The effects of scientific literacy on high school science learners’ attitudes towards socio‐scientific issues: the case of Genetically Modified Organisms
- Penn, Mafor, Ramnarain, Umesh
- Authors: Penn, Mafor , Ramnarain, Umesh
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Scientific literacy , Socio‐Scientific Issues , Attitude
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/276497 , uj:29590 , Citation: Penn, M. & Ramnarain, U. 2018. The effects of scientific literacy on high school science learners’ attitudes towards socio‐scientific issues: the case of Genetically Modified Organisms.
- Description: Abstract: One of the fundamental goals of science education globally has been to develop citizens who are scientifically literate and capable of making informed decisions on Socio‐Scientific Issues (SSI). This study investigated the relationship between scientific literacy and grade eleven science learners’ attitudes towards SSIs, with a specific reference to the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in society. One hundred and four (104) grade eleven science learners from two Johannesburg township schools participated in the study. The study employed a quantitative approach using a survey design for data collection, in assessing the relationship between scientific literacy and learners’ attitudes towards GMOs. Findings from the survey revealed a significant correlation between scientific literacy and leaners’ attitudes towards the use of GMOs, with spearman’s rho, r (102) = .726, p < .001. 80.7% of the learners indicated that they had little or no understanding about GMOs; another 84.6% had no understandings of the processes of gene modification while 77.9% of the learners had negative concerns about the use of GMOs. Independent sample t‐tests were further used to compare groups. Results of independent sample ttest indicated no significant differences in the attitudes of the male and female learners towards GMOs t (102) =‐ 2.289 p>.05= .743. However, a significant difference was noted in learners’ attitude towards GMOs between school A and B t (102) = 7.840 p<.001. The implications of these findings are associated with low scientific literacy levels, the abstract nature of concepts related to genes, genetic inheritance, and the popular misconceptions, which learners hold about the use of GMOs. The knowledge gaps within the curriculum, which exist in the specific grade level, also account for some of the negative attitudes learners’ showed towards GMOs. Higher GMO literacy, noted at school A, was associated with a science club at the school in which learners had regular debates about several SSIs, including cloning and gene modification. Recommendations for practice and future research are also proposed in this study.
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- Authors: Penn, Mafor , Ramnarain, Umesh
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Scientific literacy , Socio‐Scientific Issues , Attitude
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/276497 , uj:29590 , Citation: Penn, M. & Ramnarain, U. 2018. The effects of scientific literacy on high school science learners’ attitudes towards socio‐scientific issues: the case of Genetically Modified Organisms.
- Description: Abstract: One of the fundamental goals of science education globally has been to develop citizens who are scientifically literate and capable of making informed decisions on Socio‐Scientific Issues (SSI). This study investigated the relationship between scientific literacy and grade eleven science learners’ attitudes towards SSIs, with a specific reference to the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in society. One hundred and four (104) grade eleven science learners from two Johannesburg township schools participated in the study. The study employed a quantitative approach using a survey design for data collection, in assessing the relationship between scientific literacy and learners’ attitudes towards GMOs. Findings from the survey revealed a significant correlation between scientific literacy and leaners’ attitudes towards the use of GMOs, with spearman’s rho, r (102) = .726, p < .001. 80.7% of the learners indicated that they had little or no understanding about GMOs; another 84.6% had no understandings of the processes of gene modification while 77.9% of the learners had negative concerns about the use of GMOs. Independent sample t‐tests were further used to compare groups. Results of independent sample ttest indicated no significant differences in the attitudes of the male and female learners towards GMOs t (102) =‐ 2.289 p>.05= .743. However, a significant difference was noted in learners’ attitude towards GMOs between school A and B t (102) = 7.840 p<.001. The implications of these findings are associated with low scientific literacy levels, the abstract nature of concepts related to genes, genetic inheritance, and the popular misconceptions, which learners hold about the use of GMOs. The knowledge gaps within the curriculum, which exist in the specific grade level, also account for some of the negative attitudes learners’ showed towards GMOs. Higher GMO literacy, noted at school A, was associated with a science club at the school in which learners had regular debates about several SSIs, including cloning and gene modification. Recommendations for practice and future research are also proposed in this study.
