1,720,976 research outputs found
Sociality and the Need for the Epistemology of Social Relatedness: IJSS Editorial Statement
Full text linkAs our inaugural statement, this article conceptualises sociality, which forms the focus of the "Interdisciplinary Journal of Sociality Studies". We reinvigorated its “scope and focus” for the cognisance of our potential authors. We also explicated, step by step, our fundamental editorial process, including the issue of originality, trustworthiness and misconduct, ethical considerations, citation and referencing style, disclosure and conflict of interest, permissions and acknowledgement, as part of our quality production process. The article also presents the academic background of all our inaugural editorial team to display the potential of IJSS towards the production of quality knowledge on sociality studies. Based on this exploration, we conclude that IJSS accommodates any scholarly articles that solve social-related problems with an iota of sociological and emancipatory tendency involving humans and their relationships with but not limited to environment, objects and subjects. Therefore, we recommend that all potential authors ensure that the author guidelines\u27 instructions are strictly adhered to while preparing for submission
Rural online learning in the context of COVID 19 in South Africa: Evoking an inclusive education approach
Full text linkThis paper discusses the challenges faced by rural learners in South Africa in the context of the world pandemic commonly known as COVID-19. Rural learners face unprecedented challenges in adjusting to a new mode of life and learning, the latter being characterised by the predominant use of online, learning management systems and low-tech applications. The paper is informed by critical emancipatory research, I used participatory action research. A total of 10 learners and five teachers participated via Whatsapp. The paper answers two questions: what are the learning challenges faced by rural learners in South Africa, and how can online learning be enhanced in the context of COVID-19? The findings suggest that, while the South African government is promoting online learning as the only alternative in the context of COVID-19, this mode excludes many rural learners from teaching and learning, due to a lack of resources to connect to the internet, the learning management system, and low-tech software. The paper argues that rural learners are critical stakeholders in education and in the fight against COVID-19, and they cannot be left behind in efforts to fight the pandemic. Este artículo discute los desafíos delos estudiantes rurales en Sudáfrica en el contexto de la pandemia mundial del COVID-19. Estos estudiantes se enfrentan a desafíos sin precedentes para adaptarse a un nuevo modo de vida y aprendizaje, caracterizado por el uso predominante de sistemas de gestión de aprendizaje en línea y aplicaciones tecnológicas. El artículo presenta una investigación crítica de emancipación, que defiende la justicia social, el empoderamiento y la inclusión social de todos los alumnos en la enseñanza y el aprendizaje, con el objetivo de construir un futuro mejor para todos los alumnos. El diseño parte de una investigación de acción participativa. Un total de 10 alumnos y 5 profesores participaron a través de WhatsApp. El documento responde a dos preguntas: ¿cuáles son los desafíos de aprendizaje que enfrentan los estudiantes rurales en Sudáfrica y cómo se puede mejorar el aprendizaje en línea en el contexto de COVID-19? Los resultados sugieren que, si bien el gobierno de Sudáfrica está promoviendo el aprendizaje en línea como la única alternativa en el contexto de COVID-19, este modo excluye a muchos estudiantes rurales de la enseñanza y el aprendizaje, debido a la falta de recursos para conectarse a Internet, sistema de gestión de aprendizaje y software de baja tecnología. Con base en los hallazgos de este estudio, el documento argumenta que los estudiantes rurales son actores críticos en la educación y en la lucha contra COVID-19, y no pueden quedarse atrás en los esfuerzos para combatir la pandemia. Valores como la justicia social y los derechos de los estudiantes rurales no deben ser renunciados en la lucha contra COVID-19
A socio-religious hybridity strategy to respond to the problems of religious studies in Zimbabwe
No full textEnglish: The aim of the study was to design a socio-religious hybridity strategy that attempts to
respond to the problems of Religious Studies in Zimbabwean secondary schools. The
strategy emerged against the background of several challenges with the current
multifaith approach to Religious Studies, which excludes other local religions from the
curriculum. The curriculum is largely Christocentric, implying that the Christian religion
is extensively covered. The aims of the syllabus seem to indicate that there is a need
to teach various religions, but the content of the syllabus does not give space to other
religions. This creates a monothelic curriculum that ignores the fact that some of the
children have a religious orientation that may not necessarily be Christian. Secondly,
the Religious Studies curriculum is not socially responsive to arm learners with
knowledge on how to avert religious abuse, which is becoming rampant in
Zimbabwean society. Religious Studies is failing to respond to religious abuse. The
other challenge is that the indigenous knowledge system is not adequately covered,
although it is important for the survival of the local people. The syllabus is silent on the
indigenous knowledge system. However, the national examination system gives
learners questions relating to indigenous knowledge, with a low mark allocation
compared to the mark for Biblical question. This gives learners and teachers the
perception that indigenous knowledge is unimportant for their survival. The other
significant challenge is that the majority of the Religious Studies teachers in
Matabeleland North are not trained to teach the subject, neither are they adequately
prepared to teach other religions apart from the Christian faith.
