A baseline study of teacher and learner perspectives of language demands in science classrooms in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole
- Authors: Woods, Tracey
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Language arts -- Correlation with content subjects -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Interpersonal communication -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Communication in education -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Communicative competence -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21153 , vital:29451
- Description: Globally, one of the challenges in science education is providing equitable access to increasingly diverse learners in equally diverse learning contexts. In South Africa, science is taught to learners by means of English, which is the preferred language of instruction even if it is only spoken by 9.6% of the South African population. In the Eastern Cape, the majority of the population speak isiXhosa and the minority speak English. Parents of isiXhosa-speaking children often choose schools where English is the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) as they feel their children will have better career opportunities as English is considered to be the language of economic power. The aim of this study was to determine teachers’ and learners’ perspectives of language in science classrooms. To this end, a baseline study was conducted. A quantitative research method was used and data were collected through questionnaires. The research found that English is the preferred language for teaching and learning, even though the majority of the participants were isiXhosa home-language speakers. In addition, learners in South African whose home language is not English do not have the necessary language skills to cope with the switch to English as LoLT. Science teachers are therefore faced with two distinct challenges: firstly teaching content and secondly teaching the LoLT, if it is not the learners’ home language. The major difficulty experienced by learners when learning science is learning the language of science, as science is regarded as having a language of its own, with its own specific register and discourse. Thus, for many learners, learning the language of science is a challenge as it contains unfamiliar technical words and everyday words that have specialised scientific meanings (e.g. diagrams, procedures, table, current and force). English is seen as the language in which to explore these concepts. A conclusion that can be drawn is that English is regarded as the language in which to learn science thus reflecting the continued hegemony of English.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Woods, Tracey
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Language arts -- Correlation with content subjects -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Interpersonal communication -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Communication in education -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Communicative competence -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21153 , vital:29451
- Description: Globally, one of the challenges in science education is providing equitable access to increasingly diverse learners in equally diverse learning contexts. In South Africa, science is taught to learners by means of English, which is the preferred language of instruction even if it is only spoken by 9.6% of the South African population. In the Eastern Cape, the majority of the population speak isiXhosa and the minority speak English. Parents of isiXhosa-speaking children often choose schools where English is the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) as they feel their children will have better career opportunities as English is considered to be the language of economic power. The aim of this study was to determine teachers’ and learners’ perspectives of language in science classrooms. To this end, a baseline study was conducted. A quantitative research method was used and data were collected through questionnaires. The research found that English is the preferred language for teaching and learning, even though the majority of the participants were isiXhosa home-language speakers. In addition, learners in South African whose home language is not English do not have the necessary language skills to cope with the switch to English as LoLT. Science teachers are therefore faced with two distinct challenges: firstly teaching content and secondly teaching the LoLT, if it is not the learners’ home language. The major difficulty experienced by learners when learning science is learning the language of science, as science is regarded as having a language of its own, with its own specific register and discourse. Thus, for many learners, learning the language of science is a challenge as it contains unfamiliar technical words and everyday words that have specialised scientific meanings (e.g. diagrams, procedures, table, current and force). English is seen as the language in which to explore these concepts. A conclusion that can be drawn is that English is regarded as the language in which to learn science thus reflecting the continued hegemony of English.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
A case study to explore developing a community of practice to support emergent literacy in preschool children's play
- Authors: Martin, Tamarynd
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Early childhood education , Children -- Language , Reading (Preschool) , Toddlers -- Books and reading
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/31841 , vital:31850
- Description: In South Africa at present, Literacy is a cause for rising concern, with reading and writing competency in primary school being at an all-time low. It is a widespread belief that part of the problem lies with the lack early childhood education. Only 37% of children under the age of five attend an early childhood development centre. Furthermore, South Africa has a shortage of educators, specifically within the domain of early childhood development. With more research being done in the area of literacy, more educators concur that emergent literacy forms the foundation of formal reading and writing later on. This study is a participatory case study, which reflects on the importance of literacy in the early years, showing the belief that pre-formal schooling, specifically emergent literacy, is directly linked to proficiency in reading and writing in formal schooling. This study also highlights how educators in early childhood development can be involved in ongoing reflective interventions through in-service training and communities of practice. This community of practice was developed as a series of focus groups, which met on a weekly basis to discuss and share thoughts, opinions and experiences surrounding emergent literacy in a preschool context. From multiple focus groups, I found that the participants became more confident in sharing their experiences and building upon each other’s ideas and thoughts. The focus groups, not only added to their understanding of emergent literacy, but enthused them and created more of an awareness in their day to day practices.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Martin, Tamarynd
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Early childhood education , Children -- Language , Reading (Preschool) , Toddlers -- Books and reading
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/31841 , vital:31850
- Description: In South Africa at present, Literacy is a cause for rising concern, with reading and writing competency in primary school being at an all-time low. It is a widespread belief that part of the problem lies with the lack early childhood education. Only 37% of children under the age of five attend an early childhood development centre. Furthermore, South Africa has a shortage of educators, specifically within the domain of early childhood development. With more research being done in the area of literacy, more educators concur that emergent literacy forms the foundation of formal reading and writing later on. This study is a participatory case study, which reflects on the importance of literacy in the early years, showing the belief that pre-formal schooling, specifically emergent literacy, is directly linked to proficiency in reading and writing in formal schooling. This study also highlights how educators in early childhood development can be involved in ongoing reflective interventions through in-service training and communities of practice. This community of practice was developed as a series of focus groups, which met on a weekly basis to discuss and share thoughts, opinions and experiences surrounding emergent literacy in a preschool context. From multiple focus groups, I found that the participants became more confident in sharing their experiences and building upon each other’s ideas and thoughts. The focus groups, not only added to their understanding of emergent literacy, but enthused them and created more of an awareness in their day to day practices.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
An arts based comparative study of pre-service teachers' perceptions of lecturers' engagement with a humanizing pedagogy
- Authors: Wafula, Josphat Gamba
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Teacher-student relationships -- South Africa , Teacher-student relationships -- Kenya Teachers college graduates -- South Africa Teachers college graduates -- Kenya Teachers -- Training of -- South Africa Teachers -- Training of -- Kenya
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20162 , vital:29148
- Description: The tenet of this study was to elicit pre-service teachers’ insights, thoughts and opinions on their perceptions of lecturers’ engagement with a humanizing pedagogy through the analysis of the participants’ role plays, focused group interviews and written narratives. For the purposes of this study a qualitative approach was adopted employing a multiple case study design that focused on two African institutions; one in Kenya (University M) and one in South Africa (University N), involving 3rd year pre-service teachers in the intermediate phase programme of study. The accumulated data were coded, integrated and analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that although there are lectures who make concerted efforts to embrace humanizing pedagogy in their teaching and create opportunities for interactive learning, most of the teaching is concerned with the issuing of communiqués prepared by others with little input from students thereby leading to a one-way communication process, which denies students of a voice. One-way dialogue excludes the students from critical participation as highlighted by the participants in the study. Furthermore, the findings emerging from the study revealed that the participants perceived the humanizing pedagogy as key to facilitating a safe and friendly learning environment; a strategy that affirms interactive engagement and one which favors a learner-centered approach inclusive of positive pedagogical practices and approaches. The findings of the study also revealed that the dehumanizing experiences that participants had to contend with focused predominantly on the teachers’ obsession with banking education which the participants believed stifled the development of critical consciousness. It is hoped that the findings emerging from this study will inform an understanding and need for dialogue since the study provides valuable insights into the personal and professional transformation which can take place in the lecture rooms. Furthermore, the study has the potential to inform Kenyan and South African teacher education programs with a view to improving teaching practices and approaches that have the potential to stimulate critical and creative thinking through active participation, dialogue and interactive meaning-making.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Wafula, Josphat Gamba
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Teacher-student relationships -- South Africa , Teacher-student relationships -- Kenya Teachers college graduates -- South Africa Teachers college graduates -- Kenya Teachers -- Training of -- South Africa Teachers -- Training of -- Kenya
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20162 , vital:29148
