The results of qualitative data analysis had the following themes on the teacher component of the study: lack of knowledge about the term „analogy‟ and use of analogies as teaching strategies, use of code switching and insufficient subject content knowledge. A conclusion derived from the data is based on the themes that emerged from the study. A two-fold exposition of the conclusion is drawn from the data and presented, targeting the themes that developed from the teacher and learner participants in an effort to answer the research questions.
Having established in Cycle One that the teachers showed a lack of understanding of the meaning of the term „analogy‟ and the use of analogies as teaching strategies and subject content knowledge, it became essential that action needed be taken where teachers could be given assistance in knowledge and skill acquisition. Data analysis also showed that both teachers rely heavily on the textbook to teach simple circuits. Professional development of teachers is regarded as “a critical factor in the improvement of education” (Lombard, 2007, p. 18). Also, research literature in Chapter Four of the study highlights the importance of topic pedagogical content knowledge as a key factor in boosting teacher confidence and improving learning experiences of the learners (Appleton, 2003; Summers et al., 1997). Hence, a
suggestion from the teachers and a request gathered from data collected in the interviews conducted in Cycle One necessitated a workshop on the use of analogies in science for the two participating teachers.
An intervention strategy was planned to develop the teachers‟ PCK, thereby continuing with the cyclical nature of educational action research (Summers et al., 1997; Lichtman, 2013). The professional development was planned so as to allow the sharing of ideas by all stakeholders including the teachers because this was a co- generative study which required the input of experienced and knowledgeable university researchers and teachers as well. The express intention of the professional development was to select an analogy which was useful to teachers as a teaching strategy to improve learner concept understanding in simple circuits. The professional development was successful because it was planned to focus firstly on content as one of the critical factors (Depaepe et al., 2013). As a result, the development of SCK was done during Session One of the professional development.
Mindful of the fact one of the teachers was an unqualified science teacher who was a substitute for the school‟s science teacher who was on long leave; it was not surprising to find that there were different development trajectories between the two teachers. The qualified science teacher showed signs of increased knowledge in SCK and TSPCK, evident from her increased meaningful participation during the professional development. The teacher‟s active engagement with the subject content development section of PD was evidence of increased self-awareness of doing the right thing. In other words, the PD refreshed the teacher‟s SCK and raised her self- efficacy on science teaching (Bandura. 2006). As discussed in the PD section in Chapter Four of the study, the teacher performed calculations correctly and finished up sentences during the presentation such that the facilitator was surprised and excited by that experience. Although the teacher still had oversights in professional language as in the use of the terms „atoms‟ instead of „electrons‟; on the overall; the teacher understood the critical concepts in simple circuits during session one of the PD.
The qualified teacher showed distinct signs of transformation where she changed the usual textbook method to the constructivist method. What is evident from the teacher;
is that the capability to use more learning strategies (contextually appropriate analogy in this case) enabled her to persist with the given task as compared to the unqualified teacher (Zimmerman et al, 1992). The unqualified teacher participated actively during the Second Session where analogies were introduced to the teachers. However, the unqualified teacher refused to teach the lesson after attending the PD and getting involved in the collaborative plan of the cyclelesson. The teacher‟s refusal to teach the lesson as in „I am not a science teacher, so I don‟t have enough knowledge‟ indicates low self-efficacy. The development trajectories between the two teachers put them on two extremes. On one extreme, the unqualified teacher lacked SCK and had low self-efficacy, evident in her refusal to teach the agreed upon lesson. At the end, the qualified teacher gained sufficient SCK and self-efficacy such that she continues to teach the lesson as agreed upon. Moreover, the qualified teacher goes beyond teaching her own class; she became confident to teach the class of the unqualified teacher. Implications then are teachers need professional development to radically build their SCK and self-efficacy. In the provision of the PD, schools should refrain from using unqualified teachers as that action is counterproductive to learning and teaching.
The findings of the study indicated a differentiated developmental trajectory (Heritage, 2008) for the two participating teachers (admitting that they represent the two extremes of science teacher profiles in SA), although they received the same PDI. The transformation from theory to practice does not proceed automatically. The importance of practice when it comes to the effective implementation of newly acquired knowledge such as TSPCK and its associated teaching strategies cannot be over emphasised. The teachers should also not just be made aware of various ways of representing abstract concepts to learners; they should be afforded the opportunities to practice these representations and its associated teaching strategies to build their confidence in their own ability (teacher self-efficacy). The development of the associated professional language also needs time.
