Connecting culture and science: Utilising Oshikundu and Ombidi in biology lessons on diffusion and osmosis
- Shilomboleni, Helena Ilena Ndilimeke
- Authors: Shilomboleni, Helena Ilena Ndilimeke
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Ethnoscience , Traditional knowledge , Biology Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Oshikundu , Osmosis , Diffusion , Contiguity (psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463636 , vital:76427
- Description: Various science curricula including that of Namibia recommend that teaching and learning should start with the knowledge and experiences of learners from their homes and communities. These experiences are the learners’ Indigenous Knowledge (IK) which should be integrated to make science accessible and relevant to learners from diverse sociocultural backgrounds. This suggests that science teachers are encouraged to integrate IK into their teaching to help learners grasp abstract concepts and construct their own understanding of phenomena. However, much literature has revealed that many teachers find it difficult to integrate IK into their science teaching. Some scholars further argue that teachers lack the pedagogical content knowledge to effectively integrate IK. I assume this could be because the science curriculum is not explicit on how IK should be integrated into science teaching. It is against this backdrop that in this study I mobilised the Indigenous technologies of making oshikundu and preserving ombidi to support Grade 10 Biology learners in talking and making sense of diffusion and osmosis. This study was underpinned by the interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms. Within the Indigenous research paradigm, I focused on Ubuntu as a perspective. A qualitative case study was employed and conducted at a certain school in the northern part of Namibia, in the Ohangwena region. I worked with a group of 35 Grade 10 learners, two Indigenous Knowledge Custodians (KCs) who are the custodians of cultural heritage and one Biology teacher (critical friend) as participants in this study. Qualitative data were collected using a focus group interview (sharing circle), group activity, participatory observation, and learners’ journal reflections. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory together with Ogunniyi’s Contiguity Argumentative Theory were used as lenses to analyse data. The findings of the study revealed that during the IKCs’ practical demonstrations learners were able to identify science concepts embedded in the cultural practices of making oshikundu and preserving ombidi. The findings further revealed that the practical demonstrations enhanced active participation and interactions among learners. I thus recommend that teachers should tap into IKCs’ cultural heritage by inviting them into their classrooms to make science relevant, accessible and meaningful to learners. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
- Authors: Shilomboleni, Helena Ilena Ndilimeke
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Ethnoscience , Traditional knowledge , Biology Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Oshikundu , Osmosis , Diffusion , Contiguity (psychology)
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463636 , vital:76427
- Description: Various science curricula including that of Namibia recommend that teaching and learning should start with the knowledge and experiences of learners from their homes and communities. These experiences are the learners’ Indigenous Knowledge (IK) which should be integrated to make science accessible and relevant to learners from diverse sociocultural backgrounds. This suggests that science teachers are encouraged to integrate IK into their teaching to help learners grasp abstract concepts and construct their own understanding of phenomena. However, much literature has revealed that many teachers find it difficult to integrate IK into their science teaching. Some scholars further argue that teachers lack the pedagogical content knowledge to effectively integrate IK. I assume this could be because the science curriculum is not explicit on how IK should be integrated into science teaching. It is against this backdrop that in this study I mobilised the Indigenous technologies of making oshikundu and preserving ombidi to support Grade 10 Biology learners in talking and making sense of diffusion and osmosis. This study was underpinned by the interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms. Within the Indigenous research paradigm, I focused on Ubuntu as a perspective. A qualitative case study was employed and conducted at a certain school in the northern part of Namibia, in the Ohangwena region. I worked with a group of 35 Grade 10 learners, two Indigenous Knowledge Custodians (KCs) who are the custodians of cultural heritage and one Biology teacher (critical friend) as participants in this study. Qualitative data were collected using a focus group interview (sharing circle), group activity, participatory observation, and learners’ journal reflections. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory together with Ogunniyi’s Contiguity Argumentative Theory were used as lenses to analyse data. The findings of the study revealed that during the IKCs’ practical demonstrations learners were able to identify science concepts embedded in the cultural practices of making oshikundu and preserving ombidi. The findings further revealed that the practical demonstrations enhanced active participation and interactions among learners. I thus recommend that teachers should tap into IKCs’ cultural heritage by inviting them into their classrooms to make science relevant, accessible and meaningful to learners. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
Exploring first year medical students’ use of mobile learning to support their self-regulated learning in a developing country
- Nyirenda, Ishmael Kamtagwala
- Authors: Nyirenda, Ishmael Kamtagwala
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Medical students Developing countries , College freshmen Developing countries , Self-regulated learning , Mobile communication systems in education , Education, Higher Developing countries , Information technology
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466447 , vital:76729 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/466447
- Description: In order to manage the demands of university studies, research suggests that university students should possess efficient self-regulated learning (SRL) skills. The use of mobile learning is believed to enhance SRL skills. Yet, despite the potential benefits of mobile learning, many first-year students encounter challenges in using mobile devices to foster self-regulated learning skills. It is against this backdrop that this study aimed to examine how first-year medical students utilisee mobile learning to foster self-regulated learning. This study employed a Explanatory Sequential Study Design , combining both quantitative and qualitative data. It used the interpretativist and pragmatic paradigms to understand how students perceive and use mobile devices for self-regulated learning. The interpretivist paradigm focused on understanding students’ perspectives, while the pragmatic paradigm aimed to identify effective ways of using mobile devices to promote self-regulated learning. Participants to this study were first-year medical students. The mixed-methods approach aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the research problem by collecting data through various methods. Questionnaires gathered quantitative data, while participatory observation, reflective workshops, and focus group discussions provided qualitative data. The theoretical frameworks that guide the study include the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model (UTAUT) (Venkatesh et al., 2003) and Vygotsky's (1978) socio-cultural theory (SCT). The study findings revealed that mobile devices were used by first year medical students to manage and control their learning, both inside and outside the classroom. Notably, significant improvements were observed in cognitive learning strategies, metacognitive self-regulation strategies and resource management learning strategies, including time management. Additionally, the study found that first-year medical students had a positive perception of mobile learning. Furthermore, mobile devices were generally perceived as enablers of self-regulated learning (SRL), providing flexibility, convenience, and access to diverse learning resources. However, distractions and interruptions posed challenges to focus and attention. To mitigate these challenges, strategies such as device management and setting boundaries were suggested. Moreover, first-year medical students expressed the need for support in developing SRL through mobile learning. Guidance in selecting effective mobile applications, opportunities for collaborative learning, and technological skill training were identified as essential forms of support. The study thus recommends integrating mobile learning into curricula to enhance self-regulated learning skills in higher education students, especially among first-year students. Higher education institutions should establish deliberate policies and initiatives for mobile learning programs, especially for first-year students. Educators should offer guidance and training on using mobile learning tools effectively, including information searching skill. However, students should be cautious about distractions from the use of mobile devices. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
- Authors: Nyirenda, Ishmael Kamtagwala
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Medical students Developing countries , College freshmen Developing countries , Self-regulated learning , Mobile communication systems in education , Education, Higher Developing countries , Information technology
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466447 , vital:76729 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/466447
- Description: In order to manage the demands of university studies, research suggests that university students should possess efficient self-regulated learning (SRL) skills. The use of mobile learning is believed to enhance SRL skills. Yet, despite the potential benefits of mobile learning, many first-year students encounter challenges in using mobile devices to foster self-regulated learning skills. It is against this backdrop that this study aimed to examine how first-year medical students utilisee mobile learning to foster self-regulated learning. This study employed a Explanatory Sequential Study Design , combining both quantitative and qualitative data. It used the interpretativist and pragmatic paradigms to understand how students perceive and use mobile devices for self-regulated learning. The interpretivist paradigm focused on understanding students’ perspectives, while the pragmatic paradigm aimed to identify effective ways of using mobile devices to promote self-regulated learning. Participants to this study were first-year medical students. The mixed-methods approach aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the research problem by collecting data through various methods. Questionnaires gathered quantitative data, while participatory observation, reflective workshops, and focus group discussions provided qualitative data. The theoretical frameworks that guide the study include the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model (UTAUT) (Venkatesh et al., 2003) and Vygotsky's (1978) socio-cultural theory (SCT). The study findings revealed that mobile devices were used by first year medical students to manage and control their learning, both inside and outside the classroom. Notably, significant improvements were observed in cognitive learning strategies, metacognitive self-regulation strategies and resource management learning strategies, including time management. Additionally, the study found that first-year medical students had a positive perception of mobile learning. Furthermore, mobile devices were generally perceived as enablers of self-regulated learning (SRL), providing flexibility, convenience, and access to diverse learning resources. However, distractions and interruptions posed challenges to focus and attention. To mitigate these challenges, strategies such as device management and setting boundaries were suggested. Moreover, first-year medical students expressed the need for support in developing SRL through mobile learning. Guidance in selecting effective mobile applications, opportunities for collaborative learning, and technological skill training were identified as essential forms of support. The study thus recommends integrating mobile learning into curricula to enhance self-regulated learning skills in higher education students, especially among first-year students. Higher education institutions should establish deliberate policies and initiatives for mobile learning programs, especially for first-year students. Educators should offer guidance and training on using mobile learning tools effectively, including information searching skill. However, students should be cautious about distractions from the use of mobile devices. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
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Mediating learning of electrostatics through stories on cultural beliefs and practices about lightning to Grade 7 township school learners
- Authors: Funani, Lindiso Desmond
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Electrostatics , Lightning South Africa , Traditional ecological knowledge South Africa , Argumentation theory , Social learning South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463548 , vital:76419
- Description: The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document mandates that teaching and learning should start with the knowledge and experiences of learners from home or communities when teaching Natural Sciences. The aim is to bridge the gap between the science content learned in the school classroom and the science accessible to learners in their homes and community environments. CAPS claims that it ‘embraces local indigenous knowledge’ but it does not specify how this should be done in schools. As a result, little or no integration of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) is enacted in many of our schools in South Africa and learners seem to find science inaccessible and irrelevant to their everyday lives. It is against this backdrop that this interventionist study sought to mediate learning of electrostatics through harnessing stories on cultural beliefs and practices about lightning to Grade 7 township school learners. This study is located within the interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms, central to which is to develop a greater understanding of how people make sense of the contexts in which they live and work. Within the Indigenous research paradigm, I focused on the Ubuntu perspective. Furthermore, this study was conducted in an under-resourced school located in the Sarah Baartman District, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The participants were Grade 7 Natural Sciences learners and two Indigenous Knowledge Custodians (IKCs). In addition, one Natural Sciences teacher was my critical friend. Focus group interviews (sharing circles), group activities, observations (participatory and lesson observation), and learners’ journals were used to gather data. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Ogunniyi’s Contiguity Argumentation Theory were used as theoretical frameworks in this study. The findings of the study revealed that both the group activity and the presentations by the Indigenous Knowledge Custodians on stories on cultural beliefs and practices about lightning enabled learners’ argumentation and sense-making of electrostatics. The study thus recommends that science teachers should make efforts to tap into the cultural heritage of IKCs to make science accessible and relevant to learners' everyday life experiences. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
