A phenomenological exploration : how secondary school teachers cope with depressed adolescents in their classrooms
- Authors: Vermonti, Stefano
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Teachers -- Training of , Depression in adolescence , Inclusive education
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:9585 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020935
- Description: This study focuses on the perception of teachers who have depressed adolescent learners in their classrooms as well as explores how teachers cope with teaching depressed adolescent learners in their classrooms. For the purpose of this study, a qualitative research method was employed. Data was collected in the form of twelve semi-structured interviews with teachers in order to ascertain their perceptions on including and accommodating depressed adolescent learners in their classrooms. The data was analysed for emerging themes and sub-themes according to Tesch‟s eightstep data analysis process. This study highlights the characteristics, symptoms and causes of depression in adolescents and the effect it has on learners within our educational system. The results of the study indicate that the inclusion of depressed adolescents in the classroom can be problematic for teachers since they feel that they are not suitably trained to deal with these learners in a teaching and learning environment. The participating teachers indicated that they are not able to identify and support depressed adolescent learners in their classrooms effectively. The participating teachers feel that they require further training on how to refer these depressed adolescent learners and their parents for further intervention and support. Based on the findings of this study, the researcher constructed guiding principles in order to address the issues raised by the participating teachers. In the light of the guiding principles, recommendations were made towards teachers, parents, schools, health professionals, the Department of Education, the Department of Health and further research in order to accommodate depressed adolescent learners in South African schools effectively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Vermonti, Stefano
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Teachers -- Training of , Depression in adolescence , Inclusive education
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:9585 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020935
- Description: This study focuses on the perception of teachers who have depressed adolescent learners in their classrooms as well as explores how teachers cope with teaching depressed adolescent learners in their classrooms. For the purpose of this study, a qualitative research method was employed. Data was collected in the form of twelve semi-structured interviews with teachers in order to ascertain their perceptions on including and accommodating depressed adolescent learners in their classrooms. The data was analysed for emerging themes and sub-themes according to Tesch‟s eightstep data analysis process. This study highlights the characteristics, symptoms and causes of depression in adolescents and the effect it has on learners within our educational system. The results of the study indicate that the inclusion of depressed adolescents in the classroom can be problematic for teachers since they feel that they are not suitably trained to deal with these learners in a teaching and learning environment. The participating teachers indicated that they are not able to identify and support depressed adolescent learners in their classrooms effectively. The participating teachers feel that they require further training on how to refer these depressed adolescent learners and their parents for further intervention and support. Based on the findings of this study, the researcher constructed guiding principles in order to address the issues raised by the participating teachers. In the light of the guiding principles, recommendations were made towards teachers, parents, schools, health professionals, the Department of Education, the Department of Health and further research in order to accommodate depressed adolescent learners in South African schools effectively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
A social realist analysis of learner agency and access to education : the case of Grade 11 learners in public secondary schools in the Makana District, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Namakula, Halima
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Active learning -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Educational equalization -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Student-centered learning -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Competency-based education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Education, Secondary -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1404 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001954
- Description: The South African government has shown enormous commitment to the achievement of “Education for All” (EFA) through its policies premised on the right to basic education for all which is enshrined in the constitution. Central to the South African constitution, is a fundamental right of all citizens to basic education, equity, redress, and the improvement of quality of schooling. Further, pro-poor funding policies such as school fee exemptions, social grants and, most recently, the designation of 60% of all schools as ‘no fee’ schools, have made it possible for even the poorest learners to attend school. This has affirmed South Africa’s commitment to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. In light of Notwithstanding the progress made in South Africa in universalising education, there are concerns regarding learner access to quality education, especially in poor provinces such as the Eastern Cape where this study is situated. Thus, the purpose of this study is to further understanding of the interface between learners’ agency and access to education in two township public high schools in Makana District in the Eastern Cape Province. In doing so, the research addresses the current under-representation in the literature of the voices of learners about their experiences of access to education. Drawing on Margaret Archer’s social realist approach to the relationship between structure and agency, the study explores learner agency with the aim of understanding how learners exercise their agency as they struggle to negotiate and overcome difficult and challenging circumstances in order to access education. The data collection was carried out during the academic year 2011, using a qualitative case study approach. Multiple methods of data collection were used. First, data was collected through questionnaires administered to learners. This questionnaire asked for basic information about the schools (for example, subjects, resources and teachers ), parents ( their education, employment, qualification etc.) and learners’ aspirations (their role model; where they see themselves in 5 years; which university they would like to attend; and what they would like to become in future). Secondly, observation method was used to collect data that would inform an assessment of the school’s structure and cultural practices and the impact these have on learners’ access to education. The focus here was also on classroom interaction between learners and teachers, as well as classroom participation, participation in extra-mural activities and voluntary activities, and interaction with peers and others in a variety of school settings. Thirdly, interviews with learners, educators, principals, and parents were used to provide insight about how participants construct their social worlds. In this study the primary data was collected through semi-structured individual and focus group interview. And finally, document analysis was used to analyse the attendance and performance of learners on attendance registers. Findings from this research have enabled new themes and areas for reflection about learner agency to emerge. These themes reflect current and ongoing constraints and enablements towards learners’ educational experiences. In particular, themes such as the following have surfaced: learners changing their lives; the desire to succeed; shaping the future; the value of education; family pride; aspirations and careers. This study addressed these developments by examining agency as temporally located reflexive deliberations of learners upon their future goals and present social environment. This allowed for the identification of individuals’ future goals in relation to access to education and the strategies that they intend to pursue to achieve them, in relation to their personal and social contexts. The findings show the choices and decisions learners are prepared to make and the strategies they use as they engage with socio-cultural environments. Archer’s nuanced approach to agency and structure offers tools to help make sense of learners’ equally nuanced way of engaging with various social structures and making considered decisions about their social environment. Key findings of this research suggest that despite the constraining social structures in their homes, communities and schools, learners make decisions and choices that enable them to navigate social contexts to their advantage. Put differently, for learners, social structures provided the impetus for the projects they created, and to this extent enabled rather than constrained their courses of action.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Namakula, Halima
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Active learning -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Educational equalization -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Student-centered learning -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Competency-based education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Education, Secondary -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1404 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001954
- Description: The South African government has shown enormous commitment to the achievement of “Education for All” (EFA) through its policies premised on the right to basic education for all which is enshrined in the constitution. Central to the South African constitution, is a fundamental right of all citizens to basic education, equity, redress, and the improvement of quality of schooling. Further, pro-poor funding policies such as school fee exemptions, social grants and, most recently, the designation of 60% of all schools as ‘no fee’ schools, have made it possible for even the poorest learners to attend school. This has affirmed South Africa’s commitment to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. In light of Notwithstanding the progress made in South Africa in universalising education, there are concerns regarding learner access to quality education, especially in poor provinces such as the Eastern Cape where this study is situated. Thus, the purpose of this study is to further understanding of the interface between learners’ agency and access to education in two township public high schools in Makana District in the Eastern Cape Province. In doing so, the research addresses the current under-representation in the literature of the voices of learners about their experiences of access to education. Drawing on Margaret Archer’s social realist approach to the relationship between structure and agency, the study explores learner agency with the aim of understanding how learners exercise their agency as they struggle to negotiate and overcome difficult and challenging circumstances in order to access education. The data collection was carried out during the academic year 2011, using a qualitative case study approach. Multiple methods of data collection were used. First, data was collected through questionnaires administered to learners. This questionnaire asked for basic information about the schools (for example, subjects, resources and teachers ), parents ( their education, employment, qualification etc.) and learners’ aspirations (their role model; where they see themselves in 5 years; which university they would like to attend; and what they would like to become in future). Secondly, observation method was used to collect data that would inform an assessment of the school’s structure and cultural practices and the impact these have on learners’ access to education. The focus here was also on classroom interaction between learners and teachers, as well as classroom participation, participation in extra-mural activities and voluntary activities, and interaction with peers and others in a variety of school settings. Thirdly, interviews with learners, educators, principals, and parents were used to provide insight about how participants construct their social worlds. In this study the primary data was collected through semi-structured individual and focus group interview. And finally, document analysis was used to analyse the attendance and performance of learners on attendance registers. Findings from this research have enabled new themes and areas for reflection about learner agency to emerge. These themes reflect current and ongoing constraints and enablements towards learners’ educational experiences. In particular, themes such as the following have surfaced: learners changing their lives; the desire to succeed; shaping the future; the value of education; family pride; aspirations and careers. This study addressed these developments by examining agency as temporally located reflexive deliberations of learners upon their future goals and present social environment. This allowed for the identification of individuals’ future goals in relation to access to education and the strategies that they intend to pursue to achieve them, in relation to their personal and social contexts. The findings show the choices and decisions learners are prepared to make and the strategies they use as they engage with socio-cultural environments. Archer’s nuanced approach to agency and structure offers tools to help make sense of learners’ equally nuanced way of engaging with various social structures and making considered decisions about their social environment. Key findings of this research suggest that despite the constraining social structures in their homes, communities and schools, learners make decisions and choices that enable them to navigate social contexts to their advantage. Put differently, for learners, social structures provided the impetus for the projects they created, and to this extent enabled rather than constrained their courses of action.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An analysis of teacher's skills in the identification of learners with behavioural and emotional problems
- Authors: Damons, Thirza
