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Awases, Cherly Lydia. "Secondary school Geography teachers' understanding and implementation learner-centred eof ducation and enquiry-based teaching in Namibia." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/97002.
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Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the understanding of and experiences in the implementation of learner-centred education (LCE) and enquiry-based teaching of Grade 10 Geography teachers against the backdrop of curriculum reform in Namibia. The Namibian curriculum is premised on the view that there is a need for the holistic development and preparation of learners for a knowledge-based society. Globally, LCE, with its potential for broadening access to quality education, has been a recurring theme of national reform policies and has been promoted as an innovative way of teaching. The usefulness of the LCE approach and associated enquiry-based teaching is embedded in constructivism and is introduced with the promise that it will enable learners to develop investigative and critical thinking skills that will put them at the centre of learning. This interpretative study employed a case study approach that utilised qualitative methods to gather information on the experiences of the three Geography teachers at the sampled schools as they implement LCE and enquiry-based teaching. The main data-gathering techniques in phases 1 and 2 of the research respectively were semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. The findings revealed that the teachers have different understandings of what LCE and enquiry-based teaching approaches are, although their teaching employs some elements of it. The research also indicated that there is one big factor that impinges on their implementation of LCE and enquiry-based teaching approaches. The teachers admitted that, due to the pressure of learner success in the end-of-year Grade 10 examination, they rather teach to the test. This diverts their teaching from focusing on implementing approaches that actively involve learners in the learning process and nurture enquiry skills when these skills are not formally assessed in examinations. Consequently, teachers fail to implement the syllabus as intended by policy makers and curriculum developers. Even though the findings of this study may be specific to the sampled schools and the participating teachers, it can be assumed that similar situations exist in schools with comparable contexts. It is therefore important that education policy makers and relevant stakeholders strive to allocate sufficient support and resources for teachers to implement LCE and enquiry-based teaching effectively in schools.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die verstaan van en ervarings met die implementering van leerder-gesentreerde en ondersoek-gebaseerde onderrig van Graad 10 Geografie-onderwysers teen die agtergrond van kurrikulumhervorming in Namibië. Die Namibiese leerplan berus op die siening dat daar „n behoefte is aan die holistiese ontwikkeling en voorbereiding van leerders vir „n kennis-gebaseerde samelewing. Leerder-gesentreerde onderrig met sy potensiaal om toegang tot gehalte onderwys te verbreed, is „n tema wat wêreldwyd herhaaldelik in nasionale hervormingsbeleid voorkom en as „n innoverende wyse van onderrig bevorder word. Die nut van die leerder-gesentreerde benadering en gepaardgaande ondersoek-gebaseerde onderrig is in konstruktivisme gebaseer en word voorgestel met die belofte dat dit leerders in staat sal stel om ondersoekende en kritiese denkvaardighede te ontwikkel, wat hulle sentraal in die leerproses sal plaas. Hierdie interpretatiewe studie het 'n gevallestudie-benadering gevolg en kwalitatiewe metodes gebruik om inligting in te samel oor die ervarings van drie Geografie-onderwysers se implementering van leerder-gesentreerde en ondersoek-gebaseerde onderrig by skole wat as steekproef gekies is. Die belangrikste onderskeidelike data-insamelingstegnieke in fases 1 en 2 van die navorsing was semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en klaskamerwaarneming. Die bevindinge toon dat die onderwysers verskillende begrippe handhaaf van wat leerder-gesentreerde en ondersoek-gebaseerde onderrigbenaderings behels, hoewel hulle onderrig sommige elemente daarvan toon. Die navorsing het ook aangedui dat een belangrike faktor inbreuk doen op hul implementering van leerder-gesentreerde en ondersoek-gebaseerde onderrigbenaderings. Die onderwysers het erken dat die druk van leerdersukses in die graad 10-eksamen aan die einde van die jaar hulle eerder met die oog op die toets laat onderrig gee. Dit verplaas die fokus van hul onderrig weg van die implementering van benaderings wat leerders aktief by die leerproses betrek en die koestering van ondersoekvaardighede, veral ook omdat hierdie vaardighede nie formeel in eksamens beoordeel word nie. Onderwysers slaag gevolglik nie daarin om die leerplan soos beleidmakers en kurrikulum-ontwikkelaars dit bedoel, te implementeer nie. Selfs al sou die bevindinge van hierdie studie slegs spesifiek op die betrokke skole en die deelnemende onderwysers betrekking hê, kan aanvaar word dat soortgelyke situasies in skole in vergelykbare kontekste bestaan. Dit is dus belangrik dat onderwysbeleidmakers en relevante rolspelers daarna moet streef om voldoende ondersteuning en hulpbronne vir onderwysers beskikbaar te stel om leerder-gesentreerde en ondersoek-gebaseerde onderrig effektief in skole te implementeer.