- Description: The tenet of this study was to elicit pre-service teachers’ insights, thoughts and opinions on their perceptions of lecturers’ engagement with a humanizing pedagogy through the analysis of the participants’ role plays, focused group interviews and written narratives. For the purposes of this study a qualitative approach was adopted employing a multiple case study design that focused on two African institutions; one in Kenya (University M) and one in South Africa (University N), involving 3rd year pre-service teachers in the intermediate phase programme of study. The accumulated data were coded, integrated and analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that although there are lectures who make concerted efforts to embrace humanizing pedagogy in their teaching and create opportunities for interactive learning, most of the teaching is concerned with the issuing of communiqués prepared by others with little input from students thereby leading to a one-way communication process, which denies students of a voice. One-way dialogue excludes the students from critical participation as highlighted by the participants in the study. Furthermore, the findings emerging from the study revealed that the participants perceived the humanizing pedagogy as key to facilitating a safe and friendly learning environment; a strategy that affirms interactive engagement and one which favors a learner-centered approach inclusive of positive pedagogical practices and approaches. The findings of the study also revealed that the dehumanizing experiences that participants had to contend with focused predominantly on the teachers’ obsession with banking education which the participants believed stifled the development of critical consciousness. It is hoped that the findings emerging from this study will inform an understanding and need for dialogue since the study provides valuable insights into the personal and professional transformation which can take place in the lecture rooms. Furthermore, the study has the potential to inform Kenyan and South African teacher education programs with a view to improving teaching practices and approaches that have the potential to stimulate critical and creative thinking through active participation, dialogue and interactive meaning-making.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
An evaluation of the effectiveness of communication between the education district office and schools in Nelson Mandela Bay
- Authors: Brown, Xenophon
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Communication in organizations , Communication in management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50491 , vital:42203
- Description: This study focuses on an evaluation of communication effectiveness between the school administration office in Nelson Mandela Bay and its representative schools in advancing the business case of school development and heightened learner experience in line with the national development goal. The research uses a qualitative research approach to gather rich insights into the challenges, opportunities and problems that heighten and affect the quality of communication methods, channels and the roles of communication that the interviewed stakeholders representing both the district and schools depict and understand within the communication processes and methods used. Fourteen interviewees were identified using a judgemental and purposive sampling technique. They were identified from the Nelson Mandela Bay district office and schools within the district. Findings from the study reveal that the critical areas of concern include the roles of communication, stakeholder roles in the communication process, methods of communication, and challenges in communication effectiveness. While schools and the district office share the responsibility for providing quality education, it is critical that an effective communication strategy, which embraces computer-mediated communication as a supplementary tool, should be adopted to ensure that this shared mandate could be achieved.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Brown, Xenophon
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Communication in organizations , Communication in management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50491 , vital:42203
- Description: This study focuses on an evaluation of communication effectiveness between the school administration office in Nelson Mandela Bay and its representative schools in advancing the business case of school development and heightened learner experience in line with the national development goal. The research uses a qualitative research approach to gather rich insights into the challenges, opportunities and problems that heighten and affect the quality of communication methods, channels and the roles of communication that the interviewed stakeholders representing both the district and schools depict and understand within the communication processes and methods used. Fourteen interviewees were identified using a judgemental and purposive sampling technique. They were identified from the Nelson Mandela Bay district office and schools within the district. Findings from the study reveal that the critical areas of concern include the roles of communication, stakeholder roles in the communication process, methods of communication, and challenges in communication effectiveness. While schools and the district office share the responsibility for providing quality education, it is critical that an effective communication strategy, which embraces computer-mediated communication as a supplementary tool, should be adopted to ensure that this shared mandate could be achieved.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
An investigation ofthe effectiveness of using analogies to develop a robust understanding of direct current (DC) electric circuits in first-year university students
- Authors: Bacela, Mpathi Collin
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Physics -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/42443 , vital:36657
- Description: The effectiveness of using a teaching strategy, based on analogies for direct current electric circuits, to attempt to address first-year underprepared university students was investigated. The study consisted of 53 participants drawn from the Faculty of Health Sciences at Nelson Mandela University. A quantitative research design was adopted using the “Determining and Interpreting Resistive Electric Circuits Concepts Test” (DIRECT) version 1.2 as a research instrument. The DIRECT is a 29-item multiple-choice test with only one correct answer in each question. The DIRECT was modified to further probe students’ confidence levels in their answers. The instrument served as a pre-test prior to the start of the formal lessons on direct current electric circuits. At the end of a five-week treatment period, the same instrument was administered to all participants as a post-test. The statistical analysis and interpretation of the preand post-test data were conducted using Software Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 and STATISTICA version 12. In answering the main research question (How can a misconception-based module, using analogies,positively influence(or not)academically under-prepared first-year non-major Physics students’ conceptual understanding of direct current(DC)electricalcircuits?)and sub-questions thereof, the students’ mean scores between the pre-and posttest were calculate and compared using t-test at a significant level of 0.05. The results revealed a statistically significant difference between the preand post-test mean scores. The pre-test mean score was 22.24 with a standard deviation of 8.07. The post-test mean score was 38.68 with a standard deviation of 13.93. The mean score difference between the post-test and pre-test was 16.44 with a standard deviation of 13.82 at p-value less than 0.05. The results from the pre-test suggest that students held very strong alternative conceptions on direct current electric circuits. The post-test results also revealed that some alternative conceptions were still held onto after the intervention. There wasno statistical significant difference found between the students’ correct answers and their confidence levels. The quantitative analysis of the results suggested that there is a positive change between the post-testmean score and pre-test mean score and this change is statistically significant (p < 0.05). The results showed sufficient evidence to conclude that analogies-based teaching strategy was a vieffective means of reducing the number of alternative conceptions the students held about direct current electric circuits. The study recommended the need to ascertain out what the students felt about the improvement of their understanding of direct current electric circuits concepts. The study suggested a qualitative research methodology as an area for future research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Bacela, Mpathi Collin
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Physics -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/42443 , vital:36657
- Description: The effectiveness of using a teaching strategy, based on analogies for direct current electric circuits, to attempt to address first-year underprepared university students was investigated. The study consisted of 53 participants drawn from the Faculty of Health Sciences at Nelson Mandela University. A quantitative research design was adopted using the “Determining and Interpreting Resistive Electric Circuits Concepts Test” (DIRECT) version 1.2 as a research instrument. The DIRECT is a 29-item multiple-choice test with only one correct answer in each question. The DIRECT was modified to further probe students’ confidence levels in their answers. The instrument served as a pre-test prior to the start of the formal lessons on direct current electric circuits. At the end of a five-week treatment period, the same instrument was administered to all participants as a post-test. The statistical analysis and interpretation of the preand post-test data were conducted using Software Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 and STATISTICA version 12. In answering the main research question (How can a misconception-based module, using analogies,positively influence(or not)academically under-prepared first-year non-major Physics students’ conceptual understanding of direct current(DC)electricalcircuits?)and sub-questions thereof, the students’ mean scores between the pre-and posttest were calculate and compared using t-test at a significant level of 0.05. The results revealed a statistically significant difference between the preand post-test mean scores. The pre-test mean score was 22.24 with a standard deviation of 8.07. The post-test mean score was 38.68 with a standard deviation of 13.93. The mean score difference between the post-test and pre-test was 16.44 with a standard deviation of 13.82 at p-value less than 0.05. The results from the pre-test suggest that students held very strong alternative conceptions on direct current electric circuits. The post-test results also revealed that some alternative conceptions were still held onto after the intervention. There wasno statistical significant difference found between the students’ correct answers and their confidence levels. The quantitative analysis of the results suggested that there is a positive change between the post-testmean score and pre-test mean score and this change is statistically significant (p < 0.05). The results showed sufficient evidence to conclude that analogies-based teaching strategy was a vieffective means of reducing the number of alternative conceptions the students held about direct current electric circuits. The study recommended the need to ascertain out what the students felt about the improvement of their understanding of direct current electric circuits concepts. The study suggested a qualitative research methodology as an area for future research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Concept cartoons as a formative assessment instrument in physics – a case study
- Nwaigwe, Chinelo Georgina Candy
- Authors: Nwaigwe, Chinelo Georgina Candy
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Comic books, strips, etc., in education , Science -- Study and teaching Educational evaluation Educational toys
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/42759 , vital:36689
- Description: Studies have shown that the practice of formative assessment is a challenge for many teachers in South Africa. Teachers are either entrenched in their old habits and methods of assessment, or they have not been adequately trained and supported to apply formative assessment in the instructional process. The aim of this research was to explore Physical Sciences teachers’ perceptions of formative assessment and the usefulness of Concept Cartoons as a formative assessment instrument to assist teachers in their practice of formative assessment. The perceptions of eight Grade 11 Physical Sciences teachers on formative assessment were sought before and after an intervention. During the intervention, the teachers were trained to use Concept Cartoons as a formative assessment instrument. The teachers’ perceptions were also sought after an implementation phase where they implemented Concept Cartoons as a formative assessment instrument in their own classrooms. The teachers were purposefully selected from six schools in the Port Elizabeth area. A qualitative case study approach, informed by a constructivist perspective, was applied in this study. Data were collected through open-ended questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and the participants’ post-implementation written reflections. These data were analysed and presented in both narrative and tabular formats, supported by verbatim quotes from the participants. The conclusion that can be drawn from this study is that the use of Concept Cartoons as a formative assessment instrument had a substantially positive influence on the Physical Sciences teachers’ understanding and practice of formative assessment. The data also suggest that Concept Cartoons supported both learner- and teacher learning, thus functioning as an Educative Curriculum Material (ECM). Another finding in this study was that a relatively short intervention (i.e. a workshop) could make a difference in teachers’ learning and professional development. Support, however, is needed, particularly in the form of teaching resources or materials, so as to ensure the translation of knowledge into practice. Though the findings are presented within the context of the six sampled schools, and focussed on Grade 11, further research may determine these findings to be informative for other institutions within similar settings.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Nwaigwe, Chinelo Georgina Candy