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Teachers -- Training of , Interaction analysis in education , Observation (Educational method)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:9451 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1012183 , Teachers -- Training of , Interaction analysis in education , Observation (Educational method)
- Description: This study aimed to explore teachers‟ abilities to identify learners with behavioural and emotional problems, to examine the strategies that they implement to address the challenges and their measure of success in addressing these. This study was qualitative in nature and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 volunteer teachers located in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth and an additional 50 teachers completed open ended questionnaires. The learning areas taught by the teachers varied. Descriptive and content analysis procedures were utilized to analyze the findings. The findings indicated that teachers lack the skills and knowledge to assist learners with behavioural and emotional problems. The teachers tended to view their roles as imparting knowledge rather than tending to the mental health of learners so they did not adopt approaches to assist the learners with their behavioural and emotional challenges. This was in spite of the fact that the learners' psychological and physical well-being impacted their academic achievement.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Damons, Thirza
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Teachers -- Training of , Interaction analysis in education , Observation (Educational method)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:9451 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1012183 , Teachers -- Training of , Interaction analysis in education , Observation (Educational method)
- Description: This study aimed to explore teachers‟ abilities to identify learners with behavioural and emotional problems, to examine the strategies that they implement to address the challenges and their measure of success in addressing these. This study was qualitative in nature and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 volunteer teachers located in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth and an additional 50 teachers completed open ended questionnaires. The learning areas taught by the teachers varied. Descriptive and content analysis procedures were utilized to analyze the findings. The findings indicated that teachers lack the skills and knowledge to assist learners with behavioural and emotional problems. The teachers tended to view their roles as imparting knowledge rather than tending to the mental health of learners so they did not adopt approaches to assist the learners with their behavioural and emotional challenges. This was in spite of the fact that the learners' psychological and physical well-being impacted their academic achievement.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An analysis of the distribution and use of teaching aids in mathematics in selected Windhoek secondary schools
- Authors: Dzambara, Tobias Munyaradzi
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia Teaching -- Aids and devices -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1344 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001410
- Description: This study investigates the types of mathematics teaching aids available at both public and private secondary schools in Windhoek. The study characterises their usage and source as well as teachers’ perceptions towards the use of such teaching resources in the Mathematics classroom. The study is grounded in an interpretive paradigm and employed a mixed methods approach to generate both quantitative and qualitative data in two sequential phases. Phase 1 of the research process, which involved 75 Mathematics teachers, took the form of an audit of the availability and use of teaching aids at 25 secondary schools in Windhoek. A case study methodology was adopted in Phase 2 which focused on five purposively selected schools that displayed different characteristics in terms of the availability of teaching resources. The study found that the majority of teachers at secondary schools in Windhoek have a positive attitude towards the importance and role of teaching aids in Mathematics, seeing them as promoters of hands-on engagement, visual reasoning, active participation and motivation amongst learners. However, in some instances schools are underresourced with respect to certain types of teaching aids, specifically graph boards, geoboards, geometric models and computers. A need for appropriate in-school support on the use of teaching aids was also identified
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Dzambara, Tobias Munyaradzi
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia Teaching -- Aids and devices -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1344 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001410
- Description: This study investigates the types of mathematics teaching aids available at both public and private secondary schools in Windhoek. The study characterises their usage and source as well as teachers’ perceptions towards the use of such teaching resources in the Mathematics classroom. The study is grounded in an interpretive paradigm and employed a mixed methods approach to generate both quantitative and qualitative data in two sequential phases. Phase 1 of the research process, which involved 75 Mathematics teachers, took the form of an audit of the availability and use of teaching aids at 25 secondary schools in Windhoek. A case study methodology was adopted in Phase 2 which focused on five purposively selected schools that displayed different characteristics in terms of the availability of teaching resources. The study found that the majority of teachers at secondary schools in Windhoek have a positive attitude towards the importance and role of teaching aids in Mathematics, seeing them as promoters of hands-on engagement, visual reasoning, active participation and motivation amongst learners. However, in some instances schools are underresourced with respect to certain types of teaching aids, specifically graph boards, geoboards, geometric models and computers. A need for appropriate in-school support on the use of teaching aids was also identified
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An enquiry into the formative and summative assessment procedures, and perceptions thereof, of grade 10 mathematics teachers : a Namibian case study
- Authors: Marongwe, Anesu Desmond
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1385 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001513
- Description: The purpose of this study was to gain insight into observed discrepancies between continuous assessment and final examination average marks in Grade 10 Mathematics in the Oshikoto region of Namibia. The study is framed as a case study and is grounded within the interpretive paradigm. A mixed methods approach was applied, eliciting both quantitative as well as qualitative data. The study took place in two phases. In Phase 1, continuous assessment and Grade 10 final examination average marks for 62 Junior Secondary Schools for the period 2008-2010 were gathered and analyzed. Schools were characterized in terms of the relationship between their continuous assessment and final examination average marks for each of the three years. Phase 2, which was informed by Phase 1, took the form of structured interviews with a sample of three Mathematics teachers and three principals along with a focus-group interview of twelve teachers in order to investigate more deeply the perceptions of teachers and principals toward assessment policy and practice. The study shows that Grade 10 assessment practice in Namibian schools is far from ideal. Many teachers are not fully conversant with the various continuous assessment components as outlined by policy, and teachers are not confident about setting appropriate continuous assessment tasks. There is a strong perception that continuous assessment marks can easily be inflated and those teachers who gave high continuous assessment marks to their learners were generally perceived as being either incompetent or dishonest. While continuous assessment was seen as an important component of teaching and learning, it is evident that teachers and principals would welcome greater clarity, along with standardization and moderation, with respect to continuous assessment practice.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Marongwe, Anesu Desmond
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1385 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001513
- Description: The purpose of this study was to gain insight into observed discrepancies between continuous assessment and final examination average marks in Grade 10 Mathematics in the Oshikoto region of Namibia. The study is framed as a case study and is grounded within the interpretive paradigm. A mixed methods approach was applied, eliciting both quantitative as well as qualitative data. The study took place in two phases. In Phase 1, continuous assessment and Grade 10 final examination average marks for 62 Junior Secondary Schools for the period 2008-2010 were gathered and analyzed. Schools were characterized in terms of the relationship between their continuous assessment and final examination average marks for each of the three years. Phase 2, which was informed by Phase 1, took the form of structured interviews with a sample of three Mathematics teachers and three principals along with a focus-group interview of twelve teachers in order to investigate more deeply the perceptions of teachers and principals toward assessment policy and practice. The study shows that Grade 10 assessment practice in Namibian schools is far from ideal. Many teachers are not fully conversant with the various continuous assessment components as outlined by policy, and teachers are not confident about setting appropriate continuous assessment tasks. There is a strong perception that continuous assessment marks can easily be inflated and those teachers who gave high continuous assessment marks to their learners were generally perceived as being either incompetent or dishonest. While continuous assessment was seen as an important component of teaching and learning, it is evident that teachers and principals would welcome greater clarity, along with standardization and moderation, with respect to continuous assessment practice.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An exploration of leadership practices: a case study in a public high school in Nigeria
- Authors: Adediji, John Oluwole
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Educational leadership -- Nigeria -- Case studies Teacher participation in administration -- Nigeria -- Case studies School management and organization -- Nigeria -- Case studies Education, Secondary -- Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1405 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001955
- Description: The management of Nigeria high schools are noted for administrative practices in the management of their schools; hence the term administration is commonly used in their daily operations. This fact on ‘administration’ was emphasised by the Nigerian government in the National Policy on Education (Nigeria, 1981, p. 21). Therefor as a researcher from Nigeria, my rationale for embarking on this research study was to find out to what extent a public high school in Nigeria was still operating in a hierarchical, individualistic, authoritarian style of leadership or whether it has started embracing contemporary approaches such as distributed leadership. The main goal of this study was to explore leadership practices in the case study school with the main focus on how different people relate to each other in the various leadership practices of the school, such as staff and briefing meetings of the school. In addition, my research questions aimed at exploring the respondents’ perceptions of leadership and factors enabling or constraining the distribution of leadership in the school. The study is located within the interpretive paradigm. As a researcher in a wheelchair studying in South Africa I needed to find alternative ways of accessing the research site and gathering data. I was able to use electronic communication for the collection of my data. I used four different tools of data collection methods namely document analysis, observation, questionnaire and stimulated recall interviews. Findings from the study indicated that there was limited evidence of contemporary leadership approaches in the case study school. The school was still operating traditional leadership, while school activities were dominated by a hierarchical chain of command. What emerged from the leadership practices of the school could be termed authorised distributed leadership which was under the command of the school principal. Data also indicated that there were some forms of restricted teacher leadership in the management and administration of the school. In addition, findings revealed that the case study school was very good at the management and administrative functions. The school was very effective and efficient in the controlling and management of both human and material resources. Lastly, findings from the case study school indicated some enabling factors to the distribution of leadership in the case study school which include a culture of respect and cordial relations among the SMT and the teachers, Prominent among constraining factors to the distribution of leadership in the case study school were: cultural orientation of the people where the case school was located, exclusionary religious practices by the principal of the school and the inhibiting role played by the Ministry of Education. Finally, based on these findings, recommendations were made both for practice and for future research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Adediji, John Oluwole
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Educational leadership -- Nigeria -- Case studies Teacher participation in administration -- Nigeria -- Case studies School management and organization -- Nigeria -- Case studies Education, Secondary -- Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1405 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001955
