Pub Date : 2023-05-11DOI: 10.1080/18117295.2023.2202021
Charnel Malherbe-da Silva, Portia Kavai, Rian de Villiers
This study explored the perceived benefits and challenges that Natural Sciences teachers experience when using blended teaching in Smart Schools. This qualitative research focused on public township schools with challenging socio-economic contexts in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. A non-probability purposive sampling method was followed. The data collection technique used involved individual, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. Interviews conducted with 10 Natural Sciences teachers were analysed through inductive analysis. The key findings of this study portrayed that teachers perceived that the incorporation of blended teaching and learning presented major pedagogical benefits, such as increased learner enjoyment and improved engagement as visual enhancements of the scientific processes and concepts aid learning, save teaching and reduce learning time since complex scientific concepts are simplified and use virtual experiments instead of traditional hands-on practicals. Efficiency in long-term running costs was seen as another benefit. According to these Natural Science teachers, one disadvantage in particular was an increased workload owing to double lesson planning for classroom activities and particularly for science practicals with and without the use of smart equipment, where there were external challenges such as load shedding, inoperable devices, connectivity challenges and/or smart equipment thefts. It is recommended that Smart School teachers are encouraged to form communities of practice to share strategies to minimise the perceived or experienced challenges in blended teaching.
{"title":"Natural Sciences Teachers’ Experiences using Blended Teaching in Township Smart Schools: Perceived Benefits and Challenges","authors":"Charnel Malherbe-da Silva, Portia Kavai, Rian de Villiers","doi":"10.1080/18117295.2023.2202021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18117295.2023.2202021","url":null,"abstract":"This study explored the perceived benefits and challenges that Natural Sciences teachers experience when using blended teaching in Smart Schools. This qualitative research focused on public township schools with challenging socio-economic contexts in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. A non-probability purposive sampling method was followed. The data collection technique used involved individual, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. Interviews conducted with 10 Natural Sciences teachers were analysed through inductive analysis. The key findings of this study portrayed that teachers perceived that the incorporation of blended teaching and learning presented major pedagogical benefits, such as increased learner enjoyment and improved engagement as visual enhancements of the scientific processes and concepts aid learning, save teaching and reduce learning time since complex scientific concepts are simplified and use virtual experiments instead of traditional hands-on practicals. Efficiency in long-term running costs was seen as another benefit. According to these Natural Science teachers, one disadvantage in particular was an increased workload owing to double lesson planning for classroom activities and particularly for science practicals with and without the use of smart equipment, where there were external challenges such as load shedding, inoperable devices, connectivity challenges and/or smart equipment thefts. It is recommended that Smart School teachers are encouraged to form communities of practice to share strategies to minimise the perceived or experienced challenges in blended teaching.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87762236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Women continue to be underrepresented in undergraduate STEM majors. Prior studies identify sense of belonging, or the extent to which one feels like an accepted member of an academic community, as a key contributor to women’s decisions to stick with or leave their STEM majors. Calculus can be an especially critical leak in the STEM pipeline, as is often seen as a gatekeeper course for STEM majors. Historically, Calculus instruction has been primarily lecture-based, though recently, efforts have shifted toward incorporating instruction that supports active learning. Prior studies have suggested that providing active learning opportunities may support students’ sense of belonging. However, there lacks consensus on the particular types of active learning opportunities that best support students. This mixed methods study investigates connections between women’s sense of belonging and the learning opportunities they experience during the first semester of a two-semester Calculus course designed to provide frequent active learning opportunities. Findings indicate a significant increase in sense of belonging, perceived competence, and social connectedness from Week 1 to Week 7 of the semester. Further, women overwhelmingly identified the interactive nature of group work and interactive lecture as supportive of their sense of belonging for both academic and social reasons.
{"title":"Women’s Sense of Belonging in Undergraduate Calculus and the Influence of (Inter)Active Learning Opportunities","authors":"Casey Regina Griffin","doi":"10.31756/jrsmte.622","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.622","url":null,"abstract":"Women continue to be underrepresented in undergraduate STEM majors. Prior studies identify sense of belonging, or the extent to which one feels like an accepted member of an academic community, as a key contributor to women’s decisions to stick with or leave their STEM majors. Calculus can be an especially critical leak in the STEM pipeline, as is often seen as a gatekeeper course for STEM majors. Historically, Calculus instruction has been primarily lecture-based, though recently, efforts have shifted toward incorporating instruction that supports active learning. Prior studies have suggested that providing active learning opportunities may support students’ sense of belonging. However, there lacks consensus on the particular types of active learning opportunities that best support students. This mixed methods study investigates connections between women’s sense of belonging and the learning opportunities they experience during the first semester of a two-semester Calculus course designed to provide frequent active learning opportunities. Findings indicate a significant increase in sense of belonging, perceived competence, and social connectedness from Week 1 to Week 7 of the semester. Further, women overwhelmingly identified the interactive nature of group work and interactive lecture as supportive of their sense of belonging for both academic and social reasons.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89655680","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rohingya refugee children, a persecuted minority, should have the opportunity to acquire the level of scientific literacy necessary to survive and thrive in an increasingly scientific world. Unfortunately, our understanding of the role science education holds in the various educational policies that guide the programming for Rohingya refugee children in the camps in Bangladesh is minimal. The purpose of this study was to enhance that understanding. A vertical axes comparative case study approach was used to compare and analyze the policies at the global and national levels to elucidate the existing inclusion or lack of science and scientific literacy for the Rohingya refugee education system. Findings showed that the educational policies fall short in supporting and promoting science and scientific literacy along with numeracy and literacy. Based on evidence on comparison between global and national policies for education for Rohingya refugee children, this study led to the development of recommendations for enabling policies and inclusive science and scientific literacy can pave the path for a better future for the prosecuted Rohingya refugee children.