- Authors: Funani, Lindiso Desmond
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Electrostatics , Lightning South Africa , Traditional ecological knowledge South Africa , Argumentation theory , Social learning South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463548 , vital:76419
- Description: The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document mandates that teaching and learning should start with the knowledge and experiences of learners from home or communities when teaching Natural Sciences. The aim is to bridge the gap between the science content learned in the school classroom and the science accessible to learners in their homes and community environments. CAPS claims that it ‘embraces local indigenous knowledge’ but it does not specify how this should be done in schools. As a result, little or no integration of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) is enacted in many of our schools in South Africa and learners seem to find science inaccessible and irrelevant to their everyday lives. It is against this backdrop that this interventionist study sought to mediate learning of electrostatics through harnessing stories on cultural beliefs and practices about lightning to Grade 7 township school learners. This study is located within the interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms, central to which is to develop a greater understanding of how people make sense of the contexts in which they live and work. Within the Indigenous research paradigm, I focused on the Ubuntu perspective. Furthermore, this study was conducted in an under-resourced school located in the Sarah Baartman District, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The participants were Grade 7 Natural Sciences learners and two Indigenous Knowledge Custodians (IKCs). In addition, one Natural Sciences teacher was my critical friend. Focus group interviews (sharing circles), group activities, observations (participatory and lesson observation), and learners’ journals were used to gather data. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Ogunniyi’s Contiguity Argumentation Theory were used as theoretical frameworks in this study. The findings of the study revealed that both the group activity and the presentations by the Indigenous Knowledge Custodians on stories on cultural beliefs and practices about lightning enabled learners’ argumentation and sense-making of electrostatics. The study thus recommends that science teachers should make efforts to tap into the cultural heritage of IKCs to make science accessible and relevant to learners' everyday life experiences. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
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Mediating learning of nutrition through using traditional food processing and preservation to grade 6 rural school learners
- Authors: Tyeda, Nomvume
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Nutrition Study and teaching , Food Preservation , Ethnoscience , Sensemaking , Sociocultural perspective , Argumentation theory
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463658 , vital:76429
- Description: Rural learners, especially those in the school where I teach, seem to grasp science in a disconnected manner, and hence struggle to understand it. This concern aligns with the findings of the Trends of International Mathematics and Science Studies, which notes poor performance in science among learners in South Africa. When examining these challenges, learners appear to inhabit a realm divided by a river, struggling to bridge the gap between what they learn at home and what is taught at school. Against this context, this research aimed to mediate the learning of nutrition for Grade 6 rural school learners by integrating traditional ways of food processing and preservation. The interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms underpin the research. I used the Ubuntu perspective within the Indigenous research paradigm, which emphasises respect and humble togetherness. This qualitative case study took place at a rural school in the OR Tambo Coastal district in the Eastern Cape. It involved 14 Grade 6 Natural Sciences and Technology learners, a critical friend, and two Indigenous Knowledge Custodians. Various methods were used to collect data, including group activities by learners, participatory and lesson observation, focus group interviews (sharing circles), and learners’ journal reflections. The findings of the study revealed the significance of integrating Indigenous Knowledge with modern scientific principles, engaging in experiential and hands-on learning activities, involving Indigenous Knowledge Custodians, and using visual learning aids to enhance learners’ engagement and sense-making of nutrition. The study recommends that Indigenous Knowledge should be integrated with modern science to provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic of nutrition. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
- Authors: Tyeda, Nomvume
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Nutrition Study and teaching , Food Preservation , Ethnoscience , Sensemaking , Sociocultural perspective , Argumentation theory
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463658 , vital:76429
- Description: Rural learners, especially those in the school where I teach, seem to grasp science in a disconnected manner, and hence struggle to understand it. This concern aligns with the findings of the Trends of International Mathematics and Science Studies, which notes poor performance in science among learners in South Africa. When examining these challenges, learners appear to inhabit a realm divided by a river, struggling to bridge the gap between what they learn at home and what is taught at school. Against this context, this research aimed to mediate the learning of nutrition for Grade 6 rural school learners by integrating traditional ways of food processing and preservation. The interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms underpin the research. I used the Ubuntu perspective within the Indigenous research paradigm, which emphasises respect and humble togetherness. This qualitative case study took place at a rural school in the OR Tambo Coastal district in the Eastern Cape. It involved 14 Grade 6 Natural Sciences and Technology learners, a critical friend, and two Indigenous Knowledge Custodians. Various methods were used to collect data, including group activities by learners, participatory and lesson observation, focus group interviews (sharing circles), and learners’ journal reflections. The findings of the study revealed the significance of integrating Indigenous Knowledge with modern scientific principles, engaging in experiential and hands-on learning activities, involving Indigenous Knowledge Custodians, and using visual learning aids to enhance learners’ engagement and sense-making of nutrition. The study recommends that Indigenous Knowledge should be integrated with modern science to provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic of nutrition. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
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Mediating learning of sound through cultural music and dance stories to Grade 4 farm school learners
- Authors: Tshitshi, Hlengiwe
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Technology Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Ethnoscience , Storytelling , Folk dancing , Folk music , Sociocultural perspective , Argumentation theory
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463647 , vital:76428
- Description: The current South African Natural Science and Technology (NS-Tech) curriculum for grades 4–9 encourages teachers to integrate Indigenous Knowledge (IK) into their teaching. By doing so, it is hoped that this would contextualise and make science relevant to learners. However, the contradiction is that IK is hardly discussed in the curriculum and there are no clear guidelines on how to integrate it. It is against this background that in this study I used stories about cultural beliefs and practices on traditional music and dance to support Grade 4 NS-Tech from a farm school talking about and making sense of the topic of sound. This study is underpinned by the interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms. Within the Indigenous research paradigm, I focused on the Ubuntu perspective. A qualitative case study research design was employed, and the study was conducted in the Sarah Baartman District of the Eastern Cape. Four Grade 4 learners and four Indigenous Knowledge Custodians who were all family members were participants in this study. In addition, I invited an NS-Tech teacher to be my critical friend in this study. A focus group interview (sharing circle), participatory and lesson observations and learners’ journal reflections were employed to gather data. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory together with Ogunniyi’s contiguity argumentative theory were used as lenses to analyse data. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed to come up with sub-themes. Thereafter, common sub-themes were subsequently combined to form themes. The findings of this study revealed that the following factors can significantly enable/constrain the ability of Grade 4 Natural Sciences and Technology learners from a farm school to comprehend and engage with the topic of sound: (1) integration of IK into science lessons, (2) Experiential learning through hands-on activities, (3) Community involvement in knowledge acquisition, and (4) Emotional effect of loud sounds. In addition, the contribution of Indigenous Knowledge Custodians facilitated a notable enhancement in learners’ dialogue and understanding of sound. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
Mediating learning of sound through cultural music and dance stories to Grade 4 farm school learners
- Authors: Tshitshi, Hlengiwe
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Technology Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Ethnoscience , Storytelling , Folk dancing , Folk music , Sociocultural perspective , Argumentation theory
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463647 , vital:76428
- Description: The current South African Natural Science and Technology (NS-Tech) curriculum for grades 4–9 encourages teachers to integrate Indigenous Knowledge (IK) into their teaching. By doing so, it is hoped that this would contextualise and make science relevant to learners. However, the contradiction is that IK is hardly discussed in the curriculum and there are no clear guidelines on how to integrate it. It is against this background that in this study I used stories about cultural beliefs and practices on traditional music and dance to support Grade 4 NS-Tech from a farm school talking about and making sense of the topic of sound. This study is underpinned by the interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms. Within the Indigenous research paradigm, I focused on the Ubuntu perspective. A qualitative case study research design was employed, and the study was conducted in the Sarah Baartman District of the Eastern Cape. Four Grade 4 learners and four Indigenous Knowledge Custodians who were all family members were participants in this study. In addition, I invited an NS-Tech teacher to be my critical friend in this study. A focus group interview (sharing circle), participatory and lesson observations and learners’ journal reflections were employed to gather data. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory together with Ogunniyi’s contiguity argumentative theory were used as lenses to analyse data. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed to come up with sub-themes. Thereafter, common sub-themes were subsequently combined to form themes. The findings of this study revealed that the following factors can significantly enable/constrain the ability of Grade 4 Natural Sciences and Technology learners from a farm school to comprehend and engage with the topic of sound: (1) integration of IK into science lessons, (2) Experiential learning through hands-on activities, (3) Community involvement in knowledge acquisition, and (4) Emotional effect of loud sounds. In addition, the contribution of Indigenous Knowledge Custodians facilitated a notable enhancement in learners’ dialogue and understanding of sound. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
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Technological pedagogical content knowledge: an examination of rural secondary school life sciences teachers’ integration of technology in Eastern Cape province
- Authors: Shambare, Brian
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Educational technology , Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge , Science Study and teaching (Secondary) South Africa Easern Cape , Education, Rural South Africa Easern Cape , Educational sociology
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466458 , vital:76730 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/466458
- Description: Rural education, particularly in the Global South, faces distinct challenges flowing from low socio-economic conditions, limited resources, and inadequate funding. These issues notably affect rural teachers’ abilities to deliver quality education. Although technology integration offers potential benefits and rural teachers have increased access to various technologies, they frequently adopt these tools spontaneously without guidelines. While many teachers in rural schools choose specific technologies to address teaching challenges, technology has to be integrated with a clear pedagogical intent. The rural teachers’ frequent adoption of technologies hints at technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) development, consciously or unconsciously. However, the process of developing this expertise remains largely unknown. Furthermore, the development of TPACK among teachers in rural Global South schools, particularly those who did not receive formal or informal technology training during their initial teacher education or professional development, remains unclear. Therefore, this research delved into the practices, factors, and experiences influencing the development of TPACK, all from the perspective of Life Sciences teachers in rural schools. The voices of teachers in rural regions have been notably absent in the broader discourse of TPACK research, making the current study’s insights particularly significant. This qualitative and investigative study, located within the interpretivist paradigm, is grounded in Vygotsky’s (1978) socio-cultural theory and Koehler and Mishra’s (2006) Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework. Seven Life Sciences teachers participated in the study. The teacher participants were purposively sampled from schools in the Joe Gqabi district in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Multiple data-generation instruments were employed. These included a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, lesson observations, and sharing circle discussions. A thematic analysis approach, guided by the study’s dual theoretical perspective, was applied to dissect and analyse the data. The study’s findings challenged the prevailing assumption that rural schools lack access to technological resources, unveiling that rural Life Sciences teachers in this research had access to diverse educational technologies. Nevertheless, despite improved technology accessibility, these teachers predominantly employed ‘simple skill-based’ technologies for content delivery, resulting in limited learner engagement. Notwithstanding the challenges posed by inadequate school infrastructure, limited electricity access, and poor Internet connectivity, this investigation found that Life Sciences teachers in rural settings who lack formal technology integration training demonstrated enthusiasm for incorporating technology into their teaching methods. Furthermore, these teachers exhibited strength in non-technological TPACK domains, such as content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), while demonstrating limited expertise in technology-related domains, such as technological knowledge (TK), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK), and technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). The study uncovered nuanced factors, practices, and experiences contributing to TPACK development among rural Life Sciences teachers. These include learning from their learners, collaborating with peers, and engaging in self-directed learning. The study also proposed a new theoretical perspective to the existing TPACK framework to cater for technology integration in rural school contexts. Overall, this research provided a unique perspective on TPACK development in rural schools, particularly in the Global South. The study recommended targeted investments in professional development, promoting peer collaboration, and fostering a culture of self-directed learning. Furthermore, the current research emphasised the importance of recognising the evolving educational landscape as a two-way knowledge exchange between teachers and learners to foster TPACK development in rural schools. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
