Effect of teachers’ and students’ worldviews on learning of O-level chemistry at a school in Harare, Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between students’ and teachers’ enacted worldviews and school culture, and the extent to which cultural beliefs, values and norms and religion influence the teaching and learning of chemistry at a school in Harare. Interviews, observations, and discussions involving students in forms 3 and 4 and their teachers were conducted to study the potential of teachers to help students negotiate cultural borders in the learning of chemistry. Church leaders and community elders were also interviewed to establish their possible influence on the views of the teachers and students. Teachers’ and students’ views on traditional medicine and nature and on traditional medicine and chemistry were used as criteria to match teachers’ and students’ worldviews. It appeared that the worldviews of teachers and students were not sufficiently compatible to permit teachers to effectively assist students to negotiate cultural borders. However, the religious and cultural views the participants brought into the classroom did not have much influence on the teaching of O-level chemistry at this school. Notwithstanding, teachers did not attempt to include community experiences as appropriate prior knowledge. But, all the same, the worldviews of the participants did not appear to be relevant to chemistry learning at the level in question.

Keywords

• Community science,enacted scientific worldviews,cultural border-crossing,chemistry teaching,misconceptions

References

1. Aikenhead GS. (1997) Toward a First Nations cross-cultural science and technology curriculum. Science Education 81(2):217-238.