Pub Date : 2022-12-31DOI: 10.15700/saje.v42ns1a2198
Yasemin Erdem, Bilge Gök
With the study reported on here we set about to reveal the effects of mental games on third graders’ reading comprehension skills in Turkish classes. The study group comprised 71 students, 35 of whom were included in the experimental group, and 36 in the control group. The experimental group played simple to difficult mental games selected by the researcher for 2 hours per week for 10 weeks. In the control group, the students continued with the traditional teaching process which excluded the playing of mental games until the end of the semester. Mental games like Whatzizz, detective, Q-bitz, Target 5, six, 3 stone, 9 stone, Skippity, Reversi, Kulami, that correspond to skills such as attention-concentration, reasoning, logical inference, and strategic thinking, were used. The study was conducted as a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design. The quantitative data were collected through the reading comprehension skill test. The pre-test data and the post-test-data collected through the test constituted the research data. The research data were analysed by using the 2-factor ANOVA test for mixed designs. The post-test scores of the students in the experimental group were higher than those of the students in the control group. The findings obtained from the quantitative analysis indicate that mental games had a positive effect on the Turkish reading comprehension of students in the experimental group as well as positive effects on students’ skills such as strategic thinking, logical inference and reasoning.
{"title":"The effects of mental games on third graders’ reading comprehension skills in Turkish classes","authors":"Yasemin Erdem, Bilge Gök","doi":"10.15700/saje.v42ns1a2198","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v42ns1a2198","url":null,"abstract":"With the study reported on here we set about to reveal the effects of mental games on third graders’ reading comprehension skills in Turkish classes. The study group comprised 71 students, 35 of whom were included in the experimental group, and 36 in the control group. The experimental group played simple to difficult mental games selected by the researcher for 2 hours per week for 10 weeks. In the control group, the students continued with the traditional teaching process which excluded the playing of mental games until the end of the semester. Mental games like Whatzizz, detective, Q-bitz, Target 5, six, 3 stone, 9 stone, Skippity, Reversi, Kulami, that correspond to skills such as attention-concentration, reasoning, logical inference, and strategic thinking, were used. The study was conducted as a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design. The quantitative data were collected through the reading comprehension skill test. The pre-test data and the post-test-data collected through the test constituted the research data. The research data were analysed by using the 2-factor ANOVA test for mixed designs. The post-test scores of the students in the experimental group were higher than those of the students in the control group. The findings obtained from the quantitative analysis indicate that mental games had a positive effect on the Turkish reading comprehension of students in the experimental group as well as positive effects on students’ skills such as strategic thinking, logical inference and reasoning.","PeriodicalId":47261,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45738060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-31DOI: 10.15700/saje.v42ns1a2262
Teachers use feedback to modify student thinking or behaviour to improve their learning. In order for students to achieve better, teachers must use different strategies and ways of teaching. In this article we reflect on the practical application and impact that written and verbal feedback have on learners. Through the research reported on here we aimed to contribute to reflection about different concrete feedback models that are helpful to teachers and students. Seventy-four teachers of the curriculum area, society and environment (civic education, geography and history), in urban schools (n = 39) and rural schools (n = 35) from 10 lower secondary schools answered the questionnaire. The results show that teachers provide students with written and oral feedback and that there is no significant difference in the application by teachers in urban and rural schools, nor among teachers who teach subjects in the curriculum area, society and environment. We recommend that teachers receive continuous training on how to use formative assessment techniques.
{"title":"Implementation of verbal and written feedback classroom practices by teachers","authors":"","doi":"10.15700/saje.v42ns1a2262","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v42ns1a2262","url":null,"abstract":"Teachers use feedback to modify student thinking or behaviour to improve their learning. In order for students to achieve better, teachers must use different strategies and ways of teaching. In this article we reflect on the practical application and impact that written and verbal feedback have on learners. Through the research reported on here we aimed to contribute to reflection about different concrete feedback models that are helpful to teachers and students. Seventy-four teachers of the curriculum area, society and environment (civic education, geography and history), in urban schools (n = 39) and rural schools (n = 35) from 10 lower secondary schools answered the questionnaire. The results show that teachers provide students with written and oral feedback and that there is no significant difference in the application by teachers in urban and rural schools, nor among teachers who teach subjects in the curriculum area, society and environment. We recommend that teachers receive continuous training on how to use formative assessment techniques.","PeriodicalId":47261,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44677801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-31DOI: 10.15700/saje.v42ns1a2091
S. Bansilal, T. Lephoto, D. North, T. Zewotir
Teacher well-being is an important issue that needs to be considered within a teaching environment. However, little research exists about the relationship between teacher well-being and learner performance. In this study we used data from the 2015 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) to look at the interplay between teacher-related factors (including stress), and the mathematics achievement of Grade 9 learners from South Africa in the 2015 TIMSS. The results show that levels of teacher stress, teacher qualification, class size, as well as the type of area in which the school is situated are all significantly associated with learner achievement. The findings of this study reveal that learners who are taught by teachers who feel more stressed, have large classes to contend with, are in schools located in poorer areas, and who are less qualified, are significantly more disadvantaged with regard to their mathematics education than their counterparts who are taught by teachers who do not share these problems. These findings suggest that it is important to consider the role of positive working environments for teachers in trying to find ways to improve the mathematics learning outcomes.