In response to these and other problems, this research study proposes a socioreligious
hybridity strategy that will ensure a relevant curriculum that addresses the
religious needs of all learners through a hybridity approach. The strategy seeks to
ensure that Religious Studies is in line with democratic practices such as social justice,
equity, recognition, inclusivity and improvement of human conditions. It will go a long
way to contributing towards the peaceful co-existence of various religious groups and
consequently improving the lives of people through the study of religion.
The study is grounded on critical emancipatory research, a theoretical framework that
dates back to the Frankfurt School of 1923. It has five working principles: the
improvement of the human condition, elimination of false consciousness, social transformation, social justice and emancipation. These principles underpinned the
study and they become lenses through which to interrogate Religious Studies in
Zimbabwean schools. To complement the framework, I used participatory action
research to generate data with the coresearchers. Participatory action research was
chosen for its emancipatory tendencies and because it seeks to work with
disadvantaged members of the community. The approach values its coresearchers as
equal partners and believes that the people with the problems are the ones with
sustainable solutions. In the study, I worked with a hybridity team consisting of
representatives of various religious groups, such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism,
African religion, together with local leaders, Religious Studies teachers and learners
in Matabeleland North. The hybridity team’s shared vision was to develop a strategy
that responds to the challenges of Religious Studies in Zimbabwean schools. The
team participated in discussions, workshops, and class observations and the focus
was to generate data that responded to the objectives of the study. The generated
data was subjected to critical discourse analysis, chosen because of its focus on
power relations, which are often problematic in the religious environment. Critical
discourse analysis complements critical emancipatory research and participatory
action research in the fight for the marginalised members of the community. Data was
analysed through three lenses, namely the textual, discursive and social practice level.
The findings of the research were used to formulate a socio-religious hybridity
strategy.
I have found that the hybridity of religions is a desirable way to improve the teaching
and learning of Religious Studies. Owing to their lack of comprehensive religious
knowledge and prejudice, people tend to be afraid to engage other religions. It further
emerged that recognising other religions as valid goes a long way to promote a culture
of peace in society, reducing the tendency of people using violence to express their
feelings. The study revealed that religious extremists are often the perpetrators of
human abuse. Hence, people need to moderate their beliefs to achieve social justice
and recognise the good in other religions.Based on the generated data, I formulated
a strategy that responds to the challenges of Religious Studies to foster curriculum
relevance for the learners. The limitation of the strategy is that it does not address
ways in which extremists can be engaged to moderate their religious views, especially
those that violate human rights, such as terrorism. My hope is that other researchers will explore this weakness to improve Religious Studies in Zimbabwean schools. I
recommend the use of this strategy in the quest for curriculum relevance in
Zimbabwean schools and elsewhere.Afrikaans: Die doel van die studie was om ‘n sosio-religieuse hibridiese strategie te ontwerp wat
reageer op die problem van Godsdiensstudies in Zimbabwiese sekondêre skole. Die
strategie het teen die agtergrond van verskeie uitdagings binne die huidige veelsydige
geloofs benaderings van Godsdiensstudies ten vore gekom. Die benaderings sluit
ander gelowe uit van die kurrikulum. Die kurrikulum is hoofsaaklik Christosentries wat
impliseër dat dit hoofsaaklik net die Christengeloof dek. Die doel van die leerplan dui
daarop aan dat daar ‘n nodigheid bestaan vir die leer van verskeie Godsdienste maar
die inhoud van die leerplan laat nie ruimte daaraan toe nie. Dit veroorsaak ‘n
monolitiese kurrikulum wat die feit ignorer dat van die kinders se godsdienste
oriëntasie nie noodsaaklik Christenskap is nie. Tweedens, is die Godsdiensstudie
kurrikulum nie sosiaal vatbaar om leerders met die kennis toe te rus om godsdienstige
mishandeling af te weer nie wat hoogty vier in die Zimbabwiese samelewing. Die ander
uitdaging is dat die inheemse kennisbasis nie voldoende aangespreek word nie
alhoewel dit ‘n belangrike rol speel in die oorlewing van die plaaslike boorlinge. Die
leerplan spreuk glad nie die inheemse kennisbasis aan nie. Alhoewel die nasionale
eksamen sisteem hom daartoe leen om leerders vrae oor die inheemse kennisbasis
te vra word ‘n lae punt toegeken aan die antwoorde in vergelyking met Bybelse vrae.
