The role of professional learning communities (PLCs) in the teaching of physical sciences practical work in diverse high school settings of the Free State province

Abstract

Researchers have argued for many years that science teaching without hands-on practice in the school science laboratory is useless (Hofstein & Mamlok, 2007). However, practical work has been and continues to be hampered by a variety of contextual variables that prevent productive practical work sessions. Practical work is a very important part or aspect of science education. The current challenge facing Physical Sciences in South Africa, is poor learner performance in especially historically disadvantaged school settings. In the diverse high school settings of the Thabo Mofutsanyana District in the Free State, this study aimed to provide information on the potential contribution that professional learning communities may make to learners' success in physical sciences practical work. In order to frame the participatory research strategy, the study was carried out using a mixed research methodology, an interpretivist research design, and a case study. The study's target group for the physical sciences was the teachers and principals of public schools in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District of the Free State. Within the aforementioned educational district, 8 teacher participants and 2 principal participants made up the final sample after systematic and purposeful sampling approaches were used to try to elicit the qualitative and quantitative information. The process of data production included focus group interviews, semi-structured interviews, direct observations, debriefing sessions, and the distribution of structured or closed-ended questionnaires in order to ensure that both the qualitative and quantitative datasets were acquired. The study was divided into two phases, with the first part focusing on generating the quantitative data through the use of structured or close-ended questionnaires and the second phase involved in collecting the qualitative data through focus group interviews, direct observations and debriefing sessions with teacher participants and semi-structured interviews with the principal participants. While the quantitative section was analysed descriptively, the qualitative data was analysed using a thematic method. Among the key conclusions of the study was that as teachers participate in professional learning communities, they become members of a community that is aimed at supporting their development. At the same time professional learning community as a teaching and learning strategy, its benefits and characteristics discussed in this study will enable teachers to encourage learners to achieve higher levels of success in physical sciences practical work.