Exploring the development of TSPCK of grade six natural science and technology pre-service teachers: a case for matter and materials.

Abstract

The literature suggests that pre-service teachers lack an integrated Natural Science and Technology pedagogical content knowledge and as a result cannot make good pedagogical decisions in classroom practice. This study argues for the place and space of adequately trained Natural Science and Technology specialists with an integrated understanding of Natural Science and Technology, who can plan, design, implement, and reflect on suitable instructional strategies and classroom activities that would promote the envisioned integrated curriculum for the Intermediate Phase. It therefore endeavoured to understand the process of engagement and the types of understandings that come to the fore when pre-service Natural Science and Technology teachers are exposed to active learning aimed to develop their topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge in an integrated way. The focus was on Matter and Materials and Processing in the knowledge strands of Natural Science and Technology. Using an exploratory case study methodology, the study addressed the following two questions: (i) How do we engage Grade 6 Natural Science and Technology pre-service teachers to elicit their understanding of an integrated Natural Science and Technology curriculum through concept mapping? and (ii) How do Grade 6 Natural Science and Technology pre-service teachers represent their understanding of an integrated Natural Science and Technology curriculum through concept mapping? W.r.t. Research Question 1, the four-phase engagement process of using concept mapping by Wang which was adapted to three for the purposes of this study, showed that when these phases are combined with a framework of Topic specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge as proposed by in the literature, does indeed, promote the graphical representation of facts, concepts, and relationships; aids in the construction and retainment of knowledge as well as clarity and a deeper meaning of knowledge through communication. After the concept mapping activity was completed, the Grade 6 Natural Science and Technology pre-service teachers had a full view of their prior Grade 4 to 6 Content Knowledge in topics and concepts pertaining to Matter and Materials and Processing. This holistic view of the concept maps also exposed to the Grade 6 Natural Science and Technology pre-service teachers’ various gaps in their prior Grade 4 to 6 Content Knowledge and misconceptions that may have possibly formed earlier on in primary school. The findings suggest that Natural Science and Technology pre-service teachers’ understanding of an integrated Natural Science and Technology curriculum could be elicited by engagement using instructional strategies and a concept mapping activity to promote the development of an integrated Topic Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Matter and Materials in Natural Science and Processing in Technology. W.r.t. Research Question 2, two understandings of integration were elicited which were spread through the eight categories. • Understanding 1: Integration of two processes: the scientific and design processes • Understanding 2: Integration of various Natural Science and Technology topics and concepts. Understanding 1 was held by nine (22,5%) pre-service teachers, whilst Understanding 2 was held by 31 (77,5%). The first understanding was derived from one category where an integrated NST was perceived as an: Integration of two processes: Scientific and Design processes. The second understanding was derived from seven categories, where an integrated Natural Science and Technology was perceived as the integration of Grade 4 to 6 Natural Science and Technology topics and concepts. It is significant to note that it is these nine pre-service teachers in Category 1, who successfully identified the problematic (lack of provisions of clean water in rural contexts) and applied their understanding of an integrated NST curriculum to solve an authentic, real-world context (in this case, the water and sanitation problems in the uGu district in the KZN region). This study offers a glimpse into the opportunities that could be afforded when Natural Science and Technology pre-service teachers acquire a deep conceptual understanding of these two subject disciplines. They could, make good pedagogical decisions on designing effective activities related to evolving Content Knowledge to teach the integration of Natural Science and Technology. In teaching practice, Natural Science and Technology pre-service teachers who have developed a strong Pedagogical Content Knowledge of integrated Natural Science and Technology will begin to motivate Intermediate Phase learners to see relevance and importance of studying science and technology in high school and higher education. Consequently, these learners will follow science and technology career paths and may possibly become prolific citizens who could contribute to our country’s science, technology and innovation in the future.