8-12 July 2013
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
<a href="http://events.saip.org.za/internalPage.py?pageId=13&confId=32"><font color=#ff0000>SAIP2013 PROCEEDINGS AVAILABLE</font></a>

Is there a gap between the high school curriculum and first year university experience?

9 Jul 2013, 11:50
20m
Oral Presentation Track E - Physics Education Education

Speaker

Ms Buyi Sondezi (University of Johannesburg)

Abstract content <br> &nbsp; (Max 300 words)

The transition of high school curriculum from the previous Senior Certificate Examination (SCE) (which offered both Higher Grade (HG) and Standard Grade (SG)) to National Curriculum Statement (NCS) (subjects offered at one level) yielded a number of learners who pass their National Senior Certificate (NSC) with the minimum admission point score (APS). However, the expected knowledge and understanding of the content of the subject matter is rather contrary. This has been a recent observation experienced by first year physics lecturers at University of Johannesburg (UJ). One area of difficulty for the first year students is the basic understanding of vectors. A study performed previously [Molefe, 2012] indicated that some intervention(s) were necessary in an endeavor to improve vector concepts’ understanding. This section has been given more attention and a closer look at UJ, to a point that lectures around this section are modified so as to achieve better conceptual understanding. A study performed indicated that most of the students treated this section in their NCS level, yet the application of the knowledge to their first year physics and to the related concepts is problematic for most students. This study reports on the outcomes obtained from interventions employed within the first semester of the first year physics lectures at UJ.

Apply to be<br> considered for a student <br> &nbsp; award (Yes / No)?

No

Would you like to <br> submit a short paper <br> for the Conference <br> Proceedings (Yes / No)?

Yes

Primary author

Ms Buyi Sondezi (University of Johannesburg)

Co-author

Mr Paul Molefe (University of Johannesburg)

Presentation Materials

Peer reviewing

Paper