Teacher beliefs and attitudes about inquiry-based learning in a rural school district in South Africa

Umesh Ramnarain,Manzini Hlatswayo

doi:10.15700/saje.v38n1a1431

Abstract

Despite growing consensus regarding the value of inquiry-based teaching and learning, the implementation of such a pedagogical practice continues to be a challenge for many South African teachers, especially at rural schools. The research reported in this article concerns the interaction between Grade 10 Physical Sciences teachers’ beliefs about inquiry-based learning, and their practice of inquiry in their classrooms. This research adopted a mixed methods design. In the first phase of the research, quantitative data were collected by distributing a validated questionnaire to Physical Sciences teachers in an education circuit in rural Mpumalanga, South Africa. The next phase of the research involving teacher interviews, provided a more in-depth explanation of some of the findings, which emerged from the questionnaire survey. It was found that sampled teachers from the rural district have a positive attitude towards inquiry in the teaching and learning of Physical Sciences, and recognise the benefits of inquiry, such as addressing learner motivation and supporting learners in the understanding of abstract science concepts. However, despite this positive belief towards inquiry-based learning, teachers are less inclined to enact inquiry-based learning in their lessons. Teachers claim that the implementation of inquiry-based learning is fraught with difficulty, such as availability of laboratory facilities, teaching materials, time to complete the curriculum, and large classes, which creates tension in their willingness to implement it. Keywords : inquiry-based learning; pedagogical practice; rural schools

Highlights

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is a key thrust in school science education, and has for decades been the prominent and central theme of science curriculum improvement (Aldahmash, Mansour, Alshamrani & Almohi, 2016; Dunne, Mahdi & O’Reilly 2013; Wang, Zhang, Clarke & Wang, 2014)
Data Collection and Analysis The questionnaire adopted for this study was the PRIMAS (Promoting Inquiry-based learning in Mathematics and Science Education) survey instrument that was developed for a large survey on inquiry-based learning and teaching (IBL) across 12 European partner countries (PRIMAS, 2011)
Teachers spoke on the value for IBL in the interviews, and this is revealed in the following interview excerpts, where they refer to learners’ experiences of IBL

Summary

Introduction

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is a key thrust in school science education, and has for decades been the prominent and central theme of science curriculum improvement (Aldahmash, Mansour, Alshamrani & Almohi, 2016; Dunne, Mahdi & O’Reilly 2013; Wang, Zhang, Clarke & Wang, 2014). In the first phase of the research, quantitative data was collected by distributing a questionnaire to Physical Sciences teachers in an education circuit in rural Mpumalanga, South Africa. Data Collection and Analysis The questionnaire adopted for this study was the PRIMAS (Promoting Inquiry-based learning in Mathematics and Science Education) survey instrument that was developed for a large survey on inquiry-based learning and teaching (IBL) across 12 European partner countries (PRIMAS, 2011). IBL is described as “a student-centred way of learning content, strategies and self-directed learning skills Students develop their questions to examine; engage in self-directed inquiry (diagnosing problems – formulating hypothesis – identifying variables – collecting data – documenting their work – interpreting and communicating results) – collaborate” (PRIMAS, 2011:38).

Teacher practice

Attitudes and beliefs

Discussion and Conclusion