EducationEducation articleshttp://hdl.handle.net/10386/18282024-03-29T07:10:03Z2024-03-29T07:10:03ZEnhancing learners’ reading habits through reading bags at secondary schoolsMolotja, Tsebe WilfredThemane, Mahlapahlapanahttp://hdl.handle.net/10386/30392020-07-15T01:00:09Z2018-01-01T00:00:00ZEnhancing learners’ reading habits through reading bags at secondary schools
Molotja, Tsebe Wilfred; Themane, Mahlapahlapana
The importance of getting children off to a good start in reading cannot be overstated. Successful academic performance at primary and secondary school level is partly dependent on the ability to read. It is believed that good learners are those who are proficient in reading. However, many learners are struggling to read and, therefore, struggle to academically succeed in other subjects. The problem of not being able to read transcends negatively on learners’ academic achievements. This study proposes a strategy towards motivating learners in developing better reading habits through the distribution of reading bags. The mixed-method approach was adopted in conducting this study. Learners’ reading strategies were first identified by administering a survey on reading strategies. About 14 student-educators volunteered in distributing the questionnaires at their respective schools during their teaching practice sessions. The questionnaires were distributed to 155 learners who voluntarily participated in the study. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software for descriptive statistics. The results indicated that most of the learners use global reading strategies, with the least utilising the problem-solving strategies and the support reading strategies. The researchers recommend the usage of reading bags as a strategy to motivate learners to develop good reading habits, which will then lead to the usage of all three strategies, in particular, the problem reading strategies.
Article published in the Reading and Writing-Journal of the Reading Association of South Africa; vol 09 (1)
https://doi.org/ 10.4102/rw.v9i1.185
2018-01-01T00:00:00ZExploring Language as an Impediment to or a Resource for the Indigenisation of Social Work EducationMakhubele, J. CMatlakala, Frans. KMabvurira, Vincenthttp://hdl.handle.net/10386/30352020-07-11T01:00:08Z2018-01-01T00:00:00ZExploring Language as an Impediment to or a Resource for the Indigenisation of Social Work Education
Makhubele, J. C; Matlakala, Frans. K; Mabvurira, Vincent
The enduring dominant influences from Western countries have long been felt in the different spheres of political ideologies, education, and financial, technological and intellectual discourses, particularly in Africa. In spite of wide-ranging inequalities, the end of the colonial era has seen a remarkable progress of Third World academic and scientific systems and a significant degree of independence and objectivity. The aim of this article is to analyse language as an impediment to or a resource for, and the dynamics of educational processes towards, the indigenisation of social work education. The authors reviewed and analysed literature as research design. The study adopted the Afrocentricity theory, as it seeks to recreate a historiography that represents and recognises South African cultural influences on human evolution and development. In this article, literature was used to explore the ways in which people use cultural knowledge to inform social work education. The review particularly focuses on language as an impediment to or a resource for the indigenisation of social work education and the dynamics of educational processes. The literature review clarifies that, by virtue of their mainly Eurocentric training, social work educators seldom consider indigenous knowledge of Black South Africans over and above Western-oriented world views, and have neglected the significance of Black South African indigenous knowledge insofar as initiatives towards practice interventions are concerned. Future research should focus on how university policies, material development and dissemination of information can be harmonised to encompass indigenous languages in social work education and training.
Article published in the Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development
https://upjournals.co.za/index.php/SWPR; Vol 30 (1 )
2018-01-01T00:00:00ZThe Use of Hand Puppets to Increase Intrinsic Motivation during Science Learning of 6th and 7th Grade Learners in Dikgale, Limpopo Province, South Africa: A Case StudyPotgieter, AnnelizePotgieter, M. J.McCabe, R. V.http://hdl.handle.net/10386/30122020-06-24T01:00:09Z2018-01-01T00:00:00ZThe Use of Hand Puppets to Increase Intrinsic Motivation during Science Learning of 6th and 7th Grade Learners in Dikgale, Limpopo Province, South Africa: A Case Study
Potgieter, Annelize; Potgieter, M. J.; McCabe, R. V.
One of the most important psychological concepts required for enhanced learning is motivation. This is especially true for science, which is seen by learners as being difficult. This study investigated the motivational changes with regard to studying science and the gender and age differences when using hand puppets in the science classroom. In order to examine this, a 7-week intervention involving the teaching of science by means of hand puppets was conducted in two Grade 6 and two Grade 7 classes in rural-based Dikgale, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The learners’ motivation was assessed in terms of basic psychological needs, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, with a questionnaire before and after the intervention. Data were analysed using a paired sample t-test, an independent t-test and a MANCOVA. The results show an increase in basic psychological needs and intrinsic motivation, and a decrease in extrinsic motivation for science, after the use of hand puppets. In addition, it appears that there are no gender and age differences regarding motivational change when using hand puppets in science education. It is therefore concluded that hand puppets are a promising teaching method that positively affects the motivation of school learners studying science. Thus it is recommended that further research in the form of an experimental longitudinal design be undertaken to ascertain long-term motivational changes.
Article published in the International Journal of Educational Development in Africa; vol 4| 2017–2018 | #4507 | 18 pages
2018-01-01T00:00:00ZTeachers’ learning and assessing of mathematical processes with emphasis on representations, reasoning and proofMaoto, SatsopeMasha, KwenaMokwana, Lekwahttp://hdl.handle.net/10386/30112020-06-23T01:00:11Z2018-01-01T00:00:00ZTeachers’ learning and assessing of mathematical processes with emphasis on representations, reasoning and proof
Maoto, Satsope; Masha, Kwena; Mokwana, Lekwa
This article focuses mainly on two key mathematical processes (representation, and reasoning and proof). Firstly, we observed how teachers learn these processes and subsequently identify what and how to assess learners on the same processes. Secondly, we reviewed one teacher’s attempt to facilitate the learning of the processes in his classroom. Two interrelated questions were pursued: ‘what are the teachers’ challenges in learning mathematical processes?’ and ‘in what ways are teachers’ approaches to learning mathematical processes influencing how they assess their learners on the same processes?’ A case study was undertaken involving 10 high school mathematics teachers who enrolled for an assessment module towards a Bachelor in Education Honours degree in mathematics education. We present an interpretive analysis of two sets of data. The first set consisted of the teachers’ written responses to a pattern searching activity. The second set consisted of a mathematical discourse on matchstick patterns in a
Grade 9 class. The overall finding was that teachers rush through forms of representation and focus more on manipulation of numerical representations with a view to deriving symbolic representation. Subsequently, this unidirectional approach limits the scope of assessment of mathematical processes. Interventions with regard to the enhancement of these complex processes should involve teachers’ actual engagements in and reflections on similar learning.
Article published in the Pythagoras - Journal of the Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa.; 39(1), a373
2018-01-01T00:00:00Z