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South African university students’ attitudes towards chemistry learning in a virtually simulated learning environment
- Penn, Mafor, Ramnarain, Umesh
- Authors: Penn, Mafor , Ramnarain, Umesh
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: PhET virtual simulations , Simulated learning environments , Attitude
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/402077 , uj:33632 , Citation: Penn, M. & Ramnarain, U. 2019. South African university students’ attitudes towards chemistry learning in a virtually simulated learning environment.
- Description: Abstract: This mixed method study investigated changes in 3rd year Bachelor of Education students’ attitudes towards chemistry after learning interventions with virtual chemistry simulations. After participant students identified certain concepts from their 3rd year chemistry module as being abstract and not easily comprehensible, these concepts were facilitated during a 5 week learning intervention using PhET simulations as an alternative to traditional laboratory experimentation. In the first quantitative phase of the study, a 30-item pre-attitude test was administered to assess students’ attitudes towards chemistry, followed by PhET chemistry simulation learning interventions. Thereafter, students wrote a post-attitude test. Findings of this phase revealed a significantly higher mean post-attitude test score, with students showing a positive attitude towards chemistry learning, post-intervention. The quantitative phase was followed by qualitative phase which examined students’ experiences on the use of simulations through semi-structured interviews. Findings from the qualitative phase revealed that, students experienced autonomy and enjoyment during engagement with the simulations. They also perceived that their experiences in the virtually simulated environment improved their visualisation of chemistry concepts, thereby improving conceptual understanding. However, the students acknowledged that simulations cannot replicate the realism and authenticity associated with practical work in an actual laboratory. The implications of these findings are that virtual simulations provide a complementary learning tool capable of improving students’ attitudes towards chemistry, and perceived by students to support their visualisation of abstract chemistry concepts. The findings of this study are particularly significant for chemistry learning at schools and universities in economically challenged countries such as South Africa where there is a shortage of well-equipped laboratories.
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- Authors: Penn, Mafor , Ramnarain, Umesh
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: PhET virtual simulations , Simulated learning environments , Attitude
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/402077 , uj:33632 , Citation: Penn, M. & Ramnarain, U. 2019. South African university students’ attitudes towards chemistry learning in a virtually simulated learning environment.
- Description: Abstract: This mixed method study investigated changes in 3rd year Bachelor of Education students’ attitudes towards chemistry after learning interventions with virtual chemistry simulations. After participant students identified certain concepts from their 3rd year chemistry module as being abstract and not easily comprehensible, these concepts were facilitated during a 5 week learning intervention using PhET simulations as an alternative to traditional laboratory experimentation. In the first quantitative phase of the study, a 30-item pre-attitude test was administered to assess students’ attitudes towards chemistry, followed by PhET chemistry simulation learning interventions. Thereafter, students wrote a post-attitude test. Findings of this phase revealed a significantly higher mean post-attitude test score, with students showing a positive attitude towards chemistry learning, post-intervention. The quantitative phase was followed by qualitative phase which examined students’ experiences on the use of simulations through semi-structured interviews. Findings from the qualitative phase revealed that, students experienced autonomy and enjoyment during engagement with the simulations. They also perceived that their experiences in the virtually simulated environment improved their visualisation of chemistry concepts, thereby improving conceptual understanding. However, the students acknowledged that simulations cannot replicate the realism and authenticity associated with practical work in an actual laboratory. The implications of these findings are that virtual simulations provide a complementary learning tool capable of improving students’ attitudes towards chemistry, and perceived by students to support their visualisation of abstract chemistry concepts. The findings of this study are particularly significant for chemistry learning at schools and universities in economically challenged countries such as South Africa where there is a shortage of well-equipped laboratories.
