Research in Social Sciences and Technology (E-Journals)
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The Impact of the Pandemic on Digital Literacy Skills for Online Teaching in Zimbabwean Schools: A Mixed-Methods Research Approach
Full text linkThe COVID-19 pandemic has forced a rapid shift to online teaching and learning, presenting challenges for teachers in developing countries such as Zimbabwe. This study employed a sequential mixed-methods research approach to explore how rural Zimbabwean teachers relate to digital technologies and how their digital literacy skills impacted their online teaching during the pandemic. An online questionnaire was administered to a purposeful sample of 100 teachers, followed by telephone interviews with ten key informants selected through cluster sampling. The findings revealed that limited digital literacy skills and socioeconomic factors were major barriers for rural secondary school teachers in accessing, creating, evaluating, and sharing teaching information with their learners. This study highlights the need for increased support to enhance teachers' technological knowledge in the face of complex demands for digital literacy, exacerbated by unprecedented challenges such as worldwide pandemics. The mixed-methods research approach allowed for a comprehensive investigation of this complex educational problem, drawing on qualitative and quantitative perspectives to capture the historical context and multifaceted nature of teachers' challenges in integrating digital technologies into their teaching practices
Examining the Assistance Needed by Prison Students to Succeed in their Distance Education Studies
Full text linkThis study investigates the educational experiences of twelve jailed students in prison in Namibia, with a specific emphasis on identifying the factors necessary for their academic achievement. The study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the jailed students' perspectives on the impact of education, utilizing audio-recorded interviews. The interviews were meticulously transcribed verbatim by an English-speaking transcriber to ensure the utmost accuracy and thoroughness in documenting the participants' narratives. The author employed an interpretive paradigm to analyze and delve into the subjective meanings and experiences of the pupils. This methodology enabled a comprehensive understanding of the influence of educational programs on the lives of jailed inmates, potentially aiding in their rehabilitation and successful reintegration into society. The findings offer unique insights into the significant influence that education may have in correctional settings, revealing the challenges and accomplishments encountered by incarcerated students. This study contributes to the broader discourse on education in prisons by focusing on the real-life experiences of prisoners. It highlights the need to provide jailed individuals educational opportunities to facilitate their personal and professional development. This study emphasizes the significance of tailored educational interventions in prisons to foster advantageous outcomes for incarcerated persons and society.  
Maintaining Learner Discipline in Secondary Schools: How School Management Teams Employ Collaborative Strategies to Sustain Learner Discipline
Full text linkIndiscipline remains a bone of contention in schools across the world. The preponderance of literature associated with indiscipline highlights its severity and the frequency of its manifestation rendering it a global problem. The frequency of indiscipline in the African continent has also made the spotlight in educational research undertaken by various scholars. The literature presents a general conception of the lack of discipline in South African schools. Since the post-dispensation of the education system in South Africa, school management teams have been tasked with managing discipline in schools. Research suggests that school management teams have established, and are currently implementing, strategies to manage learner discipline. Yet, despite the implementation of these strategies, the persistence of indiscipline in schools across South Africa remains a reality. Therefore, strategies need to be used to sustain learner discipline in schools. This study explored collaborative strategies to maintain learner discipline in secondary schools in the ILembe education district. This study is grounded in the Collaborative Leadership Theory. The sample size comprised 24 secondary schools in the ILembe education district. Four participants per school were selected, yielding 96 participants consisting of the principal, one deputy principal, and two departmental heads per school. The participants were selected through simple random sampling. A qualitative research approach was used for this study. The study revealed that collaborative leadership was employed by School Management Teams (SMTs) to lead collaborations in schools to sustain learner discipline. It is recommended that a collaborative leadership approach be adopted to encourage stakeholders to approach all aspects of school management in partnership with stakeholders with a vested interest in the school. 