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Comic books, strips, etc., in education , Science -- Study and teaching Educational evaluation Educational toys
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/42759 , vital:36689
- Description: Studies have shown that the practice of formative assessment is a challenge for many teachers in South Africa. Teachers are either entrenched in their old habits and methods of assessment, or they have not been adequately trained and supported to apply formative assessment in the instructional process. The aim of this research was to explore Physical Sciences teachers’ perceptions of formative assessment and the usefulness of Concept Cartoons as a formative assessment instrument to assist teachers in their practice of formative assessment. The perceptions of eight Grade 11 Physical Sciences teachers on formative assessment were sought before and after an intervention. During the intervention, the teachers were trained to use Concept Cartoons as a formative assessment instrument. The teachers’ perceptions were also sought after an implementation phase where they implemented Concept Cartoons as a formative assessment instrument in their own classrooms. The teachers were purposefully selected from six schools in the Port Elizabeth area. A qualitative case study approach, informed by a constructivist perspective, was applied in this study. Data were collected through open-ended questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and the participants’ post-implementation written reflections. These data were analysed and presented in both narrative and tabular formats, supported by verbatim quotes from the participants. The conclusion that can be drawn from this study is that the use of Concept Cartoons as a formative assessment instrument had a substantially positive influence on the Physical Sciences teachers’ understanding and practice of formative assessment. The data also suggest that Concept Cartoons supported both learner- and teacher learning, thus functioning as an Educative Curriculum Material (ECM). Another finding in this study was that a relatively short intervention (i.e. a workshop) could make a difference in teachers’ learning and professional development. Support, however, is needed, particularly in the form of teaching resources or materials, so as to ensure the translation of knowledge into practice. Though the findings are presented within the context of the six sampled schools, and focussed on Grade 11, further research may determine these findings to be informative for other institutions within similar settings.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Emergent literacy profiles of learners with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in a grade one classroom: a South African context
- Authors: Geswint, Mildred Sharmell
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Children with mental disabilities -- Education Literacy -- Study and teaching , Educational psychology Problem children -- Education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15869 , vital:28283
- Description: A vulnerable group, learners with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) within the Foundation Phase learner population, has often been neglected with regards to literacy development. These learners in many cases do not get optimal teaching and learning due to an inability of teachers to address the literacy needs adequately within the mainstream classroom context. The purpose of this study was to determine the emergent literacy profile of learners with FASD in a Grade One classroom in a selected rural farming community. This study aimed to understand the socio-economic elements that may contribute to barriers in the families of learners with FASD that contribute to the possible emergent literacy problems. As well as highlight the strengths present in the socio-economic context of these families that can be used to support learners with FASD. Bronfenbrenner’s and Morris (1977; 1992) ecological systems theory provided a framework for understanding the complexity of influences, interactions and interrelationships between an individual and various other systems that are linked to the individual. A mixed methods research design was used in order to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Multi-method data collection strategies were employed in this study. The multi-method approach involved: baseline assessment, interviews and drawings. An interpretive data analysis style was employed for the qualitative data analyses and the quantitative data analysis was statistical. The results of the quantitative and qualitative data were interpreted together. The findings suggest that the participants showed significant challenges in the areas pertaining to phonemic awareness, print awareness, oral language and reading skills. And according to the mothers’ adverse socio-economic environmental conditions also daze the effects of FASD on the learners emergent literacy profile.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Geswint, Mildred Sharmell
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Children with mental disabilities -- Education Literacy -- Study and teaching , Educational psychology Problem children -- Education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15869 , vital:28283
- Description: A vulnerable group, learners with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) within the Foundation Phase learner population, has often been neglected with regards to literacy development. These learners in many cases do not get optimal teaching and learning due to an inability of teachers to address the literacy needs adequately within the mainstream classroom context. The purpose of this study was to determine the emergent literacy profile of learners with FASD in a Grade One classroom in a selected rural farming community. This study aimed to understand the socio-economic elements that may contribute to barriers in the families of learners with FASD that contribute to the possible emergent literacy problems. As well as highlight the strengths present in the socio-economic context of these families that can be used to support learners with FASD. Bronfenbrenner’s and Morris (1977; 1992) ecological systems theory provided a framework for understanding the complexity of influences, interactions and interrelationships between an individual and various other systems that are linked to the individual. A mixed methods research design was used in order to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Multi-method data collection strategies were employed in this study. The multi-method approach involved: baseline assessment, interviews and drawings. An interpretive data analysis style was employed for the qualitative data analyses and the quantitative data analysis was statistical. The results of the quantitative and qualitative data were interpreted together. The findings suggest that the participants showed significant challenges in the areas pertaining to phonemic awareness, print awareness, oral language and reading skills. And according to the mothers’ adverse socio-economic environmental conditions also daze the effects of FASD on the learners emergent literacy profile.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Experiences of teachers in multicultural classrooms in ex-model c secondary schools
- Authors: Vermaak, Annaline
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Culturally relevant pedagogy -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Classroom environment -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Multicultural education -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14068 , vital:27414
- Description: This study examined experiences of teachers in ex-Model C secondary schools in Port Elizabeth with specific reference to the strategies adopted, challenges and rewards of teaching in diverse classrooms. It is located in the realm of diversity pedagogy and multi-cultural education and contextualized against the socio-political and colourful historical climate of education in South Africa. This study was conducted by using the qualitative research approach against the backdrop of the phenomenological design according to the interpretivist paradigm. Data were elicited through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 16 teachers from 4 ex-Model C English medium secondary schools (formerly White schools) who had experiences of teaching both pre-1994, when schools were mono-ethnic, and post-1994 when the schools were multi-ethnic. The interviews were transcribed and the rich thick data were analysed and categorized into themes and sub-themes by adopting a constant comparative method. The findings of the study indicate that teachers failed to embrace diversity to its fullest, although they did not mind teaching diverse learners. Furthermore, it is evident that they have not made concerted efforts to implement culturally responsive teaching strategies to cater for diversity in their classes as the approaches tend to be cosmetic and superficial. The findings indicate that teachers are stuck in the quagmire of business as usual-, colour-blind-, assimilationist, contributionist approaches that militate against culturally responsive pedagogy. It is recommended that teachers be empowered with skills in diversity education by various stakeholders such as School Governing Bodies, the Department of Basic Education and teacher unions so that they are better equipped to implement strategies in their classes that cater to the needs of a diverse learner population.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Vermaak, Annaline
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Culturally relevant pedagogy -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Classroom environment -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Multicultural education -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14068 , vital:27414
- Description: This study examined experiences of teachers in ex-Model C secondary schools in Port Elizabeth with specific reference to the strategies adopted, challenges and rewards of teaching in diverse classrooms. It is located in the realm of diversity pedagogy and multi-cultural education and contextualized against the socio-political and colourful historical climate of education in South Africa. This study was conducted by using the qualitative research approach against the backdrop of the phenomenological design according to the interpretivist paradigm. Data were elicited through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 16 teachers from 4 ex-Model C English medium secondary schools (formerly White schools) who had experiences of teaching both pre-1994, when schools were mono-ethnic, and post-1994 when the schools were multi-ethnic. The interviews were transcribed and the rich thick data were analysed and categorized into themes and sub-themes by adopting a constant comparative method. The findings of the study indicate that teachers failed to embrace diversity to its fullest, although they did not mind teaching diverse learners. Furthermore, it is evident that they have not made concerted efforts to implement culturally responsive teaching strategies to cater for diversity in their classes as the approaches tend to be cosmetic and superficial. The findings indicate that teachers are stuck in the quagmire of business as usual-, colour-blind-, assimilationist, contributionist approaches that militate against culturally responsive pedagogy. It is recommended that teachers be empowered with skills in diversity education by various stakeholders such as School Governing Bodies, the Department of Basic Education and teacher unions so that they are better equipped to implement strategies in their classes that cater to the needs of a diverse learner population.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Exploring a dialogic approach to writing for English second language learners
- Authors: Domingo, Jamiellah
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Dialogism (Literary analysis) , Creative writing -- Study and teaching Thought and thinking -- Study and teaching Language and languages -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/39534 , vital:35288
