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An investigation into the role that knowledge of the nature of mathematics and other factors play in determining motivation for further study of mathematics after std 7 in selected provincial secondary schools

  • Authors: Arguile, David Ian
  • Date: 1988
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1352 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001418
  • Description: This study involves an investigation into reasons why pupils continue with mathematics after Std 7. The sample, consisting of Std 8 and Std 10 mathematics pupils at six academic, English-medium high schools in Port Elizabeth, had to complete a short questionnaire during the third term of 1985. It was found that most pupils continue with mathematics because of requirements for certain post-matric courses, to improve their career options and for other reasons classified in this investigation as "extrinsic", i.e. reasons that are not directly related to the nature of mathematics. An attempt is made to determine the extent of the pupils' knowledge of the nature of mathematics. Questions relating to the nature of mathematics are poorly answered by almost all of the pupils, thereby suggesting that this aspect of mathematics is sadly neglected in mathematics courses. The suggestion is made that this lack of knowledge of the nature of mathematics is linked to pupils' decisions to continue with the subject. The conclusion is drawn that unless more attention is given to conveying to pupils something of the nature of mathematics, there will be an increasing proportion of pupils who choose to continue with mathematics for the "wrong" reasons. This, in turn, has possible negative implications for mathematics education in general. Attention is also paid to differences re the above in respect of groupings based on standard, mathematical grade, sex, mathematical achievement and type of schooling. Although no conclusive findings are made other than with regard to specific questions, enough evidence of differences in certain of the groupings is produced to warrant further investigation
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  • Date Issued: 1988

Concept development in aspects of ecology

  • Authors: Webb, Paul
  • Date: 1988
  • Subjects: Ecology -- Study and teaching
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1354 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001420
  • Description: In this study food webs and a case study are used to investigate concepts which university students and high school pupils hold about ecology and the degree to which concept development has taken place at particular educational levels. The sample was drawn from first year zoology students and biology pupils in standards eight and ten. Present data indicate that students and pupils could solve problems involving the interactions of populations only if they were simple enough to be answered using strategies based on the food chain concept. Very few subjects could succesfully determine all the interacting pathways along which effects may be transmitted within a food web. The ability to determine all the pathways along which the effects of a change in population numbers within a community are spread, and to analyse the possible net manifestation of sometimes conflicting forces, requires a clear understanding of the concept of food web. An immature understanding of the food web concept by the subjects of this study is suggested as, in most cases, they identified alternate pathways within the food web when explicitly asked to do so, but did not apply this strategy when asked to solve problems based on the same principle. The case study also revealed immature ecological concepts. Responses by standard eight pupils indicate that the opportunity exists at this level to develop a clear and mature understanding of the concept of food web, while comparison of data provided by the three age groups suggests that if clear conceptual development regarding food webs does not take place at school, misconceptions are likely to persist among first year university students.
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  • Date Issued: 1988

Discussing the evidence : small group work in the history class

  • Authors: Robinson, Andrew Meredith Lewin
  • Date: 1988
  • Subjects: History -- Study and teaching (Secondary) Group work in education
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1863 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004588
  • Description: This is a small-scale research study on the discovery method of teaching history through the medium of small-group discussion. The study begins with a brief outline of the theoretical background to these topics, as well as of some of the extant research in the field. The class selected for the study is the standard seven class of a boys' high school. After the researcher has instructed the whole standard in an historical area which is unfamiliar to the pupils, twelve groups of three each are selected and withdrawn from the rest of the class, one group at a time. These thirty-six pupils become the "experimental" group; the rest of the pupils become the "control" group . The groups are selected according to different intellectual criteria and presented with stimulus material of one of three kinds, which is intended to aid them in their discourse. Each group is given the same set of three questions to discuss and, without further assistance by the researcher, the discussion takes place. This is recorded on audio-tape. After all the group discussions have been recorded, an assessment test is given to the whole standard, both experimental and control pupils. At the end of the school term a compulsory examination question is inserted in the history examination. The statistical data forthcoming from these assessments are correlated and the results analysed. Meanwhile, transcripts of all the group discussions have been made and these are analysed on a qualitative basis in terms of the groups' intellectual composition and according to the type of stimulus material used, and the results are recorded. The concept of "leaderless" groups is briefly discussed in the light of the dealings of the various groups in the study. The researcher finally feels justified in concluding that small groups are an ideal medium for the handling of evidence- based learning in history. He also has certain observations to make on the performance of groups of mixed (as opposed to homogeneous) ability as well as on the success of certain types of stimulus material towards initiating profitable discussion.
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  • Date Issued: 1988

