Micro Underpinning for In-Service Philosophy: A Case of the Vhembe District Physical Science Teachers

Abstract

This paper reports on teachers from 10 schools that performed poorly in the national senior certificate physical science in some circuits of the Vhembe district in the Limpopo province. The focus was on their views on why learners perform poorly. 17 teachers participated in the study which is part of a larger study which aims to develop an intervention strategy to assist these schools and their teachers. The methodological approach was informed by the interpretivist paradigm with a qualitative approach. Participants responded to open ended questionnaires and thereafter were interviewed. The findings indicate that teachers are blaming the lack of support from the district and circuits as well as the learners. The assertions by the teachers should be helpful in designing an intervention strategy and in-service training for these teachers and their learners which should improve the performance in physical science in their schools sustainably.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n10p404