School of Education
http://hdl.handle.net/10386/39
2024-03-29T10:37:26ZInvestigating the content knowledge of teachers' continuous professional development programmes for the implementation of inclusive education in Limpopo Province
http://hdl.handle.net/10386/4470
Investigating the content knowledge of teachers' continuous professional development programmes for the implementation of inclusive education in Limpopo Province
Sepadi, M. D.
The purpose of this study is to explore teachers‟ content knowledge within learning and continuous professional development programmes in the implementation of inclusive education. The study followed a qualitative research approach, where a case study design was adopted. Thus, about ten in-service teachers who formed part of the Short Learning Programme (SLP) offered by the University of Limpopo and sponsored by Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) formed the sample using the non-probability sampling technique, purposive sampling. Data were collected using two methods, interviews (semi-structured interviews) and document analysis. It was then analysed using a thematic content analysis model and themes were developed. Four themes emerged from the data namely: a) Teachers‟ opinions about the content knowledge in the programmes, b) teachers‟ experiences with the SLP, c) content knowledge within the programme and d) Quality of facilitators in the programme. These findings have far-reaching implications for how learning and professional development programmes should be organised to advance the inclusive education agenda in South African schools. This calls for policymakers and teacher educators to tailor make these programmes to the needs of teachers. Therefore, two teachers have a positive disposition toward SLPs, and more of this type of learning and professional development programmes should be developed.
Thesis (Ph.D. (Curriculum Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022
2022-01-01T00:00:00ZThe role of parents in the restoration of the culture of teaching and learning
http://hdl.handle.net/10386/4469
The role of parents in the restoration of the culture of teaching and learning
Tshigodime, Azwitamisi Petrus
The researcher would like to investigate the role played by parents in the restoration of the culture of learning and teaching. Parental involvement is the co-responsibility that the parent must bear in the management, performance and support of the fundamental issues of their children. Fundamental issues of education embrace the functional (teaching) and the management and supportive tasks that the parents may be involved in, for example cooperation, participation and partnership.
Parents have a vital role to play with regard to influence on the quality of restoring the culture of teaching and learning. Without cooperation between parents and educators, a child cannot be properly educated. The parent and the educator each play a special and crucial role in the education of the child. The successful education restoration of the culture of teaching and learning depends entirely on cooperation, communication and understanding between educators and parents. Educators must be able to communicate with all parents and be able to include them in school based and home based activities. This, however, requires a shift away from the traditional view of parental involvement, which revolves around co-opting parents to assist with general school activities such as fundraising. Effective parental involvement, however also needs to be managed, it cannot be left to chance. The researcher claims that the role of parents in the restoration of the culture of teaching and learning will lead to the improvement of learners in their academic achievement. The method to be used is qualitative; data will be collected through interviews and questionnaires. Major steps in conducting interviews will involve direct interaction between individuals. After thorough researching the researcher has realized the following:
• Parents do not feel part of their children’s education and they tend to leave everything on the hands of the educators.
• Educators tend to ignore parents.
• The culture of teaching and learning can be improved by actively involving parents in their children’s education.
• The culture of effective teaching and learning will only be restored when parents are totally involved in the operation of the school.
Parents must be fully integrated into the organization. It must be noted that those parents’ responses are the base line criterion in every decision making process and those parents are physically incorporated into activities. It is better to involve parents at the outset than to decide, consult and then have to change.
Thesis (M.Ed.) -- University of Limpopo, 2007
2007-01-01T00:00:00ZSociomathematical norms constituted for promoting learners' proficiency in mathematics
http://hdl.handle.net/10386/4438
Sociomathematical norms constituted for promoting learners' proficiency in mathematics
Mokwana, Lekwa Lazarus
The qualitative study reported here sought to explore constitution of
sociomathematical norms in a class where teaching was undertaken to promote
learners’ proficiency in mathematics. A case study research design in which I served
as a teacher-researcher was adopted and focused on a Grade 11 mathematics class
in which all learners were participants. The study was guided by three interrelated
research questions and these questions were: (i) what are the sociomathematical
norms constituted for promoting learners’ proficiency in mathematics? (ii) how are
the sociomathematical norms for promoting learners’ proficiency in mathematics
constituted and enacted in the classroom? (iii) how does the enactment of the
constituted sociomathematical norms promote learners’ proficiency in mathematics?
