The potential of Geography fieldwork projects to develop action competence in response to social-ecological concerns: a case study of two Grade 10 Geography classes in Northern Namibia
- Authors: Mwiila, Modestus
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Geography -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/126563 , vital:35901
- Description: The study explored the potential of Geography fieldwork projects to develop learners’ action competence in response to social-ecological problems in two schools in the Omusati and Oshana Education Regions. The study investigates ways in which learners’ activities create an opportunity for them to act for the environment. That is, to investigate ways in which learners can be shaped into environmentally literate citizens who act for the environment. A total of 43 grade 10 learners and two grade 10 Geography teachers participated in this qualitative, interpretive case study. Data was generated through document analysis, focus group interview with learners, semi-structured interviews with educators, and participant observations. Such data were analysed into three phases, first inductively and then abductively using Jensen’s (2004) Investigations, Visions, Actions and Change (IVAC) model to produce analytic statements that form the basis of the research findings. The study found that Geography fieldwork projects foster understandings of environmental problems in a local area. Through fieldwork projects, schools initiate indirect environmental actions, however, some environmental problems are too large or complex to be resolved by the actions initiated by learners. Based on these findings, the study identifies Geography fieldwork as an opportunity to create a community of practice in effort to address socioecological concerns. The study further recommends that learners should be allowed to engage with both social investigative actions and technical, scientific investigative actions when doing project work.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mwiila, Modestus
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Geography -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/126563 , vital:35901
- Description: The study explored the potential of Geography fieldwork projects to develop learners’ action competence in response to social-ecological problems in two schools in the Omusati and Oshana Education Regions. The study investigates ways in which learners’ activities create an opportunity for them to act for the environment. That is, to investigate ways in which learners can be shaped into environmentally literate citizens who act for the environment. A total of 43 grade 10 learners and two grade 10 Geography teachers participated in this qualitative, interpretive case study. Data was generated through document analysis, focus group interview with learners, semi-structured interviews with educators, and participant observations. Such data were analysed into three phases, first inductively and then abductively using Jensen’s (2004) Investigations, Visions, Actions and Change (IVAC) model to produce analytic statements that form the basis of the research findings. The study found that Geography fieldwork projects foster understandings of environmental problems in a local area. Through fieldwork projects, schools initiate indirect environmental actions, however, some environmental problems are too large or complex to be resolved by the actions initiated by learners. Based on these findings, the study identifies Geography fieldwork as an opportunity to create a community of practice in effort to address socioecological concerns. The study further recommends that learners should be allowed to engage with both social investigative actions and technical, scientific investigative actions when doing project work.
- Full Text:
Selected Namibian secondary school geography teachers’ pedagogical thinking and practices: the case of mapwork
- Naxweka, Johanna Ndamononghenda
- Authors: Naxweka, Johanna Ndamononghenda
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Geography -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Cartography -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Maps -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/76969 , vital:30651
- Description: Learner performance in mapwork in secondary school geography in Namibia has been consistently poor. Examiners’ reports provide detailed feedback on the difficulties learners demonstrate with little, if any, attention paid to teachers’ perceptions, experiences and pedagogical practices of mapwork. This qualitative study generated insights to understand selected geography teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices of mapwork. Data were generated through a questionnaire administered to thirty geography teachers in fifteen secondary schools in the Ohangwena Circuit in the Ohangwena Region of Namibia. The teachers’ responses were coded and analyzed and patterns and trends identified. Based on what emerged, a purposive sample of three teachers was chosen for in-depth interviews to probe their responses and to observe their classroom practices. The study draws on learner centred pedagogy (LCP), the official educational policy in Namibia, and Shulman’s perspectives of teachers’ content and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) (1986, 1987) to interpret what teachers say about the teaching of mapwork and how they teach it. The qualities of teachers’ PCK that support student learning in mapwork are not yet fully understood because there has been little research on teachers’ PCK for teaching mapwork and spatial thinking in geography classrooms (Jo & Bednarz, 2014). The study sheds light on the teachers’ qualifications and experience, their perceptions and attitudes towards the teaching of mapwork, their teaching strategies and the resources they use. The findings reveal that the teachers are conscientious but ill-equipped to teach mapwork. The study illuminated a disjuncture between the rhetoric and practice of learner centred pedagogy. There is evidence which suggests that the teachers’ knowledge of the curriculum is superficial and limited to content. Their practices are focused on teaching map skills and procedural knowledge with little, if any, attention given to spatial and map conceptual understanding and application of knowledge to solve problems. The study concludes that teachers’ map and spatial conceptual understanding and pedagogical content knowledge should be strengthened if the persistent problem of poor learner attainment is to be resolved. It provides insights that may be of value to Namibian teachers, teacher educators, curriculum policy developers and Senior Education Officers when addressing this problem.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Naxweka, Johanna Ndamononghenda
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Geography -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Cartography -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Maps -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/76969 , vital:30651
- Description: Learner performance in mapwork in secondary school geography in Namibia has been consistently poor. Examiners’ reports provide detailed feedback on the difficulties learners demonstrate with little, if any, attention paid to teachers’ perceptions, experiences and pedagogical practices of mapwork. This qualitative study generated insights to understand selected geography teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices of mapwork. Data were generated through a questionnaire administered to thirty geography teachers in fifteen secondary schools in the Ohangwena Circuit in the Ohangwena Region of Namibia. The teachers’ responses were coded and analyzed and patterns and trends identified. Based on what emerged, a purposive sample of three teachers was chosen for in-depth interviews to probe their responses and to observe their classroom practices. The study draws on learner centred pedagogy (LCP), the official educational policy in Namibia, and Shulman’s perspectives of teachers’ content and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) (1986, 1987) to interpret what teachers say about the teaching of mapwork and how they teach it. The qualities of teachers’ PCK that support student learning in mapwork are not yet fully understood because there has been little research on teachers’ PCK for teaching mapwork and spatial thinking in geography classrooms (Jo & Bednarz, 2014). The study sheds light on the teachers’ qualifications and experience, their perceptions and attitudes towards the teaching of mapwork, their teaching strategies and the resources they use. The findings reveal that the teachers are conscientious but ill-equipped to teach mapwork. The study illuminated a disjuncture between the rhetoric and practice of learner centred pedagogy. There is evidence which suggests that the teachers’ knowledge of the curriculum is superficial and limited to content. Their practices are focused on teaching map skills and procedural knowledge with little, if any, attention given to spatial and map conceptual understanding and application of knowledge to solve problems. The study concludes that teachers’ map and spatial conceptual understanding and pedagogical content knowledge should be strengthened if the persistent problem of poor learner attainment is to be resolved. It provides insights that may be of value to Namibian teachers, teacher educators, curriculum policy developers and Senior Education Officers when addressing this problem.
- Full Text:
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