- Authors: Shambare, Brian
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Educational technology , Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge , Science Study and teaching (Secondary) South Africa Easern Cape , Education, Rural South Africa Easern Cape , Educational sociology
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466458 , vital:76730 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/466458
- Description: Rural education, particularly in the Global South, faces distinct challenges flowing from low socio-economic conditions, limited resources, and inadequate funding. These issues notably affect rural teachers’ abilities to deliver quality education. Although technology integration offers potential benefits and rural teachers have increased access to various technologies, they frequently adopt these tools spontaneously without guidelines. While many teachers in rural schools choose specific technologies to address teaching challenges, technology has to be integrated with a clear pedagogical intent. The rural teachers’ frequent adoption of technologies hints at technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) development, consciously or unconsciously. However, the process of developing this expertise remains largely unknown. Furthermore, the development of TPACK among teachers in rural Global South schools, particularly those who did not receive formal or informal technology training during their initial teacher education or professional development, remains unclear. Therefore, this research delved into the practices, factors, and experiences influencing the development of TPACK, all from the perspective of Life Sciences teachers in rural schools. The voices of teachers in rural regions have been notably absent in the broader discourse of TPACK research, making the current study’s insights particularly significant. This qualitative and investigative study, located within the interpretivist paradigm, is grounded in Vygotsky’s (1978) socio-cultural theory and Koehler and Mishra’s (2006) Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework. Seven Life Sciences teachers participated in the study. The teacher participants were purposively sampled from schools in the Joe Gqabi district in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Multiple data-generation instruments were employed. These included a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, lesson observations, and sharing circle discussions. A thematic analysis approach, guided by the study’s dual theoretical perspective, was applied to dissect and analyse the data. The study’s findings challenged the prevailing assumption that rural schools lack access to technological resources, unveiling that rural Life Sciences teachers in this research had access to diverse educational technologies. Nevertheless, despite improved technology accessibility, these teachers predominantly employed ‘simple skill-based’ technologies for content delivery, resulting in limited learner engagement. Notwithstanding the challenges posed by inadequate school infrastructure, limited electricity access, and poor Internet connectivity, this investigation found that Life Sciences teachers in rural settings who lack formal technology integration training demonstrated enthusiasm for incorporating technology into their teaching methods. Furthermore, these teachers exhibited strength in non-technological TPACK domains, such as content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), while demonstrating limited expertise in technology-related domains, such as technological knowledge (TK), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK), and technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). The study uncovered nuanced factors, practices, and experiences contributing to TPACK development among rural Life Sciences teachers. These include learning from their learners, collaborating with peers, and engaging in self-directed learning. The study also proposed a new theoretical perspective to the existing TPACK framework to cater for technology integration in rural school contexts. Overall, this research provided a unique perspective on TPACK development in rural schools, particularly in the Global South. The study recommended targeted investments in professional development, promoting peer collaboration, and fostering a culture of self-directed learning. Furthermore, the current research emphasised the importance of recognising the evolving educational landscape as a two-way knowledge exchange between teachers and learners to foster TPACK development in rural schools. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
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Understanding heat energy conservation: using traditional brick making in a Grade 7 Natural Sciences class in a rural school
- Authors: Godlo, Lindiwe Priscilla
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Traditional ecological knowledge South Africa , Social learning South Africa , Ubuntu (Philosophy) , Heat storage , Brickmaking South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463559 , vital:76420
- Description: Learners seemed to experience cognitive dissonance on the topic of the conservation of heat energy. My assumption is that this might be due to cognitive dissonance or conflict that learners seem to experience in science classrooms. This means the way science teachers teach science does not form part of learners’ contexts and hence has no relevance to them. To ameliorate this dilemma, the South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document requires teachers to integrate indigenous knowledge into science teaching and learning but does not provide explicit methods on how to do it. It is against this backdrop that this study explored how the use of traditional brick making method can support learners to make sense of the topic of conservation of heat energy. Underpinned by the interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms, a qualitative case study design was employed. Twenty-four Grade 7 Natural Sciences learners, four indigenous knowledge custodians (IKCs) (who were all women), and a critical friend participated in this study. Data sets were generated through several methods: learner group activity; participatory and lesson observations; a sharing circle; and learners’ reflective journals. Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and Ogunniyi’s Contiguity Argumentative Theory were used as theoretical lenses to analyse data. The findings revealed that during the demonstration by the IKCs, learners were able to identify science concepts related to the conservation of heat energy which means they understood the science concept. Learners’ argumentation and sense-making of the aforementioned topic and related concepts greatly improved. Based on the research findings, I thus recommend that teachers should tap into IKCs’ cultural heritage to contextualise and make science relevant and more meaningful to learners. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
- Authors: Godlo, Lindiwe Priscilla
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Primary) South Africa , Traditional ecological knowledge South Africa , Social learning South Africa , Ubuntu (Philosophy) , Heat storage , Brickmaking South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463559 , vital:76420
- Description: Learners seemed to experience cognitive dissonance on the topic of the conservation of heat energy. My assumption is that this might be due to cognitive dissonance or conflict that learners seem to experience in science classrooms. This means the way science teachers teach science does not form part of learners’ contexts and hence has no relevance to them. To ameliorate this dilemma, the South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document requires teachers to integrate indigenous knowledge into science teaching and learning but does not provide explicit methods on how to do it. It is against this backdrop that this study explored how the use of traditional brick making method can support learners to make sense of the topic of conservation of heat energy. Underpinned by the interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms, a qualitative case study design was employed. Twenty-four Grade 7 Natural Sciences learners, four indigenous knowledge custodians (IKCs) (who were all women), and a critical friend participated in this study. Data sets were generated through several methods: learner group activity; participatory and lesson observations; a sharing circle; and learners’ reflective journals. Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and Ogunniyi’s Contiguity Argumentative Theory were used as theoretical lenses to analyse data. The findings revealed that during the demonstration by the IKCs, learners were able to identify science concepts related to the conservation of heat energy which means they understood the science concept. Learners’ argumentation and sense-making of the aforementioned topic and related concepts greatly improved. Based on the research findings, I thus recommend that teachers should tap into IKCs’ cultural heritage to contextualise and make science relevant and more meaningful to learners. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
Using the indigenous technology of organic crop farming to mediate learning in Grade 12 Agricultural Science classes
- Authors: Sheehama, Lydia Ndapandula
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Agricultural science , Ethnoscience , Traditional knowledge , Organic farming , Pedagogical content knowledge
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463614 , vital:76425
- Description: The Namibian Curriculum for Basic Education states clearly that Indigenous Knowledge (IK) should be integrated into science teaching. However, the irony is that it does not give clear pedagogical guidelines on how it should be integrated. The implication is that the curriculum assumes that all teachers are aware of how to integrate IK into their teaching. This assumption has therefore led to little or no integration of IK in many classrooms in Namibia, something which could be in part a contributing factor to poor learners’ academic performance in science subjects and Agricultural Science in particular. This tension in the curriculum plus the apparent gap in the literature regarding the integration of IK has triggered my interest to conduct this interventionist qualitative case study. Essentially, this study aimed to explore affordances and/or hindrances when using the indigenous technology of organic crop farming to mediate learning in Grade 12 Agricultural Science classes in peri-urban schools in the Oshana region in Namibia. The study was underpinned by the interpretivist and Ubuntu paradigms. Vygotsky’s (1978) socio-cultural theory and Shulman’s (1986) pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) framework were used as lenses to analyse my data. Within PCK, I also used Mavhunga and Rollnick’s (2013) Topic-Specific PCK as an analytical framework. The findings of the study revealed that the integration of Indigenous knowledge in Agricultural Science education has great potential in improving both the teaching and learnng of science. It also revealed that the Agricultural Science teachers were positive towards the integration of IK in their lessons. However, they conceded that they lacked pedagogical insights on how to integrate IK as they were never trained on how to integrate it. As a result, they found the presentations by the Indigenous Knowledge Custodians (IKCs) informative and shed light on how they could integrate IK during teaching and learning. That is, they became cultural knowledge brokers making science relevant and accessible to their learners. The study thus recommends that teacher training institutions should modify the curriculum to include a pedagogy course module on IK to equip students with the essential PCK on IK integration in science teaching. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
- Authors: Sheehama, Lydia Ndapandula
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Agricultural science , Ethnoscience , Traditional knowledge , Organic farming , Pedagogical content knowledge
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/463614 , vital:76425
- Description: The Namibian Curriculum for Basic Education states clearly that Indigenous Knowledge (IK) should be integrated into science teaching. However, the irony is that it does not give clear pedagogical guidelines on how it should be integrated. The implication is that the curriculum assumes that all teachers are aware of how to integrate IK into their teaching. This assumption has therefore led to little or no integration of IK in many classrooms in Namibia, something which could be in part a contributing factor to poor learners’ academic performance in science subjects and Agricultural Science in particular. This tension in the curriculum plus the apparent gap in the literature regarding the integration of IK has triggered my interest to conduct this interventionist qualitative case study. Essentially, this study aimed to explore affordances and/or hindrances when using the indigenous technology of organic crop farming to mediate learning in Grade 12 Agricultural Science classes in peri-urban schools in the Oshana region in Namibia. The study was underpinned by the interpretivist and Ubuntu paradigms. Vygotsky’s (1978) socio-cultural theory and Shulman’s (1986) pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) framework were used as lenses to analyse my data. Within PCK, I also used Mavhunga and Rollnick’s (2013) Topic-Specific PCK as an analytical framework. The findings of the study revealed that the integration of Indigenous knowledge in Agricultural Science education has great potential in improving both the teaching and learnng of science. It also revealed that the Agricultural Science teachers were positive towards the integration of IK in their lessons. However, they conceded that they lacked pedagogical insights on how to integrate IK as they were never trained on how to integrate it. As a result, they found the presentations by the Indigenous Knowledge Custodians (IKCs) informative and shed light on how they could integrate IK during teaching and learning. That is, they became cultural knowledge brokers making science relevant and accessible to their learners. The study thus recommends that teacher training institutions should modify the curriculum to include a pedagogy course module on IK to equip students with the essential PCK on IK integration in science teaching. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
