Transformational learning of physical science through service learning for sustainability

English: This participatory action research, conducted within the critical emancipatory theoretical framework, formulates a strategy to transform the learning of Physical Science such that it is sustainable. The mode of teaching in many schools currently, including the one where the study is conducted, is mainly teacher centred, traditional and not emphasising on making knowledge functional and transferable. This is a challenge to transformation of the learning of Physical Science such that it is more learner-centred, in keeping with the best practices internationally. This need requires teaching to emphasise knowledge which is responsive to real life needs of the learner and his/her community. In this study I identify and formulate the transformational strategy that is grounded in the use of service learning. This requires learners to provide a service to the community in response to its real life problems. This is in turn based on the theme(s) they are expected to learn as provided for in the Physical Science curriculum statement. I also show the importance of understanding circumstantial factors that make the service learning based strategy to work effectively. I identify potential risks and threats that could distract the strategy from its intended goals. I also show how to incorporate ways of anticipating and responding to them in the strategy itself. Finally the strategy is implemented to ascertain its applicability. This helps to find out whether it leads to sustained and better learning of Physical Science. Critical emancipatory research (CER) couches this study as a theoretical framework. Thus I illustrate how CER could assist the study to achieve its five objectives, namely; to explore the need for a transformational service learning strategy to make the learning of Physical Science sustainable, to explore what other strategies have been formulated before to transform the learning of Physical Science as envisaged, to understand circumstantial factors making the study to be successful as well as to implement the strategy to find out if it brings about the desired positive changes in the learning of Physical Science. Critical emancipatory research is also used as the perspective from which I define and understand important operational concepts in the study. From this perspective I then reviewed relevant and related literature which assisted me to develop constructs in order to make sense of the empirical data. This review included looking at best practices relating to making the learning of Physical Science to be sustainable, starting from South Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADEC), the African continent and internationally. I then followed the participatory action research methods and designs to collect data. For analysis I used Van Dijk’s socio-cognitive discourse analytic procedures. This enabled me to operationalise the theory of critical emancipatory research. For instance, the participants were involved from the beginning through the various phases and steps of the study until its conclusion. Accordingly, I was the facilitator while the participants were co-researchers who drove and owned the research process. This was done in accordance with the theory that argues that people who have the problem are the same people who have the solution. As a researcher, I merely created appropriate contexts for the participants to discover and use the power they have to transform the teaching of Physical Science. As the outcome of this study the strategy entails; establishing a team; encouraging team members’ democratic and respectful reflections on the aim of their working together, through brain storming and information sessions; embracing practices that encourage them to contribute and debate issues as equals. These interactions led to the emergence of the vision and strategic plan detailing all priorities with the relevant and respective activities.