Journal of Culture and Values in Education (JCVE)
Not a member yet
217 research outputs found
Sort by
The Administration of Customary Marriage in the Bakgatla Ba A Mocha Ba Marapyane
Full text linkMarriage is administered differently within ethnic groupings of Batswana with each tribe observing and practising rituals and customs that are peculiar to it. This paper sheds light on the marriage customs of the Bakgatla ba a Mocha through its different phases, from its initiation, betrothal, the seeking of the hand of the woman’s hand in marriage through to the wedding ceremony. The research methodologies that will be applied are semiotics and moral philosophical didactics.
 
Navigating the Academic Odyssey: Exploring the Role of Supervisors in Supporting Postgraduate Students
Full text linkPostgraduate supervision entails an intensive, one-on-one academic relationship between the supervisor and student. Through this relationship, the supervisor facilitates the student's scholarly development. This study investigates supervisors' roles in supporting postgraduate students from the students’ perspective. This study through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 12 doctoral and masters students at two universities seeks to investigate how postgraduate students perceive and undergo guidance from their supervisors. The factors analyzed include the role of networking and motivational supports provided by supervisors during postgraduate students’ research journey. This study explores the ways supervisors provide career mentoring and networking to prepare students for postgraduate careers, and how they inspire and emotionally assist students through inherent research challenges. The findings identify strengths in supervisory support and areas needing enhancement. The findings indicate that many students desire more hands-on help with methodology and writing and career mentoring emerges as an area where postgraduate support falls short of expectations. The study recommends that supervisor trainings be provided for supervisors and intending ones, and such trainings should be focused on writing guidance, networking, advising and motivation. By implementing such programs, universities can empower supervisors to optimally assist students, thereby enhancing experiences and outcomes
Exploring Students’ Misconceptions in Learning Mathematical Proof Techniques at Debark University in Ethiopia
Full text linkThis article focused on “Exploring students’ misconceptions in learning mathematical proof techniques (MPT) at Debark University in Ethiopia." This research aimed to identify students’ misconceptions in learning MPT and rank MPT based on the degree of students’ misconceptions in learning MPT. Data were collected through assignments, follow-up, and structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to select samples for follow-up interviews, whereas simple random sampling was used to select samples for structured interviews and assignments. The study collected data on the basis of mixed, case study, and pragmatic research approaches, designs, and paradigms from students. The results showed that the identified misconceptions of students in learning MPT were starting the proof with an inappropriate statement, using an ineffective MPT for their proof, providing incorrect symbolic representation, providing unacceptable reasons for each proof’s step, reaching the conclusion without showing necessary steps clearly and neatly, showing non-sequential steps, incorrectly using technical aspects of mathematics, using the premise and conclusion parts interchangeably, incorrect perception regarding the technical concepts of proof, and misusing the pattern in the proof of a certain statement for the proof of another statement
At the Cost of Momentum: The Case for Truth-Grounded Activism
Full text linkIn the face of injustice, there is often a strong desire to mobilize others to immediate action. However, building public support is difficult when the issue is complicated. This leaves many activists tempted to present matters in simple, undifferentiated terms, as nuance can dampen momentum. However, oversimplification tends to be at odds with truth and it is this tension, between truth and activism, that is the focus of this paper. We begin by exploring the kind of communication that best mobilizes masses of people and note the inverse relationship between motivational as opposed to truthful communication. We then note that, though propaganda is more efficient in creating momentum, it nonetheless carries inherent dangers in that it may (i) over focus on symptoms rather than the disease; (ii) fuel authoritarian personality-types; and (iii) undermine the lifeblood of democracy. We conclude by suggesting that Philosophy for Children is a welcome educational response to this problem because it focuses on relevant contemporary issues, while fostering thinking skills that has the potential to lead to long lasting change grounded in truth. Ultimately the message is that a society and its citizens will do better by embracing pedagogical interventions aimed at fostering “active thinkers” rather than “activists.
