The Extent to Which Teachers Are Prepared to Teach Specific Content Items of Design and Technology in Zimbabwean Schools

Peter Kwaira (Department of Technical Education, University of Zimbabwe, Mount Pleasant, Harare)

Abstract: In Zimbabwe, the advent of Design and Technology Education (D&TE) and the progressive approach (problem-posing and solving) associated with it meant the demise of traditional ways of teaching technical subjects like; Woodwork and Metalwork. Historically, these subjects have always been taught through the traditional approach where teachers would present pupils with problem situations before providing solutions. For example, teachers would ask pupils to make a table and then proceed to stipulate the material(s), measurements, and joint(s) to hold components together. Pupils would follow instructions and established procedures. Teachers would give while learners would receive and store knowledge for retrieval in bits and pieces, especially during examinations. Being more progressive than the traditional approach, Design and Technology (D&T) resulted in the teaching of technical subjects being approached from a problem-posing/solving orientation. Today, efforts are being made to introduce D&T as an “A” Level subject in schools. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which, teachers were prepared/equipped to teach specific aspects of the syllabus. Forty five (45) teachers responded to a questionnaire and results showed that they were not adequately prepared. This was confirmed during discussions, hence the need for upgrading.

Key words: curriculum change and innovation, curriculum development, curriculum implementation, design and technology, problem posing and solving, teacher education/training, and technical subjects