- Description: In South Africa, most of our children learn in a language other than their home language. Language and Literacy is thus a major concern for many of them who are trying to make meaning of literature. This study was part of a continuing community dialogic engagement project, between the university and a rural high school in Paterson, a rural settlement in the Eastern Cape. The selected school – ‘Sandhill High’ has English as the Language of Teaching and Learning (LOLT) but has predominantly isiXhosa- and a smaller number of Afrikaans home language learners. The aim of this research was to explore how English second language learners, in a rural high school engage with and experience a dialogic approach to writing as a social practice. This was firstly done by, investigating in which ways dialogic writing might encourage participation in literacy as a social practice. Secondly, exploring in which ways the choices of language might engage learners in responding to text. A qualitative, participatory case study was used to interpret the phenomena. To adequately address the research questions, this study was underpinned by Bakhtin’s theory on Dialogism, viewed through the lens of a third space. As this study was about writing, theories of literacies and second language writing were also reviewed. Dialogic journals offer reflective spaces for learners to record their thinking and because reading and writing complement each other, both need ongoing practice. The data was gathered using the dialogic journals and focus group discussions. Data was analysed in a process of thematic narrative analysis. Participation was voluntary and 16, grade 10 learners of the school participated in the study. The significance of this study was that it enabled learners to engage with texts using their choice of language to participate in dialogic journal writing as a social practice.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Domingo, Jamiellah
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Dialogism (Literary analysis) , Creative writing -- Study and teaching Thought and thinking -- Study and teaching Language and languages -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/39534 , vital:35288
- Description: In South Africa, most of our children learn in a language other than their home language. Language and Literacy is thus a major concern for many of them who are trying to make meaning of literature. This study was part of a continuing community dialogic engagement project, between the university and a rural high school in Paterson, a rural settlement in the Eastern Cape. The selected school – ‘Sandhill High’ has English as the Language of Teaching and Learning (LOLT) but has predominantly isiXhosa- and a smaller number of Afrikaans home language learners. The aim of this research was to explore how English second language learners, in a rural high school engage with and experience a dialogic approach to writing as a social practice. This was firstly done by, investigating in which ways dialogic writing might encourage participation in literacy as a social practice. Secondly, exploring in which ways the choices of language might engage learners in responding to text. A qualitative, participatory case study was used to interpret the phenomena. To adequately address the research questions, this study was underpinned by Bakhtin’s theory on Dialogism, viewed through the lens of a third space. As this study was about writing, theories of literacies and second language writing were also reviewed. Dialogic journals offer reflective spaces for learners to record their thinking and because reading and writing complement each other, both need ongoing practice. The data was gathered using the dialogic journals and focus group discussions. Data was analysed in a process of thematic narrative analysis. Participation was voluntary and 16, grade 10 learners of the school participated in the study. The significance of this study was that it enabled learners to engage with texts using their choice of language to participate in dialogic journal writing as a social practice.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Exploring National Certificate Vocational (NCV) level two learners’ misconceptions in algebraic functions through integrating GeoGebra during teaching and learning
- Authors: Ngwabe, Abongile
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Algebraic functions -- Study and teaching , Algebraic fields , Mathematical analysis -- Data processing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/33671 , vital:32963
- Description: This study focuses on exploring NCV level two learners’ misconceptions in algebraic functions through integrating GeoGebra Dynamic Software during teaching and learning. The research investigates how the integration of GeoGebra during teaching and learning algebraic functions influenced learners’ misconceptions in algebraic functions. Vygotsky’s sociocultural view of learning underpinned the process of teaching and learning during the study. The research was carried out at the TVET College in Port Elizabeth. The data was collected by means of pre-test and post-test, focus group interviews, GeoGebra intervention and observations. Created GeoGebra applets and a worksheet was used during the integration process. The data collected was analyzed and used to answer the research questions of this study. Research findings showed that the integration of GeoGebra during teaching and learning enhanced learners’ conceptual understanding in algebraic functions. There was a significance increase in the number of learners who showed ability to interpret algebraic functions based concepts after the engagement with GeoGebra applets.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Ngwabe, Abongile
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Algebraic functions -- Study and teaching , Algebraic fields , Mathematical analysis -- Data processing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/33671 , vital:32963
- Description: This study focuses on exploring NCV level two learners’ misconceptions in algebraic functions through integrating GeoGebra Dynamic Software during teaching and learning. The research investigates how the integration of GeoGebra during teaching and learning algebraic functions influenced learners’ misconceptions in algebraic functions. Vygotsky’s sociocultural view of learning underpinned the process of teaching and learning during the study. The research was carried out at the TVET College in Port Elizabeth. The data was collected by means of pre-test and post-test, focus group interviews, GeoGebra intervention and observations. Created GeoGebra applets and a worksheet was used during the integration process. The data collected was analyzed and used to answer the research questions of this study. Research findings showed that the integration of GeoGebra during teaching and learning enhanced learners’ conceptual understanding in algebraic functions. There was a significance increase in the number of learners who showed ability to interpret algebraic functions based concepts after the engagement with GeoGebra applets.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Exploring student teachers’ self-reflections on implementation of IsiXhosa literacy strategies with Grade 3 learners : a single case study approach
- Authors: Magangxa, Pretty Neliswa
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Primary school teachers -- South Africa -- Xhosa language , Education -- Curricula
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/46251 , vital:39528
- Description: Reflection is the core aspect in many teacher education programmes around the world, South Africa included. The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) regards reflection as a vital tool in integrating theoretical and practical knowledge gained in university coursework with practical knowledge obtained in the school classroom context. Literature highlighted that student teachers do not engage in reflection effectively, especially within the context of African language literacy teaching, thus they feel unprepared to deal with the complexities in classrooms. This has negative repercussions on how learners are taught and achieve their educational attainments. The main aim of this study was to explore and describe student teachers’ selfreflections on implementing isiXhosa literacy strategies with Grade 3 learners. This study further sought to understand their reflections on integrating theory and practice as well as their successes and challenges of implementing theoretical knowledge. The main argument of this study is that reflective thinking is a complex and valuable tool that can be utilised to provide quality teaching and learning. In this qualitative single case study premised on an interpretivist paradigm, I purposively selected student teachers and generated data through classroom observations, individual semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. Data was analysed through thematic analysis and two themes emerged. The findings revealed that student teachers used a learner-centred approach to teach isiXhosa literacy in Grade 3 classrooms. Moreover, it revealed that student teachers experienced curriculum demands that inhibited them from implementing isiXhosa literacy strategies efficiently. Conclusions were made based on ideas of sociocultural theory, the reflective thinking model and literature. From these findings, several recommendations were made for student teachers, literacy teacher educators, mentor teachers and policy makers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Magangxa, Pretty Neliswa
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Primary school teachers -- South Africa -- Xhosa language , Education -- Curricula
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/46251 , vital:39528
- Description: Reflection is the core aspect in many teacher education programmes around the world, South Africa included. The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) regards reflection as a vital tool in integrating theoretical and practical knowledge gained in university coursework with practical knowledge obtained in the school classroom context. Literature highlighted that student teachers do not engage in reflection effectively, especially within the context of African language literacy teaching, thus they feel unprepared to deal with the complexities in classrooms. This has negative repercussions on how learners are taught and achieve their educational attainments. The main aim of this study was to explore and describe student teachers’ selfreflections on implementing isiXhosa literacy strategies with Grade 3 learners. This study further sought to understand their reflections on integrating theory and practice as well as their successes and challenges of implementing theoretical knowledge. The main argument of this study is that reflective thinking is a complex and valuable tool that can be utilised to provide quality teaching and learning. In this qualitative single case study premised on an interpretivist paradigm, I purposively selected student teachers and generated data through classroom observations, individual semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. Data was analysed through thematic analysis and two themes emerged. The findings revealed that student teachers used a learner-centred approach to teach isiXhosa literacy in Grade 3 classrooms. Moreover, it revealed that student teachers experienced curriculum demands that inhibited them from implementing isiXhosa literacy strategies efficiently. Conclusions were made based on ideas of sociocultural theory, the reflective thinking model and literature. From these findings, several recommendations were made for student teachers, literacy teacher educators, mentor teachers and policy makers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Exploring teachers’ attitudes to implementing blended learning: a case study
- Authors: Williams, Monique
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Blended learning -- South Africa , Educational technology -- South Africa Education, Higher -- South Africa Internet in education
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/35829 , vital:33851
- Description: One of the many characteristics of the 21st century learner is that they are highly technologically skilled. This characteristic poses today’s teachers with many challenges in order to teach these learners and create optimal learning experiences. It is evident that teachers have their own preferred teaching methods which they believe work best and some teachers teach the way that they were taught at school in ways that have become part of their habitus. Blended learning is a teaching method that can promote effective learning experiences in the 21st century learning environment. This study focussed on teachers’ experiences with blended learning and their current ideas on how learners learn optimally and whether the practice of blended learning changed their ideas of learning. Furthermore, the study determined the teachers’ present technology acceptance and established teachers’ personal views regarding the challenges that teachers face to teach 21st century skills, what they think 21st century teaching is about and new insights on dealing with these challenges. Through experiencing blended learning teachers who made use of a textbook based teaching method made shifts not only to a blended approach, but also shifted their thinking away from what they prefer to what learners get out of the learning experience. Although challenges occur when using a blended teaching approach, their experiences with blended learning were mostly positive and they found learners to be more involved in the learning process. These outcomes created feelings of worthiness in the teachers since they create such positive learning opportunities for their learners. Although the teachers made shifts, some teachers continue to have a fear of technology since they had not received adequate training to incorporate technology into their teaching approaches. It is crucial for the DBE and schools to provide teachers with opportunities to improve their technological skills in order for teachers to create opportunities for blended learning experiences for the 21st century learner
