The story of a physiclal science curriculum: transformation or transmutation?

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dc.contributor.authorNakedi, Mpunkien_ZA
dc.contributor.authorTaylor, Daleen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMundalamo, Fhatuwanien_ZA
dc.contributor.authorRollnick, Marissaen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMokeleche, Maebeebeen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-10-28T14:12:50Z
dc.date.available2014-10-28T14:12:50Z
dc.date.issued2012en_ZA
dc.descriptionThis is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education on 20 Aug 2013, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/10288457.2012.10740745.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractRecently Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) were introduced in South Africa in response to confusion precipitated by previous curriculum documents. The purpose of this paper is to explore that confusion in the subject 'Physical Sciences' and consider the nature of the transformation from the previous curriculum by looking at curriculum documents and examination papers. We present a two phase curriculum change model which suggests that congruency between curriculum documents and examinations is critical for effective curriculum change. We analyse the pre-CAPS curriculum, the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), on its own terms by using the stated outcomes as our reference point. Our analysis reveals that the weighting and conceptualization of the outcomes shifted through successive documents, which undermined congruency between the documents and meant that content-oriented science masqueraded as inquiry-oriented science. This led to a retreat from the original vision of weighting skills and relevance equally with content. The examinations took this retreat a step further. Evidence of the retreat is that the nature of the questions asked in the 2008 examinations on the NCS was similar to that of the 2007 examinations on the previous curriculum which had not changed since apartheid. However, in the NCS examinations there was a small shift towards contextualisation and inquiry oriented science. The retreat means the vision of transformation which was the rationale for the NCS curriculum was eroded – instead of transformation, there was transmutation back to the old apartheid curriculum. The Physical Sciences CAPS cements the retreat and creates new confusion by changing the syllabus again without signposting the change.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationNakedi, M., Taylor, D., Mundalamo, F., Rollnick, M., & Mokeleche, M. (2012). The story of a physiclal science curriculum: transformation or transmutation?. <i>African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8886en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationNakedi, Mpunki, Dale Taylor, Fhatuwani Mundalamo, Marissa Rollnick, and Maebeebe Mokeleche "The story of a physiclal science curriculum: transformation or transmutation?." <i>African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education</i> (2012) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8886en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationNakedi, M., Taylor, D., Mundalamo, F., Rollnick, M., Mokeleche, M. 2012. The story of a physiclal science curriculum: transformation or transmutation?. African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1028-8457en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Nakedi, Mpunki AU - Taylor, Dale AU - Mundalamo, Fhatuwani AU - Rollnick, Marissa AU - Mokeleche, Maebeebe AB - Recently Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) were introduced in South Africa in response to confusion precipitated by previous curriculum documents. The purpose of this paper is to explore that confusion in the subject 'Physical Sciences' and consider the nature of the transformation from the previous curriculum by looking at curriculum documents and examination papers. We present a two phase curriculum change model which suggests that congruency between curriculum documents and examinations is critical for effective curriculum change. We analyse the pre-CAPS curriculum, the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), on its own terms by using the stated outcomes as our reference point. Our analysis reveals that the weighting and conceptualization of the outcomes shifted through successive documents, which undermined congruency between the documents and meant that content-oriented science masqueraded as inquiry-oriented science. This led to a retreat from the original vision of weighting skills and relevance equally with content. The examinations took this retreat a step further. Evidence of the retreat is that the nature of the questions asked in the 2008 examinations on the NCS was similar to that of the 2007 examinations on the previous curriculum which had not changed since apartheid. However, in the NCS examinations there was a small shift towards contextualisation and inquiry oriented science. The retreat means the vision of transformation which was the rationale for the NCS curriculum was eroded – instead of transformation, there was transmutation back to the old apartheid curriculum. The Physical Sciences CAPS cements the retreat and creates new confusion by changing the syllabus again without signposting the change. DA - 2012 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2012 SM - 1028-8457 T1 - The story of a physiclal science curriculum: transformation or transmutation? TI - The story of a physiclal science curriculum: transformation or transmutation? UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8886 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/8886
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationNakedi M, Taylor D, Mundalamo F, Rollnick M, Mokeleche M. The story of a physiclal science curriculum: transformation or transmutation?. African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education. 2012; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8886.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentADP: Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyCentre for Higher Education Developmenten_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceAfrican Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Educationen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10288457.2012.10740745en_ZA
dc.titleThe story of a physiclal science curriculum: transformation or transmutation?en_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourcePostprinten_ZA
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