PhD Theses

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Browsing PhD Theses by Subject "Biology"

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    The role of school environment and pedagogical approaches in enhancing students’ acquisition of science process skills in Mbeya
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2020) Bwagilo, Huruma Olofea
    The role of school environment and pedagogical approaches in enhancing students’ acquisition of science process skills in Mbeya Huruma Olofea Bwagilo PhD (Education) University of Dar es Salaam, School of Education, 2020 This study investigated the role of school environment and pedagogical approaches in enhancing students’ acquisition of science process skills in Mbeya. The study was guided by four objectives: to examine school environment and how Biology teachers use the environment to support the teaching and learning of science process skills; to explore Biology instructional activities that support students’ acquisition of science process skills; to assess the extent to which students acquire science process skills during and after conducting Biology practical work; and identify the challenges Biology teachers and students face during teaching and learning for development of science process skills. The study was guided by pragmatic paradigm that enabled the researcher to employ mixed methods research approach to collect and analyze data. Moreover, the study used multiple-embedded case study design to study how Biology teachers used school environment to support students’ acquisition of science process skills; and how instructional activities supported students’ acquisition of science process skills. One group pre-test post-test experimental design was employed to find out students’ acquisition of science process skill during and after Biology practical work. Reliability of instrument (test) used for data collection was moderate with Reliability Coefficient of 075. Qualitative methods such as observations, interviews, documentary review and focus group discussion were used to collect qualitative data while test was used to collect quantitative data such as students’ test scores. Qualitative data were analyzed by using thematic analysis while quantitative data were statistically analyzed by the aid of computer program called Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. SPSS was used to perform paired sample t-test. The findings revealed that Schools 1 and 2 had Biology teachers, physical resources such as classrooms, laboratory materials, teaching and learning materials such as models, specimens and Biology textbooks. However, they were insufficient to support effective teaching and learning of science process skills. Method and questions and answers approaches that subjected students into instructional activities such as listening, writing notes, answering questions, and drawing diagrams. Such approaches supported development of few basic science process skills such as communication, observation and classifying. Moreover, the results indicated that there was a significant difference in students’ mean scores in science process skills between pre-test as students’ mean score in pre-test was (M=7.959, S.D=3.224) and post-test (M=13.513, S.D=4.972) with mean difference (t=11.101, p=0.000). furthermore, the findings suggested that there were challenges biology teachers and students faced in teachers and physical resources such as classrooms, laboratory materials, and lack of ICT facilities; large classes and lack of laboratory technicians. Based on the findings, it was concluded that students’ acquisition of science process skills is a process that depends on many factors including supportive school environment and the use of inquiry-based instructional activities. Therefore, the schools need to be supplied with funds, adequate number of qualified Biology teachers, laboratory technicians and physical resources such as furnished classrooms, ICT Facilities and laboratory materials.
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    A survey of present trends in the teaching and learning of biology in Tanzanian secondary schools with proposals for improvement
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 1978) Meena, Alfred Salema
    The purpose of this study was an attempt to determine the attitudes/opinions of teachers and pupils toward the objectives and practices of biology curriculum in their respective schools. The study therefore, was to examine whether or not some of the instructional objectives and the biology education practices of the modern trends as perceived by curriculum designers were being observed. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which selected teachers and pupils in a number of Tanzanian secondary schools accepted the objectives and practices of the biology curriculum. More specifically to determine the opinions of teachers and pupils on the biology teaching strategies, biology resources in their schools, academic assessment of biology in relation to the philosophy of the biology curriculum and constraints which affected the efficient implementation of the biology curriculum in general. The sample of the study was selected by a stratified random sampling consisting of 795 Form II and 799 Form IV pupils made up of 931 boys and 633 girls. The teachers sample consisted of 70 teachers of whom 28 were graduate and 42 were non-graduate teachers. The data were collected through a questionnaire instrument designed and tested by the researcher. In addition, supplementary information was collected through structured interviews with 37 teachers. The research was carried through a period of one year (September 1975 March 1977). The main findings were as follows: 1. The current biology curriculum (syllabus) was acceptable to the majority of the secondary school teachers surveyed. 2.The biology teachers surveyed knew the aims and objectives of studying biology in this country. 3. The teaching and learning resources were found to be quite deficient in the majority of the schools surveyed. 4. The methodology used was mostly teacher-centred rather than pupil-centred/society centred which involves pupils in active learning. 5. The current academic assessment practices of the biology curriculum were acceptable by both the pupils and the teachers. 6. Both the teachers and the pupils perceived some problems that tended to affect the effective implementation of the biology curriculum. It is the hope and the recommendation by the author that constant formative evaluation should be carried out from time to time until there is a stable and an agreeable formula to these problems.