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Williams, Monique
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Blended learning -- South Africa , Educational technology -- South Africa Education, Higher -- South Africa Internet in education
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/35829 , vital:33851
- Description: One of the many characteristics of the 21st century learner is that they are highly technologically skilled. This characteristic poses today’s teachers with many challenges in order to teach these learners and create optimal learning experiences. It is evident that teachers have their own preferred teaching methods which they believe work best and some teachers teach the way that they were taught at school in ways that have become part of their habitus. Blended learning is a teaching method that can promote effective learning experiences in the 21st century learning environment. This study focussed on teachers’ experiences with blended learning and their current ideas on how learners learn optimally and whether the practice of blended learning changed their ideas of learning. Furthermore, the study determined the teachers’ present technology acceptance and established teachers’ personal views regarding the challenges that teachers face to teach 21st century skills, what they think 21st century teaching is about and new insights on dealing with these challenges. Through experiencing blended learning teachers who made use of a textbook based teaching method made shifts not only to a blended approach, but also shifted their thinking away from what they prefer to what learners get out of the learning experience. Although challenges occur when using a blended teaching approach, their experiences with blended learning were mostly positive and they found learners to be more involved in the learning process. These outcomes created feelings of worthiness in the teachers since they create such positive learning opportunities for their learners. Although the teachers made shifts, some teachers continue to have a fear of technology since they had not received adequate training to incorporate technology into their teaching approaches. It is crucial for the DBE and schools to provide teachers with opportunities to improve their technological skills in order for teachers to create opportunities for blended learning experiences for the 21st century learner
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Exploring the career aspirations of youths from a rural secondary school in the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Ahmed, Leila
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Career education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45963 , vital:39395
- Description: Many inequalities still exist among those living in both rural and urban areas despite the abolishment of apartheid in 1994. Addressing these inequalities has been deemed important and require urgent attention, especially career education among rural youth, as this is a social justice issue (Watson, 2010). There also appears to be a lack of qualitative research pertaining to the aspirations of rural youth. During sessions with the research team, the teachers and school governing board (SGB) members, it was indicated that the youth in the community seem to be without hope for the future and that career aspirations were lacking. Based on the background and problem identified, the main research question of this study aimed to explore how youths in a rural secondary school perceive how they might actualise their future career aspirations. This research was set within the interpretivist and critical paradigm. Qualitative data was gathered to gain an understanding of how the participants constructed meaning with regard to ways in which they might actualise their career aspirations, the challenges they faced and pathways to overcome these challenges. This study began with nine secondary school rural youths as participants but this number decreased to four as the research progressed. Four data sets were generated, namely photovoice, participant PowerPoint artefact creation, focus group interviews and PowerPoint presentations by participants to the community, learners and school. The data was generated using a qualitative thematic analysis guided by the utilisation of Creswell’s application of Tesch’s (1990) framework. Measures were employed to ensure trustworthiness, credibility, transferability and dependability (Ary, Jacobs, Razavieh & Sorensen, 2010). Both the primary and secondary researchers had access to identical files that contained all the data that was generated and stored by the primary researcher. Ethical approval to conduct the study was obtained from the ethics committee at the university and consent was obtained in writing from all relevant parties participating. This research found that the research participants had future career aspirations that included careers in the medical field, law enforcement, business, IT as well as the music industry. The participants envisaged a hopeful future for themselves, their families, their school and the community. Their aspirations focused on transcending their current lived experiences and attaining financial stability. They wished to give back to their communities and schools to ensure a better future for all. The participants aspired to be instruments of social change. The participants were aware that they would encounter various challenges along their path to actualise their dreams. The anticipated challenges included peer-pressure and negative influences, being confronted by various social ills such as violence, drugs and alcohol, abuse and gangsterism. They understood that a lack of self-belief would lead to hopelessness. The participants were concerned that if they did not succeed at school they would not be promoted to the next grade. They also indicated that parental involvement was a challenge and that they did not receive adequate support from their parents. The participants also mentioned that underperforming teachers and conflict with the SGB could derail their career aspirations. They were also concerned about their lack of financial means, as they did not have the necessary funding to gain access to a university but were aware of ways to overcome these challenges. They indicated that drawing on the spiritual domain is important to them and this included the church and their faith in God as a means to overcome their challenges. Education was also key to actualise their aspirations and the participants mentioned that being focused at school and knowing that education has the potential to open doors served as a form of motivation. They were prepared to work hard to succeed at school. It was important for their teachers to be committed, as this would assist in ensuring their success. They indicated the importance of having access to social capital through networking. This included guidance, support and mentoring, as well as using social media to inform society of their plight in order to receive encouragement and support. It was also noted that the aspirations project of which they were part, afforded the participants with transformative possibilities, as they began to critically reflect on the future. They shared their vision, hope and goals with those around them, which further motivated them to aspire to achieving their goals. The participants became selfconfident as a result of their new abilities. They were open to exploring alternative career opportunities and developed a sense of self-belief that they can realise their goals. The participants began to take a stand, as they were aware that agency begins with them. The findings revealed that the rural youth, their parents, the school as a whole, the life orientation teacher(s), the school principal, the school governing body, the community as well as the Department of Basic Education could guide them and assist rural secondary youths to actualise their aspirations.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Ahmed, Leila
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Career education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45963 , vital:39395
- Description: Many inequalities still exist among those living in both rural and urban areas despite the abolishment of apartheid in 1994. Addressing these inequalities has been deemed important and require urgent attention, especially career education among rural youth, as this is a social justice issue (Watson, 2010). There also appears to be a lack of qualitative research pertaining to the aspirations of rural youth. During sessions with the research team, the teachers and school governing board (SGB) members, it was indicated that the youth in the community seem to be without hope for the future and that career aspirations were lacking. Based on the background and problem identified, the main research question of this study aimed to explore how youths in a rural secondary school perceive how they might actualise their future career aspirations. This research was set within the interpretivist and critical paradigm. Qualitative data was gathered to gain an understanding of how the participants constructed meaning with regard to ways in which they might actualise their career aspirations, the challenges they faced and pathways to overcome these challenges. This study began with nine secondary school rural youths as participants but this number decreased to four as the research progressed. Four data sets were generated, namely photovoice, participant PowerPoint artefact creation, focus group interviews and PowerPoint presentations by participants to the community, learners and school. The data was generated using a qualitative thematic analysis guided by the utilisation of Creswell’s application of Tesch’s (1990) framework. Measures were employed to ensure trustworthiness, credibility, transferability and dependability (Ary, Jacobs, Razavieh & Sorensen, 2010). Both the primary and secondary researchers had access to identical files that contained all the data that was generated and stored by the primary researcher. Ethical approval to conduct the study was obtained from the ethics committee at the university and consent was obtained in writing from all relevant parties participating. This research found that the research participants had future career aspirations that included careers in the medical field, law enforcement, business, IT as well as the music industry. The participants envisaged a hopeful future for themselves, their families, their school and the community. Their aspirations focused on transcending their current lived experiences and attaining financial stability. They wished to give back to their communities and schools to ensure a better future for all. The participants aspired to be instruments of social change. The participants were aware that they would encounter various challenges along their path to actualise their dreams. The anticipated challenges included peer-pressure and negative influences, being confronted by various social ills such as violence, drugs and alcohol, abuse and gangsterism. They understood that a lack of self-belief would lead to hopelessness. The participants were concerned that if they did not succeed at school they would not be promoted to the next grade. They also indicated that parental involvement was a challenge and that they did not receive adequate support from their parents. The participants also mentioned that underperforming teachers and conflict with the SGB could derail their career aspirations. They were also concerned about their lack of financial means, as they did not have the necessary funding to gain access to a university but were aware of ways to overcome these challenges. They indicated that drawing on the spiritual domain is important to them and this included the church and their faith in God as a means to overcome their challenges. Education was also key to actualise their aspirations and the participants mentioned that being focused at school and knowing that education has the potential to open doors served as a form of motivation. They were prepared to work hard to succeed at school. It was important for their teachers to be committed, as this would assist in ensuring their success. They indicated the importance of having access to social capital through networking. This included guidance, support and mentoring, as well as using social media to inform society of their plight in order to receive encouragement and support. It was also noted that the aspirations project of which they were part, afforded the participants with transformative possibilities, as they began to critically reflect on the future. They shared their vision, hope and goals with those around them, which further motivated them to aspire to achieving their goals. The participants became selfconfident as a result of their new abilities. They were open to exploring alternative career opportunities and developed a sense of self-belief that they can realise their goals. The participants began to take a stand, as they were aware that agency begins with them. The findings revealed that the rural youth, their parents, the school as a whole, the life orientation teacher(s), the school principal, the school governing body, the community as well as the Department of Basic Education could guide them and assist rural secondary youths to actualise their aspirations.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Exploring the perceptions of School Governing Bodies towards foundation phase male teachers in Eastern Cape schools