History outside the classroom : the use of museums in the teaching of history

  • Authors: Rheeder, Willem Lodewikus
  • Date: 1988
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:21147 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/6584
  • Description: In the modern technical age in which we live , knowledge of the past is often pushed into the background As a result of this history teaching often becomes an attempt to pump an assortment of arbitrary facts into the minds of scholars by means of 'chalk and talk' methods. Educationists all over the world see this tendency as the major reason for the declining popularity of history as a school subject . In other parts of the world, such as the United States of America and Britain, education departments and teachers have faced this challenge and it seems as if the status of history as a school subject has been retrieved . In the Republic of South Africa the new core syllabuses are geared towards moving away from the earlier restricted emphasis of facts, but there is very little guidance on how teachers are to implement this 'new' approach, which focus more on the "how" of history and on the teaching of historical skills In this thesis museum visits as one of the modes of outdoor education, is studied as a possible additional alternative method of teaching history in South African schools . A study is made of what museums are and of the possible educational values of museum visits. It soon becomes clear that the major beneficial aspect of museum visits could be the acquisition of historical skills such as comprehension, application , analysis , synthesis and evaluation In order to gain insight into the practical implementation of museum visits several groups were observed while visiting the museum, after which two pilot studies were undertaken in the Kaffrarian and South African Missionary Museums with Black standard ten pupils and senior student teachers . Attention is given to aspects of administrative , teacher and pupil preparation the implementation of the visit and the types of follow-up work which could be used. During and after the implementation of the two pilot studies certain characteristic problems were experienced these are : the compilation of worksheets and cultural differences . The most important of language difficulties : It also became clear that education officers at museums find it difficult to cope with the special educational needs of the different visiting groups . For this reason an approach is advocated where the teacher compiles his own worksheet suited to the needs of his specific pupils Guidelines are given as to how pre-planned worksheets could be adapted : how different question-types could be used to compile a worksheet in which skills ascend from the simple to the complex: and how worksheets could be compiled for mixed ability groups. It is hoped that this thesis will lead to renewed interest in the use of the museum in the teaching of history and will serve as guideline for teachers planning to take history "out of its coffin".
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  • Date Issued: 1988

Organisational structures for effective geography teaching in selected medium and large primary schools