- Description: The management of Nigeria high schools are noted for administrative practices in the management of their schools; hence the term administration is commonly used in their daily operations. This fact on ‘administration’ was emphasised by the Nigerian government in the National Policy on Education (Nigeria, 1981, p. 21). Therefor as a researcher from Nigeria, my rationale for embarking on this research study was to find out to what extent a public high school in Nigeria was still operating in a hierarchical, individualistic, authoritarian style of leadership or whether it has started embracing contemporary approaches such as distributed leadership. The main goal of this study was to explore leadership practices in the case study school with the main focus on how different people relate to each other in the various leadership practices of the school, such as staff and briefing meetings of the school. In addition, my research questions aimed at exploring the respondents’ perceptions of leadership and factors enabling or constraining the distribution of leadership in the school. The study is located within the interpretive paradigm. As a researcher in a wheelchair studying in South Africa I needed to find alternative ways of accessing the research site and gathering data. I was able to use electronic communication for the collection of my data. I used four different tools of data collection methods namely document analysis, observation, questionnaire and stimulated recall interviews. Findings from the study indicated that there was limited evidence of contemporary leadership approaches in the case study school. The school was still operating traditional leadership, while school activities were dominated by a hierarchical chain of command. What emerged from the leadership practices of the school could be termed authorised distributed leadership which was under the command of the school principal. Data also indicated that there were some forms of restricted teacher leadership in the management and administration of the school. In addition, findings revealed that the case study school was very good at the management and administrative functions. The school was very effective and efficient in the controlling and management of both human and material resources. Lastly, findings from the case study school indicated some enabling factors to the distribution of leadership in the case study school which include a culture of respect and cordial relations among the SMT and the teachers, Prominent among constraining factors to the distribution of leadership in the case study school were: cultural orientation of the people where the case school was located, exclusionary religious practices by the principal of the school and the inhibiting role played by the Ministry of Education. Finally, based on these findings, recommendations were made both for practice and for future research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An exploration of natural science teachers' experiences and perceptions of the National Standardised Achievement Tests : a case study
- Shaakumeni, Simson Ndadaleka
- Authors: Shaakumeni, Simson Ndadaleka
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Achievement tests -- Education (Elementary) -- Research -- Namibia Educational tests and measurements -- Research -- Namibia Educational tests and measurements -- Research -- Namibia Science -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Namibia Science teachers -- Namibia Education, Elementary -- Standards -- Research -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1390 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001670
- Description: The primary purpose of this study was to capture Natural Science teachers’ perceptions of the national standardised achievement tests (SATs), with a view to illuminating whether or not they were able to interpret and use the SATs reports to inform their practice and for improvement purposes as envisaged in the standardised tests’ objectives. It further sought to investigate how the grade 7 Natural Science teachers were teaching the subject matter, with a view to understanding the performance of learners as illustrated in the 2010 SATs results. The study mainly used qualitative methods such as observations, interviews and document analysis. These were complemented by quantitative methods through the use of the questionnaires, which were used to capture the general perceptions and experiences of Natural Science teachers. Thirty-five questionnaires were sent out and ten responses were received. Quantitative data from the questionnaires were analysed by tabulation to ascertain the frequencies of responses regarding teachers’ perceptions and experiences of SATs, as indicated in different scales per indicator. Furthermore, data generated through video-taped lessons, analysis of learners’ written notes, interviews and open-ended questions from the questionnaires were inductively analyzed. The findings of the study revealed that teachers had positive perceptions towards the ideals of SATs. However, their use of the SATs reports in their teaching was inconclusive. The study also revealed that there were no policy imperatives on SATs, in particular, to guide their use in schools. It was also found that teachers were not teaching the syllabus competencies fully and their Natural Science content knowledge was inadequate. The principal recommendation is that teachers need to acquaint themselves sufficiently with the SATs reports to enable them to use the reports for their intended purposes. Furthermore, teachers need to engage in continuous professional development programmes to improve their Natural Science content knowledge, especially with regard to making information in the textbooks accessible to learners in terms of addressing competencies in the syllabus. Finally, there is a need for policy intervention from the Ministry of Education in Namibia so that the existing tensions between policy formulation and implementation are addressed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Shaakumeni, Simson Ndadaleka
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Achievement tests -- Education (Elementary) -- Research -- Namibia Educational tests and measurements -- Research -- Namibia Educational tests and measurements -- Research -- Namibia Science -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Namibia Science teachers -- Namibia Education, Elementary -- Standards -- Research -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1390 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001670
- Description: The primary purpose of this study was to capture Natural Science teachers’ perceptions of the national standardised achievement tests (SATs), with a view to illuminating whether or not they were able to interpret and use the SATs reports to inform their practice and for improvement purposes as envisaged in the standardised tests’ objectives. It further sought to investigate how the grade 7 Natural Science teachers were teaching the subject matter, with a view to understanding the performance of learners as illustrated in the 2010 SATs results. The study mainly used qualitative methods such as observations, interviews and document analysis. These were complemented by quantitative methods through the use of the questionnaires, which were used to capture the general perceptions and experiences of Natural Science teachers. Thirty-five questionnaires were sent out and ten responses were received. Quantitative data from the questionnaires were analysed by tabulation to ascertain the frequencies of responses regarding teachers’ perceptions and experiences of SATs, as indicated in different scales per indicator. Furthermore, data generated through video-taped lessons, analysis of learners’ written notes, interviews and open-ended questions from the questionnaires were inductively analyzed. The findings of the study revealed that teachers had positive perceptions towards the ideals of SATs. However, their use of the SATs reports in their teaching was inconclusive. The study also revealed that there were no policy imperatives on SATs, in particular, to guide their use in schools. It was also found that teachers were not teaching the syllabus competencies fully and their Natural Science content knowledge was inadequate. The principal recommendation is that teachers need to acquaint themselves sufficiently with the SATs reports to enable them to use the reports for their intended purposes. Furthermore, teachers need to engage in continuous professional development programmes to improve their Natural Science content knowledge, especially with regard to making information in the textbooks accessible to learners in terms of addressing competencies in the syllabus. Finally, there is a need for policy intervention from the Ministry of Education in Namibia so that the existing tensions between policy formulation and implementation are addressed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An exploration of strategies to enhance grade 8 learners' reading comprehension skills
- Authors: Matakane, Euphimia Nobuzwe
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Reading (Secondary) -- Research Reading comprehension
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1834 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004330
- Description: This thesis reports on an Action Research case study into the teaching of comprehension strategies to Grade 8 learners in a rural high school in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The learners in this study, who were studying English as an additional language, experienced difficulties in comprehending English text. A series of six lessons were designed to teach comprehension strategies to improve the learners' performance in reading comprehension. The purpose of the intervention was to equip the learners with skills that would enable them to improve their reading comprehension and evaluate their effectiveness as readers. The intervention was also intended to assess my teaching, which was challenged by the need to deal with learners' poor levels of reading comprehension. The data was collected using the following research techniques: interviews, questionnaires, non-participant observation, learners' and researcher's journals, document analysis The data analysis revealed that a lack of resources to learn English; limited English language due to lack of exposure; and learners' lack of foundational knowledge from their primary schools were barriers to the successful teaching of comprehension strategies. Despite such barriers, however, this research provides evidence that teaching comprehension strategies can be effective if it is taught systematically, and applied continuously. Personally, I learnt that I had to modify my methods of teaching due to the response of learners to the lessons taught.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Matakane, Euphimia Nobuzwe
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Reading (Secondary) -- Research Reading comprehension
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1834 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004330
- Description: This thesis reports on an Action Research case study into the teaching of comprehension strategies to Grade 8 learners in a rural high school in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The learners in this study, who were studying English as an additional language, experienced difficulties in comprehending English text. A series of six lessons were designed to teach comprehension strategies to improve the learners' performance in reading comprehension. The purpose of the intervention was to equip the learners with skills that would enable them to improve their reading comprehension and evaluate their effectiveness as readers. The intervention was also intended to assess my teaching, which was challenged by the need to deal with learners' poor levels of reading comprehension. The data was collected using the following research techniques: interviews, questionnaires, non-participant observation, learners' and researcher's journals, document analysis The data analysis revealed that a lack of resources to learn English; limited English language due to lack of exposure; and learners' lack of foundational knowledge from their primary schools were barriers to the successful teaching of comprehension strategies. Despite such barriers, however, this research provides evidence that teaching comprehension strategies can be effective if it is taught systematically, and applied continuously. Personally, I learnt that I had to modify my methods of teaching due to the response of learners to the lessons taught.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An exploration of teacher leadership : a case study in a Namibian urban primary school
- Authors: Zokka, Thomas Kayele
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Educational leadership -- Namibia -- Kavango -- Case studies Teacher participation in administration -- Namibia -- Kavango -- Case studies School management and organization -- Namibia -- Kavango -- Case studies Education, Elementary -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1399 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001809
- Description: After independence in 1990, Namibian schools were required by the new government to shift from a hierarchical organisational structure with authoritarian leadership to a more democratic type of leadership that offers teachers the opportunity to participate in school leadership and in decision-making processes. This shift is suggested in a number of national policies in Namibia that highlight the sharing of leadership within the organization and, in particular, the sharing of leadership with teachers. As such, teacher leadership is a manifestation of distributed leadership which emphasizes that leadership can be located in the position of the principal but can spread over many people who work in a school at various levels. While teacher leadership is well researched in developed countries, it is under researched in Namibia. Against this backdrop, the purpose of my study was to explore the concept and practice of teacher leadership as an organizational phenomenon in a case study school in the Ncuncuni circuit of the Kavango region in Namibia. It also examined the factors that enabled and inhibited the practice of teacher leadership. My study was conducted within a qualitative interpretive paradigm and it adopted a case study approach in one school. The study used the following instruments to collect data: a closed questionnaire, document analysis, observations and individual interviews. The primary participants were the principal and three teachers, while the entire school teaching staff constituted my secondary participants. Quantitative data was analysed manually using descriptive statistics while qualitative data was analysed thematically using a model of teacher leadership (Grant, 2008). The findings of my study indicated that while the concept of teacher leadership was new to all participants, they had a common sense understanding of it. Although teachers in the study understood teacher leadership in a range of different ways, the overarching idea of the whole school was that teachers lead both in and outside the classroom. My study also found that teachers in the school practiced teacher leadership across the entire four zones. These included how teacher leadership was practiced inside the classroom and how teachers worked as leaders with colleagues and learners beyond their classroom in curricular and extra-curricular activities. It also included how teachers led outside their classroom in whole school development as well as how teachers led beyond their schools in the community. Teacher leadership was strong in the first three zones and weaker in the fourth zone, which constituted an example of 'successful teacher leadership' (Harris and Muijs, 2005). There were factors that promoted teacher leadership in the case study school such as a supportive culture and ongoing professional development. Factors that constrained the practice of teacher leadership were also evident like the SMT who used its power at times to control teachers' decisions and a lack of time also emerged as a barrier that impeded teachers from taking leadership roles because they already had full teaching programmes. Even though there were some barriers to teacher leadership, a dispersed distributed leadership context prevailed at the case study school.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Zokka, Thomas Kayele