{"title":"Exploring the association between teacher-related factors and Grade 9 mathematics achievement","authors":"S. Bansilal, T. Lephoto, D. North, T. Zewotir","doi":"10.15700/saje.v42ns1a2091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v42ns1a2091","url":null,"abstract":"Teacher well-being is an important issue that needs to be considered within a teaching environment. However, little research exists about the relationship between teacher well-being and learner performance. In this study we used data from the 2015 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) to look at the interplay between teacher-related factors (including stress), and the mathematics achievement of Grade 9 learners from South Africa in the 2015 TIMSS. The results show that levels of teacher stress, teacher qualification, class size, as well as the type of area in which the school is situated are all significantly associated with learner achievement. The findings of this study reveal that learners who are taught by teachers who feel more stressed, have large classes to contend with, are in schools located in poorer areas, and who are less qualified, are significantly more disadvantaged with regard to their mathematics education than their counterparts who are taught by teachers who do not share these problems. These findings suggest that it is important to consider the role of positive working environments for teachers in trying to find ways to improve the mathematics learning outcomes.","PeriodicalId":47261,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46702029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-30DOI: 10.15700/saje.v42n4a2139
Amy Sarah Padayachee, Ntombizandile Gcelu
South African schools are faced with an arguably insurmountable problem as a culture of indiscipline continually increases in schools. Despite being undeterred by the legal framework that guides stakeholders in the discipline crisis in schools, indiscipline in schools has soared to critical levels. Scant literature exists on how stakeholders collaborate in managing discipline in schools. The research reported on here was guided by the primary research question: How do stakeholders collaborate in managing discipline in schools? As such, in this article we explore how stakeholders collaborate in managing discipline in schools. Through purposive sampling, 16 participants from 4 secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal were chosen to take part in semi-structured interviews. The sample of participants comprised school management team members (SMT); the principal, 1 head of department, 1 post-level 1 educator and 1 school governing body (SGB) member from 4 schools in the iLembe education district. Themes that emerged from the data include that implementation of the school code of conduct as one of the most effective strategies in managing discipline in schools. The inclusion of stakeholders such as the local community, the Community Police Forum, the South African Police Services and the Department of Social Development in the successful management of learner discipline surfaced as an important theme. Furthermore, participants asserted that a whole-school approach to the implementation of the code of conduct was successful in managing discipline. The participants revealed that the collaboration of stakeholders in schools was very important for the smooth running of the school, including the management of discipline.
{"title":"Collaboration: The key to managing discipline in South African schools","authors":"Amy Sarah Padayachee, Ntombizandile Gcelu","doi":"10.15700/saje.v42n4a2139","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v42n4a2139","url":null,"abstract":"South African schools are faced with an arguably insurmountable problem as a culture of indiscipline continually increases in schools. Despite being undeterred by the legal framework that guides stakeholders in the discipline crisis in schools, indiscipline in schools has soared to critical levels. Scant literature exists on how stakeholders collaborate in managing discipline in schools. The research reported on here was guided by the primary research question: How do stakeholders collaborate in managing discipline in schools? As such, in this article we explore how stakeholders collaborate in managing discipline in schools. Through purposive sampling, 16 participants from 4 secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal were chosen to take part in semi-structured interviews. The sample of participants comprised school management team members (SMT); the principal, 1 head of department, 1 post-level 1 educator and 1 school governing body (SGB) member from 4 schools in the iLembe education district. Themes that emerged from the data include that implementation of the school code of conduct as one of the most effective strategies in managing discipline in schools. The inclusion of stakeholders such as the local community, the Community Police Forum, the South African Police Services and the Department of Social Development in the successful management of learner discipline surfaced as an important theme. Furthermore, participants asserted that a whole-school approach to the implementation of the code of conduct was successful in managing discipline. The participants revealed that the collaboration of stakeholders in schools was very important for the smooth running of the school, including the management of discipline.","PeriodicalId":47261,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48670247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-30DOI: 10.15700/saje.v42n4a2080
S. Vandeyar, M. A. Mohale
Utilising a qualitative case study, we set out to investigate how learners at Hope Saturday School evoked the principles of ubuntu/humanity as they collaborated during project-based learning. The article is part of a broader study in which a mix of semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, observations, document analysis and field notes were used to capture data. The learner participants were Black, and almost all of them resided in informal settlements, townships, and farming communities. Data were analysed using content analysis. The philosophy of ubuntu was used to underpin this study. The finding of this study shows that values like interdependence, sharing, caring, teamwork, solidarity, unity and helping one another were evoked as learners collaborated in project-based learning. The article concludes that a supportive environment that aids the development of ubuntu values can improve learning experiences of underperforming learners.
