https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/6442 Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:59:50 GMT 2026-06-19T15:59:50Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32484 Implementation of inquiry-based learning strategies by teachers for practical work in Physical Sciences : a case study in Tshwane South District Phalane, Lesiba Frans Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is a learner-centred approach that engages learners in authentic scientific investigation and problem-solving, fostering critical thinking and deeper understanding. However, although it has proven potential to enhance conceptual understanding and critical thinking, Physical Sciences teachers in South Africa continue to rely predominantly on traditional teacher-centred methods. Recent national examination reports show that learners consistently do poorly in the subject, indicating gaps in practical work facilitation. This study, therefore, investigated how teachers enact inquiry-based learning strategies during practical work to enhance learners’ conceptual understanding, critical thinking skills, and active engagement in the learning process. The study further focused on the teachers’ knowledge, lesson design, and the challenges they encounter when integrating inquiry during practical work. The conceptual framework of this study was based on Bybee’s 5E learning model and the levels of inquiry-based learning. The models provide a structured approach for organising lessons into distinct phases that promote learner understanding and engagement. The frameworks were used to analyse the findings in this study. Additionally, an interpretive paradigm and qualitative case study approach, as outlined by Starman (2013), were used in this study. The researcher collected data from five Physical Sciences teachers selected from five secondary schools within the Tshwane South District. The data collection methods used were classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The study used thematic analysis to analyse the collected data. The key findings of this study disclosed that inquiry-based learning strategies were inadequately utilised in practical work. However, teachers highlighted that during inquiry-based practical work, learners engage in hands-on activities that encourage active learning, skills development, and problem-solving. Their responses indicated that teachers viewed inquiry-based learning as a hands-on approach in which learners actively build knowledge through investigation, exploration, and problem-solving. Hence, they allowed learners to explore during their lessons independently. Furthermore, the study found that a shortage of time and insufficient resources hindered teachers’ ability to implement and manage inquiry-based learning activities effectively. These challenges collectively limited the effective integration of inquiry-based learning strategies during practical work. Moreover, some experienced v difficulties in managing the classrooms and aligning inquiry-based practical work with curriculum principles. They demonstrated an inadequate usage of inquiry strategies. Therefore, there is a strong need for targeted professional development to help teachers understand and effectively implement inquiry-based learning strategies during practical work. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32484 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32404 Fostering global citizenship through climate change education: an evaluation of the Grade R South African curriculum in KwaZulu-Natal Ndlovu, Nonkanyiso Sinethemba Precious This study addresses the critical gap in climate change education within South African early childhood curricula. Amid escalating environmental threats such as the 2022 KwaZulu-Natal floods. Guided by an integrated conceptual framework combining Climate Change Education, Global Citizenship Education and Early Childhood Education and theoretically grounded in Behaviourism and Ecological Systems, the study adopts a qualitative design using document analysis of the Grade R CAPS documents and semi-structured interviews with Grade R practicing teachers. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Findings indicate that climate change is not explicitly represented in the CAPS curriculum but is implicitly embedded across subjects; teachers rely on experiential and play-based strategies and implementation is constrained by limited teacher training, resources and curriculum guidance. Despite these constraints, young children demonstrate strong curiosity and the capacity to engage with sustainability concepts through experiential and play-based learning. These findings underscore the importance of early intervention and the need for stronger curriculum integration, teacher preparation and policy support. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32404 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32349 Exploring science teachers’ strategies for addressing misconceptions about electric circuits Phifadi, Malesela Aaron Despite interventions provided by teachers who teach electric circuits, misconceptions persist and are a barrier to learners’ conceptual understanding. Although literature show findings and recommendations on misconceptions in science education, there is limited attention given to how teaching strategies used by teachers can address them. This study explored Grade 11 Physical Science teachers’ awareness of common misconceptions in electric circuits, as well as their planned and enacted teaching strategies to address these misconceptions. Data was collected through a qualitative case study approach. This was done by means of a questionnaire for teachers and a test for learners adapted from the questionnaire, teacher interviews and lesson observations during feedback. The study relied on Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and Teacher Talk as conceptual frameworks used to analyse the teachers’ planned strategies and the enacted strategies. The findings demonstrate that while some teachers showed awareness of common misconceptions, their planned strategies were centred around curricular saliency and not representations or conceptual teaching strategies. Also, the enacted strategies were mostly authoritative and non-interactive, focusing on telling learners the correct answers without engaging them conceptually. Thus, the study underscores the necessity for professional development that incorporates PCK components, as well as dialogic and interactive teaching strategies to effectively address misconceptions and promote conceptual understanding in science classrooms.; Go sa šetšwe ditsenogare tšeo di filwego ke barutiši bao ba rutago dipotologo tša mohlagase, dikgopolo tše di fošagetšego di a phegelela gomme ke lepheko go kwešišo ya dikgopolo ya baithuti. Le ge e le gore dingwalo di bontšha dikhwetšo le ditšhišinyo ka ga dikgopolo tše di fošagetšego thutong ya mahlale, go na le šedi ye e lekanyeditšwego yeo e fiwago ka fao maano a go ruta ao a šomišwago ke barutiši a ka di rarollago ka gona. Thuto ye e lekotše temogo ya barutiši ba Mphato wa 11 wa Fisikale Saensese ka ga dikgopolo tše di fošagetšego tše di tlwaelegilego ka dipotologong tša mohlagase, gammogo le maano a bona a go ruta ao a rulagantšwego le ao a šomišitšwego go rarolla dikgopolo tše tše di fošagetšego. Datha e kgobokeditšwe ka mokgwa wa nyakišišo ya mohlala wa boleng. Se se dirilwe ka lenaneopotšišo la barutiši le teko ya baithuti yeo e fetotšwego go tšwa lenaneopotšišong, dipoledišano tša barutiši le ditebelelo tša dithuto nakong ya ditshwaotshwao. Thuto e be e ithekgile ka Tsebo ya Diteng tša Thuto (PCK) le Polelo ya Barutiši bjalo ka ditlhako tša dikgopolo tšeo di šomišitšwego go sekaseka maano ao a rulagantšwego a barutiši le maano ao a dirilwego molao. Dikutollo di laetša gore le ge barutiši ba bangwe ba bontšhitše temogo ya dikgopolo tše di fošagetšego tše di tlwaelegilego, maano a bona ao a rulagantšwego a be a tsepame go dikologa go tšwelela ga kharikhulamo e sego dikemedi goba maano a go ruta a dikgopolo. Gape, maano ao a šomišitšwego e be e le bontši bja taolo ebile a sa dirišane, a lebeletše kudu go botša baithuti dikarabo tše di nepagetšego ntle le go ba tsenya letsogo ka kgopolo. Ka go realo, nyakišišo e gatelela tlhokego ya tlhabollo ya profešene yeo e akaretšago dikarolo tša PCK, gammogo le maano a go ruta a poledišano le a tirišano go rarolla ka mo go atlegilego dikgopolo tše di fošagetšego le go tšwetša pele kwešišo ya dikgopolo ka diphapošing tša mahlale.; Naho hu na vhudzheneleli ho ṋetshedzwaho nga vhagudisi vhane vha funza sekithi dza muḓagasi, mihumbulo yo khakheaho i kha ḓi vha hone nahone ndi tshithivheli kha u pfesesa ha vhagudi ha mihumbulo. Naho maṅwalwa a tshi sumbedza mawanwa na themendelo dza mihumbulo yo khakheaho kha pfunzo ya saintsi, hu na ṱhogomelo ṱhukhu yo ṋewaho kha uri zwiṱirathedzhi zwa u funza zwo shumiswaho nga vhagudisi zwi nga zwi tandulula hani. Ngudo iyi yo ṱoḓisisa nḓivho ya vhagudisi vha Gireidi ya 11 ya sayense dza nndwa nga ha mihumbulo yo khakheaho yo ḓoweleaho kha sekithi dza muḓagasi, khathihi na zwiṱirathedzhi zwavho zwa u funza zwo pulaniwaho na u vhewa mulayoni u itela u tandulula mihumbulo iyi yo khakheaho. Datha yo kuvhanganywa nga nḓila ya ngudo ya tsumbo ya vhuimo. Hezwi zwo itwa nga nḓila ya mbudzisavhathu ya vhagudisi na mulingo wa vhagudi wo ṱanganedzwaho u bva kha mbudzisavhathu, inthavhiyu dza vhagudisi na u sedza ngudo nga tshifhinga tsha u ṋea vhupfiwa. Ngudo yo ḓitika nga Nḓivho ya Zwi re Ngomu ya Pedagogiki (PCK) na Nyambedzano ya Vhagudisi sa muhanga wa mihumbulo wo shumiswaho u sengulusa zwiṱirathedzhi zwo pulaniwaho zwa vhagudisi na zwiṱirathedzhi zwo vhewaho mulayoni. Mawanwa a sumbedza uri naho vhaṅwe vhagudisi vho sumbedza u ḓivha mihumbulo yo khakheaho yo ḓoweleaho, zwiṱirathedzhi zwavho zwo pulaniwaho zwo vha zwo sedza kha u bvelela ha kharikhuḽamu hu si kha vhuimeleli kana zwiṱirathedzhi zwa u funza zwa mihumbulo. Hafhu, zwiṱirathedzhi