UFS Publications Platform (Univ. of the Free State)
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Chapter 17: Role modelling in classrooms.
Get PDFThis chapter explores how educators shape students\u27 values, attitudes, and knowledge through role modelling and exemplification learning. Role modelling, where teachers lead by example, fosters students\u27 academic, social, and personal growth by demonstrating positive behaviours and skills. The chapter highlights the influence of 21st-century cultural, technological, and socio-economic factors on the values teachers instil in students. Using Bandura\u27s social cognitive theory as a foundation, it discusses how students learn by observing and imitating teachers\u27 behaviour, emphasising attention, retention, production, and motivation as key psychological processes. Exemplification learning, where teachers use carefully chosen examples to explain complex concepts, enhances students\u27 understanding of abstract ideas through real-world applications. The chapter outlines both the benefits, such as increased comprehension and retention, and challenges, including potential misconceptions from poorly chosen examples. Techniques like visual aids and storytelling are recommended to reinforce concepts and engage students. The chapter concludes with best practices for role modelling and exemplification, stressing the importance of teacher self-awareness in influencing student learning outcomes. Teachers are encouraged to use these strategies thoughtfully to nurture well-rounded, responsible individuals, ultimately impacting both students\u27 personal development and academic success
Pedagogical and Social Transformations in Post-Apartheid Mathematics Education
Get PDFThis special issue addresses the complexities of mathematics teaching and learning in post-apartheid South Africa by exploring themes such as pedagogical reasoning, decoloniality, rural education challenges, and teacher preparation. It contributes to the ongoing dialogue on mathematics education\u27s role in social transformation, enhancing the body of knowledge and deepening practitioners\u27 understanding of its impact
School-Based Assessment as a Driver of Self-Regulated Learning: Experiences of Tourism Learners
Get PDFSchool-based assessment (SBA) is an approach to continuous assessment at the school level that aims to drive teaching and learning. It supports teaching and learning processes and assists in tracking learner progress on a continuous basis. Given the importance of SBA, the value of learners’ voices in contributing to its practices is crucial if the education system is committed to its efforts to improve accountability and quality education. This paper focuses on the role of SBA in driving self-regulated learning as perceived by learners who take Tourism as an elective. This interpretive case study examined Tourism learners’ experiences of SBA’s role in enhancing self-regulated learning in this subject. The researcher recruited Tourism learners from two secondary schools in the KwaZulu-Natal Province, resulting in a sample of a total of 40 Grade 11 learners who participated in four focus group sessions. The findings suggest that SBA is a driver of self-regulated learning (SRL) as the learners affirmed that this continuous assessment approach in Tourism improved their autonomy and helped them take ownership of their learning, while also enabling them to access knowledge and insight individually and in collaboration with others. The findings suggest that SBA allows learners to take control of their own learning and thus become self-regulated learners. The findings have profound implications for the role of assessment in the schooling context as it improves learners’ accountability and sense of ownership of their own learning. Moreover, the variety of SBA assessment practices facilitates knowledge construction and thus improves the quality of education provision
An Exploration of the Mathematics Assessment Practices Linked to Poor Learner Performance
Get PDFSouth African learners are performing below the international average across the board. Mathematics has been performing below 60% for years in the NSC. Mpumalanga has been performing below the national average. CAPS provides clear guidelines on assessment practices to be utilised in order to improve learner performance. Additionally, the DBE introduced a framework called MTLF to guide teachers in teaching and assessing effectively in order to improve learning outcomes in Mathematics. Clearly, there are good policies and guidelines in place to improve learner performance in Mathematics; however, learner performance is low. Hence, the importance of conducting this study. The aim of this paper was to explore the assessment practices linked to the poor performance of learners in Mathematics in Mpumalanga Province. The paper answers the question, “What are the assessment practices linked to poor learner performance in Mathematics?” Document analysis and interviews were used as data collection techniques. Mathematics teachers in the sampled schools were interviewed. It was found that the assessment practices as prescribed in the CAPS document were used for compliance. Due diligence was not done in the moderation of scripts; learners were struggling with questions on the application of knowledge, and formative assessment was not adequately given to learners. It was recommended that learners be exposed to adequate formative assessments and that the departmental heads should moderate tasks and scripts closely. Districts should monitor assessment practices in schools. It is concluded that the assessment practices linked to the poor performance of learners were associated with the superficial implementation of the MTLF and CAPS
