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Teachers Reactions on the Curriculum Content in Consumer Sciences of Eswatini

Author Affiliations

  • 1Discipline of Consumer Science Education and Community Development, Faculty of Consumer Sciences, Luyengo Campus, University of Eswatini, Eswatini, Swaziland

Res. J. Family, Community and Consumer Sci., Volume 8, Issue (2), Pages 15-22, July,27 (2020)

Abstract

The purpose of the research study is to explore teachers reactions on the Eswatini Junior Secondary Integrated Consumer Sciences curriculum content with the intention of improving it. The curriculum is supposedly integrated, yet in fact, the curriculum is fully dictated by curriculum and examination bodies, thus leaving the teachers without a voice. Interestingly, reflection is the best system of learning that can transform teachers, assisting them to overcome emerging challenges and to investigate the past, present, and the future. The study, therefore, pursued teachers reaction. This action research, rooted on a critical paradigm, was used to address the following research questions: a) what are teachers reaction on the Junior Secondary Integrated Consumer Sciences curriculum content? and b) Why do teachers reflect in particular ways? This study, through an extensive literature review, concluded that, for teachers to be effective in any curriculum issue, three forms of reflection (personal, societal, and professional) must be employed as the lens through which to review the curriculum. Nine (9) participants were selected using convenience and purposive sampling. Findings indicate that contents in Consumer Sciences are dominated by influences from both professional reflections (knowledge, information, concepts, and theories) and societal reflections (skills, practical competences). Teachers are being controlled by these forces, thus lack clarity and a rationale for inclusion of certain content. Teachers believe that some content does not adequately represent the focus of the discipline in this modern age, recommending removal of certain content, while supplementing other. It is therefore recommended that research that actively engages teachers apropos of their scope of work be used frequently. Action research should be used in teaching Consumer Sciences. The National Curriculum Centre (NCC) should remove certain content, as per recommendation of the focus groups in this study.

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