The extent of the application of the constructivist perspective in the teaching and learning of biology at “O” level

IMBABWE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

IS S N 1013-3445

Factors affecting ICT policy im plem entation in rural Namibian S chools

Elizabeth N deukum w a N gobolo

S ubstance abuse by rural high school students: a case study O f one high school in M utasa D istrict situated in

Rural Z im babw e

C harles D ziro and Tendai M akaruse

The extent o f the application o f the constructivist perspective In the teaching and learning o f biology at “O ” level.

Fenton R uparaganda

Exploring the e xte n t and developm ent pattern o f lying A m ong children.

T.D. M ushoriw a

S tudents perceptions on the effectiveness and advantages o f the Open distance electronic learning m ethodology (O DeL) over

The traditional face to face learning m ethodology. "two years o n .”

Fenton R uparaganda, C ecilia K. M u kundu and G eofrey M unjom a

An analysis o f the level o f participation in sport by learners W ith disabilities in inclusive settings.

Tapiw a M udyahoto and Francis Em son D akw a

V iew s o f postgraduate distance education students on the S em inar presentation.

C leophas C hidakw a and W ellin g to n Jonga

Topic: A com parative analysis o f the causes o f prim ary school D ropout in an urban and com m ercial farm setting in

Norton area.

Francis M uchenje Provided by IDS OpenDocs

The Zimbabwe Journal o f Educational Research is published three tim es a year by the University o f Zimbabwe (UZ), Human Resources Research Centre (HRRC).

ISSN: 1013-3445

Editor-in-Chief: Professor Fred Zindi

Editorial Board Professor R. Moyana, University of Zimbabwe Professor D. Mtetwa, University of Zimbabwe Professor V. Nyawaranda, University of Zimbabwe Mrs T. Kaziboni, University of Zimbabwe Dr F. Machingura, University of Zimbabwe Dr O. Hapanyengwi, University of Zimbabwe

Editorial Advisory Board Professor Fred Lubben, University of York

Prof. Danston S. J. Mkandawire, University of Namibia

Professor John Schwille, Michigan State University Professor T. Mwamwenda, University of South Africa

For further information contact us on:

Zimbabwe Journal of Educational Research HRRC, Faculty of Education University of Zimbabwe P. O. Box MP167 Mount Pleasant HARARE Zimbabwe E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +263-04-303271 or 303211/9 Extn: 16002/3

ISSN 1013-3445 CONTENTS

Factors affecting ICT Policy Implementation in Rural Namibian Schools

Elizabeth Ndeukumwa Ngololo ... 224

Substance Abuse by Rural High School Students: A Case Study of one High School

in Mutasa District Situated in Rural Zimbabwe

Charles Dziro and Tendai Makaruse... 244

The Extent of the application of the Constructivist Perspective in the Teaching and Learning of Biology at "O" Level.

Fenton Ruparanganda... 265

Exploring the extent and Developmental Pattern of Lying among Children.

T. D. Mushoriwa... 278

Students Perceptions on the Effectiveness and Advantages of the Open Distance Electronic Learning

Methodology (ODeL) over the Traditional Face To Face Learning Methodology. "Two Years On."

Fenton Ruparanganda, Cecilia K. Mukundu and Geofrey

Munjoma...291

An Analysis of the Level of Participation in Sport by Learners with Disabilities in Inclusive Settings.

Tapiwa Mudyahoto and Francis Emson Dakwa...303

Views of Postgraduate Distance Education Students on the Seminar Presentation.

Cleophas Chidakwa, and Wellington Jonga...311

Topic: A Comparative Analysis of the Causes of Primary School Dropout in an Urban and

Commercial Farm Setting in Norton Area.

2 6 5

THE EXTENT OF THE APPLICATION OF THE

CONSTRUCTIVIST PERSPECTIVE IN THE

TEACHING AND LEARNING OF BIOLOGY AT "O"

LEVEL IN ZIMBABWE.

Fenton R u p aran g an d a, Faculty o f Education, University o f Zimbabwe.