Three theories were employed during this study, namely: (i) sociocultural
theory as a referent for classroom practice (Vygotsky, 1978). (ii) theoretical
constructs of socio and sociomathematical norms found in the emergent approach
by Cobb and Yackel (1996) as a lens through which data were analysed; and, (iii)
the five interwoven strands of mathematical proficiency (Kilpatrick, Swafford &
Findell, 2001) as standards for learners’ mathematical development. The interplay
of these three theories gave rise to the conceptualisation of a framework which best
accounts for how the study unfolded.
Data were generated through video recording and participant observation.
Data also emerged from classroom discussions when learners, in their pairs or small
groups, worked through learning activities. These interactions, were audio and video
recorded. Meanwhile, observation data were recorded in a researcher journal in
which entries were made after each lesson. Data were analysed following
Polkinghorne’s (1995) narrative analysis of eventful data, followed by an analysis of
narratives as the final step. During the analysis I listened to and watched the audio
and video recordings a number of times, and then selected the excerpts which were
to be used for analysis. This was followed by the transcription of the selected audio
and video data into text. It was found that learners constituted and enacted the sociomathematical norms concerned with acceptable mathematical explanations, mathematical justifications and mathematically different solutions. The constitution and enactment of these sociomathematical norms provided learners with multiple opportunities to engage in classroom discourse which promoted their proficiency in mathematics. Furthermore, it became apparent that teachers’ ability to foster productive
sociomathematical norms is imperative for mathematics learning. As a result, I
proposed a model for fostering the constitution of sociomathematical norms as
teaching and learning unfolds in the natural setting of a classroom. The model
consists of four major constructs, namely, identifying productive sociomathematical
norms, knowing learners’ existing sociomathematical norms, disrupting and
deconstructing learners’ sociomathematical norms and negotiating and authoring
new sociomathematical norms. Enactment of sociomathematical norms, on the other hand, emerged as learners engaged in mathematical classroom discourse and experienced the situation for challenges and justifications. The enactment of these
sociomathematical norms reflected the unification of social norms and mathematical
norms, as learners engaged in mathematical activity. In order to orchestrate the
enactment of sociomathematical norms, teachers should first adopt social learning
theories (sociocultural theory) as a referent for classroom practice. These social
learning theories, if adopted, will ensure that learning is taking place within
environments, which allows for social interactions to take place.
Thesis (Ph.D. (Mathematics Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021
2021-01-01T00:00:00ZExploring the effects of extensive reading strategies on grade 10 EFAL learners' academic performance : a case of Kgolakaleleme Secondary School
http://hdl.handle.net/10386/4355
Exploring the effects of extensive reading strategies on grade 10 EFAL learners' academic performance : a case of Kgolakaleleme Secondary School
Mokwalakwala, Motsatsi Jeanet
There is a high failure rate experienced in public schools, mostly those that are based in rural areas. This is because learners in rural areas are disadvantaged in terms of exposure to English First Additional Language (EFAL) as the Language of Teaching and Learning (LoTL). They need basic attention in reading as well as writing skills. This was the reason; this study explores the effects of extensive reading strategies on grade 10 EFAL learners’ academic performance. Reading and writing is not an educational problem affecting only learners at FET Phase in schools. The purpose of this study was to see if reading skills grade 10 learners of Kgolakaleleme Secondary School gained from reading club was anticipated to help improve learners’ performance. The method used in this study was qualitative and it is used for teachers to bring out their experiences on EFAL teaching. Data collection was done through structured interviews and non-participant observation. Four teachers of which one is also the Head of Department (HOD) of Languages Department, were sampled from Kgolakaleleme Secondary School in Rakwadu 2 Circuit. The research results from interviews, focus group discussion, observations and document analysis are conjointly presented to avoid recurrences. In this study, qualitative research was employed to examine the impact of extensive reading as it is explored in reading club of the sampled school of Rakwadu 2 circuit on grade 10 learners’ performance. A phenomenological case study was used as the knowledge is contextual in nature. This study falls within the constructive paradigm because knowledge is studied and altered. It was found that leaners distance themselves from reading aloud in the presence of their peers because they have fear of being laughed at and as a result they do not improve their reading skills. This study has revealed that teachers tend to omit some stages of the reading process, say the pre-reading, because they rush to complete the syllabus. Additionally, learners were not granted options to choose from digital material or printed study material due to the inadequate technological infrastructure of the school and the fact that they are located in rural area characterized by poverty and unemployment. Amongst the findings revealed by the study, there are those teachers who did not take English as their major subject in their teaching career. This is one of the contributing factors reading at FET Phase in rural schools is practically unachievable.
Thesis (M.A (Language Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022
2022-01-01T00:00:00Z