- Authors: Kagola, Obakeng
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Male teachers -- South Africa , Primary school teaching -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/46239 , vital:39518
- Description: Since the adoption and implementation of the South African Schools Act of (1996), School Governing Bodies (SGBs) have been provided with the powers to recommend the employment of teachers in schools. Moreover, SGBs are also required to have an impact on the promotion of diversity in schools through the employment of teachers in a non-discriminatory way. However, two decades since SASA of 1996, Foundation Phase teaching remains dominated by females. Literature in the South African context posits that gendered schooling practices still exist in the differentiated opportunities of the employment of teachers. Particularly male teachers eager to teach in the foundation phase in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and North West Province. The study sought to explore the perceptions of SGB members towards foundation phase male teachers in the Eastern Cape schools. This study employed Participatory Visual Research Methodologies (PVRM), as its research design and was underpinned by the critical paradigm. It utilised a participatory method, collages and a focus group discussion to generate data with five SGB members from three purposively selected schools in the Eastern Cape. The study utilised a feminist post-structural theory in the analysis of findings. The findings revealed three themes, which are; (1) Males are not seen as good caregivers, (2) Foundation phase male teachers are seen as multifaceted and lastly (3) Male teachers are seen as not suitable for Foundation Phase teaching. Each of the above findings offers recommendations to the following stakeholders, the Department of Basic Education (DBE), Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and for future research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Kagola, Obakeng
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Male teachers -- South Africa , Primary school teaching -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/46239 , vital:39518
- Description: Since the adoption and implementation of the South African Schools Act of (1996), School Governing Bodies (SGBs) have been provided with the powers to recommend the employment of teachers in schools. Moreover, SGBs are also required to have an impact on the promotion of diversity in schools through the employment of teachers in a non-discriminatory way. However, two decades since SASA of 1996, Foundation Phase teaching remains dominated by females. Literature in the South African context posits that gendered schooling practices still exist in the differentiated opportunities of the employment of teachers. Particularly male teachers eager to teach in the foundation phase in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and North West Province. The study sought to explore the perceptions of SGB members towards foundation phase male teachers in the Eastern Cape schools. This study employed Participatory Visual Research Methodologies (PVRM), as its research design and was underpinned by the critical paradigm. It utilised a participatory method, collages and a focus group discussion to generate data with five SGB members from three purposively selected schools in the Eastern Cape. The study utilised a feminist post-structural theory in the analysis of findings. The findings revealed three themes, which are; (1) Males are not seen as good caregivers, (2) Foundation phase male teachers are seen as multifaceted and lastly (3) Male teachers are seen as not suitable for Foundation Phase teaching. Each of the above findings offers recommendations to the following stakeholders, the Department of Basic Education (DBE), Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and for future research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Exploring the use of participatory visual methods in teaching sexuality education within the HIV and AIDS education programme in selected Kenyan secondary schools
- Yego, Lily Jerotich, Opata, Violet, Sathorar, Heloise
- Authors: Yego, Lily Jerotich , Opata, Violet , Sathorar, Heloise
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Sex instruction -- Kenya , Teaching -- Aids and devices AIDS (Disease) -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Kenya Sex instruction for children
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13414 , vital:27183
- Description: The HIV and AIDS prevalence in Kenya is still high and remains a major health concern despite the Kenyan government’s initiatives to create awareness about the epidemic through inclusion of the HIV and AIDS programme in schools. This is because the provision of sexuality, HIV and AIDS education in schools is not effective. Teachers face various challenges in the effective delivery of the subject due to their discomfort related to these sensitive topics. Therefore, learners are left inadequately supported by the teachers. With an immense variety of conflicting information about sexuality availed to young people through the social media and also through their peers, young people are left at risk of exploring their sexualities with inadequate and wrong information, thus exposing them to HIV infections. Since schools have been identified as ideal sites for the effective delivery of sexuality, HIV and AIDS education, teachers are expected to teach the learners using a variety of pedagogical strategies in order to achieve efficacy in the delivery of this subject, hence the need to explore teaching styles that could provide a safe space for the effective delivery of sexuality, HIV and AIDS education. This study sought to explore teachers’ experiences of using participatory visual methods in teaching sexuality education within the HIV and AIDS education programme in selected Kenyan secondary schools, in order to understand how such methods could affect the teaching of Sexuality education. This study employed a phenomenological research design, interpretivist paradigm and a participatory methodology. Memory accounts, reflective journals and focus group discussions were used for data generation with nine secondary school teachers, from three purposively selected schools in Kenya. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory underpinned the study. The findings revealed that teachers are uncomfortable teaching sexuality education because of fear of leading learners astray, fear of victimization and sexualization, and fear of misleading and hurting learners because of lack of knowledge. This resulted in teachers feeling guilty due to ineffective delivery of Sexuality education. The findings also revealed that participatory visual methods were effective for use by the teachers and the learners in the classroom to navigate issues around sexuality, HIV and AIDS. This was because they are learner-centred, thus making learners producers of knowledge while at the same time encouraging optimism in teaching and learning. This study thus recommends pre-service teacher training on participatory methods of teaching. Educational institutions should also arrange for workshops to train in-service teachers on comprehensive sexuality, HIV and AIDS education and how to tackle it in their classrooms. Moreover, curriculum developers should make sexuality, HIV and AIDS education a compulsory subject to give it equal status with other examinable subjects, for it to be taken seriously. It is only through concerted efforts from everyone that Kenya can reach its target of Zero new HIV infections.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Yego, Lily Jerotich , Opata, Violet , Sathorar, Heloise
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Sex instruction -- Kenya , Teaching -- Aids and devices AIDS (Disease) -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Kenya Sex instruction for children
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13414 , vital:27183
- Description: The HIV and AIDS prevalence in Kenya is still high and remains a major health concern despite the Kenyan government’s initiatives to create awareness about the epidemic through inclusion of the HIV and AIDS programme in schools. This is because the provision of sexuality, HIV and AIDS education in schools is not effective. Teachers face various challenges in the effective delivery of the subject due to their discomfort related to these sensitive topics. Therefore, learners are left inadequately supported by the teachers. With an immense variety of conflicting information about sexuality availed to young people through the social media and also through their peers, young people are left at risk of exploring their sexualities with inadequate and wrong information, thus exposing them to HIV infections. Since schools have been identified as ideal sites for the effective delivery of sexuality, HIV and AIDS education, teachers are expected to teach the learners using a variety of pedagogical strategies in order to achieve efficacy in the delivery of this subject, hence the need to explore teaching styles that could provide a safe space for the effective delivery of sexuality, HIV and AIDS education. This study sought to explore teachers’ experiences of using participatory visual methods in teaching sexuality education within the HIV and AIDS education programme in selected Kenyan secondary schools, in order to understand how such methods could affect the teaching of Sexuality education. This study employed a phenomenological research design, interpretivist paradigm and a participatory methodology. Memory accounts, reflective journals and focus group discussions were used for data generation with nine secondary school teachers, from three purposively selected schools in Kenya. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory underpinned the study. The findings revealed that teachers are uncomfortable teaching sexuality education because of fear of leading learners astray, fear of victimization and sexualization, and fear of misleading and hurting learners because of lack of knowledge. This resulted in teachers feeling guilty due to ineffective delivery of Sexuality education. The findings also revealed that participatory visual methods were effective for use by the teachers and the learners in the classroom to navigate issues around sexuality, HIV and AIDS. This was because they are learner-centred, thus making learners producers of knowledge while at the same time encouraging optimism in teaching and learning. This study thus recommends pre-service teacher training on participatory methods of teaching. Educational institutions should also arrange for workshops to train in-service teachers on comprehensive sexuality, HIV and AIDS education and how to tackle it in their classrooms. Moreover, curriculum developers should make sexuality, HIV and AIDS education a compulsory subject to give it equal status with other examinable subjects, for it to be taken seriously. It is only through concerted efforts from everyone that Kenya can reach its target of Zero new HIV infections.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Indigenous knowledge in the school curriculum: teacher educator perceptions of place and position
- Ronoh, Janet Chepchirchir, Siebenhuner, Bernd
- Authors: Ronoh, Janet Chepchirchir , Siebenhuner, Bernd
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Education -- Curricula -- Africa , Curriculum planning -- Africa Curriculum change -- Africa Ethnoscience -- Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19971 , vital:29015
