Evaluation of the use of resource kits in professional development in science teaching

[摘要] The research was done in a period of curriculum transformation and reform in SouthAfrica, a period during which teachers attended many interventions by service providersother than the education department to sharpen their skills. In this study, I investigateteacher professional development and professional development programmes using twocase studies, MTN-SUNSTEP (Mobile Telecommunications Network – StellenboschUniversity Schools Technology in Electronics Programme) and SWAP (Schools WaterProject). These INSET programmes were intended to assist with the improvement ofscience teaching in terms of the new curricula suggested for the country.The study proceeds by way of two case studies within an interpretive paradigm. Thepurpose of the study is to evaluate the two programmes based on the criteria developedthrough a literature review and to understand and give meaning to the process of teacherprofessional development that might have occurred in the programmes. This process isframed by my research question, 'can resource kits enable professional development inscience teaching.Data was collected at various stages by way of field notes, questionnaires, interviews andobservations at workshops. Teachers generally found the processes useful but do indicatedissatisfaction with certain areas of the programmes. Issues that emerged from the studywere that teacher development processes need to be organized over a long period, thedevelopment of teacher networks needs to be nurtured, and support at school level wasessential to ensure implementation.An important insight was that the research, once again, emphasized a key aspect ofeffective teacher development programmes. Effective programmes require a teamconsisting of three agents that bring their own expertise to the process namely, teachers,district officials and university staff. This team has to take into account the factors thatensure effective teacher professional development and should occur within theparameters of accepted professional development practices and learning support materialsplay an important role in supporting this process.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University