5 - An Investigation into the Effectiveness of the University Curriculum in Preparing Pre-service Technology Teachers
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 13 No. 1-2 (2015): Journal of Higher Education in Africa: Special Issue on Sustainable Rural Learning Ecologies: Border Crossing
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the univer- sity curriculum in preparing pre-service technology teachers. The study examines the course guide of the technology education course at one of the universities of technology in South Africa in relation to grades 7–9 (senior phase) of the technology policy document. The study found that the university technology curriculum places emphasis on both content breadth (CB) and content strands (CS). However, some of the CSs in the university technology curriculum have no relevance to the CB and were not designed to enhance its depth. Therefore, this means that the CSs of the university technology curriculum were not designed to focus on the notion of ‘fitness- for-purpose’ which is market driven. However, it is imperative that students be given an opportunity to explore both CB and content depth (CD) as well as how other CSs can be used to develop a deeper understanding of CB.
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- Aguele, L.I. and Agwagah, U.N., 2007, ‘Female participation in science, technology and mathematics (STM) education in Nigeria and national development’, Journal of Social Science 15 (2): 121–26.
- Ball, D.L., Thames, M.H. and Phelps, G., 2008, ‘Content knowledge for teaching: what makes it special?’, Journal of Teacher Education 59 (5): 389–407.
- Bowen, G., 2009, ‘Document analysis as a qualitative research method’, Qualitative Research Journal 9 (2): 27–40.
- Creswell, J.W., 2013, Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among Five Traditions, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
- Department of Education, 2000, Criteria for the Recognition and Evaluation of Qua- lifications for Employment in Education, Based on the Norms and Standards for Educators, Pretoria: Government Printer.
- Department of Education, 2007, National Curriculum Statement (NCS): Technology, Pretoria: Government Printer.
- Department of Education, 2007, National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development, Pretoria: Government Printer.
- Department of Basic Education, 2010, Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS): Technology, Pretoria: Government Printer.
- Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), 2011, Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (MARTEQ), Pretoria: Government Printer.
- Doerr, H.M., 2007, ‘What knowledge do teachers need for teaching mathematics through applications and modelling?’, Modelling and Applications in Mathe- matics Education 10: 69–78.
- Elo, S. and Kyngäs, H., 2008, ‘The qualitative content analysis process’, Journal of Advanced Nursing 62 (1): 107–15.
- Freedman, D. B., 2008, ‘Is the medical undergraduate curriculum “fit for purpose”?’,Annals of Clinical Biochemistry 45 (1): 1–2.
- Graneheim, U. H. and Lundman, B., 2004, ‘Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: concepts, procedures and measures to achieve trustworthiness’, Nurse Education Today 24 (2): 105–12.
- Kajander, A. and Holm, J., 2013, ‘Pre-service teachers’ mathematical understanding: searching for differences based on school curriculum background’, Fields Mathematics Education Journal 1 (1): 3.
- Marshall, J.H. and Sorto, M.A., 2012, ‘The effects of teacher mathematics knowledge and pedagogy on student achievement in rural Guatemala’, International Review of Education 58 (2): 173–97.
- National Council of Teacher of Mathematics (NCTM), 2000, Principles and Standards,Reston, VA: NCTM.
- Peters, R.S., 1977, Education and the Education of Teachers, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
- Pitjeng, P., 2014, Novice unqualified graduate science teachers’ topic-specific peda- gogical content knowledge, and their beliefs about teaching. Proceedings of the 21st Annual Meeting of the Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (SAARMSTE), 13-16 January, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth.
- Heritage, M., 2007, ‘What do teachers need to know and do?’, Phi Delta Kappan 89(2): 140–45.
- Hirsch Jr., E.D., 2001, ‘Seeking breadth and depth in the curriculum’, Education Leadership 59 (2): 22–25.
- Irwin, R., 2011, Designing engagement: breadth and depth through artistic inquiry. Speaking notes from a presentation at the Alberta Education Research Roundtable 2, 7 May, Calgary, Alberta.
- Kahan, J.A., Cooper, D.A. and Bethea, K.A., 2003, ‘The role of mathematics teachers’ content knowledge in their teaching: a framework for research applied to a study of student teachers’, Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education 6 (3): 223–52.
- Li, J., Klahr, D. and Siler, S., 2006, ‘What lies beneath the science achievement gap: the
- challenges of aligning science instruction with standards and tests’, Science Educator 15 (1): 12.
- Murtagh, T.P., 2001, Teaching breadth first depth first. Paper read at the 6th Annual SIGCSE/SIGCUE Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, Canterbury, England.
- Schwartz, M.S., Sadler, P.M., Sonnert, G. and Tai, R.H., 2008, ‘Depth versus breadth: how content coverage in high school science courses relates to later success in college science coursework’, Science Education 93 (5): 798–826.
- Shulman, L. S., 1987, ‘Knowledge and teaching: foundations of the new reform’,Harvard educational review 57 (1): 1–23.
