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?

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