A bstract

This article examines the extent to which the Biology 'O’ level teachers are applying the constructivist perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level in Harare, in former group A government secondary schools in the low density suburbs. The population study consisted o f three secondary schools in Zimbabwe. The data were collectedfrom 'O' level Biology teachers, Science Head o f Departments, lesson observations and from relevant documents in the schools. Interviews, questionnaires, document analysis and lesson observations were used to collect the data. The extent to which the constructivist perspective is being applied was determined by examining the teachers', knowledge on the constructivist perspective; analyzing documents such as the lesson plan books and the application o f the constructivist perspective during the observed lessons. Most teachers who participated in this study showed adequate knowledge about the constructivist perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level. The lessons observed showed the lack o f application o f the constructivist perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level. Document analysis showed that most teachers were stating methods related to the constructivist perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology but they did not apply these in the actual teaching and learning o f Biology as revealed by the lesson observations.

Introduction

The performance o f students in Biology at O level in most secondary schools in Zimbabwe is rather poor according to the Zimbabwe school Exam ination council (ZEMSEC) reports for 2000,2001 and 2002. M any factors have been attributed the poor performance o f the students but little research has been done in Zimbabwe to link the methods o f instruction used to the poor performance. E x a m in a tio n r e p o rts fro m ZIM SEC in d ic a te th a t 'O ' lev e l B iology c a n d id a te s s e e m to c o n tin u e to lack a n u n d e r s ta n d in g of B iological c o n c ep ts a s w e ll

2 6 6

a s p ro b le m so lv in g skills. T he lack o f th e s e skills h a s c o n trib u te d to th e p o o r p e rfo rm a n c e o f th e s e c a n d id a te s in th e 'O ' level B iology fin a l e x a m in a tio n th a t h a s ra is e d co n c ern

Biology is a very important subject, which links student's life on a daily basis, but currently there is a high failure rate according to the ministry's 'O' level national result analysis. According to M utasa and Wills (1994) “Science is not a process o f thought which has revealed this information and which uses it in dealing with new m ysteries... it demands powers o f observation, criticism and careful planning... it also requires an imaginative vision that we often tend to associate only with the art.”

Science instruction must promote students' observation, critical thinking, criticism, imagination and careful planning. The constructive perspective seems to be the best methodology to promote this in students. Children leam more and enjoy learning when they are actively involved, rather than being passive learners.

Purpose of the study

The purpose o f this study was to evaluate the application o f the constructivist approach in the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level and to analyze the teachers’ perceptions on its use. The constructive perspective is one o f the teaching approaches that prepare students for life in terms o f dealing with day to day life problems because it encourages critical thinking (Helen, 2000). I f this approach was to be adopted by all teachers in Zimbabwe, it would m ake a valuable contribution towards the improvement o f the performance o f students at 'O' level especially in Biology. It is hoped that the findings o f the study will make suggestions that may improve the standard o f teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level in Zimbabwe.

L iteratu re Review

Constructivism is an approach to teaching and learning based on the prem ise that cognition (learning) is the result o f "mental construction." In other words, students leam by fitting new information together with what they already know. Constructivists believe that learning is affected by the context in which an idea is taught as well as by students' beliefs and attitudes. Constructivism is a view o f learning based on the belief that knowledge can’t simply be given by the teacher to students. Rather, learners through an active, mental process o f development construct

Fenton Ruparanganda 2 6 7

knowledge; learners are the builders and creators o f m eaning and knowledge. Constructivism draw s on the developm ental w ork o f Piaget (1977) and Kelly (1991).

Twomey Fosnot (1989) defines constructivism by reference to four principles:

a) learning, in an im portant way, depends on what w e already know; b) new ideas occur as w e adapt and change our old ideas;

c) learning involves inventing ideas rather than m echanically accum ulating facts;

d) m eaningful learning occurs through rethinking old ideas and com ing to new conclusions about new ideas which conflict with our old ideas.

A productive constructivist classroom consists o f learner-centered and active instruction. In such a classroom , the teacher provides students with experiences that allow them to hypothesize, predict, m anipulate objects, pose questions, research, investigate, imagine, and invent (Piaget, 1977). The teacher's role is to facilitate this process. Piaget (1977) asserts that learning occurs by an active construction o f meaning, rather than by passive percipience. H e explains that when learners encounter an experience or a situation that conflicts with our current way o f thinking, a state o f disequilibrium or imbalance is created. Learners must then alter their thinking to restore equilibrium or balance. To do this, learners m ake sense o f the new information by associating it with what they already know, that is, by attempting to assimilate it into their existing knowledge.

