Program Overview

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Programme: BEdHons Physical Sciences Education

Introduction

The BEdHons Physical Sciences Education programme is a postgraduate qualification that aims to develop educators' expertise in teaching physical sciences. The programme is designed to enhance teachers' knowledge, skills, and practices in physical sciences education.

Admission Requirements

A candidate can be admitted if he/she holds one of the following qualifications:

• a Bachelor's degree and a teacher's diploma/Postgraduate Certificate in Education (eg BA + HED);
• a four-year composite degree in Education [eg BA(Ed)];
• an M+4 appropriate teacher's diploma, subject to specific approval and an appropriate Advanced Diploma in Education;
• another academic qualification and appropriate prior learning, considered equivalent by the Dean for admission to a specific package.

Additional Requirements

Selection is based on:

• Meeting the minimum academic requirements required for admission;
• Previous academic performance;
• Applicable academic and/or teaching background;
• Availability of supervision for the required research project;
• Proven academic potential which may include academic communication and computer application skills;
• Additionally, an interview may be requested;
• The requirements of professional registration bodies;
• The discretion of the head of department.

Examinations and Pass Requirements

Subject to exceptions approved by the Dean, on the recommendation of the relevant head of department, a student may not sit for an examination for the honours degree more than twice in the same module. A final-year student who has failed a maximum of three semester modules or their equivalent, with a final mark of at least 40% in each, may be admitted by the Dean to a special examination/s in these modules during January of the following year, provided that this will enable the student to comply with all the requirements for the degree.

Research Information

A research project is compulsory and must be handed in for examination, as prescribed by the particular department.

Pass with Distinction

The degree is conferred with distinction on a student who has obtained an average of at least 75%, with a minimum of 70% in each module.

Programme Structure

The programme consists of the following modules:

• Fundamental modules:
  • NMQ 755: Research proposal
  • SMP 780: Research report
• Core modules:
  • API 711: Assessment approaches and instruments
  • CDD 710: Curriculum development
  • EDS 711: Philosophy and social imperatives of education
  • NMQ 745: Educational research methodology
  • PHN 730: Physical sciences education
  • SCU 731: Sciences curriculum

Module Descriptions

Fundamental Modules

• NMQ 755:
  • Part 1: Research proposal
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Guided literature research, formulation of a conceptual framework and development of a research proposal for a supervised research project of limited scope.
• SMP 780:
  • Part 2: Research report
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Supervised research project of limited scope. Research proposal development; Use quantitative and/or qualitative methods. Writing a research report.

Core Modules

• API 711:
  • Assessment approaches and instruments
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Foundations, principles and ethics of assessment practices. International trends. Quantitative and qualitative modes of assessment and appropriate instruments. Generating evidence for assessment. Assessment and quality assurance. Techniques of computer-based assessment.
• CDD 710:
  • Curriculum development
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Principles and foundations of curriculum/programme design and development. International and national models and trends in curriculum/programme development. Principles of outcomes-based programming in the SAQA context. Curriculum development models and instruments in action. Situation and task analysis needs assessment. Development. Dissemination. Implementation as a change process. Assessment and evaluation.
• EDS 711:
  • Philosophy and social imperatives of education
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Meta-theories in education. Empiricism; rational empiricism; critical rationalism; critical theory; phenomenology; hermeneutics; system theory; philosophies in education: traditional philosophies; indigenous (African) philosophies. The influence of modernism and postmodernism on education. Sociological imperatives for education. Theories of societal change and roles and values of education. Comparative perspectives on learning theories and their meaning for education.
• NMQ 745:
  • Educational research methodology
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: The nature of educational enquiry: contexts of research, research ethics, truth, rationality, subjectivity and objectivity; Quantitative and qualitative modes of enquiry, research designs and data collection techniques. Various approaches to qualitative research including case study research, historical research, ethnographic research, and action research. Basic concepts and principles of quantitative research. Statistical techniques in the educational research process. Survey methodology and questionnaire design. Classification and graphical representation of data. Descriptive measures. Statistical inference. Data-processing procedures. Parametric versus non-parametric tests. Some test statistics (e.g. F-Test and T-test). Formulating a research methodology for a limited project.
• PHN 730:
  • Physical sciences education
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Instructional strategies; reform in physics and chemistry education; alternative concepts. Curriculum leadership in Physical Sciences Education in multiple contexts.
• SCU 731:
  • Sciences curriculum
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: The nature of the natural sciences, technology and mathematics: public understanding of scientific, mathematical and technological endeavours and their impact on society. Ethical implications of practices and advances in these fields. Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), ethno-mathematics and technologies and ways of knowing. Implications for teaching and learning content, and anticipated outcomes. The purpose and nature of curricula to develop scientific ways of understanding the world.

Minimum Credits

The minimum credits required for the programme is 128.

Programme Duration

The minimum duration of study for the programme is 1 year.