Border crossing: a case study of selected scientific and traditional worldview presuppositions among Swaziland high school students

Abstract

The study, situated within the socio-cultural constructivist theory, involved the administration of two instruments namely, 'My Idea about nature (MIAN) and the Physics Achievement Test (PAT), as well as the use of a Videotaped Group Discussion. Further the study adopted a quasi experimental design modified after Solomon-3 control group design, in which three comparable groups - one experimental and two control groups, were investigated. The experimental and second control groups were exposed to exemplary teaching/learning strategies while the true control group was not so exposed. At the end of the instructional intervention, the discussions of two groups, each consisting of ten subjects from the experimental and second control groups, were video recorded to test whether or not their views had changed from alternative to scientifically valid conceptions of selected concepts.