Exploring and expanding teachers’ gender and culturally responsive practices when mediating learning of chemistry in rural schools in Namibia
- Authors: Haimene, Johanna Shetulimba
- Date: 2024-04-05
- Subjects: Chemistry Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Discrimination in education Namibia , Gender and education , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Cultural-historical activity theory , Expansive learning , Group work in education
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/436535 , vital:73280 , DOI 10.21504/10962/436536
- Description: Gender and cultural dimensions are critical aspects of the education system. Schools are full of gender and cultural stereotypes when it comes to the teaching and learning of science. This calls for the teachers to be gender and culturally responsive in their science classrooms. This is also to ensure that the educational needs of both boys and girls are addressed. The Namibian National Curriculum for Basic Education advocates the application of gender equity at all levels and in every aspect of the curriculum and teachers are central to the implementation of this curriculum. However, while the policy has been formulated at the macro level of the education system, little if any research has been done in Namibia on exploring how teachers are coping with and implementing the curriculum based on gender and cultural aspects. This includes how teachers are responding to gender issues and how they eradicate bias and discrimination to ensure equality and equity for both boys and girls in their science teaching. Against this backdrop, this study aimed to explore and expand Grade 9 Physical Science teachers’ gender and culturally responsive practices in science classrooms when mediating learning of chemistry topics using acids and bases and combustion reactions as examples. The study focused on working with teachers with the purpose of improving their practices through collaborative partnerships and enriching all the participants (teachers and researcher) as they were seen as co-learners and co-researchers. Hence, this study was underpinned by interpretivist and critical paradigms. It adopted a case study research design. Six Grade 9 Physical Science teachers from the Oshikoto Region were the participants in this study. Qualitative data were generated using questionnaires, interviews (semi-structured and stimulated recall), classroom observations and Change Laboratory Workshops (CLWs) in which we co-developed a tool to address gender and cultural responsiveness. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory and Engeström’s cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) were used as theoretical frameworks to surface contradictions or tensions that exist in the teaching and learning process. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed to come up with sub-themes and themes. The findings of the study revealed that the teachers seemed to have an understanding of being gender and culturally responsive when they are mediating their lessons. However, some contradictions constrained them from being gender and culturally responsive. The surfaced contradictions included the lack of examples that are not gender and culturally biased, poor participation of the learners during lesson presentation and low confidence among the learners and language barriers. In addition, the findings revealed that teachers need professional development in interpreting policies and the curriculum and techniques for analysing gender and cultural issues pertaining to the teaching and learning process. Through CLWs, we co-developed a mediational tool that could guide teachers on how to be gender and culturally responsive. The findings also revealed that participation of teachers in the CLWs equipped them with resources on how to be gender and culturally responsive in their classrooms. The study recommends that teachers need to be involved in continuing professional development to support them with the correct interpretation and enactment of the curriculum and other policies. The policy developers need to be in contact with the policy implementers to evaluate the implementation of these policies and provide guidance where necessary. Moreover, teachers need to form professional learning communities in order to share their best practices and transform them. This might assist them in addressing gender and cultural issues that are encountered in the teaching and learning process. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
- Authors: Haimene, Johanna Shetulimba
- Date: 2024-04-05
- Subjects: Chemistry Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Discrimination in education Namibia , Gender and education , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Cultural-historical activity theory , Expansive learning , Group work in education
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/436535 , vital:73280 , DOI 10.21504/10962/436536
- Description: Gender and cultural dimensions are critical aspects of the education system. Schools are full of gender and cultural stereotypes when it comes to the teaching and learning of science. This calls for the teachers to be gender and culturally responsive in their science classrooms. This is also to ensure that the educational needs of both boys and girls are addressed. The Namibian National Curriculum for Basic Education advocates the application of gender equity at all levels and in every aspect of the curriculum and teachers are central to the implementation of this curriculum. However, while the policy has been formulated at the macro level of the education system, little if any research has been done in Namibia on exploring how teachers are coping with and implementing the curriculum based on gender and cultural aspects. This includes how teachers are responding to gender issues and how they eradicate bias and discrimination to ensure equality and equity for both boys and girls in their science teaching. Against this backdrop, this study aimed to explore and expand Grade 9 Physical Science teachers’ gender and culturally responsive practices in science classrooms when mediating learning of chemistry topics using acids and bases and combustion reactions as examples. The study focused on working with teachers with the purpose of improving their practices through collaborative partnerships and enriching all the participants (teachers and researcher) as they were seen as co-learners and co-researchers. Hence, this study was underpinned by interpretivist and critical paradigms. It adopted a case study research design. Six Grade 9 Physical Science teachers from the Oshikoto Region were the participants in this study. Qualitative data were generated using questionnaires, interviews (semi-structured and stimulated recall), classroom observations and Change Laboratory Workshops (CLWs) in which we co-developed a tool to address gender and cultural responsiveness. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory and Engeström’s cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) were used as theoretical frameworks to surface contradictions or tensions that exist in the teaching and learning process. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed to come up with sub-themes and themes. The findings of the study revealed that the teachers seemed to have an understanding of being gender and culturally responsive when they are mediating their lessons. However, some contradictions constrained them from being gender and culturally responsive. The surfaced contradictions included the lack of examples that are not gender and culturally biased, poor participation of the learners during lesson presentation and low confidence among the learners and language barriers. In addition, the findings revealed that teachers need professional development in interpreting policies and the curriculum and techniques for analysing gender and cultural issues pertaining to the teaching and learning process. Through CLWs, we co-developed a mediational tool that could guide teachers on how to be gender and culturally responsive. The findings also revealed that participation of teachers in the CLWs equipped them with resources on how to be gender and culturally responsive in their classrooms. The study recommends that teachers need to be involved in continuing professional development to support them with the correct interpretation and enactment of the curriculum and other policies. The policy developers need to be in contact with the policy implementers to evaluate the implementation of these policies and provide guidance where necessary. Moreover, teachers need to form professional learning communities in order to share their best practices and transform them. This might assist them in addressing gender and cultural issues that are encountered in the teaching and learning process. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post School Education, 2024
- Full Text:
An exploration into how Grade 3 Foundation Phase teachers implement differentiated instructional practices in their mathematics classrooms
- Authors: Jack, Nomzamo Bridget
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Mathematics Study and teaching (Elementary) South Africa , Differentiated instruction , Inclusive education , Mathematics teachers Training of , English-medium instruction
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424057 , vital:72120
- Description: Today’s teaching space is more diverse than before. As a result, differentiated instruction is considered helpful in supporting learner diversity. This teaching approach considers socio-cultural, multiple intelligences, and learning styles also termed learning preferences of learners. It is against this view that I wanted to investigate the implementation of differentiated instruction teaching practices in the Foundation Phase. This study explored differentiated teaching strategies and procedures in mathematics teaching, and I observed four Grade 3 teachers. The theoretical framework underlying this study was the theory of practice architectures. This study is located within an interpretivist paradigm within which I employed a case study research design. The collection of the data sets was through observations and semi-structured interviews. For an analysis of observations, I used a deductive approach. On the other hand, for the semi-structured interviews, I use an inductive approach to discover patterns and themes that I applied during the data analysis process. The validation process was done by giving interview transcripts and a summary of discussions to respondents to verify their responses and check for any misinterpretations. Rich data sets were analysed concerning the research questions, which were as follows: What are the current differentiated instruction teaching practices used by Grade 3 Mathematics teachers? How can the teachers’ differentiated instruction teaching practices be understood in terms of doings, sayings and relatings? How are differentiated instruction teaching practices made visible through the lens of the Theory of Practice Architecture? The findings from the study revealed that the use of learners’ everyday language influences their understanding of mathematics terminology. The study discovered that learners were more comfortable using English to make sense of mathematics terms instead of using isiXhosa, the Language of Learning and Teaching in the Foundation Phase. Additionally, linking learning to learners’ everyday English language enabled them to learn mathematics terms in a relaxed and non-threatening situation, while isiXhosa seemed to constrain learning. Further, the findings revealed that teachers were unclear about differentiated instruction. That was evident when they did not know the elements of differentiated instruction. Thus, the study recommends that teachers need to be supported through workshops to enable them to enact differentiated instruction in their teaching. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2023
- Full Text:
- Authors: Jack, Nomzamo Bridget
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Mathematics Study and teaching (Elementary) South Africa , Differentiated instruction , Inclusive education , Mathematics teachers Training of , English-medium instruction
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424057 , vital:72120
- Description: Today’s teaching space is more diverse than before. As a result, differentiated instruction is considered helpful in supporting learner diversity. This teaching approach considers socio-cultural, multiple intelligences, and learning styles also termed learning preferences of learners. It is against this view that I wanted to investigate the implementation of differentiated instruction teaching practices in the Foundation Phase. This study explored differentiated teaching strategies and procedures in mathematics teaching, and I observed four Grade 3 teachers. The theoretical framework underlying this study was the theory of practice architectures. This study is located within an interpretivist paradigm within which I employed a case study research design. The collection of the data sets was through observations and semi-structured interviews. For an analysis of observations, I used a deductive approach. On the other hand, for the semi-structured interviews, I use an inductive approach to discover patterns and themes that I applied during the data analysis process. The validation process was done by giving interview transcripts and a summary of discussions to respondents to verify their responses and check for any misinterpretations. Rich data sets were analysed concerning the research questions, which were as follows: What are the current differentiated instruction teaching practices used by Grade 3 Mathematics teachers? How can the teachers’ differentiated instruction teaching practices be understood in terms of doings, sayings and relatings? How are differentiated instruction teaching practices made visible through the lens of the Theory of Practice Architecture? The findings from the study revealed that the use of learners’ everyday language influences their understanding of mathematics terminology. The study discovered that learners were more comfortable using English to make sense of mathematics terms instead of using isiXhosa, the Language of Learning and Teaching in the Foundation Phase. Additionally, linking learning to learners’ everyday English language enabled them to learn mathematics terms in a relaxed and non-threatening situation, while isiXhosa seemed to constrain learning. Further, the findings revealed that teachers were unclear about differentiated instruction. That was evident when they did not know the elements of differentiated instruction. Thus, the study recommends that teachers need to be supported through workshops to enable them to enact differentiated instruction in their teaching. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2023
- Full Text:
Exploring how Grade 11 Chemistry teachers mediate learning of the topic redox reactions in their classrooms in Namibia
- Iindombo, Junilla Inamudhimbwa
- Authors: Iindombo, Junilla Inamudhimbwa
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Chemistry Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Pedagogical content knowledge , Oxidation Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Oxidation-reduction reaction Study and teaching (Secondary) Activity programs Namibia , Practical work
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424030 , vital:72117
- Description: The Namibian Chemistry ordinary level syllabus requires learners to study the topic of redox reactions. This topic has proven to be one of the most difficult for Namibian learners as reflected by their poor responses to questions in the Grade 11 and 12 Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate ‘O’ examinations. Teaching abstract concepts such as redox reactions requires higher cognitive thinking skills and thus presents a challenge. Against this background, this study sought to explore how teachers mediate learning of redox reactions in their classrooms. The focus was on conceptual understanding through linking content to the context of the learners. The study was underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm, within which a qualitative case study approach was adopted. Two Grade 11 Chemistry teachers from the Ohangwena and Oshana regions in Namibia were the research participants. I used semi-structured interviews, lesson observations and stimulated recall interviews to collect data. I used Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge as a theoretical framework in this study and the data sets were analysed using the Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge components. Qualitative data were analysed inductively-deductively. The study’s findings revealed that teachers used various mediation tools such as analogies and prior knowledge. The results further illuminated that teachers should develop strong subject content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge to have the best strategies in place to mediate learning of this topic. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2023
- Full Text:
- Authors: Iindombo, Junilla Inamudhimbwa
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Chemistry Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Pedagogical content knowledge , Oxidation Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Oxidation-reduction reaction Study and teaching (Secondary) Activity programs Namibia , Practical work
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/424030 , vital:72117
- Description: The Namibian Chemistry ordinary level syllabus requires learners to study the topic of redox reactions. This topic has proven to be one of the most difficult for Namibian learners as reflected by their poor responses to questions in the Grade 11 and 12 Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate ‘O’ examinations. Teaching abstract concepts such as redox reactions requires higher cognitive thinking skills and thus presents a challenge. Against this background, this study sought to explore how teachers mediate learning of redox reactions in their classrooms. The focus was on conceptual understanding through linking content to the context of the learners. The study was underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm, within which a qualitative case study approach was adopted. Two Grade 11 Chemistry teachers from the Ohangwena and Oshana regions in Namibia were the research participants. I used semi-structured interviews, lesson observations and stimulated recall interviews to collect data. I used Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge as a theoretical framework in this study and the data sets were analysed using the Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge components. Qualitative data were analysed inductively-deductively. The study’s findings revealed that teachers used various mediation tools such as analogies and prior knowledge. The results further illuminated that teachers should develop strong subject content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge to have the best strategies in place to mediate learning of this topic. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2023
- Full Text:
Using the indigenous technology of making oshikundu to mediate learning of the topic diffusion in Namibia
- Authors: Endjala, Alma Panduleni
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Diffusion Study and teaching (Secondary) Activity programs Namibia , Ethnoscience Namibia , Pedagogical content knowledge , Social learning , Science teachers Education (Continuing education) , Oshikundu
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419726 , vital:71670
- Description: The Namibian Science curriculum acknowledges that indigenous knowledge (IK) is an important basis for learning science. Among the shared reasons is that it provides learners with access to abstract scientific concepts. As a result, teachers are encouraged to integrate IK into the teaching and learning of science. However, it seems that there are no explicit guidelines on how IK should be integrated into science classrooms. It is against this backdrop that this study sought to explore how the indigenous technology of making oshikundu (a non-alcoholic beverage) can be mobilised by Grade 8 Life Science teachers to mediate learning of diffusion in their classrooms. The study was underpinned by interpretive and indigenous research paradigms. Within these paradigms, a qualitative case study approach was employed. Four Grade 8 Life Science teachers from four different schools in Okahandja town, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia, participated in this study. Additionally, an expert community member who was knowledgeable about the indigenous technology of making oshikundu was requested to demonstrate how to make it. In this event, the Life Science teachers had to identify the science concepts embedded in the practice. To gather data, this study made use of semi-structured interviews, workshop discussions, observations and journal reflections. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory was used as a theoretical framework and Mavhunga and Rollnick’s topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge (TSPCK) was used as an analytical framework. The findings of this study revealed that the teachers’ understanding was positively influenced by the integration of IK which certainly assisted them to relate better to the concept of diffusion. This was validated when teachers extracted emerging science concepts from the indigenous technology of making oshikundu. The implication of this study is that expert community member presentations can greatly enhance sense making of science concepts. The study thus recommends that school-based teachers’ continuing professional development in collaboration with expert community members should be carried out to enhance both the teachers’ subject content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge on IK integration. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2023
- Full Text:
- Authors: Endjala, Alma Panduleni
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Diffusion Study and teaching (Secondary) Activity programs Namibia , Ethnoscience Namibia , Pedagogical content knowledge , Social learning , Science teachers Education (Continuing education) , Oshikundu
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419726 , vital:71670
- Description: The Namibian Science curriculum acknowledges that indigenous knowledge (IK) is an important basis for learning science. Among the shared reasons is that it provides learners with access to abstract scientific concepts. As a result, teachers are encouraged to integrate IK into the teaching and learning of science. However, it seems that there are no explicit guidelines on how IK should be integrated into science classrooms. It is against this backdrop that this study sought to explore how the indigenous technology of making oshikundu (a non-alcoholic beverage) can be mobilised by Grade 8 Life Science teachers to mediate learning of diffusion in their classrooms. The study was underpinned by interpretive and indigenous research paradigms. Within these paradigms, a qualitative case study approach was employed. Four Grade 8 Life Science teachers from four different schools in Okahandja town, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia, participated in this study. Additionally, an expert community member who was knowledgeable about the indigenous technology of making oshikundu was requested to demonstrate how to make it. In this event, the Life Science teachers had to identify the science concepts embedded in the practice. To gather data, this study made use of semi-structured interviews, workshop discussions, observations and journal reflections. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory was used as a theoretical framework and Mavhunga and Rollnick’s topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge (TSPCK) was used as an analytical framework. The findings of this study revealed that the teachers’ understanding was positively influenced by the integration of IK which certainly assisted them to relate better to the concept of diffusion. This was validated when teachers extracted emerging science concepts from the indigenous technology of making oshikundu. The implication of this study is that expert community member presentations can greatly enhance sense making of science concepts. The study thus recommends that school-based teachers’ continuing professional development in collaboration with expert community members should be carried out to enhance both the teachers’ subject content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge on IK integration. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2023
- Full Text:
Leveraging a peer-learning community and expert community members in the integration of indigenous knowledge into the learning and teaching of Grade 10 Chemistry on the rate of reactions
- Authors: Simasiku, Fredrick Simataa
- Date: 2023-03-29
- Subjects: Chemical kinetics Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Ethnoscience Namibia , Scientific knowledge , Peer teaching Namibia , Pedagogical content knowledge , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/366211 , vital:65843 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/366211
- Description: The integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) in science teaching in Namibia is part of the transformation agenda that hopes to revitalise and make science accessible and relevant to learners’ everyday life experiences. However, there seems to be contradictions between the intended curriculum, the enacted curriculum and the attained curriculum. This disjuncture is exacerbated in part by the fact that science teachers seem to be struggling to be cultural knowledge brokers. It is against this backdrop that this formative interventionist study sought to leverage a peer-learning community and expert community members in the integration of IK into the learning and teaching of Grade 10 Chemistry on the rate of reactions. To achieve this, we mobilised the indigenous technologies of preserving and pounding Mahangu and making Oshikundu to mediate learning of the rate of reactions. The study was guided by the broad overarching research question: How does a peer-learning community and expert community members leverage the integration of indigenous knowledge into the learning and teaching of Grade 10 Chemistry on the rate of reactions? In this study, I used two complementary paradigms, viz. the transformative research paradigm and the indigenous research paradigm. Within these paradigms, I employed a qualitative case study research design using the community of practice and participatory action research as research approaches. Five Grade 10 Chemistry teachers from three schools in the Ohangwena region were involved in this study. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, co-analysis of curriculum documents, workshop presentations and discussions, practical demonstrations, participatory observation, lesson observation, stimulated recall interviews, and participants’ reflections. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) were employed as theoretical frameworks in this study. Additionally, within PCK, Mavhunga and Rollnick’s Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge components were used as an analytical framework. I used an inductive-deductive approach to data analysis to come up with sub-themes and themes. The main finding of this study revealed that leveraging a peer-learning community and the expert community members (ECMs) empowered the Chemistry teachers involved in this study to be cultural knowledge brokers and their understanding of how to integrate IK in their teaching improved. Both their subject matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge improved through co-developing and enacting exemplar lessons that integrated IK from the expert community members as well as from their own environments. A main insight of this study is that Chemistry teachers should seek opportunities to create peer-learning communities that engage with expert community members who are the custodians of the cultural heritage. The study also shows that this approach will support them to become better cultural knowledge brokers and help their learners bridge the divide between school science and what they have learnt in their homes or community. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2023
- Full Text:
- Authors: Simasiku, Fredrick Simataa
- Date: 2023-03-29
- Subjects: Chemical kinetics Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Ethnoscience Namibia , Scientific knowledge , Peer teaching Namibia , Pedagogical content knowledge , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/366211 , vital:65843 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/366211
- Description: The integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) in science teaching in Namibia is part of the transformation agenda that hopes to revitalise and make science accessible and relevant to learners’ everyday life experiences. However, there seems to be contradictions between the intended curriculum, the enacted curriculum and the attained curriculum. This disjuncture is exacerbated in part by the fact that science teachers seem to be struggling to be cultural knowledge brokers. It is against this backdrop that this formative interventionist study sought to leverage a peer-learning community and expert community members in the integration of IK into the learning and teaching of Grade 10 Chemistry on the rate of reactions. To achieve this, we mobilised the indigenous technologies of preserving and pounding Mahangu and making Oshikundu to mediate learning of the rate of reactions. The study was guided by the broad overarching research question: How does a peer-learning community and expert community members leverage the integration of indigenous knowledge into the learning and teaching of Grade 10 Chemistry on the rate of reactions? In this study, I used two complementary paradigms, viz. the transformative research paradigm and the indigenous research paradigm. Within these paradigms, I employed a qualitative case study research design using the community of practice and participatory action research as research approaches. Five Grade 10 Chemistry teachers from three schools in the Ohangwena region were involved in this study. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, co-analysis of curriculum documents, workshop presentations and discussions, practical demonstrations, participatory observation, lesson observation, stimulated recall interviews, and participants’ reflections. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) were employed as theoretical frameworks in this study. Additionally, within PCK, Mavhunga and Rollnick’s Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge components were used as an analytical framework. I used an inductive-deductive approach to data analysis to come up with sub-themes and themes. The main finding of this study revealed that leveraging a peer-learning community and the expert community members (ECMs) empowered the Chemistry teachers involved in this study to be cultural knowledge brokers and their understanding of how to integrate IK in their teaching improved. Both their subject matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge improved through co-developing and enacting exemplar lessons that integrated IK from the expert community members as well as from their own environments. A main insight of this study is that Chemistry teachers should seek opportunities to create peer-learning communities that engage with expert community members who are the custodians of the cultural heritage. The study also shows that this approach will support them to become better cultural knowledge brokers and help their learners bridge the divide between school science and what they have learnt in their homes or community. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2023
