Exploring how Grade 11 Chemistry teachers mediate learning of the topic redox reactions in their classrooms in Namibia

Abstract

The Namibian Chemistry ordinary level syllabus requires learners to study the topic of redox reactions. This topic has proven to be one of the most difficult for Namibian learners as reflected by their poor responses to questions in the Grade 11 and 12 Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate 'O' examinations. Teaching abstract concepts such as redox reactions requires higher cognitive thinking skills and thus presents a challenge. Against this background, this study sought to explore how teachers mediate learning of redox reactions in their classrooms. The focus was on conceptual understanding through linking content to the context of the learners. The study was underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm, within which a qualitative case study approach was adopted. Two Grade 11 Chemistry teachers from the Ohangwena and Oshana regions in Namibia were the research participants. I used semi-structured interviews, lesson observations and stimulated recall interviews to collect data. I used Shulman's Pedagogical Content Knowledge as a theoretical framework in this study and the data sets were analysed using the Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge components. Qualitative data were analysed inductively-deductively. The study's findings revealed that teachers used various mediation tools such as analogies and prior knowledge. The results further illuminated that teachers should develop strong subject content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge to have the best strategies in place to mediate learning of this topic.