Three ECD teachers from three different schools participated in the study. The teachers were interviewed, their lessons observed and their documents (schemes) analysed. The pseudonyms for teachers were Ms Hut, Mrs Todd and Ms Kayle. The data was grouped in themes
Science process skills taught by ECD teachers
The three participants mentioned the different science process skills they are teaching during science lessons. During the interviews, Ms Kayle identified classifying, identifying, sequencing and communication skills as science process skills that she taught. She said:
Before an activity, learners identify all the learning materials or equipment to be used. If learners are aware of the materials, they will be able to sequence, classify and talk about the materials. Usually learners perform the activities in pairs or groups so that I can monitor them easily.
The skills that Ms Kayle mentioned were written in the scheme book under the subheading: Topic/Content/Skills. Learners were observed classifying the identified objects according to colour, size and shape in groups. The objects included: stones and blocks of different shapes and sizes as well as seeds and bottle tops. Learners were observed communicating as they were sorting and classifying objects according to colour and size.
Mrs Todd said that she teaches identifying, classifying, comparing, ordering, measuring and experimentation. According to her, these are the skills stated in the syllabus because she drew her schemes from the syllabus. During class observation, she brought salt, sugar and mealie-meal. She asked learners to identify the substances before placing them in different containers with water. Learners observed the reactions and gave feedback. She added that she engages learners in experiments as a way of exposing them in play during science learning. According to her, the experiments help learners to understand their surroundings. During the lesson named “Body Parts” learners compared and grouped the different body parts according to their functions. Ms Hut echoed that her pupils do observation, explorations, grouping, recording and drawing. She added that young children are interested in explorations outside the classrooms. She added:
Science lessons have a maximum of 15 minutes only. Young learners are adventurous and need time to go out and find out more about their surroundings. Time allocated is too little for explorations and discoveries. Learners want outdoor activities more than indoor. Science is a doing subject were learners are exposed to practical lessons so that they learn by doing.
Explorations were part of Ms Hut’s lessons. Learners visited the school garden to name and identify different plants and flowers. In another experiment, learners gathered materials like stones, plastic cups, wooden blocks, feathers and old spoons. Learners were asked to put all the objects in water and explain what happened. After the experiment, learners were asked to draw and colour any object of their choice.
From the above information, participants identified the science process skills namely, experimentation, observation, communication, classifying recording, measuring and comparing. These skills were evident in the teachers’ scheme books and the syllabus. Data from the syllabus indicated that the SPS can be the lifelong skills which should be developed in learners so that they are relevant in their societies. From the observations made, the mentioned skills are also practical activities that learners were engaged in during science lessons. Teachers in the study took advantage of learners’ natural curiosity and exposed them to different indoor and outdoor activities where they learnt SPS.
Digital technologies used to teach SPS
Participants gave their sentiments on the different technologies used to teach SPS. Ms Hut explained that she occasionally use her personal laptop to teach science lessons. With the laptop she download relevant pictures from the internet and save them. She will later show the pictures to learners during the lesson. For example, she downloaded pictures showing the different stages of a maize germination. During the lesson, learners took time to view the pictures from the teachers’ laptop. They described the pictures, compared the seed at different stages. They talked about the different shape of the seed at different stages. The pictures were colourful, eye-catching and interesting to the learners. There were forty learners in Ms Hut’s classroom and they would all scramble to see pictures on one laptop. The study observed that learners were fully engrossed in the lesson. Ms Hut reported during the interview that most of her learners had computers at home and their parents possess smartphones.
In a different lesson, Ms Hut downloaded the different parts of a plant, namely the roots, the branches, the leaves and the fruits. She then colour -printed the pictures using the printer at the administration office. She used the printed pictures to teach the topic on parts of a plant. Learners described the parts, compared them with the actual parts and communicated the results. During the interviews, Ms Hut said:
Technology makes lessons live and interesting. The only challenge is limited data to search and download information on the laptop. Learners will be struggling to view images on a laptop. The forty learners need an over-heard projector for effective teaching and learning.
At another school, Mrs Kayle admitted that she was struggling to teach technological science lessons due to limited resources available at the school. In one lesson, she took learners a video using the school camera when learners were carrying out an experiment. The experiment was on measuring water using different containers. Learners were asked to record; for example, how many cups fill in a small dish. According to the teacher, taking a video motivated learners to fully participate in the lesson. The teacher then posted the video on the WhatsApp group of parents. She said it helped parents to see how their children participates at school. However, some parents failed to download the video due to lack of data. The video was later played on the teachers’ laptop and learners had the opportunity to observe themselves. During the interviews, Mrs Kayle said:
The syllabus is emphasising on including technology in the teaching of mathematics and science but it is not clear on how we can teach. Personally, I face challenges in including technology in teaching science lessons. No-one taught me how to teach using technology
The teacher was observed teaching a lesson on domestic animals. After describing the animals on the chart, learners moulded their favourite animal. The teacher took pictures of finished articles of the learners. Learners compared, the photos, talk about them and classified the animals. The pictures were later posted on the same WhatsApp group for parents to see. Instead of learners carrying the article home, the parent will view the picture on the phone. It gave the parents the opportunity to further talk about the picture further at home with their children. However, the teacher complained that the camera was not always available when needed for lessons. She added that there was only one camera for the whole school.
