Search

Evolutions is the highest ordering principle in biology, dealing with questions about ultimate causation of form and functioning at all levels of life. Its introduction into the school curriculum provides children with access to ways of thinking that can make them more enlightened citizens and prepares them for tertiary-level study. The South African school curriculum before 1994 ignored evolution because it conflicted with the religious beliefs of the government. This paper identifies content statements that relate to evolution in the most recent Natural Sciences Learning Area Statement (Grades R-9) and the Life Sciences subject statement (Grades 10-12) for South African schools. The analysis shows that key foundational concepts are developed in the Natural Sciences learning area, but the term `evolution' is absent. In the Life Sciences subject statement, evolution, speciation, natural selection, common descent and gradualism are introduced in Grade 12. Both curriculum statements emphasize the need to recognize alternative ways of knowing, including faith-based and indigenous knowledge systems. While the curriculum statements are undoubtedly an improvement on the old syllabus, we conclude that they fail to integrate the various lines of evidence into an integrated Darwinian theory of evolution, they conflate different domains of knowledge, and they misrepresent key concepts such as natural selection. By denying learners, especially those from impoverished environments, meaningful access to higher-order concepts and ways of thinking, they endanger the social justice imperative which frames the entire National Curriculum Statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compares South Africa's school curricula, outcomes-based education (OBE), to that of interactive model-based education (IBE). Overview on the effectiveness of IBE in improving learners' understanding of physics and as a viable alternative to OBE; Major differences between conventional instruction and OBE as seen by the South African ministry of education. INSET: Dimensions of a model.

Focuses on the problems facing South Africa's science and mathematics education (SME). Aim of Centre for Education Policy Development; Conclusions of SME; Details on Students and Youth into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (SYSTEM) program.