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Grade 12 physical and life sciences learners’ understandings about scientific inquiry
- Authors: Penn, Mafor
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/402227 , uj:33651
- Description: Abstract : In recent decades, the teaching and learning of science as inquiry has become the international position for curriculum reforms in science teaching and learning for K-12 internationally and R-12 in South Africa. Within the parameters of science education, scientific inquiry is multifaceted in that it is a “means”, a pedagogic approach for science teaching by science teachers, and also an “end”, a learning outcome for science learners. In recognition of the latter aspect, this study investigated Grade 12 Physical and Life Sciences learners’ views and understandings about scientific inquiry and how these understandings compare and contrast in differently resourced school types within three education districts of the city of Johannesburg and its environs. A directed qualitative content analysis approach, based on a conceptual framework of eight knowledge aspects about the nature of scientific inquiry (NOSI), was employed in analysing grade 12 learners’ understandings about the nature and manner in which scientists investigate the natural world. Purposive criterion sampling was employed to select 90 Grade 12 learners from six high schools in Johannesburg as participants for the inquiry. Responses from questionnaires and transcribed text from semi-structured interviews were coded using a hybrid of open and “a priori” codes: no response, naïve, informed or mixed understandings, based on the conceptual framework of the aforementioned eight aspects about scientific inquiry and previous studies. Chi-square tests of association were used to compare learners’ understandings for significant differences in the three differently resourced school types. Findings from the analysis of data revealed that the best understood NOSI aspect was that “conclusions should be consistent with the data collected”, where 44.4% of the 90 Grade 12 learners (40 learners) provided informed responses. On the other hand, the least understood aspects were the aspects “multiple methods” and “data versus evidence”, where only 1.1% (1 learner) expressed informed understandings in phase 1 of the study. These findings indicate that the majority of the participant Grade 12 science learners held mostly mixed and naïve understandings about the eight aspects which characterise the NOSI; chi-square test of association (X2) for categorical variables revealed a significant difference in learners’ NOSI understandings about only one aspect “explanations are developed from a combination of collected data and what is already known” for the differently resourced school types, X2 (4), N = 90 (19.22), p =.01. For the remaining seven NOSI aspects, though differences were seen in learners’ understandings in the different school types, the observed differences were not significant... , M.Ed. (Science and Technology Education)
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- Authors: Penn, Mafor
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/402227 , uj:33651
- Description: Abstract : In recent decades, the teaching and learning of science as inquiry has become the international position for curriculum reforms in science teaching and learning for K-12 internationally and R-12 in South Africa. Within the parameters of science education, scientific inquiry is multifaceted in that it is a “means”, a pedagogic approach for science teaching by science teachers, and also an “end”, a learning outcome for science learners. In recognition of the latter aspect, this study investigated Grade 12 Physical and Life Sciences learners’ views and understandings about scientific inquiry and how these understandings compare and contrast in differently resourced school types within three education districts of the city of Johannesburg and its environs. A directed qualitative content analysis approach, based on a conceptual framework of eight knowledge aspects about the nature of scientific inquiry (NOSI), was employed in analysing grade 12 learners’ understandings about the nature and manner in which scientists investigate the natural world. Purposive criterion sampling was employed to select 90 Grade 12 learners from six high schools in Johannesburg as participants for the inquiry. Responses from questionnaires and transcribed text from semi-structured interviews were coded using a hybrid of open and “a priori” codes: no response, naïve, informed or mixed understandings, based on the conceptual framework of the aforementioned eight aspects about scientific inquiry and previous studies. Chi-square tests of association were used to compare learners’ understandings for significant differences in the three differently resourced school types. Findings from the analysis of data revealed that the best understood NOSI aspect was that “conclusions should be consistent with the data collected”, where 44.4% of the 90 Grade 12 learners (40 learners) provided informed responses. On the other hand, the least understood aspects were the aspects “multiple methods” and “data versus evidence”, where only 1.1% (1 learner) expressed informed understandings in phase 1 of the study. These findings indicate that the majority of the participant Grade 12 science learners held mostly mixed and naïve understandings about the eight aspects which characterise the NOSI; chi-square test of association (X2) for categorical variables revealed a significant difference in learners’ NOSI understandings about only one aspect “explanations are developed from a combination of collected data and what is already known” for the differently resourced school types, X2 (4), N = 90 (19.22), p =.01. For the remaining seven NOSI aspects, though differences were seen in learners’ understandings in the different school types, the observed differences were not significant... , M.Ed. (Science and Technology Education)
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A comparative analysis of virtual and traditional laboratory chemistry learning
- Penn, Mafor, Ramnarain, Umesh
- Authors: Penn, Mafor , Ramnarain, Umesh
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Traditional laboratories , Virtual laboratories , Experimentation
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/406250 , uj:34142 , Citation: Penn, M. & Ramnarain, U. 2019. A comparative analysis of virtual and traditional laboratory chemistry learning. , DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18820/2519593X/pie.v37i2.6 , ISSN: 0258-2236
