Qualities needed for science Teachers in the new decades Thembi Ndlalane Okayama University 22 November 2010

From curriculum 2005 to curriculum 2025 in S.A.  A Lesson to be learnt from South Africa

CURRICULUM 2005 (OBE)  Addressing the legacy of the past-Apartheid Education.  Introduced new terminology and policies  Focused on Learner centered approach & continuous assessment strategies.  No specification and guidance on content knowledge.  Focused on skills and values.  Emphasis on group work and projects  Evaluation 2008-class of new National Certificate (NCS)  Mathematics or mathematics literacy introduced  High grade science and mathematics content erased  Short term INSET on the implementation of OBE in a cascade model.

Implications of Science Education in an OBE class  Focus on the 3 Learning outcomes and assessment standards-1-6  Design and development of materials to meet the LO’s.  Projects based on each topic  Preparing of common tasks assessment (CTA’s) for grade 9  Integration of learning areas – SMTE  Limited content and pedagogical content knowledge  Inadequate teaching and learning materials.  No science higher grade and standard grade  Little or no support of teachers from the subject advisors.  Overloaded with a lot of new things  Ultimately stopped at the end of September 2010.

Towards the realization of schooling 2025  Back to basics phasing OBE  Repackaging the existing curriculum 2014  Phasing curriculum in stages-2011 foundation, 2012 intermediate and 2013 senior, and 2014 FET.  Reduced subjects from eight to six  Technology as science and art and culture as economic and management sciences only from grade 7  Language of choice same priority as English from grade1 with emphasis on reading and writing  Numeracy and Mathematics -key subjects from grade 1

Lessons to be learnt  Curriculum policies vs. curriculum implementation  INSET for the implementation of the new curriculum should be done intensively and effectively  Consideration of teachers’ CK and PCK should be taken into consideration  The availability of LMS and designing and developing these, need skills.  Whilst there are changes and new innovations introduced, teachers’ identity becomes crucial.  Experiential learning is the best teacher.

Qualities needed for Science Teachers  High knowledge of generic knowledge and generic skills to cope with rapid changes.  Diffuse learning activities outside of a specialist learning institutions.  Information Technology should be part of teacher training curriculum.  Collaboration and sharing of knowledge through science teacher communities- clusters/ networks.

Qualities needed – cont.  Bridging the gap between theory and practical life going beyond the school level.  Structured, intensive teacher development programs vs. quick fixes  New generation of instructional materials and other modern technology equipment as part of teacher training  Scientific values- not only a body of knowledge but a social activity- group learning -community, academic institutions, parents and experts.  Teacher education strategy which locates teacher preparation and development.

Conclusion Information revolution and economic development of a nation needs significance understanding of scientific and technological understanding for everyday living. Without the ability to use technology as teachers we will be disadvantaged in the next decades; Haddad& Draxter,(2003). Such reviews, seminars, symposiums and discussions should be frequently conducted.

Smiling faces that we need to see in our science lessons.