  • Authors: Kaschula, Nathaniel Ronald
  • Date: 1988
  • Subjects: Geography -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa Education, Primary -- Research -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1859 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004552
  • Description: Effective teaching is determined by a host of factors, not least of which is the educational guidance given to the teacher. This guidance should come about through an effecctively designed support structure initiated by the school principal as part of his management strategy. Very little has been written on this topic, particularly with reference to primary schools. In the past, geography teachers were trained, appointed to a school and expected to get on with their teaching. However, present-day teachers, in order to be effective educators, require in-service training. This should occur In a variety of ways and on a continuous basis, because teaching is an on-going business and not a job to be learned once and for always. This thesis investigates the organisational structures that exist for the teaching of geography in selected medium and large primary schools in the Eastern Cape. The author found that principals used either a subject head or standard head model. In large primary schools a subject head model was preferred i.e. a specialist geography teacher was responslble for developing the subject vertically from standard 2 to 5. The opposite was true in medium-sized schools. Principals of these schools preferred to delegate responsibility to a standard head. It was the duty ot the standard head, usually a generalist teacher without specific training in geography, to develop geography horizontally among, for example, all the standard 3 pupils. The role played by key members of a primary schools' instructional leadership team, namely the principal, subject head, and the standard head are examined in detail. The author offers justification why geography should be included In the primary curriculum. It is his contention that geography contributes to a child's general education, develops basic geographical skills, extends general mental abilities and fosters positive attitudes towards other people with whom he shares this world. A management model is proposed for principals, flexible enough for application in all schools. It is designed to ensure that teachers continue growing professionaIIy within the structure of a small group. There is no best way to organise the teaching of geography because each school has its own unique resources which should be optimally utilised in order to bring about learning. The professional development of geography teachers is possible because someone competent in geographical education should assume leadership of the qroup. This will enable ideas to be shared, plans made and strategies implemented in an eftort to improve teacher-competence through an efficiently organised geography department. In the final chapter conclusions are drawn and a recommendatlon is made for primary school principals to Implement an organlsatlonal model for the teaching of geography. A choice may be made from three models, namely a standard head, subject head or a comblnation of both models. It Is within the parameters of one of these structures that the subject can be properly managed, for example, field-trips planned, teaching aids purchased, envlronmental educatlon programmes designed, teaching strategies discussed and examinat(ons set. Thls view is supported by Cawood and GIbbon's (1980) empirical evidence. They found that good educatlonal leadership fosters effective teaching in schools.
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  • Date Issued: 1988

Sequence in the mathematics syllabus : an investigation of the Senior Secondary Mathematics Syllabus (July 1984) of the Cape Education Department attempting to reconcile the demands of the strictly mathematical order and the developmental needs of pupils, modified by the mathematical potential of the electronic calculator : some teaching strategies resulting from new influences in the syllabus

  • Authors: Breetzke, Peter Roland
  • Date: 1988
  • Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa , Calculators , Mathematics -- South Africa -- Outlines, syllabi, etc.
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1364 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001430
  • Description: This study was motivated by the latest revision of the mathematics syllabuses of the Cape Education Department. The most important changes to content in the Senior Secondary Mathematics Syllabus (July 1984) are the introduction of calculus and linear programming, the substitution of a section on analytical geometry for vector algebra and the recall of the remainder and factor theorems. The way in which these changes were introduced left the task of integrating them into the teaching process in the hands of individual teachers. This is a task of extreme importance. If one's classroom practice is to simply plough one's way through the syllabus, one loses many opportunities to make the study of mathematics meaningful and worthwhile. Accepting the view of the spiral nature of the curriculum where one returns to concepts and procedures at increasing levels of sophistication, one needs to identify the position of topics in this spiral and to trace their conceptual foundations. Analytical geometry is in particular need of this treatment. Similarly there are many opportunities for preparing for the introduction of calculus. If the teaching of calculus is left until the last moments of the Standard 10 year without proper groundwork, the pupil will be left with little time to develop an understanding of the concepts involved. It is the advent of calculators which presents the greatest challenge to mathematics education. We ignore this challenge to the detriment of our teaching. Taken seriously calculators have the potential to exert a radical influence on the content of curricula and examinations. They bring into question the time we spend on teaching arithmetic algorithms and the priority given to algebraic manipulation. Numercial methods gain new prominence. Calculators can even breathe new life into the existing curriculum. Their computing power can be harnessed not only to carry out specific calculations but also to introduce new topics and for concept reinforcement. The purpose of this study has been to bring about a proper integration of the new sections into the existing syllabus and to give some instances of how the calculator can become an integral part of the teaching/learning process
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  • Date Issued: 1988

The integrative nature of the synoptic weather map in relation to adolescent cognitive structures and the teaching of senior secondary meteorology-climatology

