Understanding Science Teachers’ Classroom Practice after Completing a Professional-development Programme: A Case Study

Maria Kekana; Estelle Gaigher

doi:10.29333/ejmste/91831

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Maria Kekana ¹, Estelle Gaigher ¹ ^*

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¹ University of Pretoria, SOUTH AFRICA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This article reports a study aiming to understand the classroom practice of four grade 7 science teachers following an in-service teacher-development programme. Such studies are needed to contribute to knowledge about the effectiveness of professional development programmes. Clarke and Hollingsworth’s model of professional growth was used as a theoretical framework. Data were collected by means of interviews, lesson observations and document analysis. It was found that each teacher experienced professional growth in a personalised way, such as increased confidence, improved content knowledge, teaching strategies, practical skills, and valuing professional collaboration. All the teachers reported that their classroom practices have improved. Lesson observations revealed that three of the four teachers were enthusiastic and engaged their learners in practical work. Challenges such as lack of resources, poor language skills, and lack of higher cognitive levels in activities and questions were observed for all the teachers. An adapted model of professional growth has been proposed to represent the professional development of science teachers in poorly resourced schools.

Keywords

teacher professional development
science teaching
classroom practice

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2018, Volume 14, Issue 8, Article No: em1561

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91831

Publication date: 01 Jun 2018

Article Views: 1818

Article Downloads: 808

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How to cite this article

APA

Kekana, M., & Gaigher, E. (2018). Understanding Science Teachers’ Classroom Practice after Completing a Professional-development Programme: A Case Study. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(8), em1561. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91831

Vancouver

Kekana M, Gaigher E. Understanding Science Teachers’ Classroom Practice after Completing a Professional-development Programme: A Case Study. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2018;14(8):em1561. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91831

AMA

Kekana M, Gaigher E. Understanding Science Teachers’ Classroom Practice after Completing a Professional-development Programme: A Case Study. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2018;14(8), em1561. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91831

Chicago

Kekana, Maria, and Estelle Gaigher. "Understanding Science Teachers’ Classroom Practice after Completing a Professional-development Programme: A Case Study". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2018 14 no. 8 (2018): em1561. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91831

Harvard

Kekana, M., and Gaigher, E. (2018). Understanding Science Teachers’ Classroom Practice after Completing a Professional-development Programme: A Case Study. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(8), em1561. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91831

MLA

Kekana, Maria et al. "Understanding Science Teachers’ Classroom Practice after Completing a Professional-development Programme: A Case Study". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 14, no. 8, 2018, em1561. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91831