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Assoc. Prof
Govender, Samantha
Faculty: Faculty of Education
Department: Educational Foundations
Research Interest(s): Curriculum and teacher development, Teaching, Learning and assessment in higher and tertiary education, and Climate change education.
Active Research Project(s): Harvesting research papers from data collected through the KIC-CCE project.
Creating a sustainable teaching and learning environment in rural Northern KwaZulu-Natal schools.
Active Community Engagement: Southern African Society for Education (SASE).
Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE).
Biography: Dr. Samantha Govender obtained her Doctoral Degree in Curriculum Studies in 2013 from the University of Zululand. She currently serves as a Senior Lecturer and Acting Head of Department for Curriculum and Instructional Studies in Education within the Faculty of Education.
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- Education is critical to the development of any country. The quality of education depends on the quality of teachers in the education system. Studies affirm that the initial teacher education that teachers enter the teaching profession with, is not enough to sustain the education system. Hence, there is a need for continuing life-long learning for teachers to keep abreast of their profession. Seemingly, teachers play a significant role in the integration of ICT into teaching and learning. Therefore, adequate and regular professional development of teachers is paramount to the use of learning technologies in classrooms. This study employed a systematic review of the literature to explore the impact of teachers' exposure to ICT through professional development activities on teaching and learning success. The TPACK framework was adopted as an underpinning lens to understand the phenomenon. The study affirms that the professional development of teachers should be situated within ICT pedagogical and content-related content to capacitate teachers' ICT knowledge and skills. Hence, teachers' ICT knowledge enhances classroom instructional delivery, using various learning technologies in teaching and learning. The study recommends adequate and regular capacity building for teachers with ICT training, while teachers should be supported with ICT gadgets and resources. Follow-up should be designed to ensure teachers’ adoption and use of ICT for teaching and learning in South African schools, to familiarise their learners with various learning technologies, and to enhance their academic performances.
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- 2023| Faculty of Islamic E...This study aimed at improving solid waste disposal in schools by using the composting approach. The theory that underpinned this study was Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (3R) theory, while the necessary data were gathered by using a synthesis and integration approach. The following three research questions were framed to guide the conduct of the study: How important is solid waste management in schools? What pedagogical techniques are most effective for promoting environmental sustainability by teaching composting in schools? What are the challenges involved in the composting process at school? The synthesis and integration approach assisted in integrating concepts from different sources and synthesizing those concepts to create a comprehensive and cogent argument in accordance with emerging themes. It was discovered that solid waste management in schools was particularly crucial since schools produced a lot of rubbish and that waste may affect the environment negatively. Composting is essential to improve school solid waste because it enhances soil health, decreases waste, and encourages sustainable agricultural methods. Three pedagogical techniques that could be utilized to facilitate the teaching and learning of composting in schools have evolved based on the theoretical framework and the literature provided. Project-based learning (PBL), hands-on learning, and inquiry-based learning were some of the new pedagogical strategies. However, some of the challenges with the composting process were identified as follows: difficulty in regulating the moisture level of the compost, keeping the proper balance of carbon and nitrogen in the compost pile, and inability to educate students and staff about the composting process.
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- This study explored teachers‘ and learners‘ views about factors that contribute to Physical Sciences underperformance in Grade 12 from a rural context. A mixed- methods research methodology was used where a concurrent triangulation research design was employed; where a structured questionnaire was used to solicit learners‘ views, while an interview schedule was used to delve into the teachers‘ views.Descriptive statistics revealed that learners viewed class-size, support, resources, and attitude towards Physical Science as factors that contribute to underperformance. Teachers indicated that it is difficult to give extra support without well-resourced laboratories and parental support. This paper contributes to the existing knowledge about the teaching of Sciences. It further recommends that measures be put in place to ensure that the recommendations of the National policy for the provision and management of Learning and Teaching Support Material are implemented in schools.
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- The development of any country is intricately driven by the available education system in such country where teachers are the prominent drivers. This study was conducted to explore teachers’ Perspectives on in-service professional development activities in both South Africa and Nigeria. In-service professional development refers to all activities to improve classroom practices for better learners’ academic performance. Data collection instruments were questionnaire with eighty teachers while six Heads of Departments were engaged in semi-structured interviews and ten teachers participated in focus group interviews. Experiential theory was used to underpin teachers’ views on the IPD. Findings revealed that teachers in both countries were not provided with frequent in-service professional activities on yearly basis, and the contents of these IPD activities were not satisfactory to the teachers. The study therefore recommended frequent IPD activities for the teachers and the IPD activities should focus on teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge for enhanced classroom practices.
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- The importance of feedback in enhancing teaching and learning in higher education institutions is widely acknowledged but there is still a persistent need for improvement. This study explored students ‘reflections on the feedback they received within their modules from multiple assessment practices. It aimed to examine the nature of the feedback they received as well as the challenges they experienced during the process, and to identify innovative ways to enhance future practice. An interpretative, qualitative, and quantitative research approach was employed. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire, containing closed and open-ended questions, from 120 randomly selected third-year students from the Faculty of Education at a South African university. The findings revealed that students felt they did not receive sufficient, detailed, relevant, and timely feedback after assessment; they valued feedback mainly in terms of quantity, quality, and promptness, but there was little concern from students about the extent to which their learning could be facilitated through the feedback received. Recommendations are provided for effective and efficient ways in which feedback can be improved to facilitate student learning, Specifically in the context of large student numbers and high lecturer workload.
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- Background: The teaching of writing in English First Additional Language (EFAL) classrooms remains less explored in the Further Education and Training Phase (FET) in South Africa. This is so despite research showing a decline in the writing skills of second language learners, especially at the FET phase, calling attention to how writing is taught. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate writing approaches and teaching strategies used by teachers in teaching writing in selected EFAL FET classrooms in the Pinetown district. Method: A qualitative approach was adopted to observe five writing lessons across five schools using a video camera. Discourse analysis was used to analyse data. Results: The findings indicate that teachers mostly used a process approach to writing, which is in line with their curriculum. The study also found that teachers generally used a question and answer method to teach writing, which entails teachers controlling the interactions in the classrooms through a nomination-response cycle. Analyses of lessons also suggest that teachers creatively employed code-switching to explain writing concepts better. Conclusion: The study concludes that the effectiveness of any pedagogy depends on the teachers’ knowledge and understanding of writing and approaches to writing. For effective development of learners’ writing, the study recommends instruction methods that embrace collaborative writing activities in the learners’ Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and the recognition of learners’ home languages.
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