  • Authors: Van Jaarsveld, Pieter Paul
  • Date: 1988
  • Subjects: Meteorology -- Study and teaching (Secondary) Climatology -- Study and teaching (Secondary) Cognition in children
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1843 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004377
  • Description: A poorly consolidated concept base creates considerable difficulty amongst adolescents when it comes to the higher order task of analyzing complex, abstract and scientific weather phenomena as they appear on synoptic charts. The nature of the difficulties which they experience tends to encourage them to resort to the rote memorisation of concepts rather than understanding them. Kuhn (1962) avers that concepts, not enquiry methods, are at the core of rational thought. A well taught concept becomes a well developed mental construct which encourages understanding. It is the author's firm belief that in order for pupils to come to a thorough understanding of senior secondary meteorology - climatology and the synoptic chart, teaching of basic concepts should be graded and sequential. This thesis attempts to show the difficulties inherent in synoptic climatology. It relates these difficulties to adolescent cognitive development. Within this framework, the syllabus and past examinations of the Cape Education Department, and textbooks are examined. Teachers' views and pupils' understanding are gauged through the analyses of questionnaires and worksheets respectively. Conclusions are drawn and the problems which teachers and pupils encounter are addressed.
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  • Date Issued: 1988

The lack of resources as a contributory factor to the high failure rate in Standard 10 History examinations in the Alice circuit

The orientation of the standard six pupil transferring from primary to secondary schooling

  • Authors: Pollock, Graeme Mackenzie
  • Date: 1988
  • Subjects: Student adjustment , Students, Transfer of
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1377 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001443
  • Description: Pupils entering High School for the first time experience many problems of orientation and adjustment. This study arose from the conviction that something could be done to alleviate this time of stress to the benefit of both pupil and school alike. A brief review of literature showed that despite a fair amount of research having been done in Britain and the United States, there is still a dearth of information relating directly to the South African situation. Most transition studies differentiate between factors affecting academic adjustment, those relating to personal adjustment after transfer, and those which involve adjustment to environmental factors. In general studies approached orientation pogrammes from two perspectives - those that handled orientation as an event with its concomitant administrative and practical advantages, and those that saw it to be a process which has more person-focussed advantages. Most researchers agree that each school has its own needs and that the orientation programme should reflect those needs. Many favour a problem-solving approach to the design of any programme and emphasize the need for constant evaluation of the programme to maintain relevance and effectiveness. A low-key investigation into adjustment problems faced by new pupils in the High School was conducted by means of a questionnaire. Three main areas of information were investigated: attitude to school; personal adjustment as indicated by the self-concept; and general impression of Secondary School. The results confirmed that problems of orientation and adjustment are experienced by pupils in the South African Education System and revealed a framework upon which an orientation programme could be based. An overview of existing orientation programme objectives stresses the fact that orientation must be concerned with the total adjustment of the child - personal, academic and environmental - and that, of necessity, it involves the whole family. An orientation programme is outlined and expanded upon in order to provide a framework upon which other programmes could be designed, specific to the particular needs of the schools involved. Finally, certain observations are offered which may lead to a better understanding of the demands of the orientation process
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  • Date Issued: 1988

A preliminary investigation into the effectiveness of the N.E.D. careers education programme in promoting career maturity in high school pupils

  • Authors: Delport, Juan Phillippe
  • Date: 1987
  • Subjects: Career education -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Vocational guidance -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1911 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007080
  • Description: A developmental paradigm was adopted as a theoretical base from which the effectiveness of the Natal Education Department Career Education lesson-guide in promoting career maturity amongst high school pupils was investigated. It was argued that careers education embodies a distinctive approach to careers work. This approach is described. South African Careers Guidance practices are evaluated in terms of fit, and are compared to American and British ones. To investigate the outcomes of the NED lesson guide, 160 predominantly white, male and female pupils in Standards 6 - 10 were randanly divided into control and experimental grotps and underwent a six session classroom based careers education programme. In addition to the NED material,alternative materials (CRIC - Std. 7 and CRAC - Std. 9) were used on a second experimental group in two standards. The Career Maturity Inventory Attitude Scale was used to measure the outcomes. Analysis of variance and t-tests for the difference between means were used to analyse the data. The results were significant only in Standard 8. For all the other standards with all the materials, they were insignificant. Reasons for and implications of these findings are discussed.
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  • Date Issued: 1987