Similar to this is Kelly's theoiy o f personal constructs (Kelly, 1991). Kelly proposes that learners look at the w orld through mental constructs or patterns they create. Learners develop ways o f construing or understanding the w orld based on learners' experiences. W hen they encounter a new experience, learners attem pt to fit these patterns over the new experience. C onstructivist beliefs have recently been applied to teaching and learning in the classroom.

To the researcher, "Constructivism " is an approach to education that views the teacher or trainer as m ore o f a facilitator o f learning than an instructor o f pre-determ ined skills and facts. Students are strongly encouraged to take m ore control o f their learning experience than they would in conventional classroom s. They are also encouraged to work in teams, to confront problem s that do not necessarily have one answer, and to work on long-range projects that encompass several traditional disciplines.

2 6 8

Constructivism is basically a theory based on observation and scientific study about how people learn. People construct their own understanding and knowledge o f the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. When learners encounter something new, they have to reconcile it with their previous ideas and experiences, maybe changing what they believe, or maybe discarding the new information as irrelevant (Twomey Fosnot, 1989). In any case, learners are active creators o f their own knowledge. To do this, learners m ust ask questions, explore, and assess what they know.

In the classroom, the constructivist view o f learning can point towards a num ber o f different teaching practices. In the most general sense, it usually m eans encouraging students to use active techniques (experiments, real-world problem solving) to create more knowledge and then to reflect on and talk about what they are doing and how their understanding is changing. The teacher must understand the students' pre-existing conceptions, and guides the activity to address them and then build on them. Constructivist teachers encourage students to constantly assess how the activity is helping them gain understanding. By questioning themselves and their strategies, stu d en ts. in the constructivist classroom ideally become "expert learners." This gives them ever-broadening tools to keep learning. W ith a well-planned classroom environment, the students leam how to learn (Twomey Fosnot, 1989). W hen learners continuously reflect on their experiences, students find their ideas gaining in complexity and power, and they develop increasingly strong abilities to integrate new information. One o f the teacher's m ain roles becomes to encourage this learning and reflection processes. For example: Groups o f students in a science class are discussing a problem in Biology. Though the teacher knows the "answer" to the problem, the teacher focuses on helping students restate their questions in useful ways. The teacher prom pts each student to reflect on and examine his or her current knowledge. W hen one o f the students comes up with the relevant concept, the teacher seizes upon it, and indicates to the group that this might be a fruitful avenue for them to explore. They design and perform relevant experiments. Afterward, the students and teacher talk about what they have learned, and how their observations and experiments helped (or did not help) them to better u n d e rsta n d th e co n cep t. C o n trary to c ritic ism s by som e (conservative/traditional) educators, constructivism does not dismiss the active role o f the teacher or the value o f expert knowledge.

Fenton Ruparanganda 2 6 9

construct knowledge rather than to reproduce a series o f facts. The constructivist teacher provides tools such as problem-solving and inquiry-based learning activities with which students formulate and test their ideas, draw conclusions and inferences, and pool and convey their knowledge in a collaborative learning environment Twomey Fosnot (1989). Constructivism transforms the student from a passive recipient of information to an active participant in the learning process. Always guided by the teacher, students construct their knowledge actively rather than just mechanically ingesting knowledge from the teacher or the textbook. Constructivism is also often misconstrued as a learning theory that compels students to "reinvent the wheel." In fact, constructivism taps into and triggers the student’s innate curiosity about the world and how things work. Students do not reinvent the wheel but, rather, attempt to understand how it turns, how it functions. They become engaged by applying their existing knowledge and real-world experience, learning to hypothesize, testing their theories, and ultimately drawing conclusions from their findings.

Methodology

This study was to evaluate the extent o f the application o f the Constructivist Perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology at "O" Level is the result o f a case study conducted in three Harare Secondary Schools in tire Northern suburbs.

A questionnaire for biology teachers to assess the teachers' knowledge about the teaching methods and the teaching aids was used. Another questionnaire was used to assess the Science Head o f Department's knowledge about the importance o f the teaching methods and how she or he monitors the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level especially the teaching methods. Lesson observations were also done in order to evaluate the application o f the constructivist approach to the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level including interviews with the 'O' level Biology teachers.