{"title":"Philosophy of ubuntu and collaborative project-based learning in post-apartheid South Africa: A case study of underperforming learners at Hope Saturday school","authors":"S. Vandeyar, M. A. Mohale","doi":"10.15700/saje.v42n4a2080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v42n4a2080","url":null,"abstract":"Utilising a qualitative case study, we set out to investigate how learners at Hope Saturday School evoked the principles of ubuntu/humanity as they collaborated during project-based learning. The article is part of a broader study in which a mix of semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, observations, document analysis and field notes were used to capture data. The learner participants were Black, and almost all of them resided in informal settlements, townships, and farming communities. Data were analysed using content analysis. The philosophy of ubuntu was used to underpin this study. The finding of this study shows that values like interdependence, sharing, caring, teamwork, solidarity, unity and helping one another were evoked as learners collaborated in project-based learning. The article concludes that a supportive environment that aids the development of ubuntu values can improve learning experiences of underperforming learners.","PeriodicalId":47261,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44854934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-30DOI: 10.15700/saje.v42n4a2167
Amal Alibrahim, Elham Alsadoon
As an innovative educational tool, e-textbooks has gained wide interest – especially with the growth of e-learning. As with any new technology, understanding how users adopt these technologies is still unclear. In the study reported on here we proposed a theoretical model shaping the determinants of teachers’ attitude toward e-textbooks. Specifically, we identified three contextualised factors (ease of use, usefulness, and concerns) as the factors of adopting e-textbooks. In addition, we examined teachers’ use of e-textbooks. A mixed-methods research design was used in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed. The results show that teachers held positive attitudes toward using e-textbooks in their teaching and used them as instructional aids. The results might inform education decision-makers who are planning to integrate e textbooks into their schools in line with digital transformation and the knowledge society.
{"title":"Exploring intervention of e-textbook in schools: Teachers’ perceptives","authors":"Amal Alibrahim, Elham Alsadoon","doi":"10.15700/saje.v42n4a2167","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v42n4a2167","url":null,"abstract":"As an innovative educational tool, e-textbooks has gained wide interest – especially with the growth of e-learning. As with any new technology, understanding how users adopt these technologies is still unclear. In the study reported on here we proposed a theoretical model shaping the determinants of teachers’ attitude toward e-textbooks. Specifically, we identified three contextualised factors (ease of use, usefulness, and concerns) as the factors of adopting e-textbooks. In addition, we examined teachers’ use of e-textbooks. A mixed-methods research design was used in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed. The results show that teachers held positive attitudes toward using e-textbooks in their teaching and used them as instructional aids. The results might inform education decision-makers who are planning to integrate e textbooks into their schools in line with digital transformation and the knowledge society.","PeriodicalId":47261,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41895215","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-30DOI: 10.15700/saje.v42n4a2101
C. Mahomed, Prakash Singh
Teacher training has long relied on experienced school mentors as role models for novice teachers. However, qualifications and experience alone cannot remain the prerequisites for teacher leadership in 21st century schools. How can experienced school mentors collegially mentor new teachers into leadership, without abrogating their responsibilities? In this article, a constructivist approach was explored to mentor new teachers into leadership with the focus on establishing symbiotic relationships based on the mutual continuous professional development (CPD) of experienced school mentors and novice teachers. A multi-faced approach to leadership is proposed. Data regarding the perceptions of 241 final-year student teachers of their mentors’ collegial leadership competencies were collected using a questionnaire. The findings indicate the positive perceptions that the student teachers had of their mentors’ collegial leadership competencies. In the study reported on here, the focus was on the perceived characteristics of experienced school mentors to assist student teachers with work-integrated learning. The findings provide insights into enhancing the interpersonal collegial competencies of experienced school mentors to improve the school-work-integrated knowledge of student teachers.
