Investigating Teachers’ Perceptions of Facilitating Scientific Investigations

Abstract

The study explored science teachers' perceptions of Scientific Investigations (SI) and their classroom practices in South Africa. An explanatory sequential design using qualitative and quantitative approaches was used. Qualitative data were collected first using interviews and classroom observations, followed by quantitative data using a questionnaire. Qualitative data were thematically analysed, whereas quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics: percentages; and inferential statistics: t-test; Analysis of Variance (ANOVA); and Honest Significant Differences (HSD) Tukey. Three themes emerged from qualitative data: different perceptions of SI, challenges in teachers' skills, and resource challenges in schools. Quantitative results show teachers from differently resourced schools had diverse perceptions of practical work, inquiry, and SI (ANOVA, p=.04). These perceptions included confining hands-on activities to practical work, and limiting inquiry to oral questioning. Teachers' challenges in facilitating SI included inadequate skills and a lack of resources. These findings have far-reaching implications for learners' science achievements and policymakers.

A Nexus of Scientific Investigations, Science Process Skills, and Sustainable Development Goals: Pre-Service Teachers’ Views Concerning Mangroves Fieldwork

“…Furthermore, the proclaimed use of the constructivist model (Table 2) might contradict the challenges teachers often have concerning the conceptualisation and facilitation of SciIs (Cf. Kibirige et al, 2022). Thus, it was important that the present teachers were put under a microscope concerning SciIs within the context of the mangroves' ecosystem.…”

Description of Students' Critical Thinking Ability of Urban School in Physics Material

“…Qualitative research methods can involve interviews, observation, or content analysis to gain an indepth understanding of the phenomenon being studied (Ergul & Dogan, 2022). According to (Kibirige et al, 2022) the sequential explanatory research design is suitable for use in situations where the researcher wants to gain a more complete and in-depth understanding of the research topic.…”

The impact of home resources, students' attitudes toward learning, and instructional strategies on science achievement

“…Hands‐on learning can stimulate students' interest to learn, improve academic achievement, as well as to the develop students' knowledge and skills by integrating practice and theories (Eguchi, 2016; Shana & Abulibdeh, 2020). Experimentation can also stimulate students' motivation to learn because they can gain knowledge first‐handedly (Kibirige et al, 2022).…”