TIMSS in South Africa The Value of International Comparative Studies for a Developing Country

2005 ◽  
pp. 279-301
Author(s):  
S J Howie
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Comparative Studies ◽  
International Comparative

scholarly journals Bridging the gap from implementation to attainment: Utilising results from international comparative studies

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Surette Van Staden
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Formal Schooling ◽  
Learner Performance ◽  
Learner Achievement ◽  
Curricular Implementation ◽  
International Comparative ◽  
Research Initiatives

South African learner performance in international comparative studies remains persistently poor, resulting in questions about the quality of education offered to South African children across grades and phases of formal schooling. In South Africa, grave concerns with regard to low levels of learner achievement pervade research initiatives and educational debates. Despite good intentions (such as policy and curricular reforms) and focus on implementation (such as curriculum provision and teacher support), attainment (in the form of learner achievement) remain disappointingly low. This study draws on the preProgress in International Reading Literacy Study (prePIRLS) 2011 data, which places South African Grade 4 learners’ results at 461, which is substantially below the international centre point of 500 (SE = 3.7). Results from the prePIRLS 2011 study are used as evidence of curricular attainment that has taken place at Grade 4 level across a spectrum of 11 languages in South Africa. Benchmark results are further interrogated to provide evidence for possible improvement of curricular implementation at classroom level. Concluding remarks include reflections of how teacher practice can benefit from evidence provided by international comparative studies.

scholarly journals The state of mathematics education in Afrikaans schools.

2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerrit Stols
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Mathematics Education ◽  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Mathematical Thinking ◽  
Higher Order Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
High Performing ◽  
Timss 2003 ◽  
International Comparative

Higher-order thinking skills are essential basic skills for the 21st century as computers can do calculations and algorithms faster and more accurately than people. This means that schools should equip students to think logically, search for patterns, do proofs and solve non-routine problems. These activities are part of higher-order thinking, which is the essence of mathematical thinking and development. South Africa participates in several international comparative studies. Using these comparative studies, it has been possible to determine how the performance of Afrikaans mathematics learners in South Africa compares to that of learners of other countries and also to highlight possible deficiencies in mathematics education. According to the TIMSS 2003 results, Afrikaans learners perform poorly in the TIMSS advanced level questions, where higher-order thinking is required. This means that Afrikaans schools should purposely develop higher-order thinking. The TIMSS 1999 Video Study shows that the best performing countries like Japan spend more time in class on the development of conceptual understanding and working on complex problems. High-performing countries are focused on the development of higher-order thinking through problem solving. They also spend less time on doing routine or repetition exercises which can rather be done by a computer. The contrary is typically the case in Afrikaans schools where a teacher will for example do one or more examples on the blackboard and the students will follow and do a number of similar routine exercises.

Developing Country Applications of Molecular Farming: Case Studies in South Africa and Argentina

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (31) ◽  
pp. 5612-5621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Rybicki ◽  
Inga Hitzeroth ◽  
Ann Meyers ◽  
Maria Santos ◽  
Andres Wigdorovitz
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Molecular Farming

scholarly journals Shopping list development and use of advertisements’ pre-store food-buying practices within different socio-economic status areas in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 119 (12) ◽  
pp. 2880-2902
Author(s):  
Rodney Graeme Duffett ◽  
Crystal Foster
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Low Ses ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Shopping List ◽  
Food Shopping ◽  
Food Buying Practices

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine whether there is a difference in the development of shopping lists and use of advertisements as pre-store food-buying practices in terms of planned shopping by South African consumers who dwell in different socio-economic status (SES) areas. The paper also considers the influence of shopper and socio-demographic characteristics on pre-store food-buying practices in a developing country. Design/methodology/approach A self-administered questionnaire was used to survey 1 200 consumers in retail stores in low, middle and high SES areas in South Africa. A generalised linear model was employed for the statistical analysis of pre-store food-buying practices within the SES area groups in a developing country. Findings South African consumers that reside in high SES area displayed the largest of shopping list development, while consumers who dwell in low SES areas showed the highest incidence of advertisement usage. Several shopper and socio-demographic characteristics were also found to have an influence on pre-store food-buying practices in different SES areas in South Africa. Research limitations/implications A qualitative approach would offer a deeper understanding of consumers’ pre-store food shopping predispositions as opposed to the quantitative approach, which was adopted for this study. A longitudinal design would also provide a more extensive representation of pre-store food shopping practices over a longer time frame than cross-sectional research. The survey was conducted on Saturdays, whereas consumers who shop during the week may have different shopping and socio-demographic characteristics. Practical implications Astute food brands, marketers and grocery stores could use the findings of this study to assist with their marketing efforts that they direct at consumers in different SES areas in South Africa and other developing countries. Social implications The findings of this study may assist consumers in developing countries, especially those who reside in low SES areas, with food-buying strategies to reduce food costs, make wiser purchase decisions and reduce shopping. Originality/value No study (to the best of the researchers’ knowledge) has considered shopping list development and use of advertisements’ pre-store food-buying practices in different SES areas in a developing country. Furthermore, there is a dearth of research analysing shopper and socio-demographic characteristics in relation to pre-store food-buying practices among different SES areas in developing and developed countries.

scholarly journals Cross-national comparisons of human resources for health – what can we learn?

2005 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
CARL-ARDY DUBOIS ◽  
MARTIN MCKEE
Keyword(s):  
Human Resources ◽  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Human Resources For Health ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
International Health ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Generative Capacity ◽  
International Comparative ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Cross National

After a long period of neglect, the issue of human resources for health (HRH) has recently emerged as a core component on the international health agenda, with policy makers increasingly eager to learn from experience elsewhere. This article investigates systematically the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of cross-national comparisons of HRH policies and practices. It reviews the evidence in favour of using international comparative studies on HRH, discusses emerging opportunities for developing a cross-national research agenda to guide HRH policies in Europe, and highlights obstacles which may hinder the implementation of comparative studies on HRH. While demonstrating many opportunities offered by the comparative approach to improve understanding of human resources processes in the health sector, this article also emphasizes the dangers of simplistic pleas for the transfer of human resource policies without taking into account the context-specific factors and the generative capacity of the social actors in the design and implementation of policy changes.

scholarly journals Editorial Comments/ Redaksionele Kommentaar

2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
V Roos
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Full Text

The challenges that health care face in a developing country such as South Africa are clearly illustrated in this edition of Health SA Gesondheid. Opsomming Die uitdagings waarmee gesondheidsorg in ‘n ontwikkelende land soos Suid-Afrika gekonfronteer word, word duidelik geillustreer in hierdie uitgawe van Health SA Gesondheid. *Please note: This is a reduced version of the abstract. Please refer to PDF for full text.

scholarly journals ALTERNATIVE CARE IN SOUTH AFRICA

Obiter ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Glynis van der Walt
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Alternative Care ◽  
Need Of Care ◽  
The Status ◽  
Current Article ◽  
Hiv Aids

Currently, South Africa has an estimated 5,2 million abandoned children in need of care. Facing the highest rate of deaths worldwide from HIV/AIDS, and as a developing country, many children are left in need of care. The current article considers the status of alternative care in South Africa in light of the State’s ability to provide appropriate alternative care for those in need thereof.

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