A self-study approach as tool to promote leaner's interactions during the teaching of electric circuits using concept maps.
Musi, Abram Nnente
Musi, Abram Nnente
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Abstract
This research was prompted by the researcher’s teaching experience on electric circuits. The methods used in the old Bantu curriculum excluded the usage of concept maps in the teaching and learning process relative to NSC curriculum. Concept mapping is both teaching and learning strategy that involves the use of graphics and text to enhance science vocabulary development and reading comprehension. It is a type of graphic organizer that structures information in hierarchical order, connected by links. These studies provided some evidence that concept maps can be an effective tool to improve the performance of school learners in general education science classrooms. The problem identified in the old Bantu curriculum was teachers’ reliance on textbooks for knowledge development about electric circuits. The methodological framework in this study was a qualitative study based on the influence of concept mapping and possibly be used as a guide to sequence the topics in the curriculum on development of new knowledge.
A case study of three concept maps that were drawn at different stages of research was the focus. The first concept map was drawn without any reading of related literature with the researcher using his own background knowledge. In this study, the researcher focused on how the subject-matter knowledge of electric circuits develops when using concept maps. This study reports on the teacher knowledge involving students in developing concept maps.
Key findings revealed that teachers need to be well resourced with information about the concept of electric circuit operations. The changes in the South African school curriculum affected teachers who were not trained in other content areas. This created problems at secondary school level where learners have difficulties in understanding the concepts of electric circuits due to teachers’ lack of adequate information and qualification.
A lack of Content Knowledge (CK) and Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) were found to be contributory factors in the misconceptions among secondary school Physical science learners. It is recommended that teachers are exposed to intensive workshops related to the acquisition of relevant content knowledge and skills to effectively teach electric circuits using concept maps.
Description
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree, Master of Education in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Business Education
Faculty of Humanities, Tshwane University of Technology.
Date
2019-11-05
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Tshwane University of Technology