At Ms Todd’s school, there were forty computers housed in the computer lab. It was only during computer lessons when learners were allowed to enter the laboratory. She further said:
I have my personal laptop and tablet. When I scheme and plan all science lessons, I use my tablet and all my work is stored on the desktop in my tablet.
Ms Todd lamented that whilst computers are available at their school, first preference is given to examinable classes, grades six and seven learners. Because of that, most of the lessons are done on her computer and using her cellphone. Ms Todd said that at the lab learners can play games or complete scientific or mathematics puzzles. At the lab, the activities are done in pairs or in groups. In one activity, learners observed a video where pupils were carrying out an experiment. After watching the video, Ms Todd instructed the learners to carry out the same experiment. The activity was meant to develop prediction and imagination skills in learners.
One of the cross-cutting themes in the mathematics and science syllabus is ICT. ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology a term used to describe the use technology to provide access to information and communication. Despite the challenges, participants were integrating ICT in the teaching and learning of SPS. The digital tools used by teachers were; laptop, desktop, camera, smartphones and computers. These digital tools were used differently by teachers.
Challenges faced by ECD teachers in the teaching of SPS using digital technologies
Teachers in the study indicated that despite their commendable efforts to teach SPS using digital technologies, they were facing some challenges. Some of the challenges include: overcrowded classrooms, poor interpretation of the syllabus, shortage of resources, adequate time and limited resources.
Overcrowded classrooms
Ms Hut reported that there were forty learners in her classroom. According to her, the policy states that an ECD class should have a maximum of twenty-one learners. The overcrowded classroom exposed learners to scramble for the limited resources provided by the teacher. During the lesson. She said:
There are forty-learners in this classroom. As you can see, the classroom is also small that the learners cannot fit well. I need about 8 laptops to carry out my activities properly. I cannot effectively monitor the learners during the activities. I also avoid some of the activities due to the large number of learners.
The study observed that all the forty learners were being taught using the teacher’s laptop. The overcrowded classroom hindered active participation of learners because learners were squeezing each other to come closer to the laptop. Considering the age of learners, overcrowding hindered performance of some activities and was an impediment to classroom management. Teachers also failed to cater for individual needs of learners.
Poor interpretation of the syllabus
The study found out that Mrs Kayle was struggling to teach SPS using technology. She agreed that although ICT was one of the cross-cutting theme in the syllabus, it was difficult for her to interpret the syllabus. She explained:
We need to be taught through workshops how to include ICT in our science lessons. Though the topics and content to be covered are clearly stated in the syllabus, the technologies to be taught remain ambiguous.
Contrary, Mrs Todd enjoyed integrating subjects with technology. She said:
Our school head is always emphasising on including technology in all the subjects. I make use of the forty computers in the lab whenever I get the opportunity. I also use my computer and my tablet to teach so that learners are not left behind in terms of technology.
The two teachers shared different sentiments on their practices on teaching using technologies. Besides facing challenges in syllabus interpretation, Mrs Kayle acknowledged the significance of technology in the teaching of SPS. However, it is prudent to note that they both value ICT in their teaching though they need extra assistance. The study can also conclude that teachers need skills and competencies to teach using digital technologies.
Shortage of resources
Whilst digital technology enhances the teaching of SPS, the teachers agreed that there was shortage of resources in schools to effectively teach science skills using digital technologies. When they were available, for example in Mrs Todd’s school, they were limited to examinable classes, e.g. grades 6 and 7. Mrs Todd felt neglected by the school administrators on resource allocation. Due to the curriculum which is exam–oriented, administrators gave first preference to examination classes first. Mrs Kayle added that shortage of resources hindered learners from participating in online science lesons like their counterparts in other places. .The limited resources included internet, data and the digital tools to use during the lessons. Teachers were teaching using personal gadgets. This appeared to hinder progress in the teaching and learning of SPS since much class time was spent with inadequate resources.
Inadequate time
The mathematics and science syllabus states that science lessons should be taught in 20 minutes. Mrs Hut had this to say:
Time allocated in the syllabus for a practical science lesson is inadequate. Learners need adequate time for explorations, discussions and to finally agree on conclusions. Young children are energetic and still developing various skills, they need enough time from feedback. In addition, 40 learners are difficult to manage within twenty minutes.
Mrs Hut mentioned that only twenty minutes were allocated for lessons in ECD. The time seem too limited for outdoor activities like explorations and discoveries. The syllabus indicates that there are eleven learning areas (subjects) to be taught in ECD. Besides mathematics and science, learners have other seven learning areas to learn per day. Time allocation for each learning area per day remains twenty-minutes. Given this scenario, Mrs Hut advocated for a double continuous science lesson once a week. The double lessons will be allocated for an outdoor activity.