The Role of Forums in Enhancing Vocabulary Acquisition in English as Foreign Language Classrooms
Full text linkThis study investigated the effectiveness of online forum-based collaborative learning versus traditional instructional methods for vocabulary acquisition among English as a foreign language learners. Twenty-one first-year translation and interpreting students participated in a comparative study examining two distinct vocabulary teaching approaches. For tourism vocabulary, students engaged in collaborative forum activities comprising writing descriptive texts and responding to peers’ posts using 15 target lexical items. For media vocabulary, students received traditional instruction through individual exercises and instructor-led activities. The delayed assessments revealed significant differences in vocabulary retention. Students demonstrated a 62% lexical utilization rate following forum-based instruction compared to 35% following traditional methods, representing a 75.5% improvement. The forum-based approach facilitates functional lexical acquisition with appropriate semantic and pragmatic deployment. These findings support sociocultural theory and the interaction hypothesis, suggesting that collaborative forum environments create effective digital zones of proximal development, where meaningful peer interactions enhance vocabulary learning. This study provides empirical evidence that asynchronous online forums significantly outperform conventional vocabulary instruction by promoting deeper lexical processing through collaborative meaning negotiation. 
Virtual Class Truancy in a South African Higher Education Institution: Voices from the Students
Full text linkAcademics in higher education institutions provide virtual classes as part of student support initiatives. The problem, however, is that there are persistent complaints from lecturers that students do not attend virtual classes. Using Siemens’ Connectivism as a theoretical framework, this paper presents insights on the reasons behind students’ poor attendance of virtual classes. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire consisting of open-ended questions, which was disseminated to students registered in one of the largest departments (about 130 000 student registrations) at the University of South Africa (Unisa). Following the thematic analysis of the participants’ responses, the study found that the reasons for non-attendance of classes centred around time, finances, technology issues, as well as personal preferences for independent studies. The implications for practice is a call to ODL principles of accessibility, flexibility and student support, so that academics can strategise student support for effective provision of virtual classes for the benefit of students. 
Educators’ Role in Mitigating Suicidal Propensities among Zimbabwe Rural Secondary Male Learners: An Exploration of Challenges and Interventions Mechanisms
Full text linkThis qualitative study explores the role of educators in addressing and mitigating suicidal propensities among male rural secondary school learners in Zimbabwe. Then, it focuses on educators’ challenges and intervention mechanisms to provide insights into practical strategies for supporting mental health in this vulnerable population. Grounded in a phenomenological approach, the study utilizes a case study design to explore the lived experiences of 14 participants, including educators, parents, and health professionals. Data collection through focus group discussions enables a nuanced understanding of the complexities surrounding suicide prevention in rural educational settings. Research findings indicate that educators frequently struggle to identify suicidal tendencies among male learners due to cultural stigma surrounding mental health and lack of training in psychological assessment. Communication gaps with parents and health professionals further complicate these challenges. Conversely, successful intervention mechanisms identified in the study include peer support programs and mental health awareness campaigns, which create supportive environments and empower learners to seek help and engage in open discussions about mental health. Based on these findings, the study recommends that educational authorities implement comprehensive training programs for educators to equip them with the necessary skills to identify and address suicidal propensities among learners. Such training should encompass mental health education, communication strategies, and cultural sensitivity. Furthermore, establishing partnerships between schools and local health services can enhance the support system for vulnerable learners. Collaborative initiatives should be developed to facilitate regular mental health screenings and provide accessible resources for learners and their families. 
