ANIMAL DISSECTIONS: PROBLEMS FACED BY TEACHERS AND LEARNERS

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BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

“…… it is better that you should learn the manner of cutting by eye and touch than by reading, listening and observing. For reading alone has never taught anyone how to sail a ship, to lead an army, to compound a medicine, which is done rather by use of one’s own sight and training of one’s own hands” (Sylvius, J. as cited in Baker, 1909, p. 329) It is not clear when exactly animal dissections first became a regular part of the secondary school Biology curriculum. During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, many philosophers and educational academics advocated that children should be able to make discoveries for themselves, rather than being bored with rote learning, memorisation and narration (Hart, Wood, & Hart, 2008).

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Internationally the call for scientific literacy for all citizens in society is growing as world communities realise that science and scientific issues are exerting an ever-increasing impact on their peoples’ daily lives (American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS], 1990; Jenkin, 2002; Millar & Osborne, 1998).

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

In response to the statement of the problem and in pursuance of the aim, the study seeks answers to the following main research question and sub-questions:
What is the contribution of animal organ dissections to the development of teachers’ teaching strategies and Grade 11 Life Sciences learners’ problem-solving skills in diverse environments?

RATIONALE OF THE STUDY

The interest in the use of dissections in improving the teachers’ teaching strategies and the acquisition of problem-solving skills in Life Sciences started as a result of the researcher’s experiences as a Grade 11 Life Sciences teacher, where it is a requirement for learners to carry out animal organ dissections of hearts, kidneys, and lungs as part of anatomy learning.

DECLARATION
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHAPTER 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION, STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.4.1 Main question
1.4.2 Sub-questions
1.5 RATIONALE OF THE STUDY
1.6 STRUCTURE OF THE STUDY
1.7 SUMMARY
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE ON THE USE OF ANIMAL ORGAN DISSECTIONS IN PROBLEM-SOLVING AS A TEACHING STRATEGY IN LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION
2.1 OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER
2.2 THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM STATEMENT (NCS)
2.3 LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
2.4 DISSECTIONS IN LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION
2.5 LEARNERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS ANIMAL DISSECTIONS
2.6 TEACHERS’ INFLUENCES AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS ANIMAL DISSECTIONS IN GENERAL
2.7 ANIMAL DISSECTIONS: PROBLEMS FACED BY TEACHERS AND LEARNERS
2.8 THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE ORGANS IN TRADITIONAL, VIRTUAL OR ONLINE DISSECTIONS
2.9 PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS IN LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION
2.9.1 Attributes of a problem and problem-solving
2.9.2 Problem-solving strategies or models
2.10 PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING (PBL)
2.11 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE STUDY
2.12 SUMMARY OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPTER 3: SELECTION AND APPLICATION OF THE RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
3.1 OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.2.1 Research design approaches
3.2.2 Purposes of multiple method approach for this study
3.3 STUDY SAMPLE AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE APPLIED IN THE STUDY
3.4 DATA COLLECTION STRATEGIES AND INSTRUMENTS APPLIED
3.4.1 Qualitative approach followed during the course of the study
3.4.2 Quantitative approach followed during the course of the study
3.5 THE PILOT STUDY APPLIED TO VALIDATE THE INSTRUMENTS
3.6 THE VARIABLES THAT WERE USED IN THE STUDY
3.7 ETHICAL ISSUES CONSIDERED IN THE STUDY
3.8 DATA ANALYSIS APPLIED IN THE STUDY
3.8.1 Analysis of quantitative data
3.8.2 Analysis of qualitative data
3.9 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
3.10 SUMMARY OF THE RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY APPLIED IN THE STUDY
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS DRAWN FROM THE QUANTITATIVE DATA
4.1 OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER
4.2 QUANTITATIVE DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
4.2.1 The reliability tests applied to the questionnaire, pre-test and post-test
4.2.2 The questionnaire data presentation and discussion
4.2.3 Data presentation and discussion of the pre-test and post-test
4.3 SUMMARY OF THE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE QUANTITATIVE DATA
CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS DRAWN FROM THE QUALITATIVE DATA
5.1 OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER
5.2 DATA FROM LESSON OBSERVATIONS AND THE RECORDED VIDEOS
5.2.1 Classroom organisation activities before the dissection lessons commenced
5.2.2 Lesson introduction by the teachers
5.2.3 Teaching methods applied during the animal organ dissections lessons
5.2.4 Teacher-learner interaction
5.2.5 Content covered and linked in the animal organ dissections lessons
5.2.6 Other important points taken note of during the lesson observations
5.2.7 Specific comments pertaining to different schools
5.3 DATA FROM INTERVIEWS WITH THE LIFE SCIENCES TEACHERS
5.3.1 Biographical data of the interviewed Life Sciences teachers
5.3.2 Data from the semi-structured section of the interviews with the teachers
5.4 SUMMARY OF THE QUALITATIVE DATA
CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSIONS AND ANALYSIS OF THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY
6.1 OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER
6.2 DISCUSSIONS, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE DATA FROM THE LEARNERS
6.2.1 Learners’ engagement and usage of animal organ dissections in the development of problem-solving skills
6.2.2 The learners’ perceptions and attitudes towards animal organ dissections in general and its use specifically in problem-solving
6.2.3 Problems learners experience with animal organ dissections in general and its use in problem-solving
6.2.4 The extent to which Learning Outcomes 1, 2 and 3 (NCS) were being achieved by animal organ dissections in Grade 11
6.3 DISCUSSIONS, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE DATA FROM THE TEACHERS
6.3.1 Teachers’ understanding and their acquaintance with problem-solving strategies
6.3.2 The improvement of the teachers’ teaching strategies and problem-solving skills of learners by using animal organ dissections
6.3.3 Teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards animal organ dissections in general and its use in problem-solving specifically
6.3.4 Teachers’ opinions on the perceptions and attitudes of learners towards animal organ dissections and its use in problem-solving
6.3.5 Problems learners experience with animal organ dissections and its use in problem-solving as viewed by the teachers
6.3.6 The extent to which Learning Outcomes 1, 2 and 3 (NCS) were achieved by animal organ dissections in Grade 11 according to the teachers
6.4 SUMMARY OF THE DISCUSSIONS AND ANALYSIS OF THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY
6.4.1 Summary of the discussions, analysis and interpretation of the data of the learners
6.4.2 Summary of the discussions, analysis and interpretation of the data of the teachers
CHAPTER 7: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1 OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER
7.2 OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
7.3 SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY
7.3.1 Learners’ engagement with animal organ dissections and its use in developing problem-solving skills
7.3.2 The learners’ perceptions and attitudes towards animal organ dissections in general and its use in problem-solving specifically
7.3.3 Problems learners experience with animal organ dissections in general and its use in problem-solving
7.3.4The extent to which Learning Outcomes 1, 2 and 3 of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) are being achieved by animal organ dissections in Grade 11
7.3.5 The teachers’ understanding and how well-acquainted they are with problem-solving strategies
7.3.6 The improvement of the teachers’ teaching strategies and problem-solving skills of learners by using animal organ dissections
7.3.7 The teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards animal organ
dissections in general and its use in problem-solving specifically
7.4 CONCLUSIONS BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY
7.5 RECOMMENDATIONS
7.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
7.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
REFERENCES

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THE USE OF ANIMAL ORGAN DISSECTION IN PROBLEM-SOLVING AS A TEACHING STRATEGY

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