- Full Text:
Exploring how Grade 10 Biology teachers implement practical activities on food tests in Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia
- Authors: Shoopala, Julia Nelago
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Pedagogical content knowledge , Biology Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Biology Study and teaching Activity programs Namibia , Food Testing , Visual learning , Biology teachers In-service training Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405401 , vital:70168
- Description: The Namibian examiners’ reports have repeatedly reported that Biology is generally poorly performed in most schools and the topic on food tests has been identified as one of the problematic areas. My assumption is that this could be due in part to the lack of inadequate hands-on practical activities that are conducted in most schools in Namibia. In my view, for students to understand food tests and its associated concepts, they need to do hands-on practical activities. It is against this background that in this study I explored enablers and/or constraints when Grade 10 Biology teachers mediate learning of food tests using hands-on practical activities. This study is underpinned by an interpretive paradigm, within which a qualitative case study approach was employed. For my baseline data, I used a questionnaire and I also interviewed two Grade 10 Biology teachers using semi-structured interviews. Afterwards, the two Grade 10 Biology teachers were observed while teaching the topic of food tests. The lessons were videotaped and thereafter I conducted a stimulated recall interview watching the videos with each of these teachers. Further, we also discussed and reflected as a group on the mediation of learning on food tests. I used Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) as my theoretical framework. Within PCK, I used the five Topic-Specific Pedagogical Knowledge (TSPCK) components by Mavhunga and Rollnick as my analytical framework. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed to come up with categories, sub-themes and themes. The findings revealed that Biology teachers do not have a dedicated laboratory for conducting Biology practicals and would instead conduct them in a common laboratory that is employed for both Physical Science and Biology or in their classrooms. There are inadequate resources to complement hands-on activities and teachers lack the capacity, skills and necessary knowledge needed to deliver practical work. The two participants did not bother to do enough practical work and instead taught Biology as a very theoretical topic, which disadvantaged learners for Paper 3, which serves as an alternative to course work. The study also revealed that teachers failed to conduct Biology practicals. They claimed to be doing so, but there were few practicals/experiments being carried out in those schools. The participants stated that the issue of time to conduct practical experiments for food tests was not sufficient. They complained that the processes were exhausting and tiresome and left them drained as they ran around trying to implement the practical experiments. Furthermore, a large number of learners results in overcrowded Biology classes and makes it difficult for the teachers to control them, which affected the teachers’ ability to perform practical experiments. The participants said that the high number of learners makes it difficult for them to accommodate all students in the laboratories, and that the laboratories themselves do not accommodate many learners. The study, thus, recommends that there should be continuous professional development programmes in schools to assist Biology teachers who have challenges in doing hands-on practical activities. Additionally, improvisation in terms of field trips that deal with biological aspects such as food and chemical manufacturers and hospitals should be carried out to allow learners to gain appreciation of the practical aspects of Biology in education. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Authors: Shoopala, Julia Nelago
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Pedagogical content knowledge , Biology Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Biology Study and teaching Activity programs Namibia , Food Testing , Visual learning , Biology teachers In-service training Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405401 , vital:70168
- Description: The Namibian examiners’ reports have repeatedly reported that Biology is generally poorly performed in most schools and the topic on food tests has been identified as one of the problematic areas. My assumption is that this could be due in part to the lack of inadequate hands-on practical activities that are conducted in most schools in Namibia. In my view, for students to understand food tests and its associated concepts, they need to do hands-on practical activities. It is against this background that in this study I explored enablers and/or constraints when Grade 10 Biology teachers mediate learning of food tests using hands-on practical activities. This study is underpinned by an interpretive paradigm, within which a qualitative case study approach was employed. For my baseline data, I used a questionnaire and I also interviewed two Grade 10 Biology teachers using semi-structured interviews. Afterwards, the two Grade 10 Biology teachers were observed while teaching the topic of food tests. The lessons were videotaped and thereafter I conducted a stimulated recall interview watching the videos with each of these teachers. Further, we also discussed and reflected as a group on the mediation of learning on food tests. I used Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) as my theoretical framework. Within PCK, I used the five Topic-Specific Pedagogical Knowledge (TSPCK) components by Mavhunga and Rollnick as my analytical framework. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed to come up with categories, sub-themes and themes. The findings revealed that Biology teachers do not have a dedicated laboratory for conducting Biology practicals and would instead conduct them in a common laboratory that is employed for both Physical Science and Biology or in their classrooms. There are inadequate resources to complement hands-on activities and teachers lack the capacity, skills and necessary knowledge needed to deliver practical work. The two participants did not bother to do enough practical work and instead taught Biology as a very theoretical topic, which disadvantaged learners for Paper 3, which serves as an alternative to course work. The study also revealed that teachers failed to conduct Biology practicals. They claimed to be doing so, but there were few practicals/experiments being carried out in those schools. The participants stated that the issue of time to conduct practical experiments for food tests was not sufficient. They complained that the processes were exhausting and tiresome and left them drained as they ran around trying to implement the practical experiments. Furthermore, a large number of learners results in overcrowded Biology classes and makes it difficult for the teachers to control them, which affected the teachers’ ability to perform practical experiments. The participants said that the high number of learners makes it difficult for them to accommodate all students in the laboratories, and that the laboratories themselves do not accommodate many learners. The study, thus, recommends that there should be continuous professional development programmes in schools to assist Biology teachers who have challenges in doing hands-on practical activities. Additionally, improvisation in terms of field trips that deal with biological aspects such as food and chemical manufacturers and hospitals should be carried out to allow learners to gain appreciation of the practical aspects of Biology in education. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
Exploring how the use of a mini-ecosystem enables and/or constrains grade 5 learners to make sense of scientific inquiry
- Authors: Tobias, Ruusa Taimi
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Elementary) Namibia , Health education (Elementary) Namibia , Education for sustainable development , Sensemaking , Inquiry-based learning Namibia , Terrariums , Social learning Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405423 , vital:70170
- Description: The Namibian Science curriculum clearly states that learning of science should be promoted through using inquiry-based approaches. However, it does not state how teachers should go about promoting inquiry-based approaches in their classrooms, especially in under-resourced rural schools. This is exacerbated in part by the fact that there is inadequate or lack of professional development for science teachers which focus in particular on promotion of inquiry-based approaches. As a result, science teachers tend to ignore inquiry-based approaches in their classrooms. It is against this background that my study sought to explore how the use of a ‘mini-ecosystem’ enables and/or constrains grade 5 learners from an under-resourced rural school to make sense of scientific inquiry. The study is underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. Within the interpretive paradigm, a qualitative case study approach, using the Predict-Explain-Explore-Observe-Explain (PEEOE) framework was adopted. This case study was carried out in an under-resourced rural Namibian school and the participants were grade 5 Natural Science and Health Education learners. I also invited a teacher from the school to be my critical friend and a participant observer. Data were generated using the Views About Scientific Inquiry (VASI) questionnaire, observations, focus group interviews and learners’ reflections. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory was my theoretical framework, and within this theory, I used mediation of learning, social interactions, the zone of proximal development and self-regulation as lenses to analyse my data. A thematic approach to data analysis was adopted. That is, qualitative data were analysed inductively to come up with sub-themes and thereafter common sub-themes were combined to form themes. The findings of the study revealed that the observation of mini-ecosystems enabled learners to interact and participate with each other in their respective groups. Moreover, learners were able to identify some scientific concepts such as evaporation, condensation, water cycle and rainfall. These findings are in contrast with the fact that they seemed to struggle to answer the VASI questionnaire that was conducted prior to observation. The study thus recommends that science teachers should make efforts to use easily accessible resources such as a ‘mini-ecosystem’ to promote scientific inquiry amongst their learners. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Authors: Tobias, Ruusa Taimi
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Elementary) Namibia , Health education (Elementary) Namibia , Education for sustainable development , Sensemaking , Inquiry-based learning Namibia , Terrariums , Social learning Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405423 , vital:70170
- Description: The Namibian Science curriculum clearly states that learning of science should be promoted through using inquiry-based approaches. However, it does not state how teachers should go about promoting inquiry-based approaches in their classrooms, especially in under-resourced rural schools. This is exacerbated in part by the fact that there is inadequate or lack of professional development for science teachers which focus in particular on promotion of inquiry-based approaches. As a result, science teachers tend to ignore inquiry-based approaches in their classrooms. It is against this background that my study sought to explore how the use of a ‘mini-ecosystem’ enables and/or constrains grade 5 learners from an under-resourced rural school to make sense of scientific inquiry. The study is underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. Within the interpretive paradigm, a qualitative case study approach, using the Predict-Explain-Explore-Observe-Explain (PEEOE) framework was adopted. This case study was carried out in an under-resourced rural Namibian school and the participants were grade 5 Natural Science and Health Education learners. I also invited a teacher from the school to be my critical friend and a participant observer. Data were generated using the Views About Scientific Inquiry (VASI) questionnaire, observations, focus group interviews and learners’ reflections. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory was my theoretical framework, and within this theory, I used mediation of learning, social interactions, the zone of proximal development and self-regulation as lenses to analyse my data. A thematic approach to data analysis was adopted. That is, qualitative data were analysed inductively to come up with sub-themes and thereafter common sub-themes were combined to form themes. The findings of the study revealed that the observation of mini-ecosystems enabled learners to interact and participate with each other in their respective groups. Moreover, learners were able to identify some scientific concepts such as evaporation, condensation, water cycle and rainfall. These findings are in contrast with the fact that they seemed to struggle to answer the VASI questionnaire that was conducted prior to observation. The study thus recommends that science teachers should make efforts to use easily accessible resources such as a ‘mini-ecosystem’ to promote scientific inquiry amongst their learners. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
Mobilising indigenous technologies of making oshikundu and uumboloto to motivate and enable sense making of the topic carbon dioxide by grade 8 rural school learners
- Nandjedi, Fredinard Nghinaounditala
- Authors: Nandjedi, Fredinard Nghinaounditala
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Secondary) Social aspects Namibia , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Ethnoscience Namibia , Carbon dioxide
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405357 , vital:70164