Tackling Gendered Violence: Social Workers Intervention in Violence That is Meted Against Men? A Case Study of a Rural Town in a South Africa
Full text linkThe study discusses the issue of gendered violence against men and whether laws and legislation equally protect them. It focuses on the findings of research conducted in Bityi, outside Mthatha, which aimed to improve social work interventions in dealing with gender-based violence cases regardless of client gender. It summarises the literature on violence against men and how the concept of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) against men worked in practice. The study also offers a reflection on men's experiences with violence and the need for improved social work intervention. The research was conducted with 12 selected participants using snowball sampling and qualitative methods, and findings were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic content analysis. The study found that men are also victims of gendered violence and further recommended that social workers should be at the forefront of speaking against all forms of violence
Exploration of the Experiences of Lesotho Sleep in Domestic Workers in a Semi-Urban Settlement in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Full text linkThis study, conducted through a combination of interviews, surveys, and direct observations, examines the exploitation of sleep-in domestic workers from Lesotho who work in South African households. Based on data collected from 15 participants, the research brings to light the difficult living conditions these workers face, including a lack of privacy and inadequate working environments. The study identifies several key issues, such as the absence of written contracts, leaving workers susceptible to exploitation, unpaid overtime, and widespread non-compliance with minimum wage laws. The research shows that domestic workers encounter major obstacles in getting necessary healthcare and support services, which worsens their already unstable situation. The study also emphasizes the lack of chances for training and skills improvement, which hampers the workers' ability to enhance their lives and find better job opportunities. Many of these domestic workers are the main providers for their families and single parents, making the importance of fair pay and good working conditions even more crucial. The study highlights the significance of fair pay and good working conditions, stressing the urgent need for these rights and immediate policy interventions to be upheld. The research aims to bring attention to the systemic exploitation faced by this vulnerable group and advocate for essential reforms to protect their rights and improve their living and working conditions. Overall, the study emphasizes the pressing need for policy interventions and support mechanisms to empower domestic workers and enhance their quality of life in South Africa
Student Teachers experiences of an Online Team-Based Learning Strategy Applied in an ODeL Course
Full text linkThe purpose of the online course, Teaching Methodology Economics in the Further Education and Training Phase, is to expose student teachers to the online team-based learning (TBL) strategy as a collaborative teaching and learning approach that allows them to follow an organised procedure. To increase student engagement, accountability and collaboration in the course, an open distance e-learning (ODeL) environment can benefit from the active, structured small group learning that team-based learning offers. An ODeL course at a College of Education employed TBL as an example of a flipped instructional design. The experiences of the Teaching Methodology Economics student teachers participating in an online TBL strategy served as the basis for the single case study reported, which employed a exploratory qualitative approach. The study purposively selected only five participants (n = 5) for the interviews. Transcripts were produced by the computerised NVivo 14 software and thematic analysis was generated themes reflecting the participating student teachers’ experiences of the TBL strategy. The findings revealed that participants developed professional attributes, were motivated to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses as members of teams, and experienced the value of working and collaborating in groups. Further research on the use of evidence-based practice will ensure better outcomes for TBL in flipped learning contexts
Enhancing Academic Performance in Agricultural Sciences: The Impact of Inquiry-Based Learning on Learners
Full text linkThe Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement document indicates that Animal Studies comprise a substantial part of the Grade 12 syllabus, more so than topics like soil science, agro-ecology, agricultural economics, and crop science. This highlights the importance of exploring diverse teaching approaches in the beginning of Grade 10, as a strong foundation in earlier grades could improve understanding of Animal Studies in Grade 12. This study explored the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in teaching Grade 10 learners about poultry breeds. A mixed-method approach was used to compare IBL with traditional teaching methods. Forty-six Agricultural Sciences learners were randomly assigned to a quasi-experiment, with 23 learners in the experimental group taught through IBL and 23 in the control group taught using the traditional lecture method (TLM). Both groups underwent pre- and post-performance tests. The quantitative data were analysed using an independent t-test, while qualitative data were thematically analysed through document analysis of the learners' assessment scripts. Results from the t-test indicated that the experimental group achieved significantly higher mean scores than the control group (p<0.05). Furthermore, the document analysis revealed that IBL fosters higher-order thinking, active participation, and critical thinking skills. Consequently, the inquiry-based learning approach proves to be an effective tool for enhancing learners’ academic performance. These findings suggest that educators and policymakers should consider integrating inquiry-based learning strategies into the teaching of Agricultural Sciences curriculum to improve achievement of academic outcomes. Emphasis on active engagement and critical thinking can lead to more meaningful learning experiences for learners