Educators’ Management of the Learning Environment for Enhanced Teaching and Learning in Selected Primary Schools in the East London Education District, South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (1-3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadiat Adewumi Olabode
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning

scholarly journals Exploring Grade 6 mathematics teachers' use of the language of learning and teaching in assessment for learning

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sizwe B Mahlambi ◽  
Ailwei S Mawela
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Assessment For Learning ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Learning And Teaching

In this study, we aimed to explore Grade 6 mathematics teachers' use of English, the language of learning and teaching in assessment for learning in selected primary schools in Alexandra Township, South Africa. From Grade 4, English is the language of teaching and learning for most learners, despite English being the home language of a minority of learners. Results of studies have shown that in South Africa, in Grades 1 to 3, in which learners are taught using their home-language performance appears to be better than in Grades 4 to 6 where English as a First Additional Language (EFAL) is used for teaching and learning. Guided by qualitative case study design, we used semi-structured interviews and non-participatory observation to collect data from nine purposefully sampled Grade 6 mathematics teachers. In conjunction with the literature reviewed and the theory underpinning the study, we used themes to analyse, interpret, and discuss the data we collected. This research revealed that learners in Grade 6 struggle to understand English as the language of learning and teaching, so, to augment concept development and understanding, teachers and learners use code-switching. In the classrooms observed, this practice has become the norm to improve the performance of learners with limited language proficiency. However, because of the differences between the home language of learners and that of teachers in mathematics classrooms, code-switching is often not enough to ensure understanding.

scholarly journals Using Blended Learning To Facilitate The Mathematical Thought Processes Of Primary School Learners In A Computer Laboratory: A Case Study In Calculating Simple Areas

2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Naidoo ◽  
R. Naidoo
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
South African ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Traditional Teaching ◽  
Thought Processes ◽  
Grade 5

Primary school learners’ first encounters with mathematics in a traditional learning environment often create lifelong ‘math phobia.’(Papert 1980) The situation in a country emerging from an oppressive education system designed to educationally disempower the majority of the population is much worse. The typical scenario in a previously disadvantaged South African primary school is a classroom filled beyond capacity with the educator struggling to establish an effective learning environment. Thus the educator resorts to rote learning, drill and practice and ‘chalk and talk’ methods of teaching.  The individual needs and levels of learners are disregarded and blanket assessment methods are employed (Naidoo and Naidoo 2006b). Collaborative learning is minimal or non-existent. These traditional teaching strategies often disregard cultural and social factors, and pre-knowledge frames of learners.  Furthermore there is a dire shortage of qualified mathematics educators in the South African schooling system. Therefore there is an urgent need for alternative teaching and learning strategies to address the teaching of mathematics in primary schools. The introduction of networked computer laboratories to previously disadvantaged South African primary schools enables the use of computers as powerful tools to analyze the thought processes of learners during their early encounters with mathematics. A blended learning approach using a networked computing environment and LOGO mathematics to facilitate the teaching and learning of area in a Grade 5 class produced significantly higher grades and an enhanced learning experience, both for learners and the educator, as compared to a second Grade 5 class utilizing traditional teaching and learning methods only. This study entailed the use of software to promote collaborative learning encompassing both learner-learner and learner-educator interaction. Apart from the educator using the computer as a medium of instruction via the software, learners were allowed to actively provide input. Furthermore the software allowed the educator to view learners’ progress during activities and provide real-time input via the computer.

Information and communications technologies in library facilities in disadvantaged rural schools in South Africa: Lessons from Limpopo province

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Samuel Maredi Mojapelo ◽  
Oluwole O. Durodolu
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Rural Schools ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Teacher Librarians