zwo vhewaho zwo vha zwi na maanḓa vhukuma nahone zwi sa ṱanganelani, zwo sedza kha u vhudza vhagudi phindulo dzo teaho hu si na u vha dzhenisa kha muhumbulo. Ngauralo, ngudo i ombedzela ṱhoḓea ya mveledziso ya phurofeshinaḽa ine ya katela zwipiḓa zwa PCK, khathihi na zwiṱirathedzhi zwa u funza zwa nyambedzano na zwa vhukwamani u itela u tandulula nga nḓila i bvelelaho mihumbulo yo khakheaho na u ṱuṱuwedza u pfesesa mihumbulo kha kilasi dza saintsi. Abstract in English, Sepedi and Tshivenda Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32349 2025-05-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32325 Science teachers' pedagogical content challenges in teaching the relationship between the sun, moon, and earth to grade seven learners in Limpopo Province Mogale, Khutso Charles This study focused on the specific content-related teaching challenges that grade 7 Natural Sciences teachers face when teaching the relationship between the sun, the moon, and the earth in the Mankweng Circuit, South Africa. These challenges further emphasised the need for sustained professional teacher development. These challenges underscored the need for continuous teacher professional development. Guided by Shulman’s theory of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism, the study explored how science teachers’ subject knowledge and classroom practices intersect with the social and interactive processes of learning. Using qualitative research design, data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and classroom observations of ten Natural Sciences teachers. Using thematic analysis and in-depth interviews, crucial issues relating to teaching and learner engagement, conceptual and pedagogical strategies, classroom discourse and interactions, and materials and resources were unveiled. There was a notable lack of misconceptions, as teachers struggled to engage learners and sustain meaningful learner-teacher interactions. Moreover, the data revealed the ineffectiveness of currently used professional development programmes to address the emerging pedagogical issues. The study highlights the essential focus of professional development regarding the enhancement of teachers’ PCK. It necessitates addressing the long-standing misconceptions, covering the use of constructivist strategies, and improving the nature of classroom interactions. The study also noted that the challenges of pedagogy and contents are found in teaching and learning as well as in the implementation of the instructional strategies. The study underscores the benefits of school-based exercise-oriented pedagogic approaches during professional development, where novice teachers are allowed to enact, learn, rehearse, and reflect on the teaching procedures. To ensure credibility and reduce bias, data triangulation was employed. The study design involved two rounds of interviews: the first round with a focus on the teachers’ academic and pedagogical backgrounds and the second with a focus on teachers’ reflections on effective PCK and teaching strategies relevant to the topic. Both rounds of interviews and observations were audio-visualised and this took place in the schools of the participants. With that, the study fills the knowledge gap regarding the theoretical training offered by tertiary institutions and the actual practical pedagogical challenges in the classroom and provides greater insight into the science teaching realities. In all the ten cases where challenges relating to pedagogical content were reported, assessments were conducted in a sequence of bad, average, and good. In the end, the study advocates for carefully structured ongoing professional development programmes as a prerequisite to improve teaching in Natural Sciences in the senior phase, in a context where science is a difficult subject in South Africa with consistently low learner performance. The study contributes to theory by extending Pedagogical Content Knowledge discourse through contextualised evidence on how teachers’ content understanding and pedagogical reasoning interact when teaching abstract astronomy concepts. It further demonstrates the relevance of social constructivist principles in mediating learners’ understanding of complex scientific relationships. In terms of policy, the findings highlight the need for curriculum planners and education authorities to strengthen professional development programmes that explicitly focus on astronomy content and topic specific pedagogical approaches in the intermediate phase. Regarding classroom practice, the study provides practical insights into the importance of using models, simulations, and learner centred strategies to address misconceptions and enhance conceptual understanding of celestial relationships. These contributions offer collective valuable implications for improving science teaching, teacher training, and curriculum implementation at Grade Seven level. Fri, 12 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32325 2025-09-12T00:00:00Z