- UNESCO, 2002, Teaching and learning for a sustainable future. Paper read at the Education International Conference: The Second World Congress of Education International Meeting, 25-29 July, Washington, DC.
- Waghid, Y., 2002, ‘Knowledge production and higher education transformation in South Africa: towards reflexivity in university teaching, research and community service’, Higher Education 43 (4): 457–88.
- Wright, P., 2000, ‘Balancing breadth versus depth – an impossible task’, Studies inScience Education 35: 187–88.
References
Aguele, L.I. and Agwagah, U.N., 2007, ‘Female participation in science, technology and mathematics (STM) education in Nigeria and national development’, Journal of Social Science 15 (2): 121–26.
Ball, D.L., Thames, M.H. and Phelps, G., 2008, ‘Content knowledge for teaching: what makes it special?’, Journal of Teacher Education 59 (5): 389–407.
Bowen, G., 2009, ‘Document analysis as a qualitative research method’, Qualitative Research Journal 9 (2): 27–40.
Creswell, J.W., 2013, Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among Five Traditions, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Department of Education, 2000, Criteria for the Recognition and Evaluation of Qua- lifications for Employment in Education, Based on the Norms and Standards for Educators, Pretoria: Government Printer.
Department of Education, 2007, National Curriculum Statement (NCS): Technology, Pretoria: Government Printer.
Department of Education, 2007, National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development, Pretoria: Government Printer.
Department of Basic Education, 2010, Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS): Technology, Pretoria: Government Printer.
Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), 2011, Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (MARTEQ), Pretoria: Government Printer.
Doerr, H.M., 2007, ‘What knowledge do teachers need for teaching mathematics through applications and modelling?’, Modelling and Applications in Mathe- matics Education 10: 69–78.
Elo, S. and Kyngäs, H., 2008, ‘The qualitative content analysis process’, Journal of Advanced Nursing 62 (1): 107–15.
Freedman, D. B., 2008, ‘Is the medical undergraduate curriculum “fit for purpose”?’,Annals of Clinical Biochemistry 45 (1): 1–2.
Graneheim, U. H. and Lundman, B., 2004, ‘Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: concepts, procedures and measures to achieve trustworthiness’, Nurse Education Today 24 (2): 105–12.
Kajander, A. and Holm, J., 2013, ‘Pre-service teachers’ mathematical understanding: searching for differences based on school curriculum background’, Fields Mathematics Education Journal 1 (1): 3.
Marshall, J.H. and Sorto, M.A., 2012, ‘The effects of teacher mathematics knowledge and pedagogy on student achievement in rural Guatemala’, International Review of Education 58 (2): 173–97.
National Council of Teacher of Mathematics (NCTM), 2000, Principles and Standards,Reston, VA: NCTM.
Peters, R.S., 1977, Education and the Education of Teachers, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Pitjeng, P., 2014, Novice unqualified graduate science teachers’ topic-specific peda- gogical content knowledge, and their beliefs about teaching. Proceedings of the 21st Annual Meeting of the Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (SAARMSTE), 13-16 January, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth.
Heritage, M., 2007, ‘What do teachers need to know and do?’, Phi Delta Kappan 89(2): 140–45.
Hirsch Jr., E.D., 2001, ‘Seeking breadth and depth in the curriculum’, Education Leadership 59 (2): 22–25.
Irwin, R., 2011, Designing engagement: breadth and depth through artistic inquiry. Speaking notes from a presentation at the Alberta Education Research Roundtable 2, 7 May, Calgary, Alberta.
Kahan, J.A., Cooper, D.A. and Bethea, K.A., 2003, ‘The role of mathematics teachers’ content knowledge in their teaching: a framework for research applied to a study of student teachers’, Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education 6 (3): 223–52.
Li, J., Klahr, D. and Siler, S., 2006, ‘What lies beneath the science achievement gap: the
challenges of aligning science instruction with standards and tests’, Science Educator 15 (1): 12.
Murtagh, T.P., 2001, Teaching breadth first depth first. Paper read at the 6th Annual SIGCSE/SIGCUE Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, Canterbury, England.
Schwartz, M.S., Sadler, P.M., Sonnert, G. and Tai, R.H., 2008, ‘Depth versus breadth: how content coverage in high school science courses relates to later success in college science coursework’, Science Education 93 (5): 798–826.
Shulman, L. S., 1987, ‘Knowledge and teaching: foundations of the new reform’,Harvard educational review 57 (1): 1–23.
UNESCO, 2002, Teaching and learning for a sustainable future. Paper read at the Education International Conference: The Second World Congress of Education International Meeting, 25-29 July, Washington, DC.
Waghid, Y., 2002, ‘Knowledge production and higher education transformation in South Africa: towards reflexivity in university teaching, research and community service’, Higher Education 43 (4): 457–88.
Wright, P., 2000, ‘Balancing breadth versus depth – an impossible task’, Studies inScience Education 35: 187–88.