In Search of a Working Strategy: The AHA... Moment in the Teaching of Science Subjects at Two South African High Schools

Kgomotsego B. Samuel; Washington T. Dudu

doi:10.29333/ejmste/91921

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Kgomotsego B. Samuel ¹ ^* , Washington T. Dudu ¹

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¹ North-West University, SOUTH AFRICA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to interrogate a ‘working’ strategy established to improve and sustain learner performance by two Life Sciences and two Physical Sciences teachers of two best-performing high schools in the North West province of South Africa. The schools in this study have had a pass rate of over 90% for seven consecutive years in Physical and Life Sciences. Ausubel’s (1963) constructs of Meaningful Reception Learning theory provided the conceptual framework for this study. The study was purely qualitative, employing an exploratory case-study approach. Purposive sampling was adopted to identify participants and research sites for the study. Data was generated through interviews, classroom observations and document analysis. The data were thematically analysed using open coding, axial coding and selective coding. Results of the study demonstrate that the aha! moment originated from the use of role-playing as a teaching strategy. Recommendations for policy and further research are suggested.

Keywords

aha! moment
case study research
learner performance
role-playing
meaningful reception learning theory

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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, Volume 14, Issue 8, August 2018, Article No: em1566

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91921

Publication date: 02 Jun 2018

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Article Downloads: 2057

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How to cite this article

APA

Samuel, K. B., & Dudu, W. T. (2018). In Search of a Working Strategy: The AHA... Moment in the Teaching of Science Subjects at Two South African High Schools. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(8), em1566. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91921

Vancouver

Samuel KB, Dudu WT. In Search of a Working Strategy: The AHA... Moment in the Teaching of Science Subjects at Two South African High Schools. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2018;14(8):em1566. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91921

AMA

Samuel KB, Dudu WT. In Search of a Working Strategy: The AHA... Moment in the Teaching of Science Subjects at Two South African High Schools. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2018;14(8), em1566. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91921

Chicago

Samuel, Kgomotsego B., and Washington T. Dudu. "In Search of a Working Strategy: The AHA... Moment in the Teaching of Science Subjects at Two South African High Schools". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2018 14 no. 8 (2018): em1566. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91921

Harvard

Samuel, K. B., and Dudu, W. T. (2018). In Search of a Working Strategy: The AHA... Moment in the Teaching of Science Subjects at Two South African High Schools. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(8), em1566. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91921

MLA

Samuel, Kgomotsego B. et al. "In Search of a Working Strategy: The AHA... Moment in the Teaching of Science Subjects at Two South African High Schools". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 14, no. 8, 2018, em1566. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91921