Hechos relevantes y contingentes

With educational reform adopting a driving force in South Africa, there have been a multitude of changes in the focus of curriculum requirements (Department of Education, 2002a; Galyam & Le Grange, 2005; Malcolm & Alant, 2004; Rossouw, 2009), with a particular focus on improving certain aspects of both teaching and learning (Department of Education, 2002a; Dignath & Buttner, 2008; Ramnarain, 2011). This has brought about much evaluation and analysis of the roles and responsibilities of both learners and teachers, with a significant focus on moving away from autocratic didactic instruction, which offers one-way communication and promotes rote, uncritical learning (Department of Education, 2002a;

Ellis, 2001; Hawkins, 1994; Ramnarain, 2011). The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) provides the foundations for curriculum transformation and development in South Africa (Department of Education, 2002a). At the forefront of the Constitution are certain aims, such as restoring divisions of the past by establishing a community based on "democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights" (Department of Education, 2002a, p.1). In addition to this, another aim is to improve the quality of life for every individual and build a united and democratic society, while instilling skills of lifelong learning and effective thinking (Department of Education, 2002a; Ellis, 2001). South African education is considered to be essential in attaining these goals, and the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) aims to facilitate every learner's attainment of his/her full potential. This aim of the curriculum corresponds with Vygotsky's concept of the ZPD in that both the aforementioned encourage a teacher (or more knowledgeable other) to facilitate a learner's development to reach his/her potential. There is a new curriculum, known as the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), to be implemented into the South African education system in the near future. However, as not all the details were available for inclusion in this thesis, it was therefore decided to focus on the current South African Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) (Department of Basic Education, 2010).

Outcomes-based education (OBE), which currently forms the implementation methodology of the South African education curriculum, essentially strives to enable all learners to achieve their ultimate potential and ability (Department of Education, 2002a; Malcolm & Alant, 2004). It does so by explicitly stating certain outcomes to be achieved, in the hope of encouraging a "learner-centred and activity-based approach" to education (Department of Education, 2002a, p. 1). The Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) has constructed a number of critical and developmental outcomes for Grades R - 9, based on the Constitution and democratic principles. These outcomes include the learners' ability to:

identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking; work effectively with others, as members of a team, group, organisation and/or community; organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively; collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information; communicate effectively using visual, symbolic and/or language skills in various modes;use science and technology effectively and critically showing responsibility towards the environment and the health of others; demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem solving contexts do not exist in isolation; reflect on and explore a variety of

strategies to learn more effectively; participate as responsible citizens in the life of local, national, and global communities; be culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social contexts; explore education and career opportunities; and develop entrepreneurial opportunities (Department of Education, 2002a). These teaching and learning outcomes essentially refer directly and indirectly to the development of metacognition (Van der Walt & Maree, 2007).

With these outcomes in mind, the shift in emphasis in the curriculum now focuses on encouraging interactive, learner-centred, mediation in which a learner takes ownership of his/her own learning whilst developing a critical approach to learning. The ultimate goal of these 'adapted' curricula is for learners to develop the ability to transfer knowledge, information and skills beyond the classroom walls (Connerly, 2006; Costa & Kallick, 2000; Department of Education, 2002a; Galyam & Le Grange, 2005; Gourgey, 2002; Hester, 1994; Rusbult, s.a.; Schraw et al., 2006; Watson, 2000; Williams & Sternberg, 1993).

It is important to mention that, unfortunately, the fundamental principles and intentions of what was considered to be an effective outcomes-based education process have, for a variety of reasons, not been effectively implemented in South Africa (Chisholm, 2003; Donald et al., 2010; Malcolm & Alant, 2004). Malcolm and Alant's (2004) review of research in South Africa reveals that the delivery of new policies and aspects of OBE were impeded by the need for other more basic developments in education. They say these included the desperate need for classrooms and schools to be built, the need to get rid of racism in schools, the need to re-educate teachers and create new and effective administration positions, while maintaining existing service. Along with this, the process of teaching in South Africa has also suffered, not only because of the ineffective implementation of the OBE process, but also because of teachers being overburdened with "bureaucratic demands" (Donald et al., 2010, p. 83). Numerous changes in the current OBE curriculum, over and above all the other challenges mentioned, have stifled the effective practice of OBE on classroom level and therefore we have seen the detrimental implications for the quality of teaching and learning in South Africa (Donald et al., 2010).

For these reasons, South African and international educational professionals have, for the last few decades, been researching optimal conditions for effective teaching and learning (Malcolm & Alant, 2004; Woolfolk, 2007). Researchers in the field of educational psychology have, for example, investigated which variables have the most influence on

academic performance, learning and teaching (Coutinho, 2007). A number of variables have proven to have influence in this regard, however, what enlightens this research study is rather the fact that a learner's cognitive and metacognitive regulation is said to be one of the most critical factors influencing teaching and learning (Lee, Lim & Grabowski, 2010). The association of metacognition with 'good' education has become a point of focus in educational circles worldwide (Leutwyler, 2009). With many schools taking on the mission of cultivating an ethos of critical, life-long learning for their learners, the importance of facilitating the development of metacognition, as well as metacognitive awareness and thinking proficiency, is becoming an essential element of school curricula, especially due to the fact that many learners are not always successful in their awareness and regulation of their own learning (Coutinho, 2007; Lee et al., 2010; Ritchhart, Turner & Hadar, 2009). It is for these, above mentioned reasons, that this research study aims to look at ways of informing teaching in order to enhance learners' metacognition. Keeping in line with the scope of this particular research study, it is important for the focus of this discussion to now taper to specifically highlight the relevance of Natural Sciences education in South Africa.