English

Omar Esau

doi:10.15700/201412171327

Abstract

In this paper I analyse the potential that participatory action research holds for educating pre-service teachers to become more critically reflective and socially conscious. I also describe the rationale for and process of engaging pre-service teachers in their teacher education programme. Involving these candidate teachers in participatory action research (PAR) projects may provide opportunities for aspiring teachers to develop pedagogical content knowledge, examine their beliefs about teaching, and gain confidence in addressing social justice issues. More than merely exposing them to applying the technique of action research, the PAR project encouraged them to become more socially conscious, critical, imaginativ,e and argumentative as teacher-researchers. In the project I used a participatory approach in action research to prepare the pre-service teachers to become emancipatory action researchers. Supporting and fostering inquiring practices is a strategy to help pre-service teachers move beyond just receiving hand-outs in a teacher education programme and beginning to focus on their work with learners and challenges in the real school environment. Keywords : critical reflection; emancipatory action research; participatory action research; pre-service teachers; social justice; teacher graduate attributes.

Highlights

Since 1994 the implementation of Curriculum 2005, an outcomes-based approach to education in South Africa, has changed dramatically over the past decade
The focus group technique is one of the most effective qualitative methods for studying ideas in group contexts. It can explore group interaction, attitudes and cognition, and arrive at a synergy of ideas, because the whole is greater than the sum of the parts (Zuber- Skerritt, 2012).The student assistant who was an action research Master’s student provided our class with valuable feedback regarding the completed projects of the Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students
Findings and discussion The findings of the study are discussed below to give an overall perspective on the developmental needs of pre-service teachers to become critical teacher researchers in the rapidly changing knowledge economy

Summary

Introduction

Since 1994 the implementation of Curriculum 2005, an outcomes-based approach to education in South Africa, has changed dramatically over the past decade. Recapping and revising the curriculum saw the implementation and introduction of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) in all grades (R-12) in 2012 With this continual revisiting, reviewing, recapping and changing of the curriculum, it becomes increasingly challenging for teacher education programmes to prepare pre-service teachers to become critically reflective practitioners who can take up problems and engage with them. The continuous changes and unsettling circumstances could encourage teacher education programmes to be more vigilant. They become more critical and innovative as their comfort zones are challenged

Methods

Results

Conclusion