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Educational leadership -- Namibia -- Kavango -- Case studies Teacher participation in administration -- Namibia -- Kavango -- Case studies School management and organization -- Namibia -- Kavango -- Case studies Education, Elementary -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1399 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001809
- Description: After independence in 1990, Namibian schools were required by the new government to shift from a hierarchical organisational structure with authoritarian leadership to a more democratic type of leadership that offers teachers the opportunity to participate in school leadership and in decision-making processes. This shift is suggested in a number of national policies in Namibia that highlight the sharing of leadership within the organization and, in particular, the sharing of leadership with teachers. As such, teacher leadership is a manifestation of distributed leadership which emphasizes that leadership can be located in the position of the principal but can spread over many people who work in a school at various levels. While teacher leadership is well researched in developed countries, it is under researched in Namibia. Against this backdrop, the purpose of my study was to explore the concept and practice of teacher leadership as an organizational phenomenon in a case study school in the Ncuncuni circuit of the Kavango region in Namibia. It also examined the factors that enabled and inhibited the practice of teacher leadership. My study was conducted within a qualitative interpretive paradigm and it adopted a case study approach in one school. The study used the following instruments to collect data: a closed questionnaire, document analysis, observations and individual interviews. The primary participants were the principal and three teachers, while the entire school teaching staff constituted my secondary participants. Quantitative data was analysed manually using descriptive statistics while qualitative data was analysed thematically using a model of teacher leadership (Grant, 2008). The findings of my study indicated that while the concept of teacher leadership was new to all participants, they had a common sense understanding of it. Although teachers in the study understood teacher leadership in a range of different ways, the overarching idea of the whole school was that teachers lead both in and outside the classroom. My study also found that teachers in the school practiced teacher leadership across the entire four zones. These included how teacher leadership was practiced inside the classroom and how teachers worked as leaders with colleagues and learners beyond their classroom in curricular and extra-curricular activities. It also included how teachers led outside their classroom in whole school development as well as how teachers led beyond their schools in the community. Teacher leadership was strong in the first three zones and weaker in the fourth zone, which constituted an example of 'successful teacher leadership' (Harris and Muijs, 2005). There were factors that promoted teacher leadership in the case study school such as a supportive culture and ongoing professional development. Factors that constrained the practice of teacher leadership were also evident like the SMT who used its power at times to control teachers' decisions and a lack of time also emerged as a barrier that impeded teachers from taking leadership roles because they already had full teaching programmes. Even though there were some barriers to teacher leadership, a dispersed distributed leadership context prevailed at the case study school.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An exploration of teacher leadership: a case study in a Namibian rural primary school
- Authors: Uiseb, Gerson
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Educational leadership -- Namibia -- Otjozondjupa -- Case studies Education, Elementary -- Namibia -- Otjozondjupa -- Case studies School management and organization -- Namibia -- Otjozondjupa -- Case studies Educational change -- Namibia -- Case studies Education, Rural -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1394 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001715
- Description: The Namibian education system has undergone a policy shift from a top-down leadership practice or head-centred leadership to a more shared form of leadership in schools. Existing policy documents call for teacher participation in school level decision-making structures and processes as teachers often are involved in other activities and have been through life experiences which equip them with leadership skills. These policies clearly stipulate that school principals cannot lead and manage the schools alone, but should involve teachers and other stakeholders in leadership activities. This study explored teacher leadership in a rural primary school in the Otjozondjupa region of Namibia. The study explored the understanding of the concept teacher leadership, the practice of teacher leadership and the enhancing factors as well as barriers to teacher leadership practice. A qualitative interpretative case study was conducted. Interviews, document analysis, focus group interviews, a questionnaire and observation were employed to produce data with regard to teacher leadership practices in the case study school. The data were analysed thematically using Grant’s (2008) model of teacher leadership. Findings revealed that the concept of teacher leadership was understood as teachers leading both within and beyond the classroom. Teacher leadership was practiced across the fours zones of teacher leadership (after Grant, 2008), but to varying degrees. It could be categorized as emergent teacher leadership (after Muijs and Harris, 2005) within a formal distributed leadership framework (MacBeath, 2005). Teacher leadership in the case study school was enhanced by collaboration among staff and involvement of teachers in school level decision-making. However, barriers to teacher leadership at the case study school included holding on to power by the principal, teachers’ negative attitudes towards teacher leadership, a lack of incentives, a lack of time due to a heavy work load and a lack of professional development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Uiseb, Gerson
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Educational leadership -- Namibia -- Otjozondjupa -- Case studies Education, Elementary -- Namibia -- Otjozondjupa -- Case studies School management and organization -- Namibia -- Otjozondjupa -- Case studies Educational change -- Namibia -- Case studies Education, Rural -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1394 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001715
- Description: The Namibian education system has undergone a policy shift from a top-down leadership practice or head-centred leadership to a more shared form of leadership in schools. Existing policy documents call for teacher participation in school level decision-making structures and processes as teachers often are involved in other activities and have been through life experiences which equip them with leadership skills. These policies clearly stipulate that school principals cannot lead and manage the schools alone, but should involve teachers and other stakeholders in leadership activities. This study explored teacher leadership in a rural primary school in the Otjozondjupa region of Namibia. The study explored the understanding of the concept teacher leadership, the practice of teacher leadership and the enhancing factors as well as barriers to teacher leadership practice. A qualitative interpretative case study was conducted. Interviews, document analysis, focus group interviews, a questionnaire and observation were employed to produce data with regard to teacher leadership practices in the case study school. The data were analysed thematically using Grant’s (2008) model of teacher leadership. Findings revealed that the concept of teacher leadership was understood as teachers leading both within and beyond the classroom. Teacher leadership was practiced across the fours zones of teacher leadership (after Grant, 2008), but to varying degrees. It could be categorized as emergent teacher leadership (after Muijs and Harris, 2005) within a formal distributed leadership framework (MacBeath, 2005). Teacher leadership in the case study school was enhanced by collaboration among staff and involvement of teachers in school level decision-making. However, barriers to teacher leadership at the case study school included holding on to power by the principal, teachers’ negative attitudes towards teacher leadership, a lack of incentives, a lack of time due to a heavy work load and a lack of professional development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An investigation into factors that shape secondary school female retention in two rural public schools, Alimosho Region, Lagos State, Nigeria
- Agbomeji, Ayinda Mojeed Oladele
- Authors: Agbomeji, Ayinda Mojeed Oladele
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Dropouts -- Prevention -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area High school dropouts -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area Education, Secondary -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area Sex differences in education -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area High school girls -- Education -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area Student aspirations -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area Vocational interests -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area Sex discrimination in education -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area Vocational guidance -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1835 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004331
- Description: Challenges of access to education in the developing world and elsewhere appear to be widespread. Many declarations and conventions have been developed to assist countries to respond to the issue. While challenges of access are universal, Africa in general and sub-Saharan Africa in particular are presented with additional concerns about gender equality and gender parity. While learner numbers seem to be on the decline globally, dropout amongst girls is disproportionately greater than amongst boys. Even though school retention presents a challenge at all levels of the schooling system, it is more acute for girls at the secondary school level. This study was conducted to examine and understand factors that shape retention of secondary school female learners in two rural public schools in Alimosho Region of Lagos State, Nigeria. The study design was qualitative and interpretive in nature. Data collection strategies included administered questionnaires in two schools, focus group discussion with twenty female learners in two schools, case studies, individual interviews with four participants from two schools, and observation in English and Biology classes where the two teachers from the two schools participated in the interviews. Ethical clearance from Alimosho Educational Region office and the two schools was obtained before undertaking the study. Participants’ school principals also signed written consent forms before interviews. The female learners were briefed about the study interview activities and advised that their participation was voluntary and that they were free to withdraw at any point. This study drew on Sen’s (1989, 2000) capabilities theory to understand the phenomenon beyond dominant discourses on education that view education as a basic human right or that focus on economic and development gains. The key finding of this study is that in-school and out- of- school factors interact in complex ways to support female learner retention. Key among these are value placed on education by female learners and significant others, particularly parents; family support; and individual aspirations. Extra-curricular participation, government policy, role models, and peer support were also found to be important factors that mediate progression and retention.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Agbomeji, Ayinda Mojeed Oladele
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Dropouts -- Prevention -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area High school dropouts -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area Education, Secondary -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area Sex differences in education -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area High school girls -- Education -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area Student aspirations -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area Vocational interests -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area Sex discrimination in education -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area Vocational guidance -- Nigeria -- Alimosho Local Government Area
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1835 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004331