Research Question Two: What are the conceptual models related to current flow in simple direct current electric circuits held by a group of Grade 8 learners and their teachers?
Data analysis and interpretation of learner diagnostic pre-tests, revealed that learners have the source-consumer model. The prevalent type of source-consumer model was the consumption model, evident in the total of 50 learners out of 78 who believed in that alternative model whilst few learners (5 out of 78) had the correct scientific model. Literature review and clarification of terms have explained the various types of source-consumer model exhibited by the learners. What was also observed in the study was the learners‟ poor use of English; clearly seen from the use of incorrect, illegible and incomprehensible written data in English. The data had to be translated from isiXhosa to English; in some instances; even the isiXhosa words which have been written down didn‟t make sense. Therefore, the professional development was set out to equip teachers with the knowledge of how researched analogies that can be used as strategies designed to improve learner understanding.
During Session Three of the study, a post-test diagnostic learner test revealed an improved picture of learner understanding in the concepts of simple circuits. The improvement was substantial as more learners developed the correct scientific model while the number of learners with consumption and clashing currents model dwindled rapidly after being taught with the selected analogy. Reasons given by the learners at the post test interviews showed that the use of the analogy improved their understanding. The identification of alternative conceptions in teachers could not be done since they did not participate in the diagnostic testing. However, thematic data analysis showed that the teachers use scientific terminology incorrectly, hence the development of the theme indicating insufficient SCK.
Research Question Three: Which existing analogy is considered as appropriate to the social background of the learners by isiXhosa speaking teachers?
The string analogy was chosen by both teachers and learners as well, as an appropriate analogy. Reasons given by the learners included the following; ability of the analogy to simplify the parts of the circuit due to being „physical‟ „visual‟ „can be touched‟ „familiar and known‟ „easy to understand‟. The teachers also revealed that, given the fact that their schools are poorly resourced the string is made out of cheap and available material. Therefore, the string analogy can be used effortlessly in their
underprivileged schools. While generating knowledge in the study; outcome validity investigated how far the outcomes of the research met the intended purposes. For instance, the learner post-test results were judged from data analysis of the semi- structured interviews to confirm that the outcomes (improved learner understanding) have been influenced by the use of the contextually appropriate analogy. The learner interviews were triangulated with the analysis of their written responses and teachers‟ reflections after the professional development.
Research Question Four: What are the perceptions of the teachers and the learners regarding the usefulness of the selected analogy for their understanding of the identified concepts?
The second session of professional development saw the teacher use new strategies that could work as models of abstract phenomena, which brought a shift from the traditional way of textbook method. A scientific model is an “abstract, simplified, representation of a system of phenomena” where key features are used to make explanations and predictions (Schwartz et al., 2009, p. 633). The teacher engaged the learners by modelling the learning process using the string analogy as a model, indicating that her knowledge was not static (Anderson, 2002). The teacher also used easily available material like the string, instead of the textbook (Anderson, 2002). As the teacher interacted with the class, there were interactive discussions between the learners involved in the demonstration and the teacher, although class participation was not at a maximum due to seated classmates‟ minimum participation during the interaction; the teacher had to check for understanding, use of analogies, meaningful teacher-learner interactions and assessments as opposed to mere note-taking (Brown & Brown, 2010). Further, teachers who create possibilities for interactive discussions also create opportunities amongst the learners for conceptual change where learners change their initial, incorrect views after sharing their views with other learners.
In Chapter Two, section 2.2.2 of this study, Lee (2005) argues the lack of English proficiency in ESL learners may cause learning barriers due to learners‟ inability to link the familiar knowledge from their culture with school science content. There was a marked improvement in the number of learners who responded in writing (post-test)
compared to the pre-test. The increase may be due to increased learner confidence and improved simple circuit concept understanding after analogy implementation. The implications in connection with language are: the Department of Education should consider including African Languages as a medium of instruction and learning, in circumstances where learners are not English First Language speakers. Learning barriers may be due to current education policy context which emphasises the development of English as a language without giving attention to the development of the learners‟ first language. Therefore, the use of English Language is a communication tool which is used during a discussion to make known one‟s point of understanding, views and problems (Edmonds, 2002). It becomes imperative then that teachers have to ascertain whether learners are interacting with each other in class. That would create opportunities for the isiXhosa speaking learners to learn and be examined in their own language, but learn English as a language as is the case with the nations.