{"title":"Leading collegially: Shifting paradigms for effective student teacher mentoring during work-integrated learning","authors":"C. Mahomed, Prakash Singh","doi":"10.15700/saje.v42n4a2101","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v42n4a2101","url":null,"abstract":"Teacher training has long relied on experienced school mentors as role models for novice teachers. However, qualifications and experience alone cannot remain the prerequisites for teacher leadership in 21st century schools. How can experienced school mentors collegially mentor new teachers into leadership, without abrogating their responsibilities? In this article, a constructivist approach was explored to mentor new teachers into leadership with the focus on establishing symbiotic relationships based on the mutual continuous professional development (CPD) of experienced school mentors and novice teachers. A multi-faced approach to leadership is proposed. Data regarding the perceptions of 241 final-year student teachers of their mentors’ collegial leadership competencies were collected using a questionnaire. The findings indicate the positive perceptions that the student teachers had of their mentors’ collegial leadership competencies. In the study reported on here, the focus was on the perceived characteristics of experienced school mentors to assist student teachers with work-integrated learning. The findings provide insights into enhancing the interpersonal collegial competencies of experienced school mentors to improve the school-work-integrated knowledge of student teachers.","PeriodicalId":47261,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49028170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-30DOI: 10.15700/saje.v42n4a2138
M. Shula, Chris van Wyk, J. Heystek
In this article we report on an investigation into developing people and serving the community at faith-based schools through a servant leadership theory lens. Relevant literature was reviewed, and data were collected from school leaders by means of individual semi-structured interviews. Twelve participants were purposively selected from schools classified as top performing schools in Gauteng, a province in South Africa. The interviews with these participants were audiotaped and transcribed, and the data analysed by using a process of abductive data analysis. The following measures were employed to review the servant leadership practices of faith-based leaders: being a serving leader, fostering people growth, and enhancing community relationships. Overall, principals were found to be effective leaders involved in a hands-on manner in both task-orientated and person-orientated activities. The servant leadership conception whereby “other” interests are regarded as more important than own interests serves as the basis for people development and there is a clear awareness that the enhancement of community relationships is a key facet in the communication that takes place between school principals and community members. The participants also showed concern for school-led development activities. It was evident that participating school staff were personally involved in facilitating learning activities such as collaborative workgroups and workshops and in creating a supporting structure for staff development. Apart from recommending that principals’ leadership behaviour in the abovementioned areas is consolidated, we strongly support their involvement in related matters such as coping with contextual realities and enhancing community relationships. The improvement of community relationships is eventually a challenging task to be exercised by principals within the social, political and demographic contexts of faith-based schools.
{"title":"School leadership practice at faith-based schools through a servant leadership lens","authors":"M. Shula, Chris van Wyk, J. Heystek","doi":"10.15700/saje.v42n4a2138","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v42n4a2138","url":null,"abstract":"In this article we report on an investigation into developing people and serving the community at faith-based schools through a servant leadership theory lens. Relevant literature was reviewed, and data were collected from school leaders by means of individual semi-structured interviews. Twelve participants were purposively selected from schools classified as top performing schools in Gauteng, a province in South Africa. The interviews with these participants were audiotaped and transcribed, and the data analysed by using a process of abductive data analysis. The following measures were employed to review the servant leadership practices of faith-based leaders: being a serving leader, fostering people growth, and enhancing community relationships. Overall, principals were found to be effective leaders involved in a hands-on manner in both task-orientated and person-orientated activities. The servant leadership conception whereby “other” interests are regarded as more important than own interests serves as the basis for people development and there is a clear awareness that the enhancement of community relationships is a key facet in the communication that takes place between school principals and community members. The participants also showed concern for school-led development activities. It was evident that participating school staff were personally involved in facilitating learning activities such as collaborative workgroups and workshops and in creating a supporting structure for staff development. Apart from recommending that principals’ leadership behaviour in the abovementioned areas is consolidated, we strongly support their involvement in related matters such as coping with contextual realities and enhancing community relationships. The improvement of community relationships is eventually a challenging task to be exercised by principals within the social, political and demographic contexts of faith-based schools.","PeriodicalId":47261,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44742560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-30DOI: 10.15700/saje.v42n4a2115
Ker-Wei Yu, Charissa Shay
Borrowing the participation level typology from civic participation literature, in the study reported on here, we explored the level of learner participation in school governance in 1 girls’ high school in South Africa. We demonstrate that despite the schools’ self-claimed progressive stance, its learner participation still exhibits numerous nuanced examples of tokenism. Using a qualitative research design and purposive sampling, we collected data from interviews and observation to examine the possible causes for, as well as consequences of this tokenism. The findings indicate that adults’ beliefs about minors’ limited capacity remain a structural barrier to learners’ genuine participation. This belief threatens the credibility and legitimacy of the Representative Council of Learners (RCL) and this threat to legitimacy, in turn, reinforces the structural beliefs that adults hold and thus perpetuates a cycle whereby genuine participation is compromised and token participation is entrenched. We conclude this article with recommendations to address, mitigate and transcend token participation.
