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- 2023| The Global Institute...Mathematics and science subjects are critical subjects in high schools across South Africa. This study explored how principals managed the recruitment of scarce skills subjects’ teachers, based on demand and supply in Vhembe District. Myriad studies assert that Mathematics and science teachers are in short supply across South African rural schools, which creates a concern for the education system. This problem is prominent in rural Vhembe District, Limpopo. This study examined how rural secondary schools in the Mutale area recruited and retained permanent mathematics and science teachers. An interpretive paradigm was employed to understand the phenomenon under study. This study used a face to-face qualitative methodology, where targeted principals, teachers, heads of departments, and circuit and district managers were interviewed. Participants were selected via purposive and simple random sampling for the one-on-one structured interviews. All the interviews were audio-recorded with the permission of the 10 participants and were thematically analyzed. Various crucial factors have an impact on principals' ability to control the supply and demand of subjects with important, rare skills. Environmental and societal variables participate in the recruitment and retention of rural schools’ struggle to hire and retain math's and science teachers. Findings further revealed that these teachers need incentives to be employed and retained in rural schools. The study, therefore, recommends that teacher training programs be supported with adequate bursaries or funding for pre-service teachers, while Math's and science teachers should be well remunerated to attract and retain them in rural schools.
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- This study examined the impact of COVID-19-induced concerns regarding health, finance and learning on graduate students’ motivation for programme completion in Nigeria. A quantitative research method using survey approach was adopted for the study. The study utilized an online survey to gather data from 1846 graduate students from a purposively selected university in Nigeria. A model was proposed to serve as a framework for the analysis of the data collected. The model consisted of four constructs: health concerns, financial concerns, learning concerns and motivation for programme completion. A Partial Least Square- Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique in WarpPLS 7.0 was used for data analysis. Results revealed amongst others that the COVID-19-induced health concerns positively and significantly impacted graduate students’ motivation for programme completion. Additionally, the financial concerns related to the pandemic had a negative significant impact on graduate students’ motivation for programme completion. Further, the study found that COVID-19-induced concerns regarding health influenced graduate students’ concerns regarding finance. Similarly, COVID-19-induced concerns regarding finance significantly influenced graduate students’ learning concerns. Hence, the study suggested that university administrators and other stakeholders should assist graduate students with various forms of financial empowerment schemes, student loans and scholarships that could cushion the effect of the financial fallout of the pandemic on the graduate students and mitigate against possible dropout of the graduate students from graduate studies.
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- The main objective of this article was to explore how experiential learning theory can be adopted into teachers' professional development, as an effective approach to engaging teachers in classroom-enhanced activities. The inclusion or design of various experiential learning activities will promote pedagogical content knowledge and teaching skills that can enhance classroom practices. The theoretical framework of experiential learning enables effective classroom instructional delivery for all learning experiences in different contexts. The study purposefully selected 10 teachers, teaching Economics, from 10 high schools in Lagos, Nigeria. These teachers were observed in different classroom settings/teaching of selected topics from Economics, before and after a 3-day experiential learning-based professional development workshop. The teachers were further engaged in a focus group interview after the final observation. Findings revealed that experiential learning theory is critical to teacher professional development, as it enables teachers to learn better when engaged in experientially designed professional development, which can impact their classroom teaching thereafter. The study, therefore, encourages teacher educators or government bodies responsible for content design for teachers' professional development to integrate or structure the contents of teachers' professional development with experiential learning initiatives, to improve teachers' classroom pedagogies and teaching competencies for quality education.
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- Achieving educational objectives within the school system is contingent upon a conducive environment (Ajani, 2022). In the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, the alarming rise in school violence has disrupted academic activities, sparking concerns among education stakeholders. Numerous incidents of violence, resulting in fatalities and property damage, have been well-documented (Mahaye et al., 2022). The recurring nature of these incidents has led to a lack of stability within schools, hindering effective teaching and learning. This study investigates the factors contributing to educational instability in KwaZulu-Natal, drawing from published literature and the authors' direct experience as education administrators. The research reveals that crime and violence are the primary causes of school instability, stemming from internal factors involving learners and staff and external influences from the local community. The study identifies multiple strategies to mitigate school violence, creating a secure and conducive educational environment. Additionally, it proposes measures to ensure school stability in the KwaZulu-Natal province, including moral guidance, heightened security protocols, the cultivation of emotional intelligence, instruction in African philosophy (Ubuntu), and improved teacher welfare packages.
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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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- Recent studies have brought to the limelight some concerns regarding the quality of education and academic achievements of learners in numerous rural schools throughout South Africa. Business Studies is considered to be a crucial elective subject during the Further Education and Training phase of Basic Education in South Africa. This course equips learners with the requisite knowledge and competencies about business-oriented professions in the realm of higher education. This study employs a discursive approach to investigate the difficulties encountered in instructing business studies as a Grade 12 subject in diverse rural secondary schools across South Africa. The research delved into various approaches that can be utilised to augment the pedagogy and acquisition of Business Studies among twelfth-grade learners. The subject of Business Studies is included in the curriculum of secondary schools throughout South Africa. The inclusion of the subject is imperative for individuals pursuing careers in business-related programmes or qualifications at institutions of higher education. The authors examined the notion of business studies as a scholastic discipline, the difficulties associated with instructing and comprehending business studies within educational institutions, and methods to augment the pedagogy and comprehension of the subject. This field of study offers a solid base for individuals who aspire to pursue professions in the domains of business or commerce. Therefore, the aforementioned subject holds significant importance for learners seeking admission into tertiary institutions, particularly for those pursuing qualifications in business and commerce-related fields. Several challenges exist in the educational system, including a shortage of qualified teachers, insufficient professional development opportunities, inadequate learning and teaching support materials, overcrowded classrooms, and learner disinterest. The research suggests that rural schools should be provided with sufficient resource materials and that business studies teachers should be capacitated, among other recommendations.
