posted on 2006-05-05, 09:46authored byPeter Kwaira
This paper is based on the findings of a tracer study conducted between March and November of 1997. The problem addressed by this study was that; although it was a fact that teachers who had gone through the Bachelor of Education degree programme in the Department of Technical Education at the University of Zimbabwe were experiencing difficulties trying to implement the 'Design and Technology' approach in their teaching, not many people were clear about what the actual problems were. Therefore, the main purpose of study was to cast light on this grey area. To achieve this goal, a questionnaire and an interview schedule were used with eighty six (86) teachers participating.
On completion of the study, the following problems surfaced: shortage of relevant literature (textbooks and other reference materials); shortage/lack of relevant equipment; lack of materials (e.g. metal and plastic);lack of variety in the relevant teaching aids; negative attitudes on the part of pupils, parents, fellow teachers and administrators; examination systems being too rigid in nature. During data analysis, interesting comparisons were also drawn between rural and urban schools, regarding the nature of problems. The situation was found to be worse in rural areas; especially in schools situated in remote areas.
History
School
Design
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IDATER Archive
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Citation
KWAIRA, P., 1998. Problems experienced by teachers in their efforts to implement the 'design and technology' approach in the teaching of technical subjects in Zimbabwe. IDATER 1998 Conference, Loughborough: Loughborough University