Integration of education for sustainable development into the life sciences curriculum : teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and professional development

Abstract

This study explores enhancing Life Science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) through professional development to facilitate seamless integration of Education for Sustainable Development (EE/ESD) into the curriculum. Despite EE/ESD being part of the South African curriculum for over two decades, teachers often struggle due to limited environmental knowledge. Anecdotal evidence reveals ongoing challenges, including a lack of effective teaching strategies and insufficient continuous professional development support. This study adopted a synthesis of three key theories: Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), the Theory of Educational Change, and Social Learning Theory. The research aims to identify essential professional development initiatives for nurturing teachers' PCK and integrating EE/ESD into their curriculum. Employing an exploratory case study approach, the study focuses on four secondary schools in the Vhembe East district, Limpopo province, South Africa. Data collection methods include document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and participant observations, forming the basis for constructing the Integrated Professional Development Model. Thematic analysis underscores a gap in explicit guidelines for EE/ESD integration, despite teachers demonstrating proficiency in concepts and strategies. Recommendations from the study advocate for targeted professional development initiatives tailored to meet teachers' diverse needs. Moreover, the study emphasizes advocating for equitable distribution of resources to support EE/ESD integration. Collaboration between subject advisors and policymakers is deemed essential for developing clear guidelines supporting diverse teaching strategies effectively. Additionally, the study strongly endorses systematically integrating the Integrated Professional Development Model into various educational practices. This versatile model can be applied across teacher training programs, workshops, curriculum enhancements, support structures, advocacy efforts, resource allocation, guideline development, community engagement, and continuous evaluation, fostering a holistic and sustainable approach to EE/ESD integration within the curriculum.

Lolu cwaningo luhlola ulwazi oluthuthukisiwe lwezifundo zothisha be-Life Science (PCK) ngokuthuthukiswa kochwepheshe ukuze kube lula ukuhlanganiswa kwe-Education for Sustainable Development (EE/ESD) ohlelweni lwezifundo. Naphezu kokuthi i-EE/ESD ibiyingxenye yohlelo lwezifundo eNingizimu Afrika iminyaka engaphezu kwamashumi amabili, othisha bavamise ukuthwala kanzima ngenxa yolwazi oluncane lwezemvelo. Ubufakazi benganekwane buveza izinselele eziqhubekayo, okuhlanganisa ukuntuleka kwamasu okufundisa aphumelelayo kanye nokwesekwa okwanele kokuthuthukiswa kochwepheshe. Lolu cwaningo lwamukele ukuhlanganiswa kwamathiyori amathathu abalulekile: Ulwazi Lokuqukethwe Kwezemfundo (PCK), I-Theory of Educational Change, kanye ne-Social Learning Theory. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuhlonza izinhlelo ezibalulekile zokuthuthukiswa kochwepheshe zokuthuthukisa i-PCK yothisha kanye nokuhlanganisa i-EE/ESD ohlelweni lwabo lwezifundo. Ngokusebenzisa indlela yokuhlola izibonelo eziningi, ucwaningo lugxile ezikoleni ezine zamabanga aphezulu esifundeni saseVhembe East, esifundazweni saseLimpopo, eNingizimu Afrika. Izindlela zokuqoqwa kwedatha zifaka phakathi ukuhlaziywa kwamadokhumenti, izingxoxo ezingahleliwe, kanye nokubhekwa kwabahlanganyeli, okwenza isisekelo sokwakha Imodeli Yokuthuthukiswa Kochwepheshe Edidiyelwe. Ukuhlaziywa kwetimu kugcizelela igebe kuzinkombandlela ezicacile zokuhlanganiswa kwe-EE/ESD, naphezu kothisha ababonisa ubungcweti emicabangweni nasemasu. Izincomo ezivela kummeli wocwaningo mayelana nezinhlelo ezihlosiwe zokuthuthukiswa kochwepheshe eziklanyelwe ukuhlangabezana nezidingo ezihlukahlukene zothisha. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ucwaningo lugcizelela ukumela ukusatshalaliswa ngokulinganayo kwezinsiza ukuze kusekelwe ukuhlanganiswa kwe-EE/ESD. Ukusebenzisana phakathi kwabeluleki bezifundo nabakhi benqubomgomo kuthathwa njengokubalulekile ukuze kwakhiwe imihlahlandlela ecacile esekela amasu ahlukahlukene okufundisa ngempumelelo. Ukwengeza, ucwaningo lugunyaza ngokuqinile ukuhlanganisa ngokuhlelekile Imodeli Yokuthuthukiswa Kochwepheshe Edidiyelwe ezinkambisweni ezihlukahlukene zemfundo. Le modeli eguquguqukayo ingasetshenziswa kuzo zonke izinhlelo zokuqeqesha othisha, ama-workshops, ukuthuthukiswa kwekharikhulamu, izinhlaka zokweseka, imizamo yokumela, ukwabiwa kwezinsiza, ukuthuthukiswa kwemihlahlandlela, ukusebenzelana nomphakathi, nokuhlola okuqhubekayo, okugqugquzela indlela ephelele neqhubekayo yokuhlanganiswa kwe-EE/ESD ngaphakathi kwekharikhulamu.