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- Kohlberg's theory of moral cognitive development is the theory that underpins this qualitative study. Integration of values education in the education system by the teachers remains an effective approach to address moral decadence. Ten lesson observations from five different schools and semi-structured interview were thematically analysed to present findings. Thus, the researchers adopted interpretivism in presentation and discussion of findings for the study. Findings revealed that moral education is viewed differently by teachers in its integration in schools. Some participants opined that some selected subjects should be used for the integration of moral values in South African schools. The teacher, however, decried lack of adequate training on the integration of moral values in learners. Hence, the study recommends adequate and regular training of teachers on classroom pedagogy of integrating moral values in learners through all the subjects. Appropriate rewards and punishment should be employed by the school system to promote appropriate values in learners. South African high schools should review and integrate contents of moral education into the curriculum for classroom instructional delivery. Teachers should endeavour to understand the full usage of learners’ moral judgment competence, respect for every member of the community and moral cognition in an attempt to maximise the “Zone of proximal development” theory.
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- The transition from apartheid to democracy came with high expectations for a speedy transformation. The education system in South Africa before 1994 was rooted in segregation and inequality among the social groups that exist in South Africa. Hence, the education system post-independence has endeavoured to provide not only physical access but also epistemological access to learning for all students. Therefore, the fundamental purpose of education is to provide an impartial and comprehensive curriculum. Pre-service teacher education is a critical component of higher education in any country. Thus, the provision of teacher education within institutions of higher learning is a crucial societal force capable of advancing a curriculum that is transformative and grounded in a framework of social justice. The objective of this research is to enhance the potential for decolonising pre-service teacher education to promote equity and inclusivity, utilising social justice. The curriculum in question revitalises social justice that prioritises the significance of the individual aspects of pedagogy, the politics of diversity, and the correlation between pedagogy and agency. The utilisation of literary voices in teacher education was deemed a valuable approach in examining the potential of social justice theory as coined by Rawls (1971), to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable teacher education curriculum, guided by transformative principles for pre-service teachers. A systematic literature review of various literature sources revealed that the integration of novel concepts and topics into teacher education is critical for transformation. The integration of indigenous knowledge, history, and languages into teaching and learning will critically engage students in knowledge, power, and being. Thus, the transformative curriculum through social justice will enhance parity and inclusiveness in the delivery of educational curricula. This research contributes to the discourse on the decolonisation process for higher education, which has long been predominantly framed in Eurocentric pedagogy in South Africa. Hence, an alternative viewpoint on pre-service teacher education curriculum calls for decolonisation using social justice theory.
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- The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the significance of educational technologies in teaching and learning. The global pandemic led to the closure of educational institutions worldwide, prompting the widespread implementation of online learning as a substitute method for delivering curricula. The communication platform is known as WhatsApp has gained widespread adoption and extensive utilisation within the realm of education. The primary aims of this literature review are to examine the utilisation patterns and obstacles linked to the implementation of WhatsApp in the realm of education, assess the advantages and possibilities that students and facilitators can derive from utilising this platform for educational purposes, and comprehend the hindrances and restrictions that arise when employing WhatsApp in an academic environment. The literature was acquired through the utilisation of keywords that are linked to both WhatsApp and education from diverse databases. Having a thorough comprehension of current trends, potential advantages, obstacles, and gains linked to the use of WhatsApp is imperative for lecturers and administrators. Scholarly investigations have revealed a noticeable trend of lecturers and students increasingly utilising WhatsApp as a means of communication and collaboration. The objective of this literature review is to make a noteworthy contribution to the domain of education and technology through an investigation of the potential of WhatsApp as a learning tool. Additionally, this review seeks to offer valuable insights on how to effectively incorporate WhatsApp into pedagogical practices. The article underscores the significance of taking into account privacy and security concerns while utilising WhatsApp for educational objectives and puts forth recommendations for additional investigation.
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- This study explores the experiences of novice teachers who are teaching in English across the curriculum in South African rural schools. Their entry period into the profession is vulnerable and makes them novice in practice, characterised by a high rate of attrition, especially during the first five years of their career. Moreover, it becomes worse with some of the novice teachers who are employed in rural areas and have to teach in English across the curriculum. While there is a broad consensus on the importance of using the medium of instruction when teaching, studies that have investigated the experiences of novice teachers in teaching in English across the curriculum are few. This study employed a qualitative research design. Fifteen FET novice teachers were purposively selected for observation and focus group discussion from five high schools located in King Cetshwayo District in KwaZulu-Natal province. Theories of the Skills Acquisition Theory (SAT) and the Second Language (L2) Comprehensible Input through Teacher Talk Theory (CITTT) underpinned this study. Findings revealed that novice teachers face several challenges in curriculum delivery in English. The participants indicated learners' backgrounds as a limitation to the effective use of English as the medium of instructions. Lesson observations affirmed that teachers are comfortable using indigenous languages to teach across the curriculum. It is recommended that pre-service teachers should be prepared and exposed to both rural and urban areas during their teaching practice sessions. English language as a medium of instruction in schools, should be encouraged as a compulsory module for all pre-service students in teacher education.
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