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Results

Table 1: Teachers' knowledge of the concept constructivist perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology a t 'O ' level

Question on Acceptable answer N on acceptable answ er

Number % Number %

Knowledge about the concept constructivist perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology at ‘O ’ level

5 83.3 1 16.6

Knowledge about the im pact o f the constructivist perspective on assimilation o f content and development o f skills and attitudes in students

2 33,3 4 66.6

Table 2: Teaching methods used during the lessons observed and those stated in the plan books.

Teaching m ethod

N um ber o f teachers stating this m ethod in the plan book

%

N um ber o f teachers using this m ethod in the observed lessons % Lecture 0 0 6 100 G roup w ork 6 100 1 16,6 C lass discussion 6 100 1 16,6 P roblem solving 0 0 0 0 D em onstration 2 33,3 3 50 D iscovery 0 0 1 16,6 C arrying out experim ents 6 100 0 0

Fenton Ruparanganda 271

Table 3: Inform ation on staff developm ent program m es given to the Biology ’O ' level teachers as revealed by the Science H eads of D epartm ent (H.O.Ds).

R esp o n ses o f th e S cien ce H ead s o f D ep artm en ts

N u m b e r N u m b e r N u m b er

Q u estio n A nsw er o f A n sw er o f A n sw er o f

H .O .D s H .O .D s H .O .D s

A re th ere any N one, Y es, O n ly at an

sta ff nev er thro u g h in form al

d ev elo p m en t done 1 team 1 level, 1

p ro g ram m es (33,3% ) teach in g (33,3% ) d iscussing (33,3% )

d o n e as a and w ith a

fo llo w u p to sem in ars colleague

o b served lesso n s?

Findings and discussions

All the Biology teachers were trained and had betw een 4 and 5 years teaching experience. Despite this experience, the research findings revealed that the teachers were not applying the constructivist

2 7 2

perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level. The teachers were aware o f the constructivist perspective but demonstrated lack o f knowledge about its implication in the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level. The teachers also exhibited lack o f the necessary skills to apply the constructivist perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level. Furthermore the 'O' level Biology teachers were unable to state the teaching methods related to the constructivist perspective.

In the six cases, all the six teachers, indicated that they used the lecture method, a teaching m ethod not related to the constructivist perspective more frequently than any other teaching methods in the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level. Only two Biology teachers used methods related to the constructivist perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level. The teachers who tried to use the constructivist perspective did so with great difficulty. The m ost available and used teaching aids by the 'O' level Biology teachers in the three schools under study were the textbook and the chalk board. The textbook was used simply to copy what is in it. Designs, procedures o f experiments and co n te n t n o tes w e re s im p ly c o p ie d fro m th e te x tb o o k as th e y w ere.

T he ’O ’ level B io lo g y tea c h e rs d id n o t g iv e th e stu d e n ts en o u g h c h an ce to d iscu ss th e ir fin d in g s esp ec ially w h e n c a rry in g o u t ex p erim en ts. T h e te a c h e r to o k th e c e n te r sta g e in g iv in g th e resu lts a n d the co n c lu sio n s o f th e ex p erim en ts. D u rin g th e o b se rv e d lesso n s no p ro b le m so lv in g a b ilities o r c ritic a l th in k in g w ere d e v e lo p e d in th e 'O ’ B io lo g y studen ts. T h e p o o r p e rfo rm a n c e in B io lo g y at 'O ' level fin al ex a m in atio n s m a y b e d u e to th e n o n ­ ap p lic atio n o f th e c o n stru c tiv ist p e rsp e c tiv e in th e te a c h in g a n d lea rn in g o f B io lo g y at 'O ' level in th e th re e sc h o o ls u n d e rstu d y .

T he lack o f k n o w le d g e a n d skills on h o w to u se th e c o n stru c tiv ist p e rsp e c tiv e on th e p a rt o f th e 'O ' level B io lo g y tea c h e rs a n d th e S cien ce H eads o f D e p a rtm en t m ig h t h av e b e e n d u e to in ad e q u a te tra in in g .T h e 'O ' lev e l B io lo g y te a c h e rs k n e w th a t th e c o n stru c tiv ist p e rsp e c tiv e ex ists b u t lac k th e n e c e ssa ry skills and k n o w le d g e to a p p ly it d u rin g th e tea c h in g and lea rn in g o f B io lo g y at 'O ' level. It seem s the B io lo g y teach ers w ere m o re c o n fid e n t to a p p ly the n o n -c o n stru c tiv ist p e rsp e c tiv e in th e te a c h in g and lea rn in g o f B io lo g y at 'O ' level su ch as th e lec tu re m etho d.

