Learners come to class with a wealth of knowledge. Working with learner prior knowledge (LPK) is the foundation upon which new concepts get their meaning. Yet some teachers find interacting with LPK complex. Reflecting on practice, particularly within a professional learning community (PLC), has resulted in improvements in teaching. The focus of…

There is limited evidence of guidelines for planning for teaching at the higher education level either in the research literature or in higher education institutions themselves. As a result, novice lecturers struggle to plan for their teaching. The purpose of this study was to explore how planning can be done at a higher education institution by…

The notion of scientific literacy is contested terrain, particularly when the term is used in school curricula. Using a scientific literacy framework of Vision I (covers science products and processes) and Vision II (based on science-related situations as a starting point for discussion), the article analyses the Natural Science (grades 7-9)…

In this paper we report on the process of argument construction in whole class discussions and how this was used by participants as a tool for joint meaning-making. The study draws on Vygotsky's view of learning as the active construction of knowledge and on theories of argumentation. Most previous research in South African science classrooms has…

This study shows how worksheets can be used to support learning in an informal learning environment. Although there has been some research into the use of worksheets in museum settings in developed countries, it is still not clear whether worksheets enhance or inhibit learning. Using a case study of grade 4-7 learners visiting a biology exhibition…

This study describes how a group of grade 7 and 8 students in South Africa engaged with the notion of spatial scale in the Universe before, during and after a visit to an astronomy science centre. A limited amount of research has been conducted on this concept worldwide. Using a combination of concept maps, observations and interviews, results…