Exploring the possibility of integrating traditional music and dance into the design and delivery of lessons on the concepts of echo and waves in the grade 10 Physical Science sound topic
- Authors: Liveve, Angelius Kanyanga
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Student-centered learning Namibia , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Science Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Dance in education Namibia , Music in education Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/13356 , vital:21826
- Description: Before Namibian independence in 1990, teaching was mostly characterized by teacher-centred pedagogies in which teachers were perceived as the main sources of knowledge. This resulted in learners being passive recipients of such unquestioned knowledge. After independence and to address this, a new educational system was introduced which promoted learner-centred education (LCE) pedagogy. Despite these grand ideals, educational changes in sub-Saharan Africa form a complex issue involving tensions between policy formulation and implementation. This presents Namibian teachers with some challenges in enacting LCE pedagogies. One of these challenges is to find ways to motivate learners and to assist their learning by finding relevant and interesting connections between subject topics and their own experiences and everyday culture outside the classroom. An inability to enact the new curriculum results in learners performing poorly in subjects such as Physical Science. Against this backdrop, this study sought to explore whether or not the integration of traditional music and dance into the design and delivery of lessons on the concepts of echo and waves could influence grade 10 Physical Science learners’ sense making and dispositions towards science. This study was underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. It was informed and guided by the socio-cultural theory as my theoretical framework. The study was carried out with a grade 10 Physical Science class consisting of 30 learners at Lyambombla Combined School (pseudonym) in the Kavango West Region in the northern part of Namibia. Data were generated through diagnostic and summative tests, interviews and lesson observations incorporating traditional music and dance. The findings of the study showed that learners’ sense making and dispositions toward science were positively influenced through traditional music and dance. The study thus recommends the incorporation of indigenous ways of knowing in order to enhance meaning making in science classrooms.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Liveve, Angelius Kanyanga
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Student-centered learning Namibia , Culturally relevant pedagogy Namibia , Science Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia , Dance in education Namibia , Music in education Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/13356 , vital:21826
- Description: Before Namibian independence in 1990, teaching was mostly characterized by teacher-centred pedagogies in which teachers were perceived as the main sources of knowledge. This resulted in learners being passive recipients of such unquestioned knowledge. After independence and to address this, a new educational system was introduced which promoted learner-centred education (LCE) pedagogy. Despite these grand ideals, educational changes in sub-Saharan Africa form a complex issue involving tensions between policy formulation and implementation. This presents Namibian teachers with some challenges in enacting LCE pedagogies. One of these challenges is to find ways to motivate learners and to assist their learning by finding relevant and interesting connections between subject topics and their own experiences and everyday culture outside the classroom. An inability to enact the new curriculum results in learners performing poorly in subjects such as Physical Science. Against this backdrop, this study sought to explore whether or not the integration of traditional music and dance into the design and delivery of lessons on the concepts of echo and waves could influence grade 10 Physical Science learners’ sense making and dispositions towards science. This study was underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. It was informed and guided by the socio-cultural theory as my theoretical framework. The study was carried out with a grade 10 Physical Science class consisting of 30 learners at Lyambombla Combined School (pseudonym) in the Kavango West Region in the northern part of Namibia. Data were generated through diagnostic and summative tests, interviews and lesson observations incorporating traditional music and dance. The findings of the study showed that learners’ sense making and dispositions toward science were positively influenced through traditional music and dance. The study thus recommends the incorporation of indigenous ways of knowing in order to enhance meaning making in science classrooms.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Understanding how teachers scaffold learners to make sense of biological language and concepts when using English as a mediational tool: a case study
- Authors: Nakale, Elifas
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Biology -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia Language and education -- Namibia , English as medium of instruction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1386 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001517
- Description: For the past few years, Namibian grade 11-12 learners’ achievement level in biology has not been very encouraging. Evidence to this effect is contained in recent examiners’ reports which outline misunderstanding and various misconceptions. The causes of these misunderstandings and misconceptions may be varied, but there is credible evidence that some of it is rooted in the language problem for learners. A classroom is a social unit where many social practices are acquired, including the use of English language. Equally, it is a place where errors in language are learnt and reinforced. Triggered by these challenges facing biology learners, a qualitative case study was conducted at two secondary schools in Ohangwena Region, Namibia. Its purpose was to investigate how biology teachers scaffold learners to make sense of biological language and concepts when English is used as the mediational tool. Underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm, the study made use of document analysis, observation (lessons were also video-taped) and interviews to generate the data. Several data generating techniques were used for triangulation and validation. To further validate the data, transcripts of video-taped lessons and interviews were sent back to the research participants for member checking. The data gathering methods were also used in data presentation, analysis and interpretation to determine the extent of scaffold that teachers provide to their biology learners. The main findings of my study are that, despite efforts by participant teachers to scaffold their learners in making sense of biological language and concepts, success rates in this regard remain disappointingly low due to their (teachers) limited pedagogical content knowledge. Teachers therefore require improved mentorship, monitoring and capacity building.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Nakale, Elifas
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Biology -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia Language and education -- Namibia , English as medium of instruction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1386 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001517
- Description: For the past few years, Namibian grade 11-12 learners’ achievement level in biology has not been very encouraging. Evidence to this effect is contained in recent examiners’ reports which outline misunderstanding and various misconceptions. The causes of these misunderstandings and misconceptions may be varied, but there is credible evidence that some of it is rooted in the language problem for learners. A classroom is a social unit where many social practices are acquired, including the use of English language. Equally, it is a place where errors in language are learnt and reinforced. Triggered by these challenges facing biology learners, a qualitative case study was conducted at two secondary schools in Ohangwena Region, Namibia. Its purpose was to investigate how biology teachers scaffold learners to make sense of biological language and concepts when English is used as the mediational tool. Underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm, the study made use of document analysis, observation (lessons were also video-taped) and interviews to generate the data. Several data generating techniques were used for triangulation and validation. To further validate the data, transcripts of video-taped lessons and interviews were sent back to the research participants for member checking. The data gathering methods were also used in data presentation, analysis and interpretation to determine the extent of scaffold that teachers provide to their biology learners. The main findings of my study are that, despite efforts by participant teachers to scaffold their learners in making sense of biological language and concepts, success rates in this regard remain disappointingly low due to their (teachers) limited pedagogical content knowledge. Teachers therefore require improved mentorship, monitoring and capacity building.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
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