Fenton Ruparanganda 2 7 3

T he B io lo g y 'O ' lev e l te a c h e rs a n d th e ir S c ie n c e H e a d s o f D e p a rtm en t in th e th re e sc h o o ls n e e d e d to u n d e rg o in te n siv e s ta ff d e v e lo p m e n t p ro g ra m m e s in o rd e r fo r th e m to d e v e lo p th e n e c e ssa ry sk ills, k n o w le d g e a n d a ttitu d e s so th a t th e c o n stru c tiv ist p e rsp e c tiv e is a p p lie d a t a larg e e x te n t in th e th re e sc h o o ls. T h e 'O ' level B io lo g y te a c h e rs a n d th e S c ie n c e H e a d s o f D e p a rtm e n t h a d in ad e q u a te u n d e rs ta n d in g o f h o w to a p p ly th e c o n stru c tiv ist p e rs p e c tiv e in th e te a c h in g a n d le a rn in g o f B io lo g y a t 'O ' lev el an d th is im p lie s th a t th e re w a s little a p p lic a tio n o f th e c o n stru c tiv e p e rs p e c tiv e in th e te a c h in g a n d le a rn in g o f B io lo g y in th e schools u n d e r study. T h e la c k o f th e n e c e s s a ry sk ills a n d th e co rrect a ttitu d e s b y th e te a c h e rs c re a te d n e g a tiv e p e rc e p tio n s in the te a c h e rs o n th e u s e o f th e c o n stru c tiv ist te a c h in g a p p ro a c h .

T h e le c tu re m e th o d w a s still th e m a jo r m e th o d o f in stru c tio n u se d in th e te a c h in g a n d le a rn in g o f B io lo g y at 'O ' le v e l d e sp ite th e call b y th e M in is try o f E d u c a tio n , S p o rt, A rts a n d C u ltu re fo r all sc ie n c e te a c h e rs to u s e th e c o n stru c tiv ist p e rs p e c tiv e in th e te a c h in g a n d le a rn in g o f sc ie n c e in d ic a tin g ’th a t th e e x te n t o f th e a p p lic a tio n o f th e c o n stru c tiv ist perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology is low. The lecture method was considered by the 'O' level B iology teachers and the Science Heads o f Departm ents as a m ethod that m ake them cover a lot o f ground or syllabus content in a short space o f tim e in order to prepare the 'O' level Biology students for the final 'O' level ZIM SEC Biology examination. Education Officers and all other Education Authorities assum ed that the discovery method (constructivist perspective) was being used in the schools without any effort to verify the assumption. In the three schools under study there was very little understanding o f the constructivist perspective by the Biology 'O' level teachers and the Science Heads o f D epartm ent therefore training was needed. Problem solving activities (constructivist perspective) were not being utilized in the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level in the three schools under study. The present methods o f instructions being used produce students who are not able to apply Biological concepts to solve problem s in daily life problems. This is evident in the poor performance shown by the students in the 'O' level ZIM SEC B iology final examination especially in questions that require problem solving. The results o f this research indicated that the 'O' level Biology teachers were not applying the constructivist perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level in the three schools under study.

R ecom m end ation s

The study recommends that:

• Practicing Biology 'O' level teachers should undergo staff development program mes in order to equip diem w ith die necessary knowledge and skills in terms o f applying the constructivist perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology at 'O' level.

• External help from teacher training institutes especially universities should be sought in order for the Biology 'O' level teachers to be taught how to apply the constructivist perspective in the teaching and learning o f Biology.

• Experimental plots, fish ponds, green houses and animal houses should be set up in all schools in order for Biology teaching to have a strong practical and real life component at 'O'level.

• Since m ost o f the 'O' level Biology teachers also teach 'A' level biology, the researcher recommends that the same study should be undertaken at 'A' level.

• Heads of-schools should also make sure that what is in the school documents such as plan books tally with what is actually happening in the school for example the teaching methods stated in the plan book should tally with the methods the teachers are using during the teaching and learning o f Biology in the classroom or laboratory.

Fenton Ruparanganda _{2 7 5}

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