- Description: Poor performance in Science has been noted in most rural schools and this has become a concern to education planners and implementers. Part of the failure is said to be caused by inadequate school resources, under-preparedness of teachers to teach Science, poor command of the Language of Learning and Teaching, negative attitudes that are accompanied by lack of insights into the value of Science, low self-efficacy, and poor-quality environments for learning Science. In this regard, literature has revealed that many Science teachers in Namibia do not consider learners’ local indigenous knowledge (IK) also known as indigenous technology to mediate learning. Yet, it is a requirement of the Namibian Science curriculum. I assume that this could be due in part to the fact that the Science curriculum is not explicit on how IK should be integrated into Science teaching. It is against this backdrop that this study sought to explore the opportunities IK integration into Science may offer in mediating learning and sense-making on the topic of carbon dioxide (CO2). Learners’ indigenous technological practices of making oshikundu and uumboloto were used as vehicles of learning. This qualitative case study is underpinned by the interpretive and indigenous research paradigms. Within the indigenous research paradigm, I focused on the Ubuntu perspective. This study was conducted at a rural under-resourced school in the Ohangwena region in Namibia. Thirty Grade 8 learners, one science teacher and two expert community members were involved as participants. Data were gathered using focus group interviews (sharing circles), group activities, participatory observations, and journal reflections. Data interpretation and analysis were done using Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Ogunniyi’s contiguity argumentative theory. A thematic approach to data analysis was adopted. That is, an inductive approach was employed whereby sub-themes were identified, and thereafter common sub-themes were combined into themes. The findings of this study revealed that the process of making oshikundu and uumboloto can be used to enable learners to make sense of the topic of CO2 and other related concepts. Furthermore, the study revealed that hands-on practical activities done with easily accessible resources which are related to learners’ indigenous technologies help learners learn Science easily. The study thus recommends that educators should use oshikundu and/or uumboloto to mediate learning of topics such as CO2. Science teachers should always try to tap into learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds in their lessons to enhance better understanding of Science concepts. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Authors: Nandjedi, Fredinard Nghinaounditala
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Science Study and teaching (Secondary) Social aspects Namibia , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Ethnoscience Namibia , Carbon dioxide
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405357 , vital:70164
- Description: Poor performance in Science has been noted in most rural schools and this has become a concern to education planners and implementers. Part of the failure is said to be caused by inadequate school resources, under-preparedness of teachers to teach Science, poor command of the Language of Learning and Teaching, negative attitudes that are accompanied by lack of insights into the value of Science, low self-efficacy, and poor-quality environments for learning Science. In this regard, literature has revealed that many Science teachers in Namibia do not consider learners’ local indigenous knowledge (IK) also known as indigenous technology to mediate learning. Yet, it is a requirement of the Namibian Science curriculum. I assume that this could be due in part to the fact that the Science curriculum is not explicit on how IK should be integrated into Science teaching. It is against this backdrop that this study sought to explore the opportunities IK integration into Science may offer in mediating learning and sense-making on the topic of carbon dioxide (CO2). Learners’ indigenous technological practices of making oshikundu and uumboloto were used as vehicles of learning. This qualitative case study is underpinned by the interpretive and indigenous research paradigms. Within the indigenous research paradigm, I focused on the Ubuntu perspective. This study was conducted at a rural under-resourced school in the Ohangwena region in Namibia. Thirty Grade 8 learners, one science teacher and two expert community members were involved as participants. Data were gathered using focus group interviews (sharing circles), group activities, participatory observations, and journal reflections. Data interpretation and analysis were done using Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Ogunniyi’s contiguity argumentative theory. A thematic approach to data analysis was adopted. That is, an inductive approach was employed whereby sub-themes were identified, and thereafter common sub-themes were combined into themes. The findings of this study revealed that the process of making oshikundu and uumboloto can be used to enable learners to make sense of the topic of CO2 and other related concepts. Furthermore, the study revealed that hands-on practical activities done with easily accessible resources which are related to learners’ indigenous technologies help learners learn Science easily. The study thus recommends that educators should use oshikundu and/or uumboloto to mediate learning of topics such as CO2. Science teachers should always try to tap into learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds in their lessons to enhance better understanding of Science concepts. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
Mobilising the indigenous technology of making soap to mediate learning of saponification in organic chemistry
- Authors: Neporo, Johannes Kanyetu
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Chemistry Study and teaching (Secondary) Social aspects Namibia , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Ethnoscience Namibia , Saponification , Ubuntu (Philosophy) , Pedagogical content knowledge
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405368 , vital:70165
- Description: Scholars across the world are advocating for culturally responsive pedagogies that allow for the integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) in science teaching. This is in the hope of making science accessibleand relevant to learners from different social, economic and cultural backgrounds. Although the Namibian curriculum welcomes the integration of IK in teaching, it, however, does not stipulate how it should be implemented. It is against this backdrop that this interventionist study aimed to mobilise the indigenous technology of making soap to mediate the learning of saponification in organic chemistry. This study is underpinned by the interpretive and indigenous research paradigms. Within these paradigms, it employed a qualitative case study research design. The study was conducted in Walvis Bay in Namibia with four Grade 11 chemistry teachers, two expert community members and a critical friend who were purposively and conveniently sampled. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews, semi-structured questionnaires, workshop discussions, participatory observation, stimulated recall interviews and journal reflections. Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Theory (SCT) and Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) were used as theoretical frameworks. Within PCK, Mavhunga and Rollnick’s Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TSPCK) served as an analytical framework. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed. That is, data were analysed inductively to come up with sub-themes. Thereafter, common sub-themes were combined to form themes. The findings of the study revealed that the Grade 11 chemistry teachers demonstrated positive attitudes toward the integration of IK in their teaching. However, they seemed not tohave pedagogical insights on how to do it. Despite this, they learnt, interacted and participated actively during the two expert community members’ presentation workshops on making soap. That subsequently enabled them to co-developan exemplar lesson plan on saponification that integrated IK. This study implies that there is a need for Chemistry teachers to be empowered on how to make science accessible and relevant to learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds. The study thus recommends that higher education institutions and educational authorities reform and amend the curriculum to cater for the integration of IK. The study further recommends that Chemistry teachers should tap into the cultural heritage of expert community members in mediating the learning of science concepts. Lastly, Chemistry teachers are encouraged to form professional learning communities to develop themselves professionally. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Authors: Neporo, Johannes Kanyetu
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Chemistry Study and teaching (Secondary) Social aspects Namibia , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Ethnoscience Namibia , Saponification , Ubuntu (Philosophy) , Pedagogical content knowledge
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405368 , vital:70165
- Description: Scholars across the world are advocating for culturally responsive pedagogies that allow for the integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) in science teaching. This is in the hope of making science accessibleand relevant to learners from different social, economic and cultural backgrounds. Although the Namibian curriculum welcomes the integration of IK in teaching, it, however, does not stipulate how it should be implemented. It is against this backdrop that this interventionist study aimed to mobilise the indigenous technology of making soap to mediate the learning of saponification in organic chemistry. This study is underpinned by the interpretive and indigenous research paradigms. Within these paradigms, it employed a qualitative case study research design. The study was conducted in Walvis Bay in Namibia with four Grade 11 chemistry teachers, two expert community members and a critical friend who were purposively and conveniently sampled. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews, semi-structured questionnaires, workshop discussions, participatory observation, stimulated recall interviews and journal reflections. Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Theory (SCT) and Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) were used as theoretical frameworks. Within PCK, Mavhunga and Rollnick’s Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TSPCK) served as an analytical framework. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed. That is, data were analysed inductively to come up with sub-themes. Thereafter, common sub-themes were combined to form themes. The findings of the study revealed that the Grade 11 chemistry teachers demonstrated positive attitudes toward the integration of IK in their teaching. However, they seemed not tohave pedagogical insights on how to do it. Despite this, they learnt, interacted and participated actively during the two expert community members’ presentation workshops on making soap. That subsequently enabled them to co-developan exemplar lesson plan on saponification that integrated IK. This study implies that there is a need for Chemistry teachers to be empowered on how to make science accessible and relevant to learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds. The study thus recommends that higher education institutions and educational authorities reform and amend the curriculum to cater for the integration of IK. The study further recommends that Chemistry teachers should tap into the cultural heritage of expert community members in mediating the learning of science concepts. Lastly, Chemistry teachers are encouraged to form professional learning communities to develop themselves professionally. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
Revitalisation and indigenisation of the Science curriculum through drum making, drumming, music and dance
- Authors: Liveve, Angelius Kanyanga
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Curriculum change Namibia , Science Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Traditional ecological knowledge Namibia , Drum Performance , Drum making , Pedagogical content knowledge , Social learning
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405482 , vital:70175 , DOI 10.21504/10962/405482
- Description: The integration of IK is a common phenomenon in many postcolonial states, where it is viewed as a means to redress the injustices of the colonial era. It is believed that the recognition of IK in education represents an acknowledgement of diversity and other ways of knowing. In Namibia, for instance, the National Curriculum for Basic Education encourages the integration of IK in Science teaching. However, this goal is still far from being achieved because the curriculum seems to be silent on how teachers should integrate IK into their teaching. As a result, research shows that many Science teachers in Namibia seem to find it difficult to integrate IK into their science teaching because they were not properly trained to do so during both their pre-service and in-service training. This suggests that there is a dire need to empower science teachers who are implementers of the curriculum on appropriate pedagogical content knowledge on how to integrate IK into their science teaching in particular. It is against this backdrop that this interventionist study sought to explore how to mobilise the indigenous technology of drum making, drumming, music and dance for cultural revitalisation and indigenisation of the science curriculum. The study is underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm and augmented with an indigenous research paradigm. The interpretivist paradigm enabled me to understand the teachers’ perspectives in their contexts. On the other hand, within the indigenous research paradigm, I used the Ubuntu perspective which afforded each of us an opportunity to understand each other’s ways of knowing, doing and being. Within these two complementary paradigms, a qualitative case study approach was employed. The case study was in the form of intervention with six Grade 10 Physics teachers from three senior secondary schools in the Kavango West Region in Namibia. Moreover, a critical friend who was a lecturer at the university and expert community members of the Unongo Cultural Youth Group who are the custodians of the cultural heritage. Data were generated using semi-structured interviews, workshop discussions (audio-recorded), observations (participatory and lesson observations), stimulated recall interviews as well as journal reflections. Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural Theory, Ogunniyi’s Contiguity Argumentation Theory and Mavhunga and Rollnick’s Topic-specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge were used as the theoretical lenses in this study. The data gathered were analysed thematically and then categorised into sub-themes and themes. The findings of the study revealed that tapping into the cultural heritage of community members through giving them a voice has great potential to revitalise and indigenise the science curriculum. It also emerged in this study that storytelling is a potential instructional strategy to make science accessible and relevant to learners. The use of the indigenous technology of drum making, drumming, music and dance contributed to the Physics teachers’ agency and empowered them to co-develop their learning and teaching support materials in the form of exemplar lesson plans that integrated IK. Moreover, their pedagogical content knowledge was enhanced through enacting such exemplar lessons and thereafter reflecting on them. The study thus recommends that those in academia should promote the use of indigenous technologies as hubs for mediating the learning of science concepts. It also recommends that learners should be taken out of their science classrooms into the community to learn IK and wisdom from expert community members, something which could assist them in understanding the science taught at school. This might also benefit teachers in effectively implementing the integration of IK in schools and thereby use learners’ cultural heritage as a starting point to enrich meaningful and authentic learning. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Authors: Liveve, Angelius Kanyanga