Dit veroorsaak ‘n persepsie onder die onderwysers en leerders dat inheemse kennis
van geen belang vir oorlewing is nie. Die ander betekenisvolle uitdaging is dat die
meerderheid van die Godsdiensstudie onderwysers in Matabeleland-Noord nie
opgelei is om die vak aan te bied nie en dus ook nie bereid is om ander godsdienste
as die Christendom aan te bied nie.
In antwoord op hierdie en ander probIeme, stel hierdie studie voor dat ‘n sosioreligieuse
hibridiese strategie sal toesien dat ‘n relevante kurrikulum ontwerp sal word
wat die godsdienstige tekortkominge van alle leerders sal aanspreek deur ‘n
hibridiese benadering. Die strategie mik daarop om toe te sien dat Godsdiensstudies
in lyn is met demokratiese praktyke soos sosiale geregtigheid, gelykheid, erkenning,
omvattende en verbeterde menslike toestande. Dit sal bydra tot die vreedsame
bestaan van verskeie godsdienstige groepe en die lewe van die mense deur religieuse
studie verbeter.
Die studie is gegrond op kritiese vrywaringsnavorsing wat ‘n teoretiese raamwerk is
wat terug dateer na die Frankfurt Skool in 1923. Dit bestaan uit vyf werkende
beginsels, naamlik: die verbetering van menslike omstandighede, eliminasie van false
bewustheid, sosiale transformasie en emansipasie. Hierdie beginsels onderstreep die
studie en hulle word dan lense waardeur die Godsdiensstudies in Zimbabwiese skole
ondervra kan word. Om die raamwerk aan te vul, het ek gebruik gemaak van
deelnemende aksienavorsing om data te genereer tesame met die mede navorsers.
Deelnemende aksienavorsing is gekies vir die vrywarende tendense wat dit lewer an
omrede dit saamwerk met benadeelde lede van die gemeenskap. Hierdie benadering
erken die rol van die mede navorsers as gelyke vennote en glo dat die mense met die
problem ook die mense is met volhoubare oplossings. In hierdie studie het saam
gewerk met ‘n hibridiese span wat bestaan uit verskeie godsdienstige groepe soos
Christene, Islam, Judaïsme, Afrika godsdiens tesame met plaaslike leiers, Religieuse
opvoeder en leerders van Matabeleland-Noord. Die hibridiese span se gedeelde
visioen was om ‘n strategie te ontwerp wat antwoord op die uitdagings van Religieuse
Studies in Zimbabwiese skole. Die span het deelgeneem aan besprekings,
werkswinkels en klasobservasies en die fokus was om data te genereer wat antwoord
op die mikpunte van die studie.
Die genereerde data is blootgelê aan kritiese diskoersanalise wat gekies is omrede dit
focus op kragverhoudings wat gereeld problematies is in die godsdienste omgewing.
Kritiese diskoersanalise komplimenteer kritiese vrywaringsnavorsing en deelnemende
aksienavorsing in die strewe vir marganiliseërde lede van die gemeenskap. Die data
is deur drie lense geanaliseër, naamlik tekstueel, breedvoerig en sosiale praktyk. Die
bevindinge van die navorsing is gebruik om ‘n sosio-religieuse hibridiese strategie te
formuleer.
Ek het ondervind dat die hubriditeit van godsdienste ‘n begeerlike wyse is om die
opvoeding en leer van Godsdiensstudies te verbeter. Weens die gebrek aan
uitgebreide godsdienstige kennis en bevooroordeeldheid, neig mense om bang te
wees om ander godsdienste te betrek. Dit het vêrder gebleik dat as ander godsdienste
erken word, dit ‘n kultuur van vrede in die samelewing te weeg sou bring wat die
tendens van geweld as ‘n uitdrukking van emosies sou verminder. Die studie het
onthul dat godsdienstige ekstremiste gewoonlik die persone is wat menslike
mishandeling pleeg. Dus is dit nodig vir mense om hulle geloofsoortuigings te wysig om sosiale geregtigheid te bereik en die goeie aspek van ander godsdiensgroepe te
herken.
Om die kurrikulum relevansie vir leerders te koester, het ek die strategie geformuleer
op die genereerde data wat antwoord op die uitdagings wat Godsdiensstudies bied.
