Browsing by Author "Spargo, Peter"

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    Development of a test for scientific literacy and its application in assessing the scientific literacy of matriculants entering universities and technikons in the Western Cape, South Africa
    (1996) Laugksch, Rüdiger Christian; Spargo, Peter
    This exploratory study was conducted against the background of immediate post-apartheid South Africa in which the social upliftment and improvement of living conditions of all South Africans is regarded as of the highest priority. In a science- and technology-orientated world, science and technology is inextricably linked to this process. The purposes of this study were (a) to determine the level of scientific literacy of matriculants entering tertiary education in the Western Cape for the first time; (b) to describe patterns of scientific literacy levels with respect to selected demographic and other student background variables; and (c) to ascertain which student background variables appear to have the most influence in determining whether matriculants are scientifically literate or not. A survey was deemed to be appropriate for answering the above research questions. Underpinning the study was the development of a pool of scientific literacy test-items, from which a criterion-referenced, reliable, valid, and composite scientific literacy test instrument - the Test of Basic Scientific Literacy - could be constructed.
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    The frequency of alternate conceptions in some areas of mechanics amongst South African school pupils : a longitudinal and cross-cultural study
    (1991) Enderstein, Lars Gustaf; Spargo, Peter
    This study, the first of its kind in Southern Africa, was undertaken in order to determine and compare the incidence of various alternate conceptions in some areas in mechanics amongst pupils from standards 4 through to 9, i.e. from ages ca. 11 to 17, in selected schools in the Western Cape and Transkei, South Africa. After a careful study of the relevant literature a questionnaire was designed for the purpose of identifying the frequency of various alternate conceptions in the selected areas in mechanics. This questionnaire was administered to 2326 pupils under carefully controlled conditions during August and September 1987. In analysing the data the frequency of particular alternate conceptions in the following groups of pupils were compared: (i) by school standard (ii) by geographical area (iii) by language group (iv) by gender (v) by urban and rural regions in the Cape (vi) by subject choice i.e. science pupils and non-science pupils An analysis of the data shows that in most of the areas in the field investigated remarkably small differences exist in the frequency with which different alternate conceptions are held by different groups of pupils. In most cases differences could be related to the pupils' school standard. However, in the fields of circular motion, projectile motion and static equilibrium, clear differences were found to exist between boys and girls as well as between pupils in schools in the Western Cape and Transkei. Furthermore, in most cases examined the accepted scientific conception was the least popular, particularly in the field of force and motion where conceptions linking force and motion were overwhelmingly selected by pupils in all of the groups. However, an exception was the standard 9 science pupils, i.e. 16- 17 year olds following the science course in high school, who in some cases favour the accepted scientific conceptions by a small majority. The implications of the findings of the study for classroom teaching are discussed.