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Curriculum change Namibia , Science Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Traditional ecological knowledge Namibia , Drum Performance , Drum making , Pedagogical content knowledge , Social learning
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405482 , vital:70175 , DOI 10.21504/10962/405482
- Description: The integration of IK is a common phenomenon in many postcolonial states, where it is viewed as a means to redress the injustices of the colonial era. It is believed that the recognition of IK in education represents an acknowledgement of diversity and other ways of knowing. In Namibia, for instance, the National Curriculum for Basic Education encourages the integration of IK in Science teaching. However, this goal is still far from being achieved because the curriculum seems to be silent on how teachers should integrate IK into their teaching. As a result, research shows that many Science teachers in Namibia seem to find it difficult to integrate IK into their science teaching because they were not properly trained to do so during both their pre-service and in-service training. This suggests that there is a dire need to empower science teachers who are implementers of the curriculum on appropriate pedagogical content knowledge on how to integrate IK into their science teaching in particular. It is against this backdrop that this interventionist study sought to explore how to mobilise the indigenous technology of drum making, drumming, music and dance for cultural revitalisation and indigenisation of the science curriculum. The study is underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm and augmented with an indigenous research paradigm. The interpretivist paradigm enabled me to understand the teachers’ perspectives in their contexts. On the other hand, within the indigenous research paradigm, I used the Ubuntu perspective which afforded each of us an opportunity to understand each other’s ways of knowing, doing and being. Within these two complementary paradigms, a qualitative case study approach was employed. The case study was in the form of intervention with six Grade 10 Physics teachers from three senior secondary schools in the Kavango West Region in Namibia. Moreover, a critical friend who was a lecturer at the university and expert community members of the Unongo Cultural Youth Group who are the custodians of the cultural heritage. Data were generated using semi-structured interviews, workshop discussions (audio-recorded), observations (participatory and lesson observations), stimulated recall interviews as well as journal reflections. Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural Theory, Ogunniyi’s Contiguity Argumentation Theory and Mavhunga and Rollnick’s Topic-specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge were used as the theoretical lenses in this study. The data gathered were analysed thematically and then categorised into sub-themes and themes. The findings of the study revealed that tapping into the cultural heritage of community members through giving them a voice has great potential to revitalise and indigenise the science curriculum. It also emerged in this study that storytelling is a potential instructional strategy to make science accessible and relevant to learners. The use of the indigenous technology of drum making, drumming, music and dance contributed to the Physics teachers’ agency and empowered them to co-develop their learning and teaching support materials in the form of exemplar lesson plans that integrated IK. Moreover, their pedagogical content knowledge was enhanced through enacting such exemplar lessons and thereafter reflecting on them. The study thus recommends that those in academia should promote the use of indigenous technologies as hubs for mediating the learning of science concepts. It also recommends that learners should be taken out of their science classrooms into the community to learn IK and wisdom from expert community members, something which could assist them in understanding the science taught at school. This might also benefit teachers in effectively implementing the integration of IK in schools and thereby use learners’ cultural heritage as a starting point to enrich meaningful and authentic learning. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
The development of teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in the mediation of chemical equilibrium: A formative interventionist study
- Authors: Manamike, Tasara
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Chemical equilibrium , Chemistry Study and teaching (Secondary) Nambia , Expansive learning , Career development Nambia , Professional learning communities Nambia , Pedagogical content knowledge , Cultural-historical activity theory
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405300 , vital:70159
- Description: Persistent student errors in understanding chemical equilibrium as shown by poor student achievement in national examinations reflect student difficulties in learning and deficiencies in teaching methodologies. Studies which have been conducted in Namibia have explored the teaching of chemical equilibrium and revealed that teachers seem not to have adequate pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for mediating chemical equilibrium and therefore there is a need for continuing professional development (CPD). However, it seems the CPD facilitators also find this topic difficult and are unsure of which methods are really effective owing to the disagreements among teachers and researchers. In addition, current CPD practices ostensibly fail to address the teachers’ needs because the facilitators have their own commitments and accountabilities and may ignore teachers’ contexts. It is against this backdrop that I conducted this formative interventionist study to improve teachers’ PCK for mediating chemical equilibrium through expansive learning (learning something that does not yet exist). A blend of the interpretivist and critical paradigm underpinned this study, which assumed a transactional epistemology. The qualitative case study research design was used to gather in-depth information about the multiple realities of the participants, bearing in mind that teaching is idiosyncratic, and the teaching approaches or strategies employed heavily depend on the contexts. Accordingly, the cultural historical activity theory was used to guide the teachers’ activities during the intervention for generating the data which were analysed using the topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge. The study revealed that the participants faced challenges in their teaching, namely: (i) students’ difficulties with comprehension and (ii) teachers’ instructional problems or deficiencies in instructional skills. The findings also revealed that the intervention enabled the participants to collectively transform their practices and therefore address the major challenges in their practices, that is, they expansively learnt how to effectively teach chemical equilibrium. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
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- Authors: Manamike, Tasara
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Chemical equilibrium , Chemistry Study and teaching (Secondary) Nambia , Expansive learning , Career development Nambia , Professional learning communities Nambia , Pedagogical content knowledge , Cultural-historical activity theory
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405300 , vital:70159
- Description: Persistent student errors in understanding chemical equilibrium as shown by poor student achievement in national examinations reflect student difficulties in learning and deficiencies in teaching methodologies. Studies which have been conducted in Namibia have explored the teaching of chemical equilibrium and revealed that teachers seem not to have adequate pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for mediating chemical equilibrium and therefore there is a need for continuing professional development (CPD). However, it seems the CPD facilitators also find this topic difficult and are unsure of which methods are really effective owing to the disagreements among teachers and researchers. In addition, current CPD practices ostensibly fail to address the teachers’ needs because the facilitators have their own commitments and accountabilities and may ignore teachers’ contexts. It is against this backdrop that I conducted this formative interventionist study to improve teachers’ PCK for mediating chemical equilibrium through expansive learning (learning something that does not yet exist). A blend of the interpretivist and critical paradigm underpinned this study, which assumed a transactional epistemology. The qualitative case study research design was used to gather in-depth information about the multiple realities of the participants, bearing in mind that teaching is idiosyncratic, and the teaching approaches or strategies employed heavily depend on the contexts. Accordingly, the cultural historical activity theory was used to guide the teachers’ activities during the intervention for generating the data which were analysed using the topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge. The study revealed that the participants faced challenges in their teaching, namely: (i) students’ difficulties with comprehension and (ii) teachers’ instructional problems or deficiencies in instructional skills. The findings also revealed that the intervention enabled the participants to collectively transform their practices and therefore address the major challenges in their practices, that is, they expansively learnt how to effectively teach chemical equilibrium. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
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Exploring the possibility of integrating traditional music and dance into the design and delivery of lessons on the concepts of echo and waves in the grade 10 Physical Science sound topic
- Authors: Liveve, Angelius Kanyanga
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Student-centered learning Namibia , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Science Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Dance in education Namibia , Music in education Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/13356 , vital:21826
- Description: Before Namibian independence in 1990, teaching was mostly characterized by teacher-centred pedagogies in which teachers were perceived as the main sources of knowledge. This resulted in learners being passive recipients of such unquestioned knowledge. After independence and to address this, a new educational system was introduced which promoted learner-centred education (LCE) pedagogy. Despite these grand ideals, educational changes in sub-Saharan Africa form a complex issue involving tensions between policy formulation and implementation. This presents Namibian teachers with some challenges in enacting LCE pedagogies. One of these challenges is to find ways to motivate learners and to assist their learning by finding relevant and interesting connections between subject topics and their own experiences and everyday culture outside the classroom. An inability to enact the new curriculum results in learners performing poorly in subjects such as Physical Science. Against this backdrop, this study sought to explore whether or not the integration of traditional music and dance into the design and delivery of lessons on the concepts of echo and waves could influence grade 10 Physical Science learners’ sense making and dispositions towards science. This study was underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. It was informed and guided by the socio-cultural theory as my theoretical framework. The study was carried out with a grade 10 Physical Science class consisting of 30 learners at Lyambombla Combined School (pseudonym) in the Kavango West Region in the northern part of Namibia. Data were generated through diagnostic and summative tests, interviews and lesson observations incorporating traditional music and dance. The findings of the study showed that learners’ sense making and dispositions toward science were positively influenced through traditional music and dance. The study thus recommends the incorporation of indigenous ways of knowing in order to enhance meaning making in science classrooms.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Liveve, Angelius Kanyanga
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Student-centered learning Namibia , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Science Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Dance in education Namibia , Music in education Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/13356 , vital:21826
- Description: Before Namibian independence in 1990, teaching was mostly characterized by teacher-centred pedagogies in which teachers were perceived as the main sources of knowledge. This resulted in learners being passive recipients of such unquestioned knowledge. After independence and to address this, a new educational system was introduced which promoted learner-centred education (LCE) pedagogy. Despite these grand ideals, educational changes in sub-Saharan Africa form a complex issue involving tensions between policy formulation and implementation. This presents Namibian teachers with some challenges in enacting LCE pedagogies. One of these challenges is to find ways to motivate learners and to assist their learning by finding relevant and interesting connections between subject topics and their own experiences and everyday culture outside the classroom. An inability to enact the new curriculum results in learners performing poorly in subjects such as Physical Science. Against this backdrop, this study sought to explore whether or not the integration of traditional music and dance into the design and delivery of lessons on the concepts of echo and waves could influence grade 10 Physical Science learners’ sense making and dispositions towards science. This study was underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. It was informed and guided by the socio-cultural theory as my theoretical framework. The study was carried out with a grade 10 Physical Science class consisting of 30 learners at Lyambombla Combined School (pseudonym) in the Kavango West Region in the northern part of Namibia. Data were generated through diagnostic and summative tests, interviews and lesson observations incorporating traditional music and dance. The findings of the study showed that learners’ sense making and dispositions toward science were positively influenced through traditional music and dance. The study thus recommends the incorporation of indigenous ways of knowing in order to enhance meaning making in science classrooms.
- Full Text: