New Perspectives in Science Education
The implications of knowledge integration in the sciences teacher education curriculum: A case study of recurriculation in a South African university of Technology
Kwanele Booi, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (South Africa)
Abstract
Internationally, there has been a trend of knowledge production in curriculum design and development aimed at integration of knowledge of related disciplines. Consequently, the move from teaching disciplines in silos has been questioned as producing educators who are unable to teach integrated curriculum for integrated knowledge. South African Higher Education sector has had to recurriculate disciplines offered in the teacher education programmes to reflect principles of integration of knowledge. This case study explored the conceptions and perspectives of science teacher educators of the principle of knowledge of integration of knowledge as required by the policy of Minimum Requirements of Teacher Education and Training in the recurriculation of the Sciences curriculum. Interviews and document analysis were used as tools to solicit data. Transcripts were coded and themes were extracted for data analysis. Results of the study showed that there are contestations on the views of how integrated knowledge in curriculum is. It also unveiled that models used for the curriculum design demonstrated technist perspective while on other respondents the dominant philosophy showed a pragmatist view to the generation of knowledge. In conclusion, different models of integrated knowledge production such as multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, intra-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary approaches to curriculum development and design could further be substantiated as the current curriculum continues to be designed and implemented.
Key words: Knowledge integration; Curriculum development; Multidisciplinary model, Science education.
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Abstracts need to be written in English, the length of the abstract needs to be between and 170 and 350 words
