Coordinación General de Atención de Emergencias y Consejos de Cuenca

In summary, the findings revealed that on overall learners are relatively proficiency in basic science process skills especially communication, observing, measuring and quantifying. Thus, the utilization scores of basic science process skills is more higher than integrated science process skills. The eigenvalue factor for the significance of learner utilization of basic science process skills was 0.969 as shown by the table below which was a relatively good value reflecting good participation of learners in basic science process skills. Eigenvalues were generated using SPSS statistical software Version 22 using learner questionnaire data generated from learner questionnaires. Eigenvalues are used in factors analyses to show which factors are significant (Miles, 2010).

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Table 4.6 Eigen values of learner utilization of basic science process skills Eigenvalues Function Eigenvalue % of Variance Cumulative % Canonical Correlation 1 0.969a 100.0 100.0 0.719

Canonical discriminant functions were used in the analysis.

However, for integrated science process skills there is a poor utilization as was reflected by a high standard deviation (e.g. 1.35 of mean scores). The standard deviation was generated by the SPSS Version 22 from learner questionnaire data. A higher standard deviation reflects bigger gaps between mean scores. Therefore, as reported by other studies (e.g. Bybee and Deboer 2001; Rambuda and Fraser, 2004) learners in South Africa are less proficiency in integrated science process skills.

The vision of CAPS (DoBE, 2011) in South Africa is to give a greater need for cognitive skills such as communicating, observing, classifying, predicting and formulating hypothesis. Therefore, there is a huge learner skills gap in terms of integrating the skills. Thus, Roberto (2011) outlined that to master integrated science process skills learners should thorough learn inquiry processes and constructing meaning as well as engaging in demanding science tasks. This creates skills for utilizing integrated science process skills.

A study by the National Research Foundation (NRF, 2007) recommended the promotion of both basic and integrated science process skills as pillars of building science skills in children at both primary and secondary level. To this end, Leonard and Penick (2009: p. 259) outlined that “standard-based activities should engage the students in observing; asking and identifying questions and problems; identifying dependent and independent variables; formulating hypotheses; designing and conducting experiments; manipulating independent variables;

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collecting data; organizing data; displaying data; inferring from data; generalizing; applying generalizations; communicating results; and formulating new hypotheses.”

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS, 2010, p101) pointed out that “science should be taught as it is practiced”. However, in South Africa this somehow remains a pipe dream as teachers themselves are not highly proficiency in science process skills (Rambuda and Fraser, 2004; Ercan, 2007; Miles, 2010). The AAAS (2010) suggested a range of measures to ensure usage of both integrated science process such as:

 During science lessons, keep the science activity groups as small as possible (e.g.5 learners in group)

 Teachers should specify tasks that present more usage of integrated science process skills

 Greater monitoring of learners engaged in science activities

 Giving learners graded science activities to encourage participation

 Making science tasks more challenging 4.8 Conclusion

Overall, the results of this study show that the extent of utilization of science process skills varied from one science process skill to the other. In-order to present a detailed analysis regarding utilization of science process skills by Grade 11 Physical Science learners, the results was analyzed in two categories, which are; basic and integrated science process skills. The results were also analyzed, presented and discussed in terms of science process skill utilization by school type, that is, School A = fee paying school, and School B = a non-fee paying school. Generally, these results show that basic science process skills are relatively more frequently utilized compared to integrated skills. The most utilized basic science process skills are; communication, observation, identification, classification, comparison, description and calculation. The results reveal that the following integrated process skills are poorly utilized by the Grade 11 learners- prediction, constructing hypothesis, relationship between variables, constructing diagrams, and experimentation.

When comparing the two schools it was found that School B had a lower utilization of both basic and integrated science process skill when than School A. As earlier mentioned, School

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A comprises of learners who are mostly from relatively high income earning families. School A was classified a modest school, with high annual Matric pass rate. School B is a township one made-up mostly of learners from low to middle earning households and normally produces average or poor Matric results. All in all, the study results suggest that science process skills assist Physical Science learners in understanding new science concepts and consequently contribute to high marks in examinations.

The above conclusions were reached as a result of analysis of three data sources, that is, learner questionnaire, teacher interviews and learner interviews and lesson obervations. Generally, when both school types are considered, to a large extent there is a high utilization of science process skills like observation and communication and low utilization of science process skills like designing investigations and predicting. Factors most associated with hampering utilization of science process skills were identified as: teacher competency; learner interest; curriculum issues; and poor teaching practices; and poor learning strategies. In Chapter five, the general conclusions and implications coming out of this study are presented. Recommendations for further studies, teaching, learning and curriculum reform are suggested.

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CHAPTER 5