A survey of the curricula for the pre-service education of secondary school geography teachers in South Africa, with special reference to Transkei

  • Authors: Mniki, Claribel Pumzile
  • Date: 1987
  • Subjects: Education -- Curricula , Education -- South Africa -- Transkei , Black people -- Education -- South Africa -- Transkei , Geography -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Transkei , Teachers -- Training of -- South Africa -- Transkei
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1340 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001406
  • Description: Programmes designed for the pre-service education of secondary school geography teachers reflect the assumptions held by programme designers regarding the nature of education, teaching in general and geography teaching in particular. The general practice is that in universities, individual method lecturers design their programmes and in colleges within a department of education the programmes are centrally planned. Each programme focuses on a specific context. This, together with the autonomy enjoyed by university method lecturers in designing their courses, has resulted in the variations found in geography teacher education programmes. The evidence of this is found in the structure and duration of courses, the course content, the strategies used to educate teachers and the way in which the course is evaluated. This thesis is an attempt to establish consensus and divergence in pre-service education programmes for secondary school geography teachers regarding their organisation, specific knowledge imparted to student teachers; skills, values and attitudes developed. The pre-service education of secondary school geography teachers in South Africa is revealed in an analysis of views held by method lecturers, practising teachers in secondary schools, and student teachers and an analysis of course outlines , teaching practice assessment forms and geography method examination papers. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations made for improving the initial education of secondary school geography teachers in Transkei
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  • Date Issued: 1987

An analysis of problems arising out of English medium instruction of pupils in ten Ciskeian schools, with particular reference to geography in standard eight

  • Authors: Weimann, Alan Gilbert
  • Date: 1987
  • Subjects: Geography -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Ciskei , Language and education -- South Africa -- Ciskei , Native language and education -- South Africa -- Ciskei , Students, Black -- Education -- South Africa -- Ciskei , Language arts -- South Africa -- Ciskei
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1342 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001408
  • Description: Pupils in the Republic of South Africa in the T.B.V.C. States (Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei) are expected to commence study in all school subjects, except the first language (Xhosa, Tswana, Venda etc.) and the third language (Afrikaans), through the medium of English at the Std 3 level. English thus is the official medium of instruction for the greater part of the pupil's school experience. All examinations in all subjects (except those mentioned above) are set and answered through the medium of English. School textbooks from Std 3 upwards, in all subjects, are written in English. It is fairly safe to assert, therefore, that English should be the language life of the Higher Primary and Secondary School classroom. In 1953 a UNESCO report of proceedings of a conference held in 1951 maintained that the best medium for teaching a pupil was that of the mother-tongue. The report pleaded for mother-tongue instruction to be extended to as late a stage as possible in a pupil's school life (UNESCO 1953). While such a plea may be grounded on sound psychological and pedagogical reasoning, it is often ignored because of the realities existing within the educational system. The R.S.A. and the T.B.V.C. states are a case in point for as I have already mentioned, examinations, textbooks, and for that matter tertiary education at the post-matriculation level, all employ English as instructional medium. Pragmatism carries the day and the black pupil is compelled to use English. Other factors applicable to the South African context are the existence of many different ethnic groups, each with its own language, and the fact that a shortage of qualified and experienced teachers in many subjects and different levels within the schools has meant that often teachers whose first language is English are involved in teaching pupils from these various language groups
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  • Date Issued: 1987

