INFORMATION SHEET LEARNER - A case study of two experienced science teachers' use of practical

APPENDICES

Appendix 1: INFORMATION SHEET LEARNER

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My name is Kabelo Sitole and I am an MSc student in the School of Education at the University of the Witwatersrand.

I am doing research towards my MSc in science education degree and the title of my research is: A cases study of two experienced science teachers’ use of practical work.

This study is about improving strategies of using practical work to promote science learning in classrooms. Your teacher, Mr ** is part of a collaborative research team and in this research we will work together to reflect on how best he can use practical work to help you understand science better. As part of that process, I therefore seek permission to audio and video record your science lessons as well as use your assessment tasks, as a way of collecting data. This research will have a good contribution to your own learning as we will engage in continuous feedback process to support your science teacher as he endeavor to improve his science teaching strategies.

I plan to visit your school over the course of one week for observations and data collection. I assure you that, this study will not interfere with the normal running of the school and you as a learner will not be disadvantaged in any way as a result of participating in this study. I also reassure you that at any time during this project, you have the right withdraw your permission, and no penalty will be imposed on you.

The results of this study will only be used for academic purposes and your name and the identity of your school will be kept confidential at all times in all reports. Your individual privacy will also be maintained in all published and written data resulting from the study. All research data will be destroyed between 3-5 years after completion of the project.

Your parents have also been informed and their permission has also been sought, but at the end of the day it is your decision to join us in the study.

I look forward to working with you!

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Yours sincerely,

Kabelo Sitole

Email: [email protected] Cell number: 0725628027

Learners Consent Form

Please fill in and return the reply slip below indicating your willingness to be a participant in my voluntary research project called:

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I, ________________________ give my consent for the following: Permission to observe you in class

I agree to be observed in class. YES/NO

Permission to be audiotaped during interviews

I agree to be audiotaped during the interview YES/NO

I know that the audiotapes will be used for this project only YES/NO Permission to be interviewed

I agree to be interviewed for this study. YES/NO

I know that I can stop the interview at any time and don’t have to

Answer all the questions asked. YES/NO

Permission to be videotaped

I agree to be videotaped in class. YES/NO

I know that the videotapes will be used for this project only. YES/NO Informed Consent

I understand that:

• My name and information will be kept confidential and safe and that my name and the name of my school will not be revealed.

• I do not have to answer every question and can withdraw from the study at any time. • The videos taken will be edited to prevent anyone from recognizing me

• I can ask not to be audiotaped or videotaped

• All the data collected during this study will be destroyed within 3-5 years after completion of my project.

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Appendix 2: INFORMATION SHEET TEACHERS

Dear ______________________________________________

My name is Kabelo Sitole; I am a Masters student in the School of Education at the

University of the Witwatersrand. I am doing research towards my MSc in science education degree and the title of my research is: A cases study of two experienced science teachers’ use of

practical work

Surely you are aware that potentially, practical work can serve as a great strategy to promote both conceptual and procedural knowledge of learners but, research in this field has revealed that this is complex and very difficult to achieve, resulting in its ineffective use in most classrooms.

In this research I am hoping to work with you as an experienced physical science teacher, carrying out a self-study to improve your own strategies of using practical work, and my aim will be to explore the potential of its use in teaching of science concepts, within the context your study. The reason why I am interested in this study is because I also carried out a self- study looking at my own strategies of supporting natural science pre-service teachers during their practical sessions, and would like to explore the potential use of practical work deeper. In this study, mine will partly be to serve as a sounding board as well as a critical friend, throughout the process, as you endeavor to improve your strategies in effective use of practical work. I am therefore seeking permission to come and work with you and your learners, and as part of my data collection process, to audio and video record your teaching, as you implement your research lessons. I also seek permission to use your lesson plans, teaching arte facts, interview you as well as request that you complete some questionnaires as part of this process.

No doubt that as a researcher carrying self-study yourself, you will appreciate that from both research and teaching perspective, this research will have a good contribution to your own work as you endeavor to improve your strategies of using practical work for learners’

conceptual and procedural understanding. I am also hopeful that as a team we will be able to come up with studies that can shed light which can be used to improve science teaching in our country.

I plan to visit your school over the course of one week for observations and data collection. I assure you that, this study will not interfere with the normal running of the school and that you and your learners will not be disadvantaged in any way as a result of participating in this study. You and your learners are reassured that you can withdraw permission at any time during this project without suffering any penalty.

The results of this study will only be used for academic purposes and your names as research participants in this study, as well as identity of your school, will be kept confidential at all

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times in all reporting about the study. Your individual privacy will be maintained in all published and written data resulting from the study and all research data will be destroyed between 3-5 years after completion of the project.

Please let me know if you require any further information. I look forward to your response as soon as is convenient.

Yours sincerely, Kabelo Sitole