The Ethiopian General Secondary Education Science Curriculum: Does It Challenge or Burden Students?
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Date
2009-06
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Addis Ababauniversity
Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to understand whether students' view the current
science curriculum as challenging or a burden. In line with this their hopes and
expectations to learn science were explored. Moreover, science curriculum materials
were also examined in accordance with the intentions of the NETP to promote learning
through problem solving approaches. To these end, qualitative case study research was
employed. Data were collected from Shashamanne General Secondary School in a one
month and two weeks period. It was largely based on semi-structured interviews done
with purposively selected participants from science curriculum expert in ICDR to
students in the school. Beside this, documents like the NETP and science curriculum
materials were also analyzed, and lesson presentations were also observed. Results and
discussions were made using thematic approach, and the study was reported in a
narrative text. The study revealed that there is a contradictory initiative underpinning the
NETP (constructivism) and the science curriculum (reductionist behavioral approach).
The implementation of science curriculum driven by fact based, 40 minutes and
classroom bounded, teacher- electronic device- and nobody-centered instruction, and
paper- pencil based summative assessments reinforced superficial learning, and featured
unappealing learning experiences. These in turn robbed students' interest and the tone of
science learning, though their hopes and expectations were to learn science for deep
understandings. Consequently, these pressurized students to consider science as a burden
to get rid of Therefore, science curriculum need to be designed around concepts,
acknowledge and appreciate students' preconceptions and indigenous achievements of
the oral culture about how the world works, romanticize it through questions. This
accordingly, will inspire, challenge, and intrinsically motivate them to explore more,
evaluate their preconceptions, and then move towards scientific understandings. Hence,
the people involved in the system of education need to reexamine the process of science
curriculum planning and the way it is being taught in school in accordance with what
students are saying and the intentions in the NETP
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Curriculum: Does It Challenge or Burden Students?