- Description: Challenges of access to education in the developing world and elsewhere appear to be widespread. Many declarations and conventions have been developed to assist countries to respond to the issue. While challenges of access are universal, Africa in general and sub-Saharan Africa in particular are presented with additional concerns about gender equality and gender parity. While learner numbers seem to be on the decline globally, dropout amongst girls is disproportionately greater than amongst boys. Even though school retention presents a challenge at all levels of the schooling system, it is more acute for girls at the secondary school level. This study was conducted to examine and understand factors that shape retention of secondary school female learners in two rural public schools in Alimosho Region of Lagos State, Nigeria. The study design was qualitative and interpretive in nature. Data collection strategies included administered questionnaires in two schools, focus group discussion with twenty female learners in two schools, case studies, individual interviews with four participants from two schools, and observation in English and Biology classes where the two teachers from the two schools participated in the interviews. Ethical clearance from Alimosho Educational Region office and the two schools was obtained before undertaking the study. Participants’ school principals also signed written consent forms before interviews. The female learners were briefed about the study interview activities and advised that their participation was voluntary and that they were free to withdraw at any point. This study drew on Sen’s (1989, 2000) capabilities theory to understand the phenomenon beyond dominant discourses on education that view education as a basic human right or that focus on economic and development gains. The key finding of this study is that in-school and out- of- school factors interact in complex ways to support female learner retention. Key among these are value placed on education by female learners and significant others, particularly parents; family support; and individual aspirations. Extra-curricular participation, government policy, role models, and peer support were also found to be important factors that mediate progression and retention.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An investigation into how grade 10 learners make meaning during the teaching and learning of the topic on nutrition in Life Science: a case study
- Mwiikeni, Helena Twiihaleni, Shimwafeni-Mwiikeni, Helena Twiihaleni
- Authors: Mwiikeni, Helena Twiihaleni , Shimwafeni-Mwiikeni, Helena Twiihaleni
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Nutrition -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Oshana -- Case studies Environmental sciences -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Oshana -- Case studies Experiential learning -- Namibia -- Oshana -- Case studies Education, Secondary -- Namibia -- Oshana
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1403 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001876
- Description: The integration of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences during teaching and learning is a pre-requisite in the Namibian curriculum. The curriculum states that if learners are taught in a way which builds on what they already know and they relate new knowledge to the reality around them, their learning in school can be made more meaningful. Thus, learners’ meaning making in the topic on nutrition was researched to find out whether elicitation and integration of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experience in the nutrition topic enhanced or constrained their learning. This study was conducted with my grade10 learners at the school where I am currently teaching. The school is located in a rural area in Oshana region in Northern Namibia. This study is situated within an interpretive paradigm. Within the interpretive paradigm a qualitative case study approach was adopted. I considered this methodological orientation appropriate in this study as it allowed me to use the following methods: document analysis, brainstorming and discussion, semi-structured interviews and a focus group interview, practical activities with worksheets and observation and reflection. Multiple methods to gather data were used for triangulation and validation purposes. For data analysis purposes, the data sets were colour coded to derive themes and analytical statements. Ethical consideration was also taken seriously in this study. The findings from this study revealed that integration of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experience enabled learners to understand science better particularly in the topic of nutrition. The study also revealed that learners possess a lot of prior everyday knowledge and experience about food they eat in their homes. However, data from the community members revealed that there are some contradictions between learners’ prior everyday knowledge and the science content of the topic. Nonetheless, engaging learners in practical activities in the testing of food (local and conventional western type foods) helped them to make meaning of the content learned. I therefore, recommend that learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences should be incorporated during teaching and learning of the topic on nutrition. The study also recommends that the Department of Education should ensure that teachers get the necessary support and training on how to integrate learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Mwiikeni, Helena Twiihaleni , Shimwafeni-Mwiikeni, Helena Twiihaleni
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Nutrition -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Oshana -- Case studies Environmental sciences -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Oshana -- Case studies Experiential learning -- Namibia -- Oshana -- Case studies Education, Secondary -- Namibia -- Oshana
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1403 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001876
- Description: The integration of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences during teaching and learning is a pre-requisite in the Namibian curriculum. The curriculum states that if learners are taught in a way which builds on what they already know and they relate new knowledge to the reality around them, their learning in school can be made more meaningful. Thus, learners’ meaning making in the topic on nutrition was researched to find out whether elicitation and integration of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experience in the nutrition topic enhanced or constrained their learning. This study was conducted with my grade10 learners at the school where I am currently teaching. The school is located in a rural area in Oshana region in Northern Namibia. This study is situated within an interpretive paradigm. Within the interpretive paradigm a qualitative case study approach was adopted. I considered this methodological orientation appropriate in this study as it allowed me to use the following methods: document analysis, brainstorming and discussion, semi-structured interviews and a focus group interview, practical activities with worksheets and observation and reflection. Multiple methods to gather data were used for triangulation and validation purposes. For data analysis purposes, the data sets were colour coded to derive themes and analytical statements. Ethical consideration was also taken seriously in this study. The findings from this study revealed that integration of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experience enabled learners to understand science better particularly in the topic of nutrition. The study also revealed that learners possess a lot of prior everyday knowledge and experience about food they eat in their homes. However, data from the community members revealed that there are some contradictions between learners’ prior everyday knowledge and the science content of the topic. Nonetheless, engaging learners in practical activities in the testing of food (local and conventional western type foods) helped them to make meaning of the content learned. I therefore, recommend that learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences should be incorporated during teaching and learning of the topic on nutrition. The study also recommends that the Department of Education should ensure that teachers get the necessary support and training on how to integrate learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An investigation into how grade 9 learners make sense of prior everyday knowledge and practical learning through exploring tooth decay problems in Onangalo village: a case study
- Authors: Asino, Tomas
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Dental caries -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Omusati -- Case studies Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Omusati -- Case studies Experiential learning -- Namibia -- Omusati -- Case studies Educational change -- Namibia Curriculum planning -- Namibia Education, Secondary -- Namibia -- Omusati
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1406 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001986
- Description: The main goal of this study was to investigate how grade 9 learners make sense of prior everyday knowledge and practical learning through exploring tooth decay problems in their local context. The study was conducted at a deep rural Junior Secondary School situated in Onangalo Village, Tsandi constituency in Omusati political region, northern part of Namibia. My research was triggered by the transformation in the Namibian curriculum, which now recognizes a need to contextualize science and make it relevant to the learners’ everyday life experiences. An interpretivist paradigm informed this study. Within this paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was employed. The unit of analysis was the various activities undertaken by my grade 9 learners with a view to make meaning of prior everyday knowledge and practical investigations in chemistry. A variety of data generating techniques were used in this study, namely, brainstorming and discussion sessions, questionnaires, practical activities with worksheets and semi-structured interviews. A video recorder was used to capture events throughout. Analytical categories emerged as a result of a coding system called pawing. From the analytical categories, analytical statements were formulated. The generated data was validated by a critical friend who was a Life Science teacher at the same school at which I did this study. Further validation was done through learners watching the video recordings and through focus group interviews. Methodological triangulation was also used to validate the data. The study revealed that the use of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences in teaching and learning promoted active learners’ participation and enhanced meaning making. Thus, the study recommends the adoption of well-structured science lessons which take into consideration learners’ prior everyday knowledge. The study recommends that these science lessons be used in conjunction with practical activities to promote active learner engagement and conceptual development. Despite the benefits of integrating learners’ prior everyday knowledge during teaching and learning, the study however also revealed some challenges such as limited time and difficulties of English language proficiency amongst learners.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Asino, Tomas
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Dental caries -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Omusati -- Case studies Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Omusati -- Case studies Experiential learning -- Namibia -- Omusati -- Case studies Educational change -- Namibia Curriculum planning -- Namibia Education, Secondary -- Namibia -- Omusati
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1406 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001986
- Description: The main goal of this study was to investigate how grade 9 learners make sense of prior everyday knowledge and practical learning through exploring tooth decay problems in their local context. The study was conducted at a deep rural Junior Secondary School situated in Onangalo Village, Tsandi constituency in Omusati political region, northern part of Namibia. My research was triggered by the transformation in the Namibian curriculum, which now recognizes a need to contextualize science and make it relevant to the learners’ everyday life experiences. An interpretivist paradigm informed this study. Within this paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was employed. The unit of analysis was the various activities undertaken by my grade 9 learners with a view to make meaning of prior everyday knowledge and practical investigations in chemistry. A variety of data generating techniques were used in this study, namely, brainstorming and discussion sessions, questionnaires, practical activities with worksheets and semi-structured interviews. A video recorder was used to capture events throughout. Analytical categories emerged as a result of a coding system called pawing. From the analytical categories, analytical statements were formulated. The generated data was validated by a critical friend who was a Life Science teacher at the same school at which I did this study. Further validation was done through learners watching the video recordings and through focus group interviews. Methodological triangulation was also used to validate the data. The study revealed that the use of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences in teaching and learning promoted active learners’ participation and enhanced meaning making. Thus, the study recommends the adoption of well-structured science lessons which take into consideration learners’ prior everyday knowledge. The study recommends that these science lessons be used in conjunction with practical activities to promote active learner engagement and conceptual development. Despite the benefits of integrating learners’ prior everyday knowledge during teaching and learning, the study however also revealed some challenges such as limited time and difficulties of English language proficiency amongst learners.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An investigation into how grade 9 learners make sense of the fermentation and distillation processes through exploring the indigenous practice of making the traditional alcoholic beverage called Ombike: a case study
- Uushona, Kleopas Ipinge Twegathetwa
- Authors: Uushona, Kleopas Ipinge Twegathetwa
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Omusati -- Case studies High school students -- Namibia -- Omusati -- Social life and customs -- Case studies Education, Secondary -- Namibia -- Omusati Brewing -- Study and teaching -- Namibia Ovambo (African people) -- Namibia -- Social life and customs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1396 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001757