Universally, information and communications technologies (ICTs) have revolutionised multiple ways of executing tasks in many sectors. In the education sector, ICTs provide a scaffold to enhance technology-driven teaching and learning information needs of the teachers and learners in a school environment. The aim of the study was to investigate the availability and use of ICTs in library facilities in primary schools in disadvantaged rural communities in Limpopo province, South Africa. The study targeted all 18 primary schools in Lebopo Circuit of Mankweng Cluster. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data from teacher-librarians who attended a school library workshop at a local high school. Purposive sampling was employed in the selection of the teacher-librarians and all 18 schools were represented by one teacher-librarian. The findings indicate that there are few ICTs used by the teachers to enhance teaching and learning in different library facilities in disadvantaged rural schools. The study recommends that additional ICTs should be procured by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) for distribution to all schools to mitigate technology-driven information needs of teachers and learners. Furthermore, as vandalism was cited as a challenge in all schools, security needs upgrading to protect the few available ICTs.

scholarly journals A critical realist approach to literacy acquisition and development, with specific application to teacher traning and support in primary education in KwaZulu-Natal

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Rookumani Govender
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Teacher Training ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Education ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Literacy Acquisition ◽  
The Government ◽  
Training And Support

In adopting a critical realist approach, this study offers a view of the complex social and contextual factors impacting on literacy acquisition and development in primary education, which is thought to be its main contribution to the field. The study‟s focus was on reading because reading is a fundamental part of literacy acquisition and development in primary education. Its purpose was to establish the state of current literacy teaching and learning practices in formal education so that, ultimately, recommendations could be made for teacher training and support. In the changing face of education in post-apartheid South Africa, provision has been made by the government to democratise education, and, in particular allow all students equity of access to key competences such as literacy. However, there are signs that all is not well at the level of implementation, for example, the low learner pass rate. In particular, teachers do not appear to be coping with the new dispensation, and are generally demoralised and demotivated. It must be stressed that the issue of literacy acquisition and development is complex and multi-layered, and not just a simple question of applying linguistic knowledge or skills. While literacy is a key competence for schooling and a key life skill, education is an essential variable in literacy acquisition and development. However, there are indications that the South African educational system is failing to deliver quality education to its learners. It has been estimated that illiteracy is costing the government as much as R550 billion a year. The fact remains that the main responsibility for teaching literacy rests with schools. Currently there is a literacy crisis in South Africa. This means that large numbers of children are not acquiring the high level skills in reading and writing that will enable them to take part in the new knowledge economy. The general aim of this project was to investigate the process of literacy acquisition and development in primary schools. The investigation focused specifically on how learners acquire literacy, and the involvement of teaching training and support for educators. It was anticipated that the investigation would identify gaps in the acquisition and development of literacy, as well as iii provide recommendations for teacher training and support: the findings might then feed specialist knowledge on the current state of literacy acquisition in formal education into the area of teacher training as to address the problem of lack of preparedness of teachers to deal with literacy acquisition. The project involved an investigation of literacy teaching and learning practices in three different types of public school in the Ethekwini Region, comprising ex-Model C, semi-urban and rural schools. The scope of the study was confined to three primary schools in KwaZulu Natal. The selected research sites were Joel1 Primary School (urban) in the Pinetown area, Milo Primary School The semiurban) in the Mariannhill area, and John Primary School (rural) in the Ndwedwe District. No attempt was made to generalise on the acquisition of language and development, and the provision of teacher training and support at these selected primary schools with reference to schools in the rest of South Africa. However, it is thought that the findings might well be relevant to some schools to enable them to cope and understand the role and function of language acquisition and development. The social factors which negatively impact on literacy acquisition and development were found to include features of the local social context, security for literacy resources and other physical challenges. Factors impacting negatively on teacher performance were inadequate teacher training, the impact of teacher unions, and the effects of poverty and HIV/AIDS. Some of the clearly intertwined challenges experienced at the Intermediate Phase education level include the problems of insufficient teaching staff numbers and insufficient numbers of competent and trained staff; lack of sufficient support for African language learners; large class sizes; lack of resources; and lack of quality leadership in schools. These challenges are the shaky ground upon which we build education for some of our learners, especially those in rural and poor areas.

scholarly journals Perception and Management of Stress by South African Foundation Phase Teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-77
Author(s):  
Sumeshni Govender ◽  
Pertunia Thobile Mabuza
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
South African ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning Environment ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Made In

