Investigating the Involvement of Teachers in the Curriculum Development of Life Sciences Education in Secondary Schools

Abstract

This study aims to examine the involvement of Life Sciences teachers in curriculum development and how their participation influences the effectiveness of Life Sciences education in secondary schools in the Vhembe District. Life Sciences is a key subject in secondary education, yet teachers’ voices in curriculum development remain limited, which may affect teaching practices and learner performance. This study seeks to provide insight into the extent of teacher participation and its impact on curriculum implementation. This study will be underpinned by Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Theory, which emphasises the role of social interaction and collaboration in learning and knowledge construction, and the Teacher Professionalism Theory, which highlights the importance of teacher agency and participation in curriculum decision-making. A mixed-methods research approach will be employed, using a concurrent triangulation design to collect and interpret both quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously. For the quantitative component, the study will adopt a positivist paradigm, focusing on objective measurement of teachers’ participation through structured surveys. For the qualitative component, an interpretivist paradigm will be used to explore teachers’ experiences, perceptions, and insights through semi-structured interviews. A combination of quantitative surveys and qualitative semi-structured interviews will be used to gather data directly from Life Sciences teachers. Purposive sampling will be employed to select teachers who are directly involved in teaching Life Sciences. The sample will consist of 30 Life Sciences teachers drawn from selected secondary schools in the Vhembe District, which is considered adequate to provide meaningful and context-specific insights. Data analysis will involve descriptive statistics for quantitative data to summarise trends and patterns, while qualitative data will be analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring themes, perceptions, and experiences relating to teacher involvement in curriculum development. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to improving curriculum development processes, enhancing teacher participation, and strengthening the overall quality of Life Sciences education in the Vhembe District.