Investigating the contradictions in pre-service teachers' perceptions about the process of teaching and learning in South Africa's classrooms : an activity theory analysis
type: CreativeWork
description: This dissertation asks the question: Are there contradictions in pre-service teachers' perceptions about the process of teaching and learning? First, it investigates whether there are contradictions in pre-service teachers' perceptions and then examines what these contradictions are. It then analyses these contradictions to see whether there are patterns of contradictions across all of the pre-service teachers. In order to answer these questions an exploratory case-study design is adopted in which in-depth interviews are used to probe six pre-service teachers' perceptions of teaching and learning. Data gathered through the interviews were analysed using Activity Theory. In pal1icular, the analytical framework developed by Hardman (2005b) is used to surface contradictions in oral discourse. South Africa has gone through immense transformation over the past decade and the education system has been a part of this change. Engeström's Activity Theory is used as it explains innovation and change through expansive learning: we do not simply work with what we know we also change what we know in order to work with our surroundings. Activity Theory places the pre-service teachers' perceptions into a socio-historic context: they do not exist in a vacuum. This thesis mobilises the notion of 'contradiction' as a methodological tool to uncover sites of tension and potential change. With the immense changes happening in the country and the education system it is highly likely that there are changes which have created contradictions within pre-service teachers' perceptions about the process of teaching and learning in South Africa's classrooms. Engeström (1999) explains that contradictions are the potential sites of change. If there are contradictions within the pre-service teachers' perceptions about the process of teaching and learning these will be worked out over time and there is the potential that there will be change within this activity system. It will be argued that percep…
abstract: This dissertation asks the question: Are there contradictions in pre-service teachers' perceptions about the process of teaching and learning? First, it investigates whether there are contradictions in pre-service teachers' perceptions and then examines what these contradictions are. It then analyses these contradictions to see whether there are patterns of contradictions across all of the pre-service teachers. In order to answer these questions an exploratory case-study design is adopted in which in-depth interviews are used to probe six pre-service teachers' perceptions of teaching and learning. Data gathered through the interviews were analysed using Activity Theory. In pal1icular, the analytical framework developed by Hardman (2005b) is used to surface contradictions in oral discourse. South Africa has gone through immense transformation over the past decade and the education system has been a part of this change. Engeström's Activity Theory is used as it explains innovation and change through expansive learning: we do not simply work with what we know we also change what we know in order to work with our surroundings. Activity Theory places the pre-service teachers' perceptions into a socio-historic context: they do not exist in a vacuum. This thesis mobilises the notion of 'contradiction' as a methodological tool to uncover sites of tension and potential change. With the immense changes happening in the country and the education system it is highly likely that there are changes which have created contradictions within pre-service teachers' perceptions about the process of teaching and learning in South Africa's classrooms. Engeström (1999) explains that contradictions are the potential sites of change. If there are contradictions within the pre-service teachers' perceptions about the process of teaching and learning these will be worked out over time and there is the potential that there will be change within this activity system. It will be argued that percep…
author: Underwood, Amy
language: eng
date published: 2009
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:01Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: School of Education

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9014