Dyondzo leyi yi lavisisa ku ndlandlamuxa vutivi bya nhundzu ya dyondzo ya vadyondzisi va Sayense ya Vutomi (PCK) hi ku tirhisa nhluvukiso wa xiphurofexinali ku olovisa ku hlanganisiwa loku nga na swiphiqo ka Dyondzo ya Nhluvukiso lowu Yaka emahlweni (EE/ESD) eka kharikhulamu. Hambi leswi EE/ESD yi nga xiphemu xa kharikhulamu ya Afrika-Dzonga ku tlula makume mambirhi ya malembe, vadyondzisi va tala ku tikarhata hikwalaho ka vutivi lebyi nga nyawuriki bya mbango. Vumbhoni bya switori byi paluxa mintlhontlho leyi yaka emahlweni, ku katsa na ku pfumaleka ka tindlela to dyondzisa leti tirhaka na nseketelo lowu nga enelangiki wa nhluvukiso wa xiphurofexinali lowu yaka emahlweni. Dyondzo leyi yi amukerile nkatsakanyo wa tithiyori tinharhu ta nkoka: Vutivi bya Vuxokoxoko bya Dyondzo (PCK), Tiyori ya ku Cinca ka Dyondzo, na Tiyori ya Dyondzo ya Ntshamisano. Ndzavisiso wu kongomisa ku kuma migingiriko ya nkoka ya nhluvukiso wa xiphurofexinali eka ku kurisa PCK ya vadyondzisi na ku hlanganisa EE/ESD eka kharikhulamu ya vona. Hi ku tirhisa endlelo ra dyondzo ya timhaka ya vukambisisi byo tala, ndzavisiso wu kongomisa eka swikolo swa mune swa sekondari eka xifundzankulu xa Vhembe East, exifundzheninkulu xa Limpopo, Afrika-Dzonga. Maendlelo yo hlengeleta datha ya katsa nxopaxopo wa matsalwa, mimbulavurisano leyi nga hlelekangiki ngopfu, na ku langutisisa ka vatekaxiave, leswi vumbaka xisekelo xo aka Modele wa Nhluvukiso wa Xiphurofexinali lowu Hlanganisiweke. Nxopaxopo wa nhlokomhaka wu kandziyisa xivandla eka swiletelo leswi nga erivaleni swa ku hlanganisiwa ka EE/ESD, hambileswi vadyondzisi va kombisaka vutshila eka miehleketo na maqhinga. Switsundzuxo ku suka eka ndzavisiso swi seketela migingiriko ya nhluvukiso wa xiphurofexinali leyi kongomisiweke leyi lulamisiweke ku fikelela swilaveko swo hambana swa vadyondzisi. Ku tlula kwalaho, ndzavisiso wu kandziyisa ku seketela ku hangalasiwa hi ku ringana ka switirhisiwa ku seketela ku hlanganisiwa ka EE/ESD. Ntirhisano exikarhi ka vatsundzuxi va tidyondzo na vaendli va tipholisi wu tekiwa wu ri wa nkoka ku tumbuluxa swiletelo leswi nga erivaleni leswi seketelaka tindlela to hambana to dyondzisa hi ndlela leyinene. Ku engetela kwalaho, ndzavisiso wu seketela swinene ku hlanganisa hi ndlela leyi hlelekeke Modele wa Nhluvukiso wa Xiphurofexinali lowu Hlanganisiweke eka maendlelo yo hambana ya dyondzo. Modeli leyi yo cinca-cinca yi nga tirhisiwa eka minongonoko hinkwayo ya ndzetelo wa vadyondzisi, tiwekhixopo, ku antswisiwa ka kharikhulamu, swivumbeko swa nseketelo, matshalatshala ya vuyimeri, ku averiwa ka switirhisiwa, nhluvukiso wa swiletelo, ku nghenelela ka vaaki, na ku kamberiwa loku yaka emahlweni, ku kurisa endlelo ro angarhela na leri nga heriki eka ku hlanganisiwa ka EE/ESD endzeni ka kharikhulamu.