Group work in black history classes

  • Authors: Mrwetyana, Notemba
  • Date: 1987
  • Subjects: History -- Study and teaching (Secondary) , Group work in education
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1359 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001425
  • Description: As a history teacher at Kuyasa High School in the Ciskei and afterwards as history method lecturer at the University of Fort Hare, visiting a large number of schools regularly for purposes of practice teaching with groups of students, I became aware of the problems encountered when history is taught to mixed ability groups. By far the most glaring problem is that of teaching methods. Teachers are in doubt concerning the teaching methodology to be adopted in classes where the spread of ability is wide. They face considerable difficulties in developing a role for themselves both in the classroom and in relation to their colleagues. The often noted tendency of teachers is to isolate themselves and guard the privacy of their classroom life. This realisation prompted me to undertake this study. The aim of this study is twofold. Having large classes in Ciskeian secondary schools, it is obvious that the spread of ability within classes is wide. The teachers then would have to form groups within the class. The first aim, therefore, is to develop and apply a reading comprehension test, with passages of varying difficulty. The performance of pupils in the test will serve as a guide when the children are put into groups. Secondly, I intend suggesting group activities which could be done by history pupils in such groups (Preface, p. iii)
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  • Date Issued: 1987

Self-concept as a measure of success in the military environment

  • Authors: Besener, Paul Robert
  • Date: 1987
  • Subjects: Self-perception , Control , Recruits , Soldiers , Military , National service , South Africa , Pupils , Learners , Guidance , School curriculum
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1363 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001429
  • Description: This piece of research is an attempt to evaluate the relationship between military 'success' and the psychological preparedness of recruits in terms of their self-concepts and locus of control orientations. The new recruit is forced to adapt to the military environment which will, in turn, attempt to change him into an effective soldier. It was noticed by the researcher, who was involved in military training at the time, that a number of recruits, even some with seemingly limited potential, coped well, while others who seemed to have the ability failed to cope adequately. Recruits completed questionnaires which provided the researcher with biographical data and background information. In addition, the Bledsoe Self-Concept Scale and the Nowicki and Strickland Locus of Control Scale were used in order to determine their self-concepts and locus of control orientations respectively, prior to the beginning of national service. Detailed unstructured interviews were also conducted with a sample of military personnel, to provide another basis for gathering data and for clarifying some of the issues involved. Briefly, the chief conclusion of this researcher is that a significant majority of 'successful' recruits in the military environment have a positive self-concept and an internal locus of control. On the basis of the above finding, it is suggested that there is a need to guide pupils about certain aspects of military life before they begin their National Service. There would seem to be a need for this guidance to be incorporated into the school curriculum, together with such practical aspects as cadets, shooting, etc. There is a shortage of this kind of research on the military situation in South Africa, and it is suggested that numerous issues in this field need to be researched for the benefit of future conscripts and the military alike.
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  • Date Issued: 1987

Some aspects of concept acquisition in history

  • Authors: Macrae, Michael John
  • Date: 1987
  • Subjects: History -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , History -- Study and teaching -- Testing , History -- Study and teaching -- Methodology
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1367 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001433
  • Description: There is concern that school history is often purposeless, taught by chalk and talk and textbook methods, giving thin and unassimilated information. At a time when subjects are under increasing scrutiny and pressure to justify their existence as relevant in the school curriculum, many of the defects inherent in the 'traditional' approach to history have made it difficult to present a forceful and valid argument for its continued inclusion as a school subject.This has led to the adoption of new approaches which are designed to get pupils more actively involved in their learning. One such approach was adopted by the Schools Council 13-16 project in Britain. It laid emphasis on the methodology of the subject and identified five ways in which history could prove to be a useful and necessary subject for adolescents to study. These were: as a means of acquiring and developing such cognitive skills as those of analysis, synthesis and judgement; as a source of leisure interests; as a vehicle for analysing the contemporary world and pupils' place in it; as a means for developing understanding of the forces underlying social change and evolutioni and, finally, as an avenue to self-knowledge and awareness of what it means to be human (Introduction, p. ii)
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  • Date Issued: 1987

The fellowship experience : an investigation into the shared exploration of children's fiction by teacher and pupils in the senior primary school