- Description: Post-colonial school curricula in Africa, which are mostly dominated by western values, knowledge and pedagogies at the expense of indigenous knowledge (IK) and epistemologies, remain a major area of concern in education. After decades of debate on the relevance of IK and its suitability for integration in school curricula, there appears to be a shift in paradigm towards recognising indigenous ways of knowing and transforming curricula towards using inclusive, contextual and practical content and pedagogies that reflect the changing needs of African society. Despite specific provisions in the South African and Kenyan constitutions and education policy documents, the development and implementation of IK integrated curricula remains a major concern. Teacher educators are important stakeholders in terms of the integration of IK and, as such, this qualitative study, which is framed within an interpretivist philosophical view and draws on a case study methodology, explores teacher educators‘ perceptions of value, place and position of IK in the school curriculum. The samples, which were drawn from two African universities, one in South Africa and one in Kenya, comprised ten purposively selected teacher educators from local indigenous communities in each university. Data were generated via a semi-structured questionnaire, a modified focus group discussion (Imbizo/Baraza) process, and individual semi-structured interviews. The data generated were analysed thematically and revealed that the participating teacher educators have shared conceptual understandings of indigenous knowledge and advocate for more inclusive appropriation and integration of indigenous languages, agriculture, herbal medicine, technological and scientific indigenous knowledge items that they feel are still marginalised in the school curriculum of their respective countries. An inclusive education approach was proposed in which both modern knowledge and IK are intertwined in the curriculum in order to serve the current needs of indigenous cultures and society in general.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Ronoh, Janet Chepchirchir , Siebenhuner, Bernd
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Education -- Curricula -- Africa , Curriculum planning -- Africa Curriculum change -- Africa Ethnoscience -- Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19971 , vital:29015
- Description: Post-colonial school curricula in Africa, which are mostly dominated by western values, knowledge and pedagogies at the expense of indigenous knowledge (IK) and epistemologies, remain a major area of concern in education. After decades of debate on the relevance of IK and its suitability for integration in school curricula, there appears to be a shift in paradigm towards recognising indigenous ways of knowing and transforming curricula towards using inclusive, contextual and practical content and pedagogies that reflect the changing needs of African society. Despite specific provisions in the South African and Kenyan constitutions and education policy documents, the development and implementation of IK integrated curricula remains a major concern. Teacher educators are important stakeholders in terms of the integration of IK and, as such, this qualitative study, which is framed within an interpretivist philosophical view and draws on a case study methodology, explores teacher educators‘ perceptions of value, place and position of IK in the school curriculum. The samples, which were drawn from two African universities, one in South Africa and one in Kenya, comprised ten purposively selected teacher educators from local indigenous communities in each university. Data were generated via a semi-structured questionnaire, a modified focus group discussion (Imbizo/Baraza) process, and individual semi-structured interviews. The data generated were analysed thematically and revealed that the participating teacher educators have shared conceptual understandings of indigenous knowledge and advocate for more inclusive appropriation and integration of indigenous languages, agriculture, herbal medicine, technological and scientific indigenous knowledge items that they feel are still marginalised in the school curriculum of their respective countries. An inclusive education approach was proposed in which both modern knowledge and IK are intertwined in the curriculum in order to serve the current needs of indigenous cultures and society in general.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Innovative teaching strategies for empowering foundation phase teachers in an inclusive classroom
- Authors: Kusterer, Gail Lee
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Inclusive education -- South Africa , Teachers -- Training of -- South Africa Classroom management -- South Africa Foundation phase
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/30951 , vital:31234
- Description: The introduction of Inclusive Education into South African schools has been fraught with difficulty and this, coupled with the poor matric pass rate, has become a cause for major concern. Many teachers are unprepared for the challenge of teaching learners with diverse learning needs. Innovative and creative teaching strategies need to be implemented in order to address the learning needs of all the learners so that all learners can achieve their maximum potential and exit school with the school leaving certificate they seek. Consequently, the aim of this research was to identify creative and innovative teaching strategies which could be implemented by teachers in order to address this diversity. Furthermore, it was hoped that such creative teaching strategies would encourage cognitive learning whereby the study material was fully comprehended and could be used by the learners in different contexts. Music and games were identified as innovative and creative ways in which learners could be encouraged to apply the study material to mock real-life scenarios without having to suffer the consequences of incorrect choices. Since all children love to sing and play, it was believed that the introduction of music and games into the classroom would put the fun back into learning. The study was a qualitative study, with Grade Three teachers, learners and their parents being the participants. The data was generated through the use of observations, a teacher journal, questionnaires and focus group interviews. The findings of this study indicated that the learners benefitted from the introduction of music and games into the classroom as they began to read, write and do calculations more effectively. Not only did their academic skills improve, but music and games had the incidental positive consequence of improving their behaviour. This meant that they were better able to comply with classroom rules and conducted their relationships with others in a more respectful and understanding manner. The study concludes with suggestions on strategies that can be implemented by teachers and parents in order to improve the learning and behaviour of the learners. An improvement in the overall academic achievement of the learners may result in an improvement in the matric pass rate in South Africa as a whole, as well as an improvement in tolerance for and understanding of our fellow man.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Kusterer, Gail Lee
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Inclusive education -- South Africa , Teachers -- Training of -- South Africa Classroom management -- South Africa Foundation phase
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/30951 , vital:31234
- Description: The introduction of Inclusive Education into South African schools has been fraught with difficulty and this, coupled with the poor matric pass rate, has become a cause for major concern. Many teachers are unprepared for the challenge of teaching learners with diverse learning needs. Innovative and creative teaching strategies need to be implemented in order to address the learning needs of all the learners so that all learners can achieve their maximum potential and exit school with the school leaving certificate they seek. Consequently, the aim of this research was to identify creative and innovative teaching strategies which could be implemented by teachers in order to address this diversity. Furthermore, it was hoped that such creative teaching strategies would encourage cognitive learning whereby the study material was fully comprehended and could be used by the learners in different contexts. Music and games were identified as innovative and creative ways in which learners could be encouraged to apply the study material to mock real-life scenarios without having to suffer the consequences of incorrect choices. Since all children love to sing and play, it was believed that the introduction of music and games into the classroom would put the fun back into learning. The study was a qualitative study, with Grade Three teachers, learners and their parents being the participants. The data was generated through the use of observations, a teacher journal, questionnaires and focus group interviews. The findings of this study indicated that the learners benefitted from the introduction of music and games into the classroom as they began to read, write and do calculations more effectively. Not only did their academic skills improve, but music and games had the incidental positive consequence of improving their behaviour. This meant that they were better able to comply with classroom rules and conducted their relationships with others in a more respectful and understanding manner. The study concludes with suggestions on strategies that can be implemented by teachers and parents in order to improve the learning and behaviour of the learners. An improvement in the overall academic achievement of the learners may result in an improvement in the matric pass rate in South Africa as a whole, as well as an improvement in tolerance for and understanding of our fellow man.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Kikuyu male teachers’ constructions of manhood in Nyandarua county, Kenya: implications for HIV and AIDS education
- Authors: Karanja, Ann Waithera
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Teachers -- Kenya -- Attitudes , HIV (Viruses) -- Study and teaching -- Kenya AIDS (Disease) -- Study and teaching -- Kenya Kikuyu (African people) -- Study and teaching -- Kenya Men in education -- Kenya
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17702 , vital:28438
- Description: The HIV and AIDS epidemic continues to ravage communities worldwide and is a major crisis particularly in Kenya, the fourth highly affected country in the world in terms of the number of people living with HIV. There is therefore an urgent need in Kenya to reduce HIV infections and educational systems have been identified as best placed to do so. In spite of having HIV and AIDS educational interventions, youths in Kenya still remain at the highest risk of HIV infection. There is therefore a need for more effective educational programmes that address socio-cultural beliefs and practices to be realized. It is also critical to understand how gender identities particularly, masculinity constructions play out in teachers’ identity formations and classroom dynamics. This study was conducted in Nyandarua County, Kenya and explores the implications of Kikuyu male rural secondary school teachers’ constructions of manhood on their teaching of sexuality education within the HIV and AIDS education curriculum. This qualitative study was framed within the constructivist paradigm and draws on a phenomenological design. Eighteen Kikuyu male teachers from six different schools were purposively selected. The data was generated by use of drawings, memory work and focus group discussion, and was analysed using thematic analysis. Ethical measures were adhered to and trustworthiness was ensured throughout the study. The Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was used as the methodological and analytical tool for this study. The results of the study revealed that the constructions of masculinity amongst the Kikuyu male rural secondary school teachers involved in the study were deeply embedded into the Kikuyu socio-cultural beliefs and practices. This then influenced how they mediate their masculinities and experience themselves as men, as sexual beings and as teachers. The study also revealed that the teachers bring to the classroom internalised masculinity constructions acquired through interaction with the socio-cultural context. This in turn influences what is taught in HIV and AIDS education classes, and how it is taught. The study concludes that socio-cultural gender formations do shape the assertiveness and the self-efficacy of teachers in teaching about sexuality and HIV and AIDS. This suggests that HIV and AIDS intervention programmes should pay attention to socio-cultural beliefs and practices and be locally, culturally and contextually situated. This also calls for effective and sustainable teacher training, for teachers to be able to reflect upon their own attitudes, feelings, beliefs, experiences and behaviours and teach in ways that contribute to the fight against HIV transmission.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Karanja, Ann Waithera
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Teachers -- Kenya -- Attitudes , HIV (Viruses) -- Study and teaching -- Kenya AIDS (Disease) -- Study and teaching -- Kenya Kikuyu (African people) -- Study and teaching -- Kenya Men in education -- Kenya
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17702 , vital:28438