{"title":"Critical Features of Science Education: A Comparison between Global and National Education Policy for Rohingya Refugee Children in Bangladesh","authors":"Shukufe Rahman, Gayle A. Buck","doi":"10.31756/jrsmte.623","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.623","url":null,"abstract":"Rohingya refugee children, a persecuted minority, should have the opportunity to acquire the level of scientific literacy necessary to survive and thrive in an increasingly scientific world. Unfortunately, our understanding of the role science education holds in the various educational policies that guide the programming for Rohingya refugee children in the camps in Bangladesh is minimal. The purpose of this study was to enhance that understanding. A vertical axes comparative case study approach was used to compare and analyze the policies at the global and national levels to elucidate the existing inclusion or lack of science and scientific literacy for the Rohingya refugee education system. Findings showed that the educational policies fall short in supporting and promoting science and scientific literacy along with numeracy and literacy. Based on evidence on comparison between global and national policies for education for Rohingya refugee children, this study led to the development of recommendations for enabling policies and inclusive science and scientific literacy can pave the path for a better future for the prosecuted Rohingya refugee children.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75557984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Campus resources provide valuable support for students navigating university, in particular historically excluded students. However, not all students may be aware of these resources or be actively encouraged to use them. As students regularly interface with their instructors for consecutive periods of time, instructor communication about campus resources regarding academic, community, wellness, and career and professional support may have positive motivational and psycho-social impacts for all students, especially historically excluded students. Therefore, we explored the types of campus resources that biology instructors communicate with students and whether they are positively correlated with students’ sense of belonging, motivation to use resources, and course performance in biology courses. We found that, all else equal, student sense of belonging derived from faculty and staff was positively correlated with the number of types of resources that instructors communicated about in their courses. From the students who reported that their instructors promoted campus resources, most students somewhat or strongly agreed that they were motivated to use career and professional development types of resources. Our results support that instructors have the capability to increase student’s cultural wealth by actively communicating various types of campus resources to their students. These results could provide guidance for biology faculty seeking to support students in the classroom and on campus as students are navigating institutions.
{"title":"Have you heard about this? An exploration of instructor communication about campus resources to students in biology courses","authors":"Yalila Vega, Clara L. Meaders","doi":"10.31756/jrsmte.621","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.621","url":null,"abstract":"Campus resources provide valuable support for students navigating university, in particular historically excluded students. However, not all students may be aware of these resources or be actively encouraged to use them. As students regularly interface with their instructors for consecutive periods of time, instructor communication about campus resources regarding academic, community, wellness, and career and professional support may have positive motivational and psycho-social impacts for all students, especially historically excluded students. Therefore, we explored the types of campus resources that biology instructors communicate with students and whether they are positively correlated with students’ sense of belonging, motivation to use resources, and course performance in biology courses. We found that, all else equal, student sense of belonging derived from faculty and staff was positively correlated with the number of types of resources that instructors communicated about in their courses. From the students who reported that their instructors promoted campus resources, most students somewhat or strongly agreed that they were motivated to use career and professional development types of resources. Our results support that instructors have the capability to increase student’s cultural wealth by actively communicating various types of campus resources to their students. These results could provide guidance for biology faculty seeking to support students in the classroom and on campus as students are navigating institutions.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73668162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-05-04DOI: 10.1080/18117295.2023.2244217
Marien Alet Graham
AbstractThere is growing global concern concerning South African learners’ mathematics achievement, with research identifying many factors contributing to poor mathematics achievement, with class size being one of them. When classrooms are overcrowded, this may lead to a stressful environment which can negatively impact the quality of teaching and learning that is possible. The purpose of this study was to gain a holistic understanding of the problem of overcrowded classrooms by using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach. We first investigate the association between large classes and mathematics achievement using the TIMSS 2019 data for Grade 9 mathematics. This is followed by the qualitative phase, which elicited educators’ perceptions of the relationship between overcrowded classrooms and achievement. The quantitative results showed a significant negative correlation between the two, indicating that the larger the class size, the worse the achievement. It also showed that learners taught by teachers who strongly believed that there were too many learners in a class performed significantly worse than learners taught by teachers who did not feel this way. The qualitative results showed that participants believed that overcrowded classes led to limited personalised individual interaction with learners, didactic neglect and poor time management, which are associated with poorer mathematics performance. Recommendations include that the issue of overcrowded classes should be prioritised by all stakeholders at the different levels.Keywords: Mathematics achievementclass sizeTIMSS 2019thematic analysis Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