- Description: One of the purposes of the Namibian curriculum is to ensure cultural inclusivity. That is, it recognises the inclusion of traditional cultural practices and experiences in science lessons where appropriate. Based on my experiences both as a learner and a science teacher, I have noted there is a rapid decline and loss of values in most of our cultural practices and heritages. This triggered my interests to do a study on an Oshiwambo traditional beverage known as Ombike. This study is therefore aimed at enhancing conceptual development, meaning making and understanding of concepts in fermentation and distillation. This study was conducted with my grade 9 learners at a school where I was teaching in Omusati region of Namibia. A community member who served as an expert was also a participant. She was involved more in discussions, interviews and most importantly in showing and demonstrating to the learners how Ombike is made practically. Essentially, the goal of this study was to investigate how the indigenous practice associated with the making of Ombike can be used to support meaning making of fermentation and distillation processes. This research is located within an interpretive paradigm where a qualitative case study was adopted. I consider this methodological framework appropriate in this study because it allowed me to use the following data gathering methods: brainstorming and discussion, observation, semi-structured and focus group interviews, and practical activities worksheet. Multiple methods were used for the purpose of triangulation and validation. An inductive analysis was used to discover data patterns and themes from the data. Moreover, ethical considerations were also taken seriously and all the participants gave informed consent. The findings of the study revealed that brainstorming and discussions were an appropriate strategy in eliciting learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences on, in particular, the making of Ombike. Furthermore, learner engagement and conceptual development were enhanced. This suggests that contextualisation of knowledge can enhance meaningful learning if it is properly planned. It was also found that practical activities in conjunction with mind maps helped learners to make meanings of scientific concepts. Based on my research findings, I therefore recommend the following three aspects: the consideration of learners` prior knowledge and experiences; contextualising knowledge through use of indigenous knowledge; and the learners’ active involvement in practical activities with an emphasis on key scientific concepts to be developed. That is, there is a need to teach for conceptual understanding.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Uushona, Kleopas Ipinge Twegathetwa
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Omusati -- Case studies High school students -- Namibia -- Omusati -- Social life and customs -- Case studies Education, Secondary -- Namibia -- Omusati Brewing -- Study and teaching -- Namibia Ovambo (African people) -- Namibia -- Social life and customs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1396 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001757
- Description: One of the purposes of the Namibian curriculum is to ensure cultural inclusivity. That is, it recognises the inclusion of traditional cultural practices and experiences in science lessons where appropriate. Based on my experiences both as a learner and a science teacher, I have noted there is a rapid decline and loss of values in most of our cultural practices and heritages. This triggered my interests to do a study on an Oshiwambo traditional beverage known as Ombike. This study is therefore aimed at enhancing conceptual development, meaning making and understanding of concepts in fermentation and distillation. This study was conducted with my grade 9 learners at a school where I was teaching in Omusati region of Namibia. A community member who served as an expert was also a participant. She was involved more in discussions, interviews and most importantly in showing and demonstrating to the learners how Ombike is made practically. Essentially, the goal of this study was to investigate how the indigenous practice associated with the making of Ombike can be used to support meaning making of fermentation and distillation processes. This research is located within an interpretive paradigm where a qualitative case study was adopted. I consider this methodological framework appropriate in this study because it allowed me to use the following data gathering methods: brainstorming and discussion, observation, semi-structured and focus group interviews, and practical activities worksheet. Multiple methods were used for the purpose of triangulation and validation. An inductive analysis was used to discover data patterns and themes from the data. Moreover, ethical considerations were also taken seriously and all the participants gave informed consent. The findings of the study revealed that brainstorming and discussions were an appropriate strategy in eliciting learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences on, in particular, the making of Ombike. Furthermore, learner engagement and conceptual development were enhanced. This suggests that contextualisation of knowledge can enhance meaningful learning if it is properly planned. It was also found that practical activities in conjunction with mind maps helped learners to make meanings of scientific concepts. Based on my research findings, I therefore recommend the following three aspects: the consideration of learners` prior knowledge and experiences; contextualising knowledge through use of indigenous knowledge; and the learners’ active involvement in practical activities with an emphasis on key scientific concepts to be developed. That is, there is a need to teach for conceptual understanding.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An investigation into how grade 9 Physical Science learners make meaning of the topic on acids and bases through exploring their prior everyday knowledge and experiiences: a case study
- Authors: Kambeyo, Linus
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Science -- Study and teaching Science -- Study and teaching -- Namibia Prior learning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1383 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001487
- Description: This study was conducted at the school where I teach which is a semi-rural secondary school (Grade 8-12) situated in Omuthiya Town in Oshikoto region, Namibia. The new curriculum that has been implemented in Namibia, has posed challenges in how best to put the curriculum into practice at this school. It was this challenge that triggered my interest in doing a research study with the aim of improving my practice. Essentially, the study sought to gain insight into whether integrating learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences of acids and bases in conjunction with practical activities using easily accessible materials enabled or constrained meaning-making of this topic. This study is located within an interpretive paradigm. Within this paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was adopted with my Grade 9 class. Data were gathered using document analysis, videotaped lessons and observations by a critical friend, stimulated recall discussions while watching the videotaped lessons as well as focus group interviews with the learners. An inductive analysis to discover patterns and themes was applied during the data analysis process. The themes were further turned into analytical statements. Data sets were also analysed in relation to the research questions posed by this study. The validation process was achieved by using a variety of data gathering techniques. I watched the videotaped lessons with a teacher who observed the lessons and transcripts of the interviews and a summary of discussions were given back to the respondents to verify their responses and check for any misinterpretations, a process known as member checking. I also translated what the learners said in Oshiwambo, their home language, into English. The findings from the study revealed that the use of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences of acids and bases facilitated meaningful learning during teaching and learning. Furthermore, linking learning to learners’ everyday experiences enabled them to learn scientific concepts in a relaxed and non-threatening environment. However, linking learners’ prior knowledge and experiences to conventional science (textbook science) proved to be a challenge. My recommendations are that teachers need support in their endeavors to incorporate learners’ real life experiences into their teaching and learning repertoires. Another aspect of my study that deserves further research is the role that language plays in implementing the curriculum.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Kambeyo, Linus
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Science -- Study and teaching Science -- Study and teaching -- Namibia Prior learning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1383 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001487
- Description: This study was conducted at the school where I teach which is a semi-rural secondary school (Grade 8-12) situated in Omuthiya Town in Oshikoto region, Namibia. The new curriculum that has been implemented in Namibia, has posed challenges in how best to put the curriculum into practice at this school. It was this challenge that triggered my interest in doing a research study with the aim of improving my practice. Essentially, the study sought to gain insight into whether integrating learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences of acids and bases in conjunction with practical activities using easily accessible materials enabled or constrained meaning-making of this topic. This study is located within an interpretive paradigm. Within this paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was adopted with my Grade 9 class. Data were gathered using document analysis, videotaped lessons and observations by a critical friend, stimulated recall discussions while watching the videotaped lessons as well as focus group interviews with the learners. An inductive analysis to discover patterns and themes was applied during the data analysis process. The themes were further turned into analytical statements. Data sets were also analysed in relation to the research questions posed by this study. The validation process was achieved by using a variety of data gathering techniques. I watched the videotaped lessons with a teacher who observed the lessons and transcripts of the interviews and a summary of discussions were given back to the respondents to verify their responses and check for any misinterpretations, a process known as member checking. I also translated what the learners said in Oshiwambo, their home language, into English. The findings from the study revealed that the use of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences of acids and bases facilitated meaningful learning during teaching and learning. Furthermore, linking learning to learners’ everyday experiences enabled them to learn scientific concepts in a relaxed and non-threatening environment. However, linking learners’ prior knowledge and experiences to conventional science (textbook science) proved to be a challenge. My recommendations are that teachers need support in their endeavors to incorporate learners’ real life experiences into their teaching and learning repertoires. Another aspect of my study that deserves further research is the role that language plays in implementing the curriculum.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An investigation into teacher perspectives and experiences in integrating HIV and AIDS information across the curriculum at some selected Junior Secondary Schools in the Oshana Region, Namibia
- Authors: Shifotoka, Simsolia Namene
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: AIDS (Disease) -- Prevention -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Oshana HIV infections -- Prevention -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Oshana Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Oshana Geography -- Namibia -- Oshana -- Study and teaching (Secondary) Curriculum planning -- Namibia -- Oshana Teachers -- Namibia -- Attitudes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1838 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004336
- Description: HIV and AIDS are still among the world's most significant public health challenges. Education is widely regarded as an effective response to the pandemic - a “social vaccine” that can increase young people’s awareness of the dangers of HIV infection and thus decrease their vulnerability to HIV and AIDS. Integrating HIV and AIDS awareness across the school curriculum is therefore one of the strategies being implemented to educate learners about the pandemic. There are challenges; however, related to the central goal of integrating HIV and AIDS education and also to the form – in particular, the pedagogical practices - that this might best take. This qualitative case study research investigated teachers’ perspectives, experiences, and levels of preparedness with regard to integrating HIV and AIDS information in the main carrier subjects, mathematics and geography, in some junior secondary schools in Namibia. The study situates debates on curriculum integration and draws on Fogarty’s (1999) models of curriculum integration as a conceptual and analytic tool to examine the nature, form and content of integration. It includes a questionnaire on curriculum integration completed by 53 teachers as well as a component consisting of observations and interviews with four teachers from two schools. The results reveal patterns that also emerge in earlier studies on curriculum integration. This approach is already widely recognized as challenging and problematic in the context of general education. However, this and other studies show that when HIV and AIDS are brought into the arena, additional factors come into play and further complicate the process, because of the sensitivity of this topic. In addition, the task of integrating HIV and AIDS education has been added to an already overcrowded curriculum. Teachers have not been provided with adequate (or any) training with concrete examples that might facilitate their efforts to integrate HIV and AIDS information into subjects like the ones under scrutiny in this study. The picture that emerges from examining the evidence on HIV and AIDS integration against Fogarty’s (1991) 10 models of curriculum integration is one in which teaching practices are ad hoc, opportunistic and haphazard right across the sample. The choice of integration models for implementation of the HIV and AIDS component in these subjects has been largely left to the opportunity, ability and personal inclinations of individual teachers. The results point to a range of responses, with many teachers not teaching HIV and AIDS at all or some hesitantly experimenting with different approaches; all to limited effect in realizing the intended national goals of this curriculum project. The overall pattern also reveals a degree of frustration among the teachers in the sample, who acknowledged and were concerned at the enormity of the HIV and AIDS challenge facing the country. They recognised the motive behind the policy to have the education system play an important role in response to the HIV challenge, but felt frustrated with the social, personal and practical difficulties of actually implementing the policy within the context of poor (or no) training, knowledge, and support.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Shifotoka, Simsolia Namene