Pedagogy for Teaching Mathematics to Refugee Students: A Sociocultural Learning Approach
Full text linkThis paper engages in a literature review of pedagogy for teaching refugee mathematics. The paper reviewed includes the pedagogy and refugee students, the difficulty of refugee students, the methodology used to teach mathematics to refugee students, the conceptualization of the cognitive background of refugee students, and the differences in language and cultural barriers were also discussed. The paper underpins sociocultural learning theory, which has profoundly impacted educational psychology and pedagogy. The findings revealed that the understanding of the sociocultural learning approach can enhance the effective use of different pedagogies to teach mathematics to refugee students. The paper concluded that by integrating different elements into their teaching practices, educators can create a more effective and supportive learning environment for refugee students, helping them to succeed in mathematics and beyond
Enhancing Pedagogy and Learning Outcomes in Financial Accounting: A Case Study of Higher Education Institutions in South Africa
Full text linkThis study explores innovative strategies to enhance instruction and learning in financial accounting within higher education institutions in South Africa. Acknowledging the dynamic nature of the business environment and the evolving learner demands, the research investigates various approaches for optimizing educational outcomes. Through a comprehensive literature review, the study identifies contemporary challenges in financial accounting education and underscores the importance of adapting teaching methods to foster a deeper understanding of complex accounting principles. This research aims to bridge the gap between secondary school outputs and the expectations of tertiary financial accounting programs. The study examines systemic factors affecting financial accounting education and employs a self-study narrative approach, utilizing reflexive praxis to delve into the lived experiences of accounting lecturers. The findings, presented through thematic analysis, illustrate the reflective practices of higher education lecturers, providing valuable insights for professional development and growth in the accounting field. The paper advocates for diverse pedagogical approaches to address the challenges faced by accounting educators, emphasizing strategies to overcome teaching impediments. This article aims to enhance the success of post-secondary teaching and learning in the accounting discipline in South Africa, considering the quality of students transitioning from secondary education and their expectations upon entering tertiary education
A Sociocultural Position of Women in Leadership: Reflections from Four School Principals’ Lived Vulnerable Experiences
Full text linkThis article investigated the dynamic interaction between the leadership styles of four school principals, their vulnerability, and the interconnected relationships they share. Traditionally, patriarchal social expectations have compelled women to prioritise family responsibilities, often in tension with their career pursuits. This study investigates how women in leadership effectively lead schools despite facing their vulnerable position. In the 21st century, women leaders face challenging management duties. They have stakeholders who regard them as ignorant of leadership matters. Social role theory was applied to foreground this study. The social role theory widely highlights how gender stereotypes are often linked to the gender division of labour that characterised patriarchal society. Coupled with the theory mentioned above, a qualitative interpretive paradigm with phenomenology as a framework enhanced this mode of inquiry, and through individual face-to-face interviews, this paper explored the lived experiences of female school principals. Thematic analysis of the data revealed the resilience of these school principals and the empowerment potential of vulnerability as a management and coping strategy. This paper also offers practical solutions based on the implications of being a woman regarding the vulnerable identity within the leadership role in education spaces
Exploring the Sources of Conflict in Zimbabwean Teachers’ Colleges
Full text linkConflict is inevitable in all organizations including learning institutions. The occurrence of conflict demands a management strategy that will minimise its impact on interpersonal relationships and the teaching and learning processes. Zimbabwean teachers’ colleges encounter various conflicts that involve management, staff and students. The focus of this study was to explore the sources of conflict at teachers’ colleges in Zimbabwe and provide recommendations on how to minimise their impact on teaching and learning processes. The study employed an interpretivist paradigm undergirded by qualitative approaches. A multiple case study design was used to capture and synthesise the responses of 30 lecturers who were purposively selected from six teachers’ colleges. Data were collected through focus group discussions which were arranged and conducted with six lecturers from each college. The major findings revealed that conflict was prevalent in colleges owing to poor communication processes, gender stereotyping, language differences, unclear policies, political issues and interactional patterns. The study proposed recommendations such as the need for all stakeholders in teachers’ colleges to undergo capacity development in conflict management through workshops and short courses to enable them to identify sources of conflict and manage it before it becomes destructive. Further recommendations included the empowerment of college management in inclusive and transformational leadership skills to assist college management to identify diverse skills within their subordinates and ensure all stakeholders’ involvement in decision-making
The Effects of Educators' Mathematics Pedagogical Content Knowledge on The Mentoring of Grade 12 Students Using Problem-Based Learning
Full text linkThis study investigated the effects of educators' mathematics pedagogical content knowledge on the mentoring of Grade 12 students using problem-based learning in two selected secondary schools in the Amajuba district in KwaZulu-Natal. The study collected qualitative data from four participating mathematics educators through the semi-structured interview questions that were presented to them. The data were analysed thematically according to the various sub-structures within Shulman’s theoretical framework. The investigation suggests that educators who are well versed in mathematics pedagogical content knowledge, are masters of Grade 12 mathematics content, which enables them to use various teaching methodologies to design and implement lessons to successfully overcome students' difficulties. To achieve this, educators need additional information, like the curriculum's scope, educational objectives, and adequate teaching resources. Furthermore, the participants contend that mastery of content and delivery entails knowing the curriculum and their students' various age-appropriate learning difficulties; for effective lesson delivery. Moreover, the learning of mathematics needs to be student-centred, with an emphasis on group work, for the mutual and collaborative building of new knowledge on existing knowledge, under the educator’s guidance. The study's findings also showed that Grade 12 Mathematics content is abstract therefore, subject educators should facilitate learning through a more concretised approach using realistic scenarios that appeal to the cognitive structures of individual students. Based on the findings, the study suggests that problem-based learning is the preferred instructional approach to teaching and learning Grade 12 mathematics and educators require development in their professional and content capacity in the use thereof
Exploring the Post-COVID-19 Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Placement Experiences of Hospitality Students
Full text linkThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak disrupted many industries including the hospitality industry. Work-integrated learning (WIL) placement within the hospitality sector was also affected by changes that occurred during the pandemic. The pandemic resulted in the closure of hospitality establishments, enforcement of health and safety protocols, retrenchments and a transformed hospitality work environment. All these changes affected the experiences of students under WIL placement. Accordingly, this study sought to explore the post-COVID-19 WIL placement experiences of hospitality students. The study collected data using the qualitative research methodology. The study population consisted of university students who were enrolled on a hospitality and tourism management course. A purposively selected sample of 20 participants was interviewed using semi-structured providing data on WIL placement experiences in the post-pandemic period. The data were analysed and presented using thematic analysis. The main findings of the investigation revealed that there is a significant change in employment readiness, skills gap as well as career prospects uncertainty. Furthermore, students are facing challenges in handling the transition, dealing with negative career prospects and coping with digital competence requirements. Based on these findings, the study recommends the restructuring of the curriculum to accommodate changes in the hospitality industry, stakeholder consultations regarding WIL placement activities and training to accommodate all changes that affect the efficient delivery of WIL placement within the hospitality industry.