'n Evaluerende ondersoek na die waarde van praktiese werk in biologie-onderrig op senior sekondere skoolvlak

Abstract

This study investigates the value of practical work as a component of Biology teaching in South African schools at present. The significance of practical work needs to be assessed to determine whether future expenditure in this regard is justified. Practical work is expensive, requiring trained teachers and well-equipped laboratories. There is no evidence that experiment-based instruction develops improved attitudes, achievement, or laboratory skills in pupils more significantly than does lesson-based instruction. Whereas the role of a heuristic, problem-centered approach to practical work in motivating pupils and in stimulating them to realize affective and cognitive objectives is recognized, this study shows that such an approach is, at present, seldom followed in South African schools. Instead, practical work is characterized by routine 'cookery-book' procedures in which pupils merely carry out instructions from textbooks. The 'scientific method' therefore constitutes a 'hands-on' rather than a 'minds-on' approach. This study also investigates factors inhibiting meaningful learning during practical work, such as inadequate facilities, underqualified teachers, problems with the language of instruction, pupils' poorly developed spatial abilities, and 'educational noise' which causes pupils to lose track of the underlying concepts. Four general misconceptions concerning practical work are identified, namely that it cultivates positive attitudes and affective abilities, promotes psychomotor skills, fosters a scientific attitude and improves higher cognitive skills. This study, however, posits that none of these perceptions is true in the light of the methods according to which practical work is at present being approached in South African schools. This study offers the following recommendations: • Practical work should be more relevant and problem-centred. It should focus on pupils' needs and interests and should address current environmental problems and controversial issues. • Pupil creativity rather than rigid adherence to prescribed procedures should be encouraged. • Pupils' spatial abilities should be developed. • Mental rather than practical problem-solving should be promoted. • A professional code of conduct needs to be stressed in teacher training. • Involvement in Sharenet programmes should be encouraged. • Educationists need to place more emphasis on the affective domain as, only by taking account of pupils' personal and affective needs can levels in the cognitive domain be raised.

Hierdie studie ondersoek die waarde van praktiese werk as 'n komponent van Biologieonderrig in Suid-Afrikaanse skole. Die sinvolheid van praktiese werk moet geevalueer word ten einde te bepaal of toekomstige uitgawes in hierdie verband geregverdig is. Praktiese werk is 'n duur onderrigmetode wat goed opgeleide personeel en voldoende laboratoriumfasiliteite vereis. Daar is egter geen bewyse dat 'n eksperimenteel-gebaseerde onderrigmetode in 'n groter mate daarin slaag om affektiewe, kognitiewe en psigomotoriese doelstellings in die kind te ontwikkel, as met 'n tradisionele lesingbenadering nie. Terwyl die waarde van 'n heuristiese, probleemgesentreerde benadering tot praktiese werk in soverre dit die kind affektief en kognitief stimuleer, erken word, het hierdie studie aangetoon dat so 'n benadering tans selde in Suid-Afrikaanse skole toegepas word. Praktiese werk word tans gekenmerk deur 'n resepmatigheid waar die leerlinge eksplisiete instruksies in handboeke of werkkaarte volg. Die "natuurwetenskaplike metode" is daarom dikwels 'n "hands-on" eerder as 'n "'minds-on" -benadering. Hierdie studie ondersoek ook faktore wat leerbelemmerend tydens praktiese werk inwerk, onder andere onvoldoende fasiliteite, ondergekwalitiseerde onderwysers, probleme met die taalmedium, Jeerlinge se gebrekkige ruimtelike vermoens en oorbelading van leerlinge tydens praktiese werk, wat daartoe lei dat fundamentele konsepte nie deur leerlinge verwerf word me. Vier wanopvattings betreffende praktiese werk word uitgelig, naamlik dat dit ~sitiewe gesindhede en affektiewe doelstellings vaste, psigomotoriese vaardighede ontwikkel, leerlinge toerus met die sogenaamde .. natuurwetenskaplike houding", en hOCr kognitiewe vaardighede ontwik.kel. Hierdie studie toon egter aan dat nie een van hierdie opvattings waar is nie, as gevolg van die wyse waarop praktiese werk in Suid-Afrikaanse skole benader word. Hierdie studie doen die volgende aanbevelings aan die hand: • Praktiese werk moet meer relevant en probleem-georiCnteerd wees. Dit moet fokus op die leerling se behoeftes en belangstellings, en moet huidige omgewingsprobleme en kontroversiCle vraagstuk.ke aanspreek. • Leerlinge se kreatiwiteit moet aangemoedig word, eerder as die huidige bekJemtoning van rigiede, formele prosedures. • Leerlinge se ruimtelike vermoens moet ontwikkel eerder as bloot aanvaar word. • Kognitiewe eerder as praktiese probleemoplossing moet bevorder word. • 'n Professionele gedragskode in onderwyseropleiding moet beklemtoon word. • lnskakeling by Sharenet-programme moet aangemoedig word. • Opvoedkundiges moet meer k.Jem op die affektiewe domein plaas, want slegs dan kan doelstellings in die kognitiewe domein beter rea.liseer.