The Implementation of Formal Assessments in Intermediate Phase Mathematics at Primary Schools in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 300-320
Author(s):  
Senzeni Sibanda ◽  
Awelani M Rambuda
Keyword(s):  
Social Constructivism ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Intermediate Phase ◽  
Classroom Observation ◽  
Policy Statement ◽  
Mathematical Problems ◽  
Analyse Data ◽  
Observation Tools

The purpose of this research was to explore the implementation of formal assessments in intermediate phase mathematics at primary schools. The research was elicited by reports that assessment methods and procedures for tackling learners’ needs had been observed to be insufficient in South African schools. The study is grounded in Piaget’s cognitive constructivism and Vygotsky’s social constructivism. The researchers conducted document analysis of teachers’ portfolios which were purposefully selected. Nine teachers– three from each of Grades 4 to 6 were sampled. The portfolios were analysed to establish whether the implementation of the formal assessments was aligned with the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement requirements. A checklist was used to determine teachers’ implementation of formal assessment. Measures of central tendency were used to analyse data. The results revealed that teachers were not developing the abilities of learners in handling complex mathematical procedures as per the requirements of the policy. This implies that learners lacked the ability to break down mathematical problems into different factors or constituent parts. Learners were given a test instead of a project or investigation. Hence teachers were not promoting cooperative learning which is advocated by the policy. Therefore, teachers should be assisted by knowledgeable colleagues and subject advisors in their adoption and use of assessment. There must be a close examination of the classroom observation tools that are currently being utilised. Classroom observation assists teachers to improve their assessment strategies. The Department of Basic Education should supply tablets to primary schools to promote social constructive interaction amongst teachers and learners to enhance effective teaching and learning.

scholarly journals Multilingualism as Curriculum Policy in Cameroon Education System

2020 ◽  
pp. 26-35
Author(s):  
Yaro Loveline
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Indigenous Languages ◽  
National Language ◽  
Curriculum Policy ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
The Government

The concern on the effective inclusion of indigenous languages in the school curriculum has been central to educational discussions among scholars and stakeholders. It is true that language as a medium of communication is very vital for sustainable growth in any society. However, the level of implementation of the policy of multilingualism in classrooms in Cameroon poses so many pedagogical challenges. While the Government is collaborating with private agencies such as PROPELCA(Cameroon National Language Association) in introducing the teaching of national languages in primary schools,  and though the Government through the Ministry of Basic Education has also created an inspectorate in charge of the introduction of indigenous languages in Primary schools, there still exist some resistance from stakeholders to introduce the teaching of native languages in the curriculum of schools despite recommendations made in the 1995 education forum and the provision in article 4 section 5 of the 1998 Education Law. The study argues that, since the introduction of multilingualism as curriculum policy in Cameroon, its implementation is still at the pilot stage. Using the Historical analytic approach, data was collected from primary and secondary sources in establishing the level of use of the curriculum policy of multilingualism as a guide to teaching and learning in schools in Cameroon.

Evolving trends of distance learning for basic education in Namibia: A parental perspective during Covid-19 lockdown

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-75
Author(s):  
Annaly M. Strauss ◽  
Keshni Bipath
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Digital Communities ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Analyse Data

Ingenious technology-driven education has become prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic in schools. This article solicits pre-primary to Grade 12 learners' parents’/ guardians’ views and experiences of distance learning in Namibia during the COVID-19 lockdown. The study employs a mixed-methods research design to gather and analyse data. The analysis of the qualitative data revealed the following main themes: 1) Barriers to distance learning, and 2) Suggestions to overcome these challenges. The sub-themes were: 1) Communication, 2) Teaching and learning 3) Economic challenges, and 4) Materials and equipment. The results of a quantitative analysis revealed that 73,7% of the participating parents’ children had not received any form of education, and 23,7% affirmed that their children had received some education. 53% of the parents whose children had received an education were very dissatisfied. Therefore, the participating parents’  expectations of e-learning were not positively associated with the provision thereof. Lack of digital literacy prevented teachers from actively engaging with learners in digital communities.

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 Values-based Physical Education for the intermediate schooling phase in a diverse South African context

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cherese F. Jones ◽  
Charl J. Roux
Keyword(s):  
Physical Education ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Intermediate Phase ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Universal Language ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Powerful Learning

