Verbeeldingryke onderrig in fisiese wetenskappe as dryfkrag vir transformatiewe leer - 'n lewende teorie

Abstract

The aim of this study is to report on a critical, self-reflexive exploration of teaching and learning practice, specifically with reference to the transformative development of the practitioner-researcher. This study investigates imaginative teaching and learning practices in physical sciences as a context within which transformative learning is developed in the physical sciences teaching practitioner. A further objective is to reflect on, and construct an epistemology of practice in the researcher-practitioner. The literature review on imaginative teaching in physical sciences and transformative learning provides the theoretical basis for this critical social theory study, with interpretivism as supporting paradigm. A living theory approach within an action research methodology was followed. The five-step action research method was chosen to support the critical study. The set of six principles used when conducting critical studies, together with the set of seven principles used for conducting interpretive field studies, guided the data collection and analysis of this study. Systematic thinking and reflection, encompassed by a framework of ideas, a methodology, and the area of concern of the researcher-practitioner, guided the study. The action research process involved two main action cycles (Action cycles 1 and 2), each consisting of two sub-cycles (A and B), respectively addressing imaginative teaching in physical sciences and transformative learning of the practitioner-researcher. Students from the Introductory Inorganic and Physical Chemistry module, NCHE111, participated in the study. In the first sub-cycle of the first action cycle (Action cycle 1), six videos were made available to the participants as an intervention to prepare for the second opportunity to test stoichiometric principles. The second sub-cycle addressed reflection and subsequent transformative learning of the practitionerresearcher. The opinions of the participants as obtained from six open ended questions, feedback from critical friends, as well as field notes and reflective journal entries of the practitioner-researcher were analysed through inductive thematic content analysis. In the second main action cycle (Action cycle 2), an attempt was made to reach further consensus with the participants regarding the characteristics of the video material that were effective in teaching and learning physical sciences. The second sub-cycle addressed the transformative learning of the practitioner-researcher. The opinions of the participants obtained from five open-ended questions,

feedback from critical friends, as well as field notes and reflective journal entries of the practitioner - researcher were analysed through deductive thematic content analysis. The data suggested that the integration of characters, excitement, unexpected elements, artistic elements, and mystery as imaginative elements resulted in positive experiences of the participants in the teaching and learning of physical sciences, although the presence of imaginative elements was not pertinent to the success of video material for all participants in this study. In the second sub-cycle, an epistemology of practice was developed through personal reflection. The importance of qualitative thinking in educational practice and the ways in which it can be applied within teaching practice have been confirmed. The outcome of this study, in which an epistemology of practice was developed, explores how the teaching practitioner acquires and integrates knowledge through experience. This epistemology of practice includes directive knowledge, which entails knowledge about how to navigate within a specific context or situation, conceptual knowledge, which relates to the understanding of underlying concepts and theories, and experiential knowledge, which is obtained in an unspoken manner within the teaching and learning situation. The development of this epistemology of practice involved the imaginative use of skills obtained through reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action. Ultimately, this approach can assist teaching practitioners to improve their practice by more comprehensively integrating experience and knowledge, and applying it within their teaching practice. It is proposed that further research should be undertaken regarding the transformative learning of the learner within the physical science classroom. There is a need to expand future research on the nature of knowledge within the physical science classroom and to use integrated knowledge derived from various dimensions of knowledge in the teaching and learning of physical sciences within the teaching practice. Further research should also focus on the active implementation of a developing epistemology of practice within the teaching practice of the physical science educator.