- Description: Abstract: Laboratory experimentation in the context of school science is a widely advocated teaching strategy for the simplification of several abstract scientific concepts. Laboratory-based learning activities have proven to enhance learners’ conceptual and procedural understandings of micro chemical phenomena, thus boosting achievement in chemistry content tests. In the South African education landscape where there is inequitable distribution of resources for laboratory-based science learning, this study exploited how available virtual learning resources could also be used for learning chemistry concepts, and further compared student achievement in chemistry content test post intervention with both traditional and virtual laboratory learning resources. In this quasi- experimental study, we provided a group of third-year pre-service science teachers (n=50) with four chemistry concepts to learn using a hands-on traditional (control group) and a virtual laboratory (experimental group) intervention. The same pre and post chemistry content test was administered to control and experimental groups of pre-service teachers (herein also referred to as students), before and after learning interventions, with the aim of assessing students’ achievements post- learning in the two different laboratory environments. Tests scores were analysed and the results of a paired-sample t-test showed a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-test results for all groups of students. Using independent sample t-tests, we further compared post-test scores for the control and experimental groups which revealed the mean post-test score of the experimental group (M = 79.36, SD = 8.306), being significantly higher than that of the control group (M = 68.72, SD = 9.076) at t (48) = 4.32, p < .01. The findings from these tests indicated that, students obtained significantly higher achievement scores post-laboratory learning interventions and that virtual laboratory interventions yielded significantly higher achievement scores than traditional laboratory interventions. Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that, laboratory learning has a positive impact on achievement in chemistry and that virtual laboratories provide a worthy complement for traditional laboratories when learning abstract and difficult chemistry concepts. Implications of these findings and some recommendations for practice and research are also discussed herein.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Penn, Mafor , Ramnarain, Umesh
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Traditional laboratories , Virtual laboratories , Experimentation
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/406250 , uj:34142 , Citation: Penn, M. & Ramnarain, U. 2019. A comparative analysis of virtual and traditional laboratory chemistry learning. , DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18820/2519593X/pie.v37i2.6 , ISSN: 0258-2236
- Description: Abstract: Laboratory experimentation in the context of school science is a widely advocated teaching strategy for the simplification of several abstract scientific concepts. Laboratory-based learning activities have proven to enhance learners’ conceptual and procedural understandings of micro chemical phenomena, thus boosting achievement in chemistry content tests. In the South African education landscape where there is inequitable distribution of resources for laboratory-based science learning, this study exploited how available virtual learning resources could also be used for learning chemistry concepts, and further compared student achievement in chemistry content test post intervention with both traditional and virtual laboratory learning resources. In this quasi- experimental study, we provided a group of third-year pre-service science teachers (n=50) with four chemistry concepts to learn using a hands-on traditional (control group) and a virtual laboratory (experimental group) intervention. The same pre and post chemistry content test was administered to control and experimental groups of pre-service teachers (herein also referred to as students), before and after learning interventions, with the aim of assessing students’ achievements post- learning in the two different laboratory environments. Tests scores were analysed and the results of a paired-sample t-test showed a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-test results for all groups of students. Using independent sample t-tests, we further compared post-test scores for the control and experimental groups which revealed the mean post-test score of the experimental group (M = 79.36, SD = 8.306), being significantly higher than that of the control group (M = 68.72, SD = 9.076) at t (48) = 4.32, p < .01. The findings from these tests indicated that, students obtained significantly higher achievement scores post-laboratory learning interventions and that virtual laboratory interventions yielded significantly higher achievement scores than traditional laboratory interventions. Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that, laboratory learning has a positive impact on achievement in chemistry and that virtual laboratories provide a worthy complement for traditional laboratories when learning abstract and difficult chemistry concepts. Implications of these findings and some recommendations for practice and research are also discussed herein.
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Assessing pre-service teachers’ reception and attitudes towards virtual laboratory experiments in Life Sciences
- Authors: Penn, Mafor
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Life Science , Attitudes , Pre-service teachers
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/483638 , uj:43901 , Citation: Penn, M. 2021. Assessing pre-service teachers’ reception and attitudes towards virtual laboratory experiments in Life Sciences.
- Description: Abstract: Please refer to full text to view abstract.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Penn, Mafor
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Life Science , Attitudes , Pre-service teachers
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/483638 , uj:43901 , Citation: Penn, M. 2021. Assessing pre-service teachers’ reception and attitudes towards virtual laboratory experiments in Life Sciences.
- Description: Abstract: Please refer to full text to view abstract.
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