Participation in physical activity, Physical Education (PE) and sport has been recognised as a powerful learning tool for education, providing a universal language for contributing to valuable life principles. Values-based education implies that learners are educated about the aspects determining their behaviour. Values-based PE, physical activities and sport have the potential to transcend diversity and achieve cohesion, promote tolerance and trust and affirm respect between individuals and communities. The goal of PE can be to contribute to the acceptance of the infinite qualities of South Africa’s diversity and to claim the country’s diversity as a source of strength that forms a bond of a common set of values. There has been a global change in the interaction of learners with their environment; their lives are shaped by forces that do not necessarily assist them to learn and apply values. A PE programme infused with the values of Olympism and Ubuntuism can offer an investment in individual and societal improvement as the co-evolutionary interaction of these values and how they affect each learner can add to the celebration of human diversity. The question this study set out to answer was how can PE be used as a tool to teach values. Thus, the study aimed to inform the development of a values-based PE programme for the intermediate schooling phase. This qualitative study, from a constructivist paradigm, has enhanced the understanding of individuals’ cultures, beliefs and values, human experiences and situations. Purposeful sampling, of 10 intermediate phase teachers from five different public primary schools sought information-rich cases. The theoretical perspectives of the experiential learning theory were applied to teaching PE during in-service PE teacher training workshops. The process was documented by collecting data from multiple sources. Participatory action research was used, determining how data were collected, analysed and presented on an ongoing, cyclical basis. This study developed material for the intermediate phase PE curriculum that underpins the values of Olympism and Ubuntuism as core values, which were modelled by teachers and guided their work. The PE programme included key elements of and aligned with the study aims of the subject Life Skills. The outcomes of using PE as a tool to teach values propose recommendations to the Department of Basic Education of South Africa, to improve and implement a quality PE curriculum that is applicable to practice and that will optimise the chances of meeting National Curriculum Statement standards. Further research is recommended on the rest of the intermediate phase PE curriculum over the entire year, which includes other movement phenomena infused with values.

scholarly journals Stakeholders’ Support for Large Scale Assessment in Schools: A Case of Annual National Assessment (ANA) in South African Schools

2020 ◽  
pp. 103-113
Author(s):  
Oluwatoyin Ayodele Ajani ◽  
Nonhlanhla Doris F. Khumalo ◽  
Mncedisi C. Maphalala ◽  
Samantha Govender
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
National Assessment ◽  
Large Scale Assessment ◽  
Scale Assessment ◽  
Standardised Testing

Assessment is a crucial aspect of teaching and learning; it includes various means of assessing what learners could reproduce as product of learning. Annual National Assessment (ANA) is a large scale assessment with the sole aim of measuring learners’ achievement, growth and progress. Since the introduction and implementation of ANA in 2010, the analysis of the results from 2011 to 2014 has shown very little improvement in learner performance. This qualitative study sought to ascertain how stakeholders supported standardised testing to overcome its limitations, and can be used to improve teaching and learning in South African schools. The theoretical framework that underpins this study is the Hard Accountability Model. Themes were generated from the collected data from ten English teachers, ten Mathematics and ten Heads of Departments from ten grade six primary schools in King Cethswayo district, Kwa-Zulu Natal Province of South Africa. Findings revealed that stakeholders did not support adequately ANA to fulfil its purpose in schools. The study also indicated inadequate teacher development programmes to regularly capacitate teachers on how to improve ANA results. The study therefore recommended that the Department of Basic Education should ensure that teacher developmental programmes are conducted while curriculum advisors and School Management Teams should strengthen their supervision and monitoring in schools.

scholarly journals Die verband tussen wetenskap en tegnologie: ‘n Tegnologie-onderwysperspektief

2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Willem J. Rauscher
Keyword(s):  
Technology Education ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Intermediate Phase ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Natural Sciences ◽  
Policy Statement ◽  
School Subject ◽  
Assessment Policy ◽  
The Relationship

Die aankondiging deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Minister van Basiese Onderwys dat Natuurwetenskappe en Tegnologie voortaan in die Intermediêre Fase gekombineer gaan word, skep verskeie uitdagings wanneer dit kom by die uitvoering van hierdie aankondiging. Die vraag oor wie vir die onderrig van hierdie nuwe gekombineerde vak, Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie, verantwoordelik gaan wees, is problematies. Uit die nuwe Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement [Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidverklaring] (CAPS, Department of Basic Education 2011) wil dit voorkom asof wetenskaponderwysers daarvoor verantwoordelik sal wees om Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie in die Intermediêre Fase te onderrig. Die meeste wetenskaponderwysers in Suid-Afrika beskik egter oor gebrekkige opleiding in tegnologie-onderwys en het dus nie ‘n grondige begrip van die aard van tegnologie of die onderlinge verband met wetenskap nie. Dit kan rampspoedige gevolge vir tegnologieonderwys inhou, want dit kan byvoorbeeld bepaal hoe hierdie vak onderrig en hoe die inhoud geprioritiseer word. Op sy beurt kan dit weer die persepsie ondersteun dat tegnologie ‘n vorm van toegepaste wetenskap, dus ondergeskik aan wetenskap is, en uiteindelik sy status as skoolvak teenoor wetenskap verloor. Die doel van hierdie artikel is om ‘n oorsig te gee van die literatuur oor die verband tussen wetenskap en tegnologie en om die mite dat tegnologie toegepaste wetenskap is, die nek in te slaan. Daar word gehoop dat hierdie artikel die aandag daarop sal vestig dat tegnologie-onderwys tot ‘n derderangse vak afgewater sal word indien die persone wat vir die onderrig daarvan verantwoordelik is nie ten minste deeglik verstaan wat die onderlinge verband tussen wetenskap en tegnologie is nie.The relationship between science and technology: A technology education perspective. The South African Minister of Basic Education’s announcement that Natural Sciences and Technology should be combined in the Intermediate Phase can pose various challenges when it comes to the execution stage. The question as to who will be responsible for teaching this new combined subject, called Natural Sciences and Technology, is problematic. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS, Department of Basic Education 2011) seems to suggest that Science teachers will be responsible for the teaching of Natural Sciences and Technology in the Intermediate Phase. Most science teachers in South Africa however, have had inadequate training in Technology education and, therefore, do not have a sound understanding of the nature of Technology or its inter-connectedness with Science. This can have disastrous consequences for Technology education. It can, for example, determine how this subject will be taught and how content is prioritised. This in turn, can perpetuate the perception that Technology is a form of applied science and therefore, inferior to Science, which will lead to Technology losing its status as a school subject in relation to Science as a school subject. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the literature on the relationship between science and technology and to debunk the myth that technology is applied science. It is hoped that this article will draw attention to the danger of Technology education being diluted to a lesser subject if the persons responsible for the teaching of this combined subject do not at least have a proper understanding of the relationship that exists between science and technology.