Socio-cultural practices and improved cooking stove technology choices among agro-pastoral communities in Arumeru District, Tanzania
Get PDFThis study assessed the socio-cultural factors influencing the choice of improved cooking stove technology among agro-pastoral communities in Arumeru District, Arusha region. The study used a cross-sectional research design and was conducted in four villages. Two categories of respondents were involved in the study. The first category consisted of 37 participants interviewed as Key Informants (KIs) and through focus group discussions (FGDs). The second category who responded to the questionnaire involved 92 respondents who had benefited from the alternative cooking energy technologies programme. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected, with a greater emphasis on qualitative data. Content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data, while the quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software. The study found the persistence of certain socio-cultural practices that encourage the use of traditional three-stone stoves over improved stoves. These practices include preferences for food cooked using traditional three-stone stoves and the tradition of formally handing over the traditional cooking stoves to a newly married woman in the household, among others. It is concluded that while some community members consider these practices positive and valuable, they largely contribute to high biomass consumption and, therefore, the likelihood of environmental degradation. It is recommended that serious sensitisation and training programmes, among other recommendations detailed in this study, be conducted
Exploring multifaceted impacts of El Niño driven drought on child-headed rural learners\u27 well-being in drought-prone Chivi, Zimbabwe
Get PDFThe El Niño phenomenon has led to an increased frequency and intensity of droughts, posing significant challenges for rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. This qualitative case study examines the multifaceted impacts of El Niño-driven drought on the wellbeing of child-headed households and their educational outcomes in the drought-prone Chivi district of Zimbabwe. The current study aimed to understand how El Niño-induced drought affects the physical, emotional, and socioeconomic wellbeing of child-headed rural learners and how these impacts influence their educational experiences and outcomes. The central research question is: How do El Niño-driven droughts affect the wellbeing and educational trajectories of child-headed households in the Chivi district of Zimbabwe? This study adopted a qualitative research paradigm and a case study design. Fifteen participants were selected using purposive sampling, including young learners from child-headed households and adult community members. Data were collected through two focus group discussions, one with the young learners and another with the adult participants. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The study found that El Niño-driven droughts exacerbate the vulnerabilities of child-headed households, leading to food insecurity, water scarcity, increased household responsibilities, and mental health challenges. These factors significantly undermine the learners\u27 ability to engage in and succeed in their educational pursuits. The study recommends the implementation of targeted interventions, such as school-based feeding programmes and psychosocial support, to mitigate the adverse impacts of drought on child-headed rural learners
Conflicts and competing interests in infrastructure development: A case of N2 toll road project, wild coast, South Africa
Get PDFThe Wild Coast region in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, is arguably the least developed area, primarily due to its historical marginalisation caused by Apartheid. To counter this underdevelopment, the current government of South Africa plans to implement a 550 km N2 Toll Road Project to link East London in the Eastern Cape with Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. The government envisions that the project will lead to spatial development through improved accessibility to resources. However, it has been criticised by many, including local communities and environmental advocacy groups, who contend that it will result in socio-ecological disasters and conflicts. Against this backdrop, this study explored the differing views and conflicts among stakeholders affected by the N2 Toll Road Project. A qualitative research approach was adopted, involving in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) with government officials, local communities, business communities, and environmental advocacy groups. The findings indicate that the N2 Toll Road Project has generated significant controversy, with public opinion sharply divided between those who believe the road will have predominantly positive impacts and those who contend that its effects will be overwhelmingly negative. Concerns regarding the disruption of livelihoods, loss of land, destruction of socio-cultural heritage, and lack of consultation emerged as key sources of conflict among stakeholders. The study recommends the use of inclusive consultation processes and mitigation strategies to minimise conflicting ideologies among stakeholders