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: AIDS (Disease) -- Prevention -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Oshana HIV infections -- Prevention -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Oshana Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Oshana Geography -- Namibia -- Oshana -- Study and teaching (Secondary) Curriculum planning -- Namibia -- Oshana Teachers -- Namibia -- Attitudes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1838 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004336
- Description: HIV and AIDS are still among the world's most significant public health challenges. Education is widely regarded as an effective response to the pandemic - a “social vaccine” that can increase young people’s awareness of the dangers of HIV infection and thus decrease their vulnerability to HIV and AIDS. Integrating HIV and AIDS awareness across the school curriculum is therefore one of the strategies being implemented to educate learners about the pandemic. There are challenges; however, related to the central goal of integrating HIV and AIDS education and also to the form – in particular, the pedagogical practices - that this might best take. This qualitative case study research investigated teachers’ perspectives, experiences, and levels of preparedness with regard to integrating HIV and AIDS information in the main carrier subjects, mathematics and geography, in some junior secondary schools in Namibia. The study situates debates on curriculum integration and draws on Fogarty’s (1999) models of curriculum integration as a conceptual and analytic tool to examine the nature, form and content of integration. It includes a questionnaire on curriculum integration completed by 53 teachers as well as a component consisting of observations and interviews with four teachers from two schools. The results reveal patterns that also emerge in earlier studies on curriculum integration. This approach is already widely recognized as challenging and problematic in the context of general education. However, this and other studies show that when HIV and AIDS are brought into the arena, additional factors come into play and further complicate the process, because of the sensitivity of this topic. In addition, the task of integrating HIV and AIDS education has been added to an already overcrowded curriculum. Teachers have not been provided with adequate (or any) training with concrete examples that might facilitate their efforts to integrate HIV and AIDS information into subjects like the ones under scrutiny in this study. The picture that emerges from examining the evidence on HIV and AIDS integration against Fogarty’s (1991) 10 models of curriculum integration is one in which teaching practices are ad hoc, opportunistic and haphazard right across the sample. The choice of integration models for implementation of the HIV and AIDS component in these subjects has been largely left to the opportunity, ability and personal inclinations of individual teachers. The results point to a range of responses, with many teachers not teaching HIV and AIDS at all or some hesitantly experimenting with different approaches; all to limited effect in realizing the intended national goals of this curriculum project. The overall pattern also reveals a degree of frustration among the teachers in the sample, who acknowledged and were concerned at the enormity of the HIV and AIDS challenge facing the country. They recognised the motive behind the policy to have the education system play an important role in response to the HIV challenge, but felt frustrated with the social, personal and practical difficulties of actually implementing the policy within the context of poor (or no) training, knowledge, and support.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An investigation into the perceptions of the first year mathematics students towards the alternative mode intervention : UNAM case study
- Authors: Iipinge, Reginald Kaleke
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: University of Namibia , Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Namibia , Compensatory education -- Namibia , Academic achievement -- Namibia , Education, Higher -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:2005 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015669
- Description: A number of tertiary institutions offer bridging courses and intervention programmes in order to increase the number of students performing well in first year mathematics. At the university of Namibia, the science faculty provides educational opportunities to students who have not met the requirements to proceed with MAT 3511 (Basic Math). Unfortunately, the majority of students are not able to cope with the first year modules in Mathematics and the pass rates are unacceptably low. In the interest of supporting students, the University was prompted to introduce a two mode intervention programme in first year mathematics, namely: the normal mode and the alternative mode intervention. The alternative mode intervention was designed to improve the mathematics achievement of first year students who are considered low achieving or at risk of failure. This programme involves the identification of the lowest attainers in first year mathematics, and the provision of professional and faculty trained tutors and individualized teaching to these students in order to advance them to a level at which they are likely to learn successfully in a normal mode system. This research explores the experience and perceptions of first year students on the alternative mode, in particular as it relates to mathematical strands of proficiency. A second step was to explore how teaching contributes to the learning of mathematics on the intervention programme. The empirical investigation was done in 4 phases. A questionnaire on mathematics teaching and learning was given to the students during the first phase. During the second phase, two focus group discussions were conducted. Thereafter four interviews were carried out with lecturers, and finally tutorial and lecture observation were conducted. An analysis of these findings led to the identification of the students’ experiences on the alternative mode. Analysis of the results indicate that the students identified mathematical proficiency as the central element to their learning, and pedagogical knowledge and exploratory talk were critical aspects of good teaching in the mathematical intervention programme.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Iipinge, Reginald Kaleke
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: University of Namibia , Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Namibia , Compensatory education -- Namibia , Academic achievement -- Namibia , Education, Higher -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:2005 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015669
- Description: A number of tertiary institutions offer bridging courses and intervention programmes in order to increase the number of students performing well in first year mathematics. At the university of Namibia, the science faculty provides educational opportunities to students who have not met the requirements to proceed with MAT 3511 (Basic Math). Unfortunately, the majority of students are not able to cope with the first year modules in Mathematics and the pass rates are unacceptably low. In the interest of supporting students, the University was prompted to introduce a two mode intervention programme in first year mathematics, namely: the normal mode and the alternative mode intervention. The alternative mode intervention was designed to improve the mathematics achievement of first year students who are considered low achieving or at risk of failure. This programme involves the identification of the lowest attainers in first year mathematics, and the provision of professional and faculty trained tutors and individualized teaching to these students in order to advance them to a level at which they are likely to learn successfully in a normal mode system. This research explores the experience and perceptions of first year students on the alternative mode, in particular as it relates to mathematical strands of proficiency. A second step was to explore how teaching contributes to the learning of mathematics on the intervention programme. The empirical investigation was done in 4 phases. A questionnaire on mathematics teaching and learning was given to the students during the first phase. During the second phase, two focus group discussions were conducted. Thereafter four interviews were carried out with lecturers, and finally tutorial and lecture observation were conducted. An analysis of these findings led to the identification of the students’ experiences on the alternative mode. Analysis of the results indicate that the students identified mathematical proficiency as the central element to their learning, and pedagogical knowledge and exploratory talk were critical aspects of good teaching in the mathematical intervention programme.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An investigation into the prevalence and use of code switching practices in grade 8 mathematics classrooms in the Ohangwena region of Namibia: a case study
- Authors: Shilamba, Julia Ndinoshisho
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Ohangwena Mathematics teachers -- Education (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Ohangwena Code switching (Linguistics) -- Research -- Namibia -- Ohangwena Education, Secondary -- Namibia -- Ohangwena
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1392 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001683
- Description: This research report focuses on an investigation of the prevalence and nature of code switching practices in grade 8 mathematics classrooms in the Ohangwena region of Namibia. The existence of code switching in these classrooms was established by administering a survey to all grade 8 teachers in the region, while the nature of these practices was explored by interviewing and observing selected teachers using a case study research methodology. The data from the survey was analysed quantitatively using descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data from the case study which comprised of audio and video transcripts was analysed within the framework of Probyn’s (2006) code switching categories. These categories looked at code switching in terms of: explaining concepts; clarifying statements or questions; emphasising points; making connections with learners’ own contexts and experiences; maintaining the learners’ attention with question tags; classroom management and maintaining discipline; and affective purposes. The study found that code switching is widespread in most of the grade 8 mathematics classrooms in the Ohangwena region. It also revealed that the teachers’ code switching practices aligned well with most of Probyn’s framework. The criterion of maintaining learner’s attention with question tags was however not found in this study. The results of the study showed that teachers code switch because the majority of the learners’ language proficiency is not good. Code switching is mostly used as a strategy to support and promote learners understanding in mathematics. The study recommends that it is high time that code switching is acknowledged as a legitimate practice and recognised as an important and meaningful teaching strategy to assist learners who are learning mathematics in their second language. Code switching needs to be de-stigmatised and teachers should be supported in using this practice effectively and efficiently.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Shilamba, Julia Ndinoshisho
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Ohangwena Mathematics teachers -- Education (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Ohangwena Code switching (Linguistics) -- Research -- Namibia -- Ohangwena Education, Secondary -- Namibia -- Ohangwena
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1392 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001683
- Description: This research report focuses on an investigation of the prevalence and nature of code switching practices in grade 8 mathematics classrooms in the Ohangwena region of Namibia. The existence of code switching in these classrooms was established by administering a survey to all grade 8 teachers in the region, while the nature of these practices was explored by interviewing and observing selected teachers using a case study research methodology. The data from the survey was analysed quantitatively using descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data from the case study which comprised of audio and video transcripts was analysed within the framework of Probyn’s (2006) code switching categories. These categories looked at code switching in terms of: explaining concepts; clarifying statements or questions; emphasising points; making connections with learners’ own contexts and experiences; maintaining the learners’ attention with question tags; classroom management and maintaining discipline; and affective purposes. The study found that code switching is widespread in most of the grade 8 mathematics classrooms in the Ohangwena region. It also revealed that the teachers’ code switching practices aligned well with most of Probyn’s framework. The criterion of maintaining learner’s attention with question tags was however not found in this study. The results of the study showed that teachers code switch because the majority of the learners’ language proficiency is not good. Code switching is mostly used as a strategy to support and promote learners understanding in mathematics. The study recommends that it is high time that code switching is acknowledged as a legitimate practice and recognised as an important and meaningful teaching strategy to assist learners who are learning mathematics in their second language. Code switching needs to be de-stigmatised and teachers should be supported in using this practice effectively and efficiently.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An investigation into the school experiences of HIV-positive secondary school learners on ARV treatment in Katutura, Windhoek
- Authors: Haipinge, Emilie