- Description: The HIV and AIDS epidemic continues to ravage communities worldwide and is a major crisis particularly in Kenya, the fourth highly affected country in the world in terms of the number of people living with HIV. There is therefore an urgent need in Kenya to reduce HIV infections and educational systems have been identified as best placed to do so. In spite of having HIV and AIDS educational interventions, youths in Kenya still remain at the highest risk of HIV infection. There is therefore a need for more effective educational programmes that address socio-cultural beliefs and practices to be realized. It is also critical to understand how gender identities particularly, masculinity constructions play out in teachers’ identity formations and classroom dynamics. This study was conducted in Nyandarua County, Kenya and explores the implications of Kikuyu male rural secondary school teachers’ constructions of manhood on their teaching of sexuality education within the HIV and AIDS education curriculum. This qualitative study was framed within the constructivist paradigm and draws on a phenomenological design. Eighteen Kikuyu male teachers from six different schools were purposively selected. The data was generated by use of drawings, memory work and focus group discussion, and was analysed using thematic analysis. Ethical measures were adhered to and trustworthiness was ensured throughout the study. The Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was used as the methodological and analytical tool for this study. The results of the study revealed that the constructions of masculinity amongst the Kikuyu male rural secondary school teachers involved in the study were deeply embedded into the Kikuyu socio-cultural beliefs and practices. This then influenced how they mediate their masculinities and experience themselves as men, as sexual beings and as teachers. The study also revealed that the teachers bring to the classroom internalised masculinity constructions acquired through interaction with the socio-cultural context. This in turn influences what is taught in HIV and AIDS education classes, and how it is taught. The study concludes that socio-cultural gender formations do shape the assertiveness and the self-efficacy of teachers in teaching about sexuality and HIV and AIDS. This suggests that HIV and AIDS intervention programmes should pay attention to socio-cultural beliefs and practices and be locally, culturally and contextually situated. This also calls for effective and sustainable teacher training, for teachers to be able to reflect upon their own attitudes, feelings, beliefs, experiences and behaviours and teach in ways that contribute to the fight against HIV transmission.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Knowledge and knower structures in relation to reproductive and sexual health in school curricula of Kenya and South Africa
- Authors: Chemwor, Ezekiel Kiplimo
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Curriculum planning -- Kenya , Curriculum planning -- South Africa Education -- Study and teaching Reproductive health -- Study and teaching -- Kenya Reproductive health -- Study and teaching -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14884 , vital:27893
- Description: This study investigates the Reproductive and Sexual Health (RSH) knowledge as recontextualised in the school curricula of Kenya and South Africa. It sets to provide a holistic view of RSH by bringing to the fore the underlying principles structuring the legitimation of RSH knowledge and knowing in both curricula. More importantly, it provides a deeper understanding of what RSH concepts have to be known and what kind of ideal learner is being projected in the two curricula. The study sets out to answer the following two research questions: How is knowledge related to RSH legitimated in the South African and Kenyan school curricula? How are knowers related to RSH legitimated in the South African and Kenyan school curricula? Being located in the Official Recontextualisation Field of Bernstein’s pedagogic device, this study uses Bernstein’s knowledge structure approach and Legitimation Code Theory: Specialisation as theoretical framework. LCT: Specialisation codes provided a means of developing external languages of description or translation devices to build a requisite analytical framework for revealing the knowledge-knower structures legitimated in the two curricula. The study employs a multi-site case study research design with RSH knowledge and knowers in school curriculum being the case, and Kenya and South Africa as the two sites in the case study. The purpose of looking at the curricula from both countries was not specifically to compare the contents of the curricula documents, but rather to enable broader consideration of the ways in which they position RSH knowledge. The study found that RSH, as an interdisciplinary concept, is faced by a tension in its knowledge-knower structure across the curriculum levels. The biological component of the RSH concepts, has a hierarchical knowledge structure with a knowledge code that exhibited a purist insight as well as a horizontal knower structure that embodied a trained gaze, while the psychological component has a horizontal knowledge structure with a hierarchical knower structure that embodied a cultivated gaze.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Chemwor, Ezekiel Kiplimo
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Curriculum planning -- Kenya , Curriculum planning -- South Africa Education -- Study and teaching Reproductive health -- Study and teaching -- Kenya Reproductive health -- Study and teaching -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14884 , vital:27893
- Description: This study investigates the Reproductive and Sexual Health (RSH) knowledge as recontextualised in the school curricula of Kenya and South Africa. It sets to provide a holistic view of RSH by bringing to the fore the underlying principles structuring the legitimation of RSH knowledge and knowing in both curricula. More importantly, it provides a deeper understanding of what RSH concepts have to be known and what kind of ideal learner is being projected in the two curricula. The study sets out to answer the following two research questions: How is knowledge related to RSH legitimated in the South African and Kenyan school curricula? How are knowers related to RSH legitimated in the South African and Kenyan school curricula? Being located in the Official Recontextualisation Field of Bernstein’s pedagogic device, this study uses Bernstein’s knowledge structure approach and Legitimation Code Theory: Specialisation as theoretical framework. LCT: Specialisation codes provided a means of developing external languages of description or translation devices to build a requisite analytical framework for revealing the knowledge-knower structures legitimated in the two curricula. The study employs a multi-site case study research design with RSH knowledge and knowers in school curriculum being the case, and Kenya and South Africa as the two sites in the case study. The purpose of looking at the curricula from both countries was not specifically to compare the contents of the curricula documents, but rather to enable broader consideration of the ways in which they position RSH knowledge. The study found that RSH, as an interdisciplinary concept, is faced by a tension in its knowledge-knower structure across the curriculum levels. The biological component of the RSH concepts, has a hierarchical knowledge structure with a knowledge code that exhibited a purist insight as well as a horizontal knower structure that embodied a trained gaze, while the psychological component has a horizontal knowledge structure with a hierarchical knower structure that embodied a cultivated gaze.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Plagiarism in master of education studies at selected East African Universities
- Authors: Ramadhan, Zainabu
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Plagiarism -- Africa , Imitation in literature Education, Higher -- Moral and ethical aspects College students -- Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20581 , vital:29324
- Description: Plagiarism is a form of academic misconduct and is a problematic phenomenon which affects academia globally. Even though the origins of the concept of plagiarism can be traced back throughout history, the term has come to carry many varying implications. This may affect the ways in which plagiarism is understood, detected and prosecuted by the parties it involves, such as students, academics and in policies. Despite its origin in Western tradition, this form of academic malpractice is prominent in African universities. In its most basic definition as theft of intellectual property, plagiarism is intertwined intricately with ownership of knowledge, which is culturally specific. This study situates itself within the context of three African universities, namely Moi University (Kenya), Makerere University (Uganda) and the University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), and aims to explore anti-plagiarism strategies implemented at these institutions. More specifically, this study focuses on Master of Education students’ perceptions of plagiarism, the supervisors’ role in preventing and detecting such malpractice and the institutional disciplinary practices in place. This study analyses the possible reasons for the continuous occurrence of plagiarism at these institutions and aims to explore the potential of further strategies to prevent the various forms of malpractice. This research is a qualitative study and uses the constructivist paradigm. The research design is a multiple case study because the data collected originates from the contexts of the three selected universities. The data generation was conducted through triangulation of personal interviews with the students, lecturers and policy-makers as well as through focus group discussions with students and document analysis. Three methods of sampling were employed. The student participants were selected through convenient sampling, the supervisors were chosen through purposive sampling and snowballing was used to identify policy-makers. The data analysis was conducted thematically. In discussing the methodology and findings, Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural theory (1978) is employed. The introductory chapter provides an overview of the complexities of plagiarism and problematizes its implications. Chapter two outlines the relevant literature and contextualizes the research topic. The third chapter introduces the methodology. Chapter four presents the data collected. Thereafter, chapter five focuses on the interpretation and the discussion of the data. The last chapter draws conclusions in relation to the research questions and suggests areas for further research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Ramadhan, Zainabu
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Plagiarism -- Africa , Imitation in literature Education, Higher -- Moral and ethical aspects College students -- Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20581 , vital:29324
- Description: Plagiarism is a form of academic misconduct and is a problematic phenomenon which affects academia globally. Even though the origins of the concept of plagiarism can be traced back throughout history, the term has come to carry many varying implications. This may affect the ways in which plagiarism is understood, detected and prosecuted by the parties it involves, such as students, academics and in policies. Despite its origin in Western tradition, this form of academic malpractice is prominent in African universities. In its most basic definition as theft of intellectual property, plagiarism is intertwined intricately with ownership of knowledge, which is culturally specific. This study situates itself within the context of three African universities, namely Moi University (Kenya), Makerere University (Uganda) and the University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), and aims to explore anti-plagiarism strategies implemented at these institutions. More specifically, this study focuses on Master of Education students’ perceptions of plagiarism, the supervisors’ role in preventing and detecting such malpractice and the institutional disciplinary practices in place. This study analyses the possible reasons for the continuous occurrence of plagiarism at these institutions and aims to explore the potential of further strategies to prevent the various forms of malpractice. This research is a qualitative study and uses the constructivist paradigm. The research design is a multiple case study because the data collected originates from the contexts of the three selected universities. The data generation was conducted through triangulation of personal interviews with the students, lecturers and policy-makers as well as through focus group discussions with students and document analysis. Three methods of sampling were employed. The student participants were selected through convenient sampling, the supervisors were chosen through purposive sampling and snowballing was used to identify policy-makers. The data analysis was conducted thematically. In discussing the methodology and findings, Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural theory (1978) is employed. The introductory chapter provides an overview of the complexities of plagiarism and problematizes its implications. Chapter two outlines the relevant literature and contextualizes the research topic. The third chapter introduces the methodology. Chapter four presents the data collected. Thereafter, chapter five focuses on the interpretation and the discussion of the data. The last chapter draws conclusions in relation to the research questions and suggests areas for further research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017