially in rural areas, struggle to implement and deliver the curriculum effectively. The teachers mentioned challenges hampering them to deliver the curriculum effectively. This study was therefore conducted to explore and establish the challenges facing Grade 10 science teachers to deliver an effective curriculum and to further elucidate on the nature of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes as a necessary intervention to assist them in improving their curriculum delivery. Data were collected from Grade 10 science teachers teaching Life Sciences in 12 secondary schools through two different sources, which were semi-structured interviews and lesson presentation observations. The data were collected before and after a CPD programme interventional workshop, which was organised by me for the participants (i.e., pre-interviews, pre-lesson observations and post-interviews, post-lesson observations). The study's findings revealed the curriculum challenges facing science teachers in delivering an effective and proficient curriculum. It was also discovered that the teachers seriously needed professional support. Above all, the research findings showed the nature and design of a CPD programme that is relevant, and which addressed the curriculum challenges of the science teachers by improving their curriculum delivery. The results of this study were used to propose a model which could be used to address the curriculum challenges of science teachers and to improve their curriculum delivery.

Die doeltreffende implementering van die kurrikulum word van alle wetenskaponderwysers verwag aangesien hulle die persone is wat aan die kurrikulum uitvoering gee. Daar is egter bevind dat heelwat van hierdie onderwysers, veral in landelike gebiede, probleme ondervind om die kurrikulum doeltreffend te implementeer en aan te bied. Die onderwysers het uitdagings wat die doeltreffende implementering van die kurrikulum belemmer, uitgewys. Hierdie studie is derhalwe gedoen met die doel om die uitdagings rakende die doeltreffende implementering van die kurrikulum waarmee graad 10-wetenskaponderwysers gekonfronteer word, te verken en te identifiseer en om die aard van programme vir voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling (VPO) as ’n nodige ingryping vir die verbetering van hulle aanbieding van die kurrikulum te belig. Twee verskillende metodes, naamlik semigestruktureerde onderhoude en leswaarneming, is gebruik om data van graad 10-wetenskaponderwysers wat Lewenswetenskappe in 12 sekondêre skole gee, in te samel. Data is voor en ná ’n VPO-program-ingrypingswerkswinkel wat die navorser vir die deelnemers gereël het (dit wil sê, pre-onderhoude, preleswaarneming en postonderhoude, postleswaarneming), ingesamel. Die bevindings van die studie het die uitdagings rakende die doeltreffende en bedrewe aanbieding van die kurrikulum wat wetenskaponderwysers ondervind, aan die lig gebring. Daar is voorts bevind dat onderwysers dringend professionele bystand benodig. Die navorsingsbevindings het bowenal op die aard en die ontwerp van ’n VPO-program wat relevant is en wat die wetenskaponderwysers kan help om kurrikulumverwante uitdagings te bowe te kom en hulle aanbieding van die kurrikulum kan verbeter, gedui.Die resultate van hierdie studie is gebruik om ’n model te ontwikkel wat gebruik kan word om die kurrikulum-uitdagings wat wetenskaponderwysers ondervind, te bowe te kom en hulle aanbieding van die kurrikulum te verbeter.

Go phethagatsa lenaneothuto gabotse go letetswe ke barutisi ka moka ba thuto ya mahlale ka ge e le bona baphethagatsi ba lenaneothuto. Le ge go le bjalo, go utolotswe gore bontsi bja barutisi ba, kudukudu dinagamagaeng, ba katana le go phethagatsa le go aba lenaneothuto ka bokgoni. Barutisi ba boletse ka ditlhohlo tseo di ba sitisago go aba lenaneothuto gabotse. Ka fao nyakisiso ye e diretswe go nyakisisa le go hwetsa ditlhohlo tseo barutisi ba thuto ya mahlale ba Kreiti ya 10 ba lebanago le tsona ge ba aba lenaneothuto gabotse le go hlalosa gape mohuta wa mananeo a Tlhabollo ya Profesenale ye e Tswelago Pele (CPD) bjalo ka kgato ya maleba go ba thusa go kaonafatsa kabo ya bona ya lenaneothuto. Datha e kgobokeditswe go tswa go barutisi ba thuto ya mahlale ba Kreiti ya 10 bao ba rutago Thuto ya Mahlale a Bophelo dikolong tse 12 tsa magareng ka methopo ye mebedi ye e fapanego, yeo e bego e le dipoledisano tse di rulagantswego seripa le ditlhokomelo tsa tlhagiso ya dithuto. Datha e kgobokeditswe pele le ka morago ga tlhahlo ya tsenogare ya lenaneo la CPD, yeo ke e rulagantseditsego bakgathatema (e lego, dipoledisano tsa pele ga nako, ditlhokomelo tsa pele ga thuto le dipoledisano tsa ka morago, ditlhokomelo tsa ka morago ga thuto). Dikutullo tsa nyakisiso ye di utollotse ditlhohlo tsa lenaneothuto tseo barutisi ba thuto ya mahlale ba lebanego le tsona ka go aba lenaneothuto gabotse gape ka bokgoni. Go utulotswe gape gore barutisi ba be ba nyaka thekgo ya seprofesenale kudu. Godimo ga tsohle, dikutullo tsa nyakisiso di bontshitse mohuta le tlhamo ya lenaneo la CPD leo le lego maleba, le leo le rarolotsego ditlhohlo tsa lenaneothuto la barutisi ba saense ka go kaonafatsa kabo ya bona ya lenaneothuto. Dipoelo tsa nyakisiso ye di somisitswe go sisinya mmotlolo wo o ka somiswago go rarolla ditlhohlo tsa lenaneothuto tsa barutisi ba thuto ya mahlale le go kaonafatsa kabo ya bona ya kharikhulamo.