The prevalence and management of stressors experienced by rural-based foundation phase teachers in South Africa were examined in this study. Quantitative and qualitative measures were used to gain more insight into stressors experienced by teachers. A questionnaire with open-ended and closed-ended questions was used to collect data from n=119 participants. The results of the study indicated that many foundation phase teachers experienced a wide variety of stressors. There was also an indication that whilst some teachers do have the necessary skills to cope with the stressors that they experienced, within their teaching and learning environment, using various techniques such as: exercise, spirituality and planning other participants struggled to cope and required support. Recommendations were made in order to assist those teachers who were unable to manage the stressors they experienced, limitations of the study discussed and avenues for further research are also presented.

scholarly journals A self study of curriculum design for the teaching and learning of isiZulu as an additional language in primary schools in the Maye babo! series

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sumithra Jaysooklal Soni
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
Policy Statement ◽  
Self Study

This autoethnographic self study tracks my new ways of knowing in the various roles I play from daughter (passive recipient) to curriculum designer (active analytical composer). It retells my journey in the teaching profession at a school in Durban, in South Africa. The story occurs during a period when schools were racially desegregated in order to address the anti-apartheid policies that were prevalent prior to the first democratic elections in 1994. The story captures the challenges I faced during the transformation era in education and how I went about addressing two of the main challenges I faced: 1. Cultural diversity in racially desegregated schools. 2. Teaching isiZulu as an additional language as a pioneer, non- mother tongue teacher of learners with mixed abilities in an environment deprived of resources in terms of mentorship, and teacher/learner resource material. This study reveals how the challenges I experienced were, in retrospect, the disguised opportunities that led to my growth from teacher to textbook writer. It gives an account of the “behind the scenes making”, of the Maye babo! series, with a view to offer an exemplar for curriculum development. The study uses autoethnography (Ellis 2004) as a method to bring to life the teaching of isiZulu as an additional language in South Africa. It defines some of the difficulties experienced by teachers during a transformation era in education. In this study I clarify the relationship between Outcomes Based Education and the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), as well as where the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) is located within the NCS. More importantly, I use the tacit knowledge gained from intuition and experience to demonstrate how these policies can be applied in the classroom to achieve effective learning, an aspect often ignored in in-service teacher education. Readers (particularly teachers) will resonate with the experiences described in the stories, and, in so doing, gain a better understanding of themselves and their teaching practices; this might provide the much needed optimism amongst teachers, and might motivate and inspire them to grow professionally. The personal benefit in writing this thesis is that it renewed my place in the academic world, and more importantly, it has satisfied my quest for self realisation. Through personal exploration, questions such as who am I? and how did I become? reveal my evolvement. This project has been a soul satisfying and enriching journey. It is hoped that this study will in some way contribute to the transformation in education process in post liberation South Africa.

E-Learning and Conventional Learning in 21st Century Information Age: A Case Study Of Students from Selected Universities in Buffalo City Metropolitan Eastern Cape South Africa

10.31355/39 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 031-041
Author(s):  
Agyei Fosu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Teaching And Learning Environment ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Higher Education Teaching