Die limitasie van die studie is nie dat dit maniere aanspreek van hoe die ekstremiste
betrek kan word om hulle geloofsoortuigings te wysig nie, veral met die skending van
menseregte deur middel van terrorisme. My hoop is dat ander navorsers hierdie
swakheid sal ondersoek om Godsdiensstudies in Zimbabwiese skole te verbeter. I
beveel die gebruik van hierdie strategie aan in die strewe na kurrikulum relevansie in
Zimbabwiese skole en elders
Artificial intelligence in education: Embracing change, addressing challenges, and shaping tomorrow\u27s curriculum
Full text linkThis special issue deliberated on AI and the curriculum with the aim of exposing various debates, controversies, and pathways in terms of policy and praxis in the Global North. Papers published in this special issue presented various arguments drawing from best practices to either problematise or support the use of AI within the curriculum. This is against the background that the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), integrating this advanced technology has become a pivotal topic of discussion and research, which in some cases is marred with controversy and the belief that ethical issues such as honesty and hard work are eroded as people use AI within the curriculum. As such, there seems to be resistance among conservative scholars, while other scholars have embraced AI as the future of curriculum implementation. Cognizant of the foregoing, it was critical that this special issue brings together various authors to air their views, which we hope will serve as part of policy formulation in the Global South
Covid-19 and the entrenchment of a virtual Elite private school: Rethinking education policies in Zimbabwe
Full text linkBy using a critical emancipatory research framework, this theoretical paper discusses the COVID-19-induced commercialisation of the education system in Zimbabwe. It argues that COVID-19 exposed and widened the digital gap between privileged and underprivileged learners, regardless of the learners’ geographical location. The digitalisation of the education space –in adherence to World Health Organization’s COVID-19 guidelines – has resulted in the creation of virtual elite schools. Learners from privileged families found sanctuary in digital learning, whilst underprivileged learners continue to be exposed to the reality of commercialised education. This trend has revealed educational inequalities between privileged and underprivileged learners. The paper answers two major questions: 1. What are the inequalities that were reintroduced by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Zimbabwean education system? and 2. How effective is stakeholders’ response to COVID-19-induced inequalities? The paper argues that COVID-19 has dashed the hopes of free education for all, by creating a digital gap that perpetuates and entrenches inequalities in relation to learners. In light of these findings, the study suggests that education stakeholders invest in digital infrastructure, with special attention being paid to learners’ economic status, as opposed to their geographical location
Learners as activists: Secondary school girls, critical consciousness, and the liberation struggle in Southwestern Zimbabwe, c.1966–1979
Full text linkThis paper offers a gendered analysis of the experiences of secondary school students in the fight against oppression in Rhodesia. Using case studies from mission boarding secondary schools in southwest Rhodesia, the article discusses the daily realities of secondary school girls during Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle (circa 1966–1979). This analysis is framed through the lenses of Critical Pedagogy and gender analysis. Guided by Paulo Freire’s concepts of critical consciousness, the study examines various forms of oppression at the school level and analyses the effects of racialised colonial educational policies and guerrilla war teachings in awakening activism among girl students. Archival records, oral histories, and secondary texts were the sources interrogated. It was discovered that while the major struggle was against colonial rule, forms of oppression also existed at the school level. Girls in secondary schools fought against such oppression through strikes, rumourmongering, and repurposing domestic skills for the war effort. The study concludes that these everyday acts of resistance, often overlooked, were central to the war\u27s logistical and moral fabric, challenging the dominant masculinist historiography. Thus, the girls’ dual identity as learners and activists tested the masculinist framing of the liberation war. Therefore, there is a need for narratives of girls to be elevated in liberation discourses, as they were not only collaborators but also active participants in the birth of a post-colonial Zimbabwe. Consequently, this study subscribes to decolonial feminist historiography, repositioning schooling as a site of the girl child’s struggle for empowerment and social transformation
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
COVID- 19 Pandemic and The Precarity of Life: Rethinking a Pedagogy of Compassion so That The People of This Earth May Live
Full text linkThis article interrogates humanity’s individual and collective responses to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been unprecedented in its deadly, unstoppable spread. Widespread illness and deaths across the world as a result of COVID- 19 have invoked grim reminders of our mutual vulnerability The article reimagines a pedagogy of compassion informed by the principles of Ubuntu. In the conclusion, the article reflects on how the pandemic may have brought out the best in humanity, as our mutual vulnerability has taught us to care for each other.
The ambivalence of comradeship in the appointment of principals: A threat to the provision of quality education
Full text linkIn this article, we problematise the practice of appointing principals on the basis of comradeship instead of excellence, qualifications and competency. The appointment of principals in South Africa has, over the years, become politicised and unionised to the extent that it is contextualised within comradeship narratives, thereby negating the competency and qualifications that are required to champion quality education – education that is essential to empower people. To cement its arguments, the article is couched in decoloniality, a framework that evokes the need to challenge coloniality, which has displaced professionalism and competency as criteria for appointing principals. The data for the study were generated through questionnaires completed by, and interviews with, 19 participants in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province. The article reports that most schools with comrade principals face challenges related to competency, learner performance and indiscipline. The article recommends that the Department of Basic Education revisit its appointment policy for principals to ensure that competent principals are appointed, regardless of whether they are comrades or not.
Keywords: comradeship; politics of belonging and othering; principalship; unionis
- …