Effective communication in postgraduate supervision: Shaping experiences and overcoming challenges
Get PDFAlthough postgraduate supervision relies on effective communication, it has become increasingly challenging due to various factors, including the cultural, ethnic, and educational backgrounds of both the supervisors and supervisees. As a result, institutions of higher learning are struggling to attract and retain these students. In addition, students often feel frustrated by the pressure to balance their academic and social lives during their studies. Therefore, this study explores the impact of effective communication on postgraduate supervision in higher learning institutions in Lesotho and South Africa. The study adopts an interpretive paradigm and uses a qualitative approach rooted in a case study design. Face-to-face interviews were employed as the data collection tool, and latent thematic analysis was used to analyse emergent themes. The findings reveal several factors that hinder effective communication in postgraduate supervision, including cultural dominance, lack of mutual respect, insufficient training, and a lack of professionalism, among others. Based on these findings, the study recommends that experienced supervisors be assigned to students and that there be a focus on two-way communication and training to develop the necessary skills for a respectful supervisor-student relationship
Exploring causes of bullying among grade eight and nine learners in a South African education district
Get PDFBullying is a social phenomenon that has become a complex problem worldwide due to the complications that arise from its persistence among school-going adolescents. This study explored the causes of bullying among grades 8 and 9 in one secondary school in Amatole East District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. This qualitative study employed constructivist paradigm and a case study design. It utilised interviews to elicit data from 15 purposefully sampled participants. This study was informed by Travis Hirschi\u27s 1968 Social Control Theory, and I used Braun and Clark\u27s thematic analysis steps to analyse and interpret the data. The study found that bullying is triggered by jealousy and envy among learners, inadequate school furniture, family environment, physical attributes, lack of moral education, lack of sexual orientation education, and age differences among learners. Therefore, the study concluded that in order to detect the causes of bullying among grade 8 and 9 learners, teachers must apply Social Control Theory in the school environment by establishing consistent and supportive teacher-learner relationships to easily identify learners\u27 behavioural changes and promote support, peer relationships, and unity among learners. This will reduce internal motivation that leads them to initiate bullying and violate other learners\u27 rights. Additionally, the findings of this study will enable school stakeholders to develop intervention strategies, including disciplinary measures for learners, providing sexual orientation education, and involving parents in their efforts to manage bullying among grades 8 and 9 learners
Using ADDIE model for scaffolded learning and teaching intervention
Get PDFLearning and Teaching (L&T) research is sometimes challenging for lecturers who are not specialists in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) or instructional design. Good empirical L&T research should be reflective, based on a sound theoretical foundation, and completed like other research, using appropriate steps in data collection. Many L&T researchers often skip to the intervention or implementation without embedding evidence and proper research steps in the project from the beginning. This study aimed to explore the integration of the ADDIE model with L&T interventions incorporating pedagogical theory. It also aimed to examine how the findings from implementing this model in SoTL projects can inform best practices for instructional design and contribute to the broader scholarship on teaching and learning. The study adopted a mixed-method approach with a pre-post-test design. A collaborative interventive research project was purposively selected, focusing on First Year, Senior, and Further Education and Training (SEN&FET) Bachelor of Education students who are trained to teach grades 8-12. The results confirmed the efficacy of the ADDIE model steps as a useful instructional design framework for integrating L&T theories. The study also found that a scaffolded L&T collaborative intervention with sound research methodologies and approaches is beneficial for SoTL projects. Therefore, the study recommends implementing the ADDIE model in different interventive approaches and collaborative educational settings to enhance students\u27 achievement as well as teaching and learning