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose................................................................................................................................................................................................. The main aim of the study is to critically examine the forces that can impede or support students to use e-learning in higher education teaching and learning environment which require not only pre-technological literacy’s but easy access to the e-learning platform and ICT devices. Background................................................................................................................................................................................................. The concept of e-learning has grown considerably in the past three or four decades, which according to Pollock and Cornford, (2003) has prompted a great deal of interest in using and integration of technology into teaching and learning environment thereby transforming the very nature of the traditional higher education system. Murphy et al (2001) have highlighted that not only does the new technologies supplement the conventional course delivery in institutions of higher learning, but they have also become a catalyst for change in higher education. South Africa as a developing nation has adopted the introduction of ICTs in the education system with the hope that it may offer some solutions to the challenges of education in South Africa. The South African Department of Education believes that developments in ICTs and its introduction to the education system creates access to learning opportunities, redresses inequalities, improve the quality of learning and teaching, and deliver lifelong learning (Department of Education, 2004). Even though internet access and ICT devices are becoming more common in South Africa, the use of them for teaching and learning purposes are limited. According to the White Paper on E-education in South Africa (SA, 2004), the Province of Eastern Cape has ranked lowest in terms of number of schools with computers for teaching and learning and as a result many students from Eastern Cape Province who enter higher education do not have adequate technological literacy levels to cope with the demands of higher education teaching and learning environment. Methodology................................................................................................................................................................................................. The design of the study was a case study and it utilized quantitative method. The number of sample units in the study was 65 students from Walter Sisulu University, University of South Africa, Pearson Institute of Higher Education (formerly called CTI) and University of Fort Hare campuses based in East London Eastern Cape Province South Africa. The data were analyzed using MS Excel spreadsheet database for conversion into percentages for the descriptive statistics. Contribution................................................................................................................................................................................................. It is essential to understand the forces that can impede or support e-learning. Possible solutions can be suggested for successfully integrating e-learning into higher education teaching and learning environment to meet 21st century students’ needs. The South Africa case study identified that a number of respondents indicated that the resources are available for e-learning on their university campuses. But these available resources are not efficiently used by most respondents to support their studies. Findings......................................................................................................................................................................................................... The results indicated that in the area of infrastructure required for e-learning, the majority of respondents indicated that the resources are available for e-learning on the campuses of the sampled universities. But these available re-sources are not efficiently utilized by respondents to support their studies. Recommendations for Practitioners............................................................................................................................................................... While universities and other institutions of higher education are encouraging integration of e-learning into the curriculum, it is also imperative that their teaching and learning strategies and policies take into account that some students are unevenly challenged in terms of technological skills and still require additional support. Recommendation for Researchers................................................................................................................................................................ There is the need to explore in depth the aspects that lead to the successful integration of e-learning into conventional lecture method of courses delivery. Impact on Society........................................................................................................................................................................................... With the dawn of 21st century digital and knowledge-based economies evolution where the integration of computers and other ICTs tools in higher education teaching and learning environments have been found to be very beneficial to students, hence not only pre-technological literacy’s of students but easy access to the e-learning platform and ICT devices are critical to higher education learning environment. Assessing students technological skills and access to e-learning platforms to which this study contributes will assist in improving quality education which has a greater impact on society. Future Research............................................................................................................................................................................................... In the context in which this study was conducted further examination of the technological skills of academic staff of the successful integration of e-learning into curriculum would be advisable.

scholarly journals Enhancing the learning experience of primary school learners through the utilisation of a hybrid web-based learning model : a case study of learning mathematics of areas and perimeters

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Nirendran Naidoo
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Primary School ◽  
South African ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Learning Model ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Web Based Learning

The use of web based learning in primary schools has been neglected. The aim of the study is the design of a hybrid web based learning model for primary school mathematics especially in the teaching and learning of perimeter and areas. It is indicated in a study in I calculus teaching and learning at a higher institution by Naidoo (1998) that students have fundamental problems in understanding pre-concepts such as perimeter and areas which are taught in primary schools and that the Piagetian pre-formal and formal stages have not been developed. ti Primary school learners' first encounters with mathematics in a traditional learning environment often create lifelong 'math phobia' (Papert, 1980). The situation in a country I emerging from an oppressive education system designed to educationally disempower the I majority of the population is much worse. The typical scenario in a previously disadvantaged South African primary school is a classroom filled beyond capacity with the educator struggling to establish an effective learning environment. Thus the educator I resorts to rote learning, drill and practice and 'chalk and talk' methods of teaching. The I individual needs and levels of learners are disregarded and blanket assessment methods I are employed (Naidoo and Naidoo, 2006b). Collaborative learning is minimal or nonexistent. These traditional teaching strategies often disregard cultural and social factors, and pre-knowledge frames of learners. Furthermore there is a dire shortage of qualified mathematics educators in the South African schooling system. Therefore there is an urgent need for alternative teaching and learning strategies to address the teaching of mathematics in primary schools.

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