Thesis (MPhil) (Higher Education)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Transformation in biology teaching is inevitable. There is a global concern about the
quality of undergraduate biology teaching, especially when considering the growth in
the fields of biotechnology and the molecular sciences. Programmes of learning have
to be market orientated, and the contents of curricula have to equip students for
entrance into a specific career.
At the University of Stellenbosch the School for Biological Sciences has developed an
interdisciplinary approach to first-year biology teaching. The new programmes in
Biological Sciences, implemented in 2000, contain first-year curricula that introduce
students to the disciplines of genetics, botany, zoology, microbiology, biochemistry
and statistics. This involves participation by six departments, and lecture facilitation in
two languages for up to 600 students. As contact sessions between lecturers and
students are limited, self-study is becoming increasingly important, and lectures
should be fully exploited to obtain deep learning. This study investigated various ways
to enhance the teaching and learning process for first-year biology students in a
module fraught with growing pains and problems.
The influence of software support on student learning was evaluated, while the
introduction of an innovative approach to teaching statistics to first-year students was
analyzed. Supplementing the statistics section with video-recordings of the lectures
was further considered as a possible way of overcoming various obstacles in
especially this section of the module. The application of a practical laboratory course
to enhance the quality of the theoretical lectures was also investigated and evaluated.
It can be concluded that no simple solution could be found to solve the variety of
problems that arose with implementation of the new programmes of learning.
Technology proved to be invaluable, but should be applied after thorough needs
assessment and impact studies have been performed. Provision of IT tools and
facilities do not necessarily imply their application and effect, and innovation and
inspiration still proved to be most effective in enhancing biology teaching.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Transformasie in biologie-onderrig is onvermydelik. Daar is wêreldwye kommer oor
die kwaliteit van voorgraadse biologie-onderrig, veral in die lig van die vooruitgang in
biotegnologie en die molekulêre wetenskappe. Programme van onderrig moet
markgerig wees, en die inhoud van leerplanne loopbaangerig.
Die Skool vir Biologiese Wetenskappe van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch het sedert
sy stigting 'n interdissiplinêre benadering tot eerstejaarsbiologie-onderrig ontwikkel.
Die nuwe programme in die Biologiese Wetenskappe wat in 2000 geïmplementeer is,
bevat eerstejaarskurrikula wat studente bekendstel aan die dissiplines van genetika,
botanie, sooloqie, mikrobiologie, biochemie en statistiek. Ses departemente is hierby
betrokke, en lesings word in twee tale vir tot 600 studente aangebied. Aangesien
kontaksessies tussen dosente en studente beperk is, word selfstudie toenemend
belangrik, en lesure moet ten volle benut word om 'n diepgaande leerproses te verkry.
Hierdie studie ondersoek derhalwe verskeie potensiële maniere waarop die onderrigen
leerproses by eerstejaarbiologie-studente versterk kan word.
Die invloed van sagteware-ondersteuning by die leerproses is geëvalueer, terwyl 'n
nuwe innoverende benadering tot statistiek-onderrig vir eerstejaarstudente
geanaliseer is. Uitbreiding en ondersteuning van die statistiek-seksie, d.m.v. videoopnames
van die lesings, is verder oorweeg om verskeie van die hindernisse in veral
hierdie deel van die module te oorkom. Die toepassing van 'n laboratoriumkursus om
die kwaliteit van die teoretiese lesings uit te brei is ook geëvalueer.
Daar kan saamgevat word dat geen enkelvoudige oplossing bestaan om die
verskeidenheid van probleme op te los wat met implementering van die programme
ontstaan het nie. Tegnologie is onontbeerlik, maar moet toegepas word nadat
behoorlike behoeftebepaling en impakstudies uitgevoer is. Verskaffing van
informasietegnologie impliseer nie noodwendig die nodige toepassing en effek nie, en
innovasie en inspirasie blyk steeds onontbeerlik te wees om biologie-onderrig uit te
brei en te versterk