{"title":"Overcrowded Classrooms and their Association with South African Learners’ Mathematics Achievement","authors":"Marien Alet Graham","doi":"10.1080/18117295.2023.2244217","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18117295.2023.2244217","url":null,"abstract":"AbstractThere is growing global concern concerning South African learners’ mathematics achievement, with research identifying many factors contributing to poor mathematics achievement, with class size being one of them. When classrooms are overcrowded, this may lead to a stressful environment which can negatively impact the quality of teaching and learning that is possible. The purpose of this study was to gain a holistic understanding of the problem of overcrowded classrooms by using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach. We first investigate the association between large classes and mathematics achievement using the TIMSS 2019 data for Grade 9 mathematics. This is followed by the qualitative phase, which elicited educators’ perceptions of the relationship between overcrowded classrooms and achievement. The quantitative results showed a significant negative correlation between the two, indicating that the larger the class size, the worse the achievement. It also showed that learners taught by teachers who strongly believed that there were too many learners in a class performed significantly worse than learners taught by teachers who did not feel this way. The qualitative results showed that participants believed that overcrowded classes led to limited personalised individual interaction with learners, didactic neglect and poor time management, which are associated with poorer mathematics performance. Recommendations include that the issue of overcrowded classes should be prioritised by all stakeholders at the different levels.Keywords: Mathematics achievementclass sizeTIMSS 2019thematic analysis Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135010888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-05-04DOI: 10.1080/18117295.2023.2257968
Doras Sibanda, Jaqueline Naidoo
AbstractGlobally girls’ performance in mathematics has improved over the years as measured by TIMSS results. Inconsistency in mathematics performance of boys and girls is still an area of great concern. This study examines the relationship between mathematics achievement and gender of South African Grade 9 learners from TIMSS 2015 data. The data were further analysed to highlight any statistical relationships between gender and mathematics achievement using SPSS version 27. The results show that gender differences did not impact the overall learner achievement in most of the questions in the four content domains: algebra, data and chance, geometry, and numbers. However, the findings indicate that girls performed better in the questions that show a statistically significant gender difference. Yet, the findings show that boys tended to perform better than girls on questions that require reasoning compared with knowing and applying. The study highlighted that statistically significant gender differences varied by content and cognitive domains. Further research is needed to determine the reasons for these variations.Keywords: Mathematics achievementmathematics performancegenderTIMSS 2015variability AcknowledgementThis study is based on data contained in TIMSS 2015, conducted as part of the Education and Skills Development Research Programme at the Human Sciences Research Council.Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
{"title":"Gender Gaps in Mathematics Achievement in TIMSS 2015: Evidence from Grade 9 South African Learners","authors":"Doras Sibanda, Jaqueline Naidoo","doi":"10.1080/18117295.2023.2257968","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18117295.2023.2257968","url":null,"abstract":"AbstractGlobally girls’ performance in mathematics has improved over the years as measured by TIMSS results. Inconsistency in mathematics performance of boys and girls is still an area of great concern. This study examines the relationship between mathematics achievement and gender of South African Grade 9 learners from TIMSS 2015 data. The data were further analysed to highlight any statistical relationships between gender and mathematics achievement using SPSS version 27. The results show that gender differences did not impact the overall learner achievement in most of the questions in the four content domains: algebra, data and chance, geometry, and numbers. However, the findings indicate that girls performed better in the questions that show a statistically significant gender difference. Yet, the findings show that boys tended to perform better than girls on questions that require reasoning compared with knowing and applying. The study highlighted that statistically significant gender differences varied by content and cognitive domains. Further research is needed to determine the reasons for these variations.Keywords: Mathematics achievementmathematics performancegenderTIMSS 2015variability AcknowledgementThis study is based on data contained in TIMSS 2015, conducted as part of the Education and Skills Development Research Programme at the Human Sciences Research Council.Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135011591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Interactions Between Kindergarten Teachers and Children While Raising Plants: Focusing on Personification","authors":"Rika Miyagi","doi":"10.11639/sjst.21055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11639/sjst.21055","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91304462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"適切かつ十分な証拠を利用するアーギュメント構成能力育成を目指した小学校理科授業デザインの開発と評価：証拠の認識的理解に着目して","authors":"Motoaki Matano, Etsuji Yamaguchi, Tomokazu Yamamoto, Shinichi Kamiyama, Miki Sakamoto","doi":"10.11639/sjst.22040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11639/sjst.22040","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83425060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"生命科学に関して幼児期に育むべき資質・能力に関する論考：","authors":"Asami Ohnuki, Makoto Suzuki","doi":"10.11639/sjst.a21002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11639/sjst.a21002","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77170659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development of Teaching Materials that Enable 3D and Active Pseudo-Observation of Celestial Objects: For the 4th-Grade Science Unit “Moon and Stars”","authors":"Tadahiro Sekiya, Takayuki Yamada, T. Tosaki","doi":"10.11639/sjst.c21004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11639/sjst.c21004","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81930206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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