{"title":"Tokenism and barriers to genuine learner participation in school governance in one progressive South African girls’ high school","authors":"Ker-Wei Yu, Charissa Shay","doi":"10.15700/saje.v42n4a2115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v42n4a2115","url":null,"abstract":"Borrowing the participation level typology from civic participation literature, in the study reported on here, we explored the level of learner participation in school governance in 1 girls’ high school in South Africa. We demonstrate that despite the schools’ self-claimed progressive stance, its learner participation still exhibits numerous nuanced examples of tokenism. Using a qualitative research design and purposive sampling, we collected data from interviews and observation to examine the possible causes for, as well as consequences of this tokenism. The findings indicate that adults’ beliefs about minors’ limited capacity remain a structural barrier to learners’ genuine participation. This belief threatens the credibility and legitimacy of the Representative Council of Learners (RCL) and this threat to legitimacy, in turn, reinforces the structural beliefs that adults hold and thus perpetuates a cycle whereby genuine participation is compromised and token participation is entrenched. We conclude this article with recommendations to address, mitigate and transcend token participation.","PeriodicalId":47261,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43092596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-30DOI: 10.15700/saje.v42n4a2131
Jabulisile C. Ngwenya, Siyacela Nzuza
With this study we explored teachers’ views on the role of economic and management sciences (EMS) in preparing learners for accounting in the Further Education and Training (FET) Phase. A qualitative research approach was employed along with the interpretivist paradigm to underpin the study. We used a qualitative case study approach to allow for an in-depth understanding of the views of the teachers by talking to them directly. Semi-structured individual and focus-group interviews were used as data collection methods. Participants in the study included 5 Grade 9 EMS teachers and 5 Grade 10 accounting teachers who were conveniently and purposively sampled from 5 secondary schools. A thematic analysis approach was adopted to analyse the interview responses. The findings of the study reveal that teachers understood that EMS was an integrated subject. However, Grade 9 teachers struggled to teach EMS in an integrated manner and this hampered the teaching of financial literacy. The challenges in teaching EMS are aggravated by the lack of relevant pedagogical strategies, the lack of adequate knowledge of the subject and missing pertinent foundational content in the EMS curriculum and textbooks. As a result, learners enter the FET phase without being adequately prepared to study accounting in subsequent grades.
{"title":"Teachers’ views on the role of economic and management sciences in preparing learners for accounting in the Further Education and Training Phase","authors":"Jabulisile C. Ngwenya, Siyacela Nzuza","doi":"10.15700/saje.v42n4a2131","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v42n4a2131","url":null,"abstract":"With this study we explored teachers’ views on the role of economic and management sciences (EMS) in preparing learners for accounting in the Further Education and Training (FET) Phase. A qualitative research approach was employed along with the interpretivist paradigm to underpin the study. We used a qualitative case study approach to allow for an in-depth understanding of the views of the teachers by talking to them directly. Semi-structured individual and focus-group interviews were used as data collection methods. Participants in the study included 5 Grade 9 EMS teachers and 5 Grade 10 accounting teachers who were conveniently and purposively sampled from 5 secondary schools. A thematic analysis approach was adopted to analyse the interview responses. The findings of the study reveal that teachers understood that EMS was an integrated subject. However, Grade 9 teachers struggled to teach EMS in an integrated manner and this hampered the teaching of financial literacy. The challenges in teaching EMS are aggravated by the lack of relevant pedagogical strategies, the lack of adequate knowledge of the subject and missing pertinent foundational content in the EMS curriculum and textbooks. As a result, learners enter the FET phase without being adequately prepared to study accounting in subsequent grades.","PeriodicalId":47261,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2022-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47490713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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