scholarly journals Mathematical errors made by high performing candidates writing the National Benchmark Tests

Pythagoras ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol A. Bohlmann ◽  
Robert N. Prince ◽  
Andrew Deacon
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
School Level ◽  
Quantitative Literacy ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
Benchmark Tests ◽  
Mathematical Problems ◽  
The Common

When the National Benchmark Tests (NBTs) were first considered, it was suggested that the results would assess entry-level students’ academic and quantitative literacy, and mathematical competence, assess the relationships between higher education entry-level requirements and school-level exit outcomes, provide a service to higher education institutions with regard to selection and placement, and assist with curriculum development, particularly in relation to foundation and augmented courses. We recognise there is a need for better communication of the findings arising from analysis of test data, in order to inform teaching and learning and thus attempt to narrow the gap between basic education outcomes and higher education requirements. Specifically, we focus on identification of mathematical errors made by those who have performed in the upper third of the cohort of test candidates. This information may help practitioners in basic and higher education. The NBTs became operational in 2009. Data have been systematically accumulated and analysed. Here, we provide some background to the data, discuss some of the issues relevant to mathematics, present some of the common errors and problems in conceptual understanding identified from data collected from Mathematics (MAT) tests in 2012 and 2013, and suggest how this could be used to inform mathematics teaching and learning. While teachers may anticipate some of these issues, it is important to note that the identified problems are exhibited by the top third of those who wrote the Mathematics NBTs. This group will constitute a large proportion of first-year students in mathematically demanding programmes. Our aim here is to raise awareness in higher education and at school level of the extent of the common errors and problems in conceptual understanding of mathematics. We cannot analyse all possible interventions that could be put in place to remediate the identified mathematical problems, but we do provide information that can inform choices when planning such interventions.

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.

scholarly journals Evaluasi Pemenuhan Standar Minimal Sarana dan Prasarana Pendidikan Dasar di Kota Bandung

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tjahyani Busono
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
School Facilities ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Main Street

This research was aimed to describe the condition of infrastructure facilitiesof basic education based on the standard of school facilities and infrastructure/public madrasah (Permendiknas no. 24 2007). The results illustrate that the vast majority of school buildingsare in accordance with the standards established. Classrooms a splaces of teaching and learning in most primary schools have been very adequate. Only still found some schools that do not have the staff room, principal room, UKS space, prayer room, and werehouse representative in order to support teaching and learning activities. But still there are schools that less attention and support facilities not regularly carry out maintenance of the building. For schools that are in the main street, still unable to overcome the noise caused by traffic so that it can interfere with teaching and learning activities. The existence of the school adjacent to the crowd as the market also require attention to reduce the disruption of teaching and learning activities.

Exploring the role of Malaguzzi’s ‘Hundred Languages of Children’ in early childhood education

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramashego S.S. Mphahlele
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Policy Statement ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Structure Knowledge

Background: In the history of early childhood education (ECE), language is viewed as key in teaching and learning. Children in the ECE are mostly confined to verbal communication which, to a certain extent, restricts their imagination and inventive ability. Loris Malaguzzi, the founder of the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy, initiated the Hundred Languages of Children (HLC) as a pedagogical approach to enable children to interact and communicate.Aim: This study aims to explore the role of HLC through the experiences and views of the four ECE practitioners in the Gauteng province. Drawing on Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, the author argues that ECE children possess different kinds of minds, and therefore they learn in different ways.Setting: Two Early Childhood centres in the Gauteng Province of South Africa were selected for this study because they had adopted Malaguzzi’s HLC approach to constructing concepts to help children structure knowledge and organise learning.Methods: The author used one-on-one interviews to get ECE practitioners’ experiences on using Malaguzzi’s HLC. To corroborate the interviews’ data, the author conducted classroom observations and document analysis.Results: The participants viewed Malaguzzi’s HLC as an enabler to meet the requirement of the two sets of curricula from the Department of Social Development (the National Curriculum Framework for children from 0 to 4 years) and from the Department of Basic Education (the Curriculum Assessment and Policy Statement for 5-year-old children).Conclusion: The findings show a paradigm shift, as children become active constructors of their own knowledge.

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