A critical review of some of Roald Dahl's books for children, with particular reference to a 'subversive' element in his writing, some responses to his work and its place in the education of the child

A preliminary investigation into the use of computers in the teaching of mathematics

  • Authors: Van Hille, Gilles Ernst Willem
  • Date: 1986
  • Subjects: Mathematics -- Computer-assisted instruction Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Data processing Mathematics -- Study and teaching -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1844 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004382
  • Description: Like many South African high school mathematics teachers I have followed the development of computers with interest and I have tried wherever possible to gain some experience on them. Thus when microcomputers became more readily available the mathematics department at our school, Graeme College in Grahamstown, motivated for the school to acquire this powerful new tool. The eventual outcome was that the Old Boys' Association donated to the school 3 BBC B microcomputers with monitors, a disc drive, a printer and two tape recorders. These have now been in the school for three years. The acquisition prompted this research project which takes the following form:- 1) An investigation into some of the uses of microcomputers in schools and, in particular, in the mathematics classroom. 2) A statement on the present position adopted by the Cape Education Department on the use of computers in schools. 3) A study of what the experience has been in other countries, particularly in Britain and the United States of America. 4) A description of an investigation which was undertaken at our school using the method of Action Research and Triangulation. Its aim was to investigate the feasibility of using a microcomputer to aid in the teaching of mathematics and the reaction of the pupils to this innovation. Three different approaches were implemented. a) The algorithmic approach: In this investigation a class of standard eight pupils were required, with the help of the teacher, to write, enter and test a short computer program which would solve any pair of simultaneous linear equations of the form, ax + by = c. Their reaction to this form of instruction was noted by myself and a non-participant observer. The pupils themselves were also asked to express their reactions, both verbally and by filling in a prepared questionnaire. Examples of worksheets, exam questions and analysed questionnaires are given in the appendix. Short programs which examine various other mathematical concepts are also listed and discussed. b) The audio-visual approach: In this case use was made of a graphs software package in which the computer would draw either a straight line, circle, parabola or hyperbola when the appropriate variables were entered. This package also includes a graph game facility where participants are required to find the equation of the graph which will pass through three given points. Points are awarded if the correct type of graph is chosen and the variables are entered within a certain time interval. The pupils involved in this investigation were standard eight higher grade mathematics pupils and their reaction to this form of instruction was again noted using the methods described in (a) above. c) Computer Aided Instruction: Here I was most fortunate to be able to make use of the Rhodes University PLATO Centre. This allowed me to take a class of eighteen standard eight higher grade mathematics pupils to the Centre. Here during four sessions, each of just over an hour, the pupils interacted with the software on the computer terminal. The software used was a set of five lessons written by Barbara Lederman of the Community College Maths Group, of the University of Illinois in 1976. The lessons give instruction and require the pupils to transform, plot and draw the graphs of linear equations of the form, ax + by + c = 0, x = c and y = b. They are also taught and required to find the equations of given straight lines. Their reactions to this form of instruction are discussed after each session. 5) In conclusion some thoughts are given on how computers can best be utilised in the school situation, with particular reference to the teaching of mathematics.
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  • Date Issued: 1986

An investigation into the possible causes of the difference between the boys' and girls' drop-out rate in mathematics at the end of the junior secondary phase of education

  • Authors: Oberholster, E J
  • Date: 1986
  • Subjects: Mathematical ability , Gender , Mathematics teaching , Drop-out rate , Junior secondary
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1351 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001417
  • Description: In the past two decades much research in the field of Mathematics in Education has dealt with boy- girl differences. In the 1960's sex differences in mathematical achievement played an important role in research. The results of more recent and better controlled studies seem to indicate that overall boy-girl differences in mathematical achievement are probably negligible at the Primary stage and exist at the Secondary stage principally in areas involving spatial visualization and problem solving.
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  • Date Issued: 1986

An investigation into the present system of orientation for pupils entering high school under the jurisdiction of the Cape Education Department, leading to an orientation programme

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