Implementation of the Revised Electrical Technology Curriculum in Selected South African Secondary Schools

Abstract

Curriculum revision has always been a continuous feature in the South African educational system for the past two decades. This was intended to address the issue of scarce skills shortages in key secondary school areas for the development of the curriculum, one of which is Electrical Technology. The study investigated the effectiveness of the revised Electrical Technology curriculum and how it is implemented, with the goal of determining the successes and challenges encountered by teachers during the process. The interpretivist case study with a narrative review and data were gathered using the qualitative method of semi-structured interviews. Four Electrical Technology subject teachers from four geographically linked case study schools were chosen as a pragmatic sample. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interviews, which were conducted in accordance with the study objectives. Inadequate teacher training on curriculum implementation and a lack of relevant teaching and learning support material are among the findings. The study concludes that teachers should be given opportunities for continuing professional development as well as the chance to further their education studies in order to improve their content knowledge. The provision of adequate teaching and learning support material, as well as well-equipped infrastructure, will fundamentally play a critical role in the effective teaching and learning of Electrical Technology subjects in schools.