1,720,963 research outputs found
Exploring lecturer preparedness to apply a critical approach to curriculum implementation: a case study
Full text linkThis study sought to investigate lecturer preparedness to apply a critical approach to curriculum implementation and to establish their willingness or unwillingness to engage as transformative intellectuals with their students and to apply a problem-posing education in their classrooms. The study investigated lecturers’ critical pedagogy dispositions as well as their orientations towards applying a critical approach to curriculum implementation. A comprehensive literature review was done regarding the concept critical pedagogy, its tenets and principles as well as what it entails to apply a critical approach to curriculum implementation. In particular the literature review highlighted the responsibilities of a transformative intellectual as well as the requirements of applying a problem-posing education. The study was conducted through a constructivist lens and theoretically framed by referring to specific critical pedagogy concepts. The study is located in the interpretive paradigm and a qualitative research approach was followed. In particular, an instrumental case study analysis was used as research method. The sample consisted of 20 permanently employed lecturers from the School for Initial Teacher Education in the Faculty of Education at Nelson Mandela University who volunteered to participate in an online investigation regarding their critical pedagogy dispositions as well as their orientations towards applying a critical approach to curriculum implementation. The findings of the study revealed that lecturers generally have a positive disposition towards critical pedagogy as well as towards the application of a critical approach to curriculum implementation. Despite this positive picture there were pockets of resistance towards critical pedagogy and the application of a critical approach to curriculum implementation. Finally, the study proposes a critical approach model that could be employed to enhance lecturer preparedness to apply a critical approach in their classes
Towards decolonising teacher education: reimagining the relationship between theory and praxis
No full textWe live in a dynamic world, characterised by major economic, technological and social change. Decolonising teacher
education is embedded in a critical approach that aims to create counterhegemonic intellectual spaces in which new worldviews
can unfold, in ways that can lead us toward change of praxis. The idea for this article was born out of discussions that took
place during the various workshops of our recent curriculum renewal process and provides an explication of the subsequent
outcome of the process; the newly developed, integrated Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) curriculum of the Nelson Mandela
University’s Faculty of Education. This curriculum is underpinned by a critical, conceptual framework of teacher development,
progressing from ‘bridging,’ through ‘becoming’ and ‘being’ towards ‘belonging’ as a teacher in the teaching profession.
Drawing upon key themes which emerged during our curriculum renewal process, we explore possible strategies to intervene
and disrupt various forms of oppression that are manifest in the current composition of a colonised higher education in South
Africa
Assessing entrepreneurship education at secondary schools in the NMBM
Full text linkEntrepreneurship has emerged over the last two decades as arguably the most potent economic force the world has ever experienced (Kuratko, 2005: 577). Entrepreneurship has become a pressing national priority in South Africa as there are simply not enough existing jobs to absorb the influx of school leavers into the labour market (www.ssaci.org.za). The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor study has consistently highlighted the weaknesses in the education system as a factor limiting entrepreneurial activities in South Africa (Orford, 2004: 26). Entrepreneurship education was introduced into the Further Education and Training curriculum (Grades 10-12) in 2006 as part of an optional subject Business Studies (Horn, 2006: 120). Preliminary evidence suggests widespread problems across the country with the implementation of entrepreneurship education programs in schools (Isaacs, Visser, Friedrich and Brijlal, 2007: 618). The primary objective of this study is to improve entrepreneurship education at secondary school level by investigating how effective the current entrepreneurship education program is in providing school leavers with the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills required to start their own business. The study conducted a literature review to establish global trends of entrepreneurship education. Furthermore, a qualitative case study approach was used, where three schools from Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality was selected for collecting data on the progress of entrepreneurship education in secondary schools. The study found that prescribed content for entrepreneurship education is being taught at secondary schools. However, concerns were identified with the methods used to teach entrepreneurship education as it lacked practical exposure to real life situations. The study found that the way in which entrepreneurship education was taught did not motivate school leavers to start their own business. Therefore, the study recommends that entrepreneurship education should be offered as an independent subject and not as part of another subject. Furthermore, a practical approach should be followed in teaching entrepreneurship education. Finally, commitment and collaborative participation by all stakeholders are required to ensure the success of entrepreneurship educatio
Transforming teacher education: Using community mapping to read the word and world
Full text linkThe development of critical pedagogical approaches in teacher education (TE) in the South African context is imperative given the deepening crisis in the public schooling system in the country. Public discourse and debates amongst scholars suggest that education for critical citizenship and the development of substantive democracy are under threat. In order to advance education in support of substantive democracy, TE requires critical reflection and engagement with teaching practices that promote the development of citizenship for critical engagement and participation in the socio-economic transformation of South Africa.
This paper argues for the development and application of innovative approaches to teacher preparation that challenge the neoliberal attack on public education and the suppression of emancipatory practices amongst teachers. These approaches include a conscientious examination and application of community mapping as a pedagogical instrument that acquaint student-teachers with, and deepen their understanding of, the contextual realities of educational experiences in poor and working-class South Africa. Drawing on case studies of community mapping, this paper argues for critical engagement within the teaching academy with the theory and practice of teacher preparation towards transformative work and an exposure to educational praxes that better prepare student-teachers for a vocation that embraces the philosophies, methodologies and ethics of critical pedagogy. The main thesis of this paper is that community mapping is a critical and transformative pedagogical tool which should be integral to teacher preparation in South Africa
Towards decolonising teacher education: Reimagining the relationship between theory and praxis
Full text linkWe live in a dynamic world, characterised by major economic, technological and social change. Decolonising teacher education is embedded in a critical approach that aims to create counterhegemonic intellectual spaces in which new worldviews can unfold, in ways that can lead us toward change of praxis. The idea for this article was born out of discussions that took place during the various workshops of our recent curriculum renewal process and provides an explication of the subsequent outcome of the process; the newly developed, integrated Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) curriculum of the Nelson Mandela University’s Faculty of Education. This curriculum is underpinned by a critical, conceptual framework of teacher development, progressing from ‘bridging,’ through ‘becoming’ and ‘being’ towards ‘belonging’ as a teacher in the teaching profession. Drawing upon key themes which emerged during our curriculum renewal process, we explore possible strategies to intervene and disrupt various forms of oppression that are manifest in the current composition of a colonised higher education in South Africa.Keywords: curriculum renewal; decolonisation; developmental model; teacher educatio
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
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Exploring the use of participatory visual methods in teaching sexuality education within the HIV and AIDS education programme in selected Kenyan secondary schools
Full text linkThe 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
- …