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: HIV-positive youth -- Namibia -- Katutura (Windhoek) HIV-positive youth -- Social conditions -- Namibia -- Katutura (Windhoek) HIV infections -- Social aspects -- Namibia -- Katutura (Windhoek) HIV infections -- Psychological aspects -- Namibia -- Katutura (Windhoek) AIDS phobia -- Namibia -- Katutura (Windhoek) Antiretroviral agents
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1837 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004334
- Description: What are the school experiences of HIV-positive secondary school learners on ARV treatment? Although the provision of life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment is central in the medical and policy response to the HIV pandemic, relatively little research (in the SADC region and in Namibia particularly) attends to people’s experiences and the social effects of taking ARV treatment. This study probed the experiences of high school learners on ARV treatment in Khomas Region, Namibia. As researcher I used a qualitative case study design based mainly on interviews with a purposive, select sample of eight learners at the school where I am a teacher-counsellor. Methods used also included: observations; focus group interviews with eight teachers at the site school; a questionnaire survey with Life Skills teachers from 25 schools in the Khomas Region; and document analysis. Using a theory of health-related stigma and discrimination as well as perspectives on resilience and agency as conceptual and analytical lenses, this study found that only a handful of these learners were living openly with HIV and AIDS. Being both HIV-positive and on ARV medication was a double bind for learners facing pervasive stigma and discrimination in and out of school. Discourses associated with HIV and AIDS, sex, and sexuality shaped people’s response to them and they feared being ‘caught out’. Here the study explores the complex reciprocal relationship between cause and effect in stigma, showing some consequences for these learners: isolation (both voluntary and imposed), mental anguish, depression and suicidal leanings; also (at school) absenteeism, grade repetition and dropout. Distinguishing stigma from discrimination in this study enabled insight into actual practices that constrain learner participation and inclusion in and out of school. Trust between learners on ARVs and teachers proved to be low. Teacher respondents not only felt unequipped to deal with the psychosocial needs of learners on ARVs but also indicated that confronting these needs animated their personal vulnerability (around HIV-related experiences in their own families). However, hopeful patterns also emerged. Some mediatory factors out of school shaped these learners’ experiences and identities positively, with implications for in-school experiences and participation. Some learner journeys reflected shifts from deep despair towards the emergence of voice, positive self-concepts and resilient dispositions. Here, also, this study enters a neglected area of research, showing how the complex interplay of learners’ own agency with social support brought these positive outcomes. Most learners had experienced rejection from immediate family, receiving support rather from community members who became ‘family’. The study thus also raises pressing questions on the nature of support structures (both in and out of school) in contexts shaped by HIV and AIDS, where stigma and discrimination are pervasive and where stable family structures, parental oversight and ‘normal’ progression through school cannot be assumed. It recommends that schools gain better insight into how learners’ circumstances shape their experiences, and develop internal policies, procedures and networks to reduce stigma and discrimination against HIV-positive learners on ARV treatment, as well as. ensuring material, medical, emotional, and psychological support for them.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Haipinge, Emilie
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: HIV-positive youth -- Namibia -- Katutura (Windhoek) HIV-positive youth -- Social conditions -- Namibia -- Katutura (Windhoek) HIV infections -- Social aspects -- Namibia -- Katutura (Windhoek) HIV infections -- Psychological aspects -- Namibia -- Katutura (Windhoek) AIDS phobia -- Namibia -- Katutura (Windhoek) Antiretroviral agents
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1837 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004334
- Description: What are the school experiences of HIV-positive secondary school learners on ARV treatment? Although the provision of life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment is central in the medical and policy response to the HIV pandemic, relatively little research (in the SADC region and in Namibia particularly) attends to people’s experiences and the social effects of taking ARV treatment. This study probed the experiences of high school learners on ARV treatment in Khomas Region, Namibia. As researcher I used a qualitative case study design based mainly on interviews with a purposive, select sample of eight learners at the school where I am a teacher-counsellor. Methods used also included: observations; focus group interviews with eight teachers at the site school; a questionnaire survey with Life Skills teachers from 25 schools in the Khomas Region; and document analysis. Using a theory of health-related stigma and discrimination as well as perspectives on resilience and agency as conceptual and analytical lenses, this study found that only a handful of these learners were living openly with HIV and AIDS. Being both HIV-positive and on ARV medication was a double bind for learners facing pervasive stigma and discrimination in and out of school. Discourses associated with HIV and AIDS, sex, and sexuality shaped people’s response to them and they feared being ‘caught out’. Here the study explores the complex reciprocal relationship between cause and effect in stigma, showing some consequences for these learners: isolation (both voluntary and imposed), mental anguish, depression and suicidal leanings; also (at school) absenteeism, grade repetition and dropout. Distinguishing stigma from discrimination in this study enabled insight into actual practices that constrain learner participation and inclusion in and out of school. Trust between learners on ARVs and teachers proved to be low. Teacher respondents not only felt unequipped to deal with the psychosocial needs of learners on ARVs but also indicated that confronting these needs animated their personal vulnerability (around HIV-related experiences in their own families). However, hopeful patterns also emerged. Some mediatory factors out of school shaped these learners’ experiences and identities positively, with implications for in-school experiences and participation. Some learner journeys reflected shifts from deep despair towards the emergence of voice, positive self-concepts and resilient dispositions. Here, also, this study enters a neglected area of research, showing how the complex interplay of learners’ own agency with social support brought these positive outcomes. Most learners had experienced rejection from immediate family, receiving support rather from community members who became ‘family’. The study thus also raises pressing questions on the nature of support structures (both in and out of school) in contexts shaped by HIV and AIDS, where stigma and discrimination are pervasive and where stable family structures, parental oversight and ‘normal’ progression through school cannot be assumed. It recommends that schools gain better insight into how learners’ circumstances shape their experiences, and develop internal policies, procedures and networks to reduce stigma and discrimination against HIV-positive learners on ARV treatment, as well as. ensuring material, medical, emotional, and psychological support for them.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
An investigation into understanding the experiences of the level 5-7 student teachers when teaching fractions in primary schools in Namibia: a case study
- Authors: Vatilifa, Ndamononghenda
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Research -- Namibia -- Case studies Fractions -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Research -- Namibia -- Case studies Mathematics teachers -- Training of -- Namibia -- Case studies Education, Elementary -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1398 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001792
- Description: The Namibian government through the Ministry of Education seeks for teachers to meet the demands and rise to the challenges of the post-independence basic education system. Therefore the University of Namibia Education Faculty must ensure through the training of student teachers for both lower, upper primary and secondary school level that these demands are met. Research shows that one of the major challenges in teacher training programs, specifically in the mathematics education programmes, lies with the student teachers’ difficulties in dealing with various topics in mathematics, particularly fractions. The teaching of fractions is a challenging area at primary level and lays the foundation for understanding different topics in upper grades such as algebra, ratio and proportion, statistics and probability, to mention just a few. This study focused on an exploration of teaching fractions by five student teachers during their teaching practice.The main purpose was to gain an understanding of the experiences of the level 5-7 student teachers with regard to their practice of fraction teaching; their experience of the mathematics education course with respect to the teaching of fractions; and their prior experience related to fractions and fraction teaching at Grade 6 level. The findings from this research showed that student teachers viewed mathematics, specifically fractions, as just about doing calculations, doing drill and practice as in this way learners’ understanding of fractions is enhanced. The importance of using rules and procedures was emphasized as paving the way to mastering fractions. The data analysis also revealed that student teachers employed different teaching approaches when they considered learners’ prior knowledge. However, they misinterpreted the learner-centred approach in terms of group work and class discussion in their teaching of fractions. The data also revealed that some student teachers had an understanding of fractions as they managed to redirect their learners from applying some fraction misconceptions. The findings further showed that due to lack of understanding most of the participants experienced fear and anxiety in their fraction teaching; attempted an approach then reverted to old practices used in schools; taught fractions as symbolic representations where no meaning was involved; used incorrect terminologies such as ‘1 over 4’ or ‘1 out of 4’ instead of a ‘quarter’ or ‘one-fourth’. It is further revealed that the some student teachers viewed a fraction as a pair of two different whole numbers and can be broken apart. The findings of this study yielded one main implication for the teaching of mathematics: that the teacher training programs, specifically for mathematics teachers, must take into consideration the weaknesses and strengths of the student teachers shown in this study to properly train and prepare them to become effective mathematics teachers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Vatilifa, Ndamononghenda
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Research -- Namibia -- Case studies Fractions -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Research -- Namibia -- Case studies Mathematics teachers -- Training of -- Namibia -- Case studies Education, Elementary -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1398 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001792
- Description: The Namibian government through the Ministry of Education seeks for teachers to meet the demands and rise to the challenges of the post-independence basic education system. Therefore the University of Namibia Education Faculty must ensure through the training of student teachers for both lower, upper primary and secondary school level that these demands are met. Research shows that one of the major challenges in teacher training programs, specifically in the mathematics education programmes, lies with the student teachers’ difficulties in dealing with various topics in mathematics, particularly fractions. The teaching of fractions is a challenging area at primary level and lays the foundation for understanding different topics in upper grades such as algebra, ratio and proportion, statistics and probability, to mention just a few. This study focused on an exploration of teaching fractions by five student teachers during their teaching practice.The main purpose was to gain an understanding of the experiences of the level 5-7 student teachers with regard to their practice of fraction teaching; their experience of the mathematics education course with respect to the teaching of fractions; and their prior experience related to fractions and fraction teaching at Grade 6 level. The findings from this research showed that student teachers viewed mathematics, specifically fractions, as just about doing calculations, doing drill and practice as in this way learners’ understanding of fractions is enhanced. The importance of using rules and procedures was emphasized as paving the way to mastering fractions. The data analysis also revealed that student teachers employed different teaching approaches when they considered learners’ prior knowledge. However, they misinterpreted the learner-centred approach in terms of group work and class discussion in their teaching of fractions. The data also revealed that some student teachers had an understanding of fractions as they managed to redirect their learners from applying some fraction misconceptions. The findings further showed that due to lack of understanding most of the participants experienced fear and anxiety in their fraction teaching; attempted an approach then reverted to old practices used in schools; taught fractions as symbolic representations where no meaning was involved; used incorrect terminologies such as ‘1 over 4’ or ‘1 out of 4’ instead of a ‘quarter’ or ‘one-fourth’. It is further revealed that the some student teachers viewed a fraction as a pair of two different whole numbers and can be broken apart. The findings of this study yielded one main implication for the teaching of mathematics: that the teacher training programs, specifically for mathematics teachers, must take into consideration the weaknesses and strengths of the student teachers shown in this study to properly train and prepare them to become effective mathematics teachers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013