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Angula, Adelheid. "nvestigating grade 10 geography teachers' implementation of a learner-centred approach in selected Namibian schools." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004459.
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Geography, more than other subjects in the curriculum, plays a central role in general education in equipping learners with skills and competencies needed for modern living and global citizenship. A learner-centred education in Namibia was adopted to provide more opportunities for learners to develop the required skills and competencies irrespective of their different cultural background. This small-scale case study investigated three Grade 10 geography teachers' understanding and implementation ofa learner-centred approach to gain insights into how leamer-centred education is being implemented in the context of Geography. The research design adopted a qualitative approach within an interpretative orientation. Data were collected through interviews, classroom observations and documentary analysis. The research was conducted at three selected schools in Oshikoto Region with three Grade 10 geography teachers The findings revealed, firstly, that teachers have a limited understanding of the key ideas ofLCE, such as, prior knowledge, role of questioning, and social interaction in learning; use of resources and the types of assessment activities which comply with the aims of LCE. Seconclly, the findings revealed that the policy documents, such as syllabuses, that are being used by the participants are not in line with the tenets ofLCE. Thirdly, teachers appeared to have limited subject knowledge, as revealed by their lack of understanding of how to translate the aims and assessment objectives into their daily lessons. The study therefore raises some possibilities for improving the implementation of LCE in the selected schools if the gaps as identified by this study are reduced.
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Shifotoka, Simsolia Namene. "An investigation into teacher perspectives and experiences in integrating HIV and AIDS information across the curriculum at some selected Junior Secondary Schools in the Oshana Region, Namibia." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004336.
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HIV and AIDS are still among the world's most significant public health challenges. Education is widely regarded as an effective response to the pandemic - a “social vaccine” that can increase young people’s awareness of the dangers of HIV infection and thus decrease their vulnerability to HIV and AIDS. Integrating HIV and AIDS awareness across the school curriculum is therefore one of the strategies being implemented to educate learners about the pandemic. There are challenges; however, related to the central goal of integrating HIV and AIDS education and also to the form – in particular, the pedagogical practices - that this might best take. This qualitative case study research investigated teachers’ perspectives, experiences, and levels of preparedness with regard to integrating HIV and AIDS information in the main carrier subjects, mathematics and geography, in some junior secondary schools in Namibia. The study situates debates on curriculum integration and draws on Fogarty’s (1999) models of curriculum integration as a conceptual and analytic tool to examine the nature, form and content of integration. It includes a questionnaire on curriculum integration completed by 53 teachers as well as a component consisting of observations and interviews with four teachers from two schools. The results reveal patterns that also emerge in earlier studies on curriculum integration. This approach is already widely recognized as challenging and problematic in the context of general education. However, this and other studies show that when HIV and AIDS are brought into the arena, additional factors come into play and further complicate the process, because of the sensitivity of this topic. In addition, the task of integrating HIV and AIDS education has been added to an already overcrowded curriculum. Teachers have not been provided with adequate (or any) training with concrete examples that might facilitate their efforts to integrate HIV and AIDS information into subjects like the ones under scrutiny in this study. The picture that emerges from examining the evidence on HIV and AIDS integration against Fogarty’s (1991) 10 models of curriculum integration is one in which teaching practices are ad hoc, opportunistic and haphazard right across the sample. The choice of integration models for implementation of the HIV and AIDS component in these subjects has been largely left to the opportunity, ability and personal inclinations of individual teachers. The results point to a range of responses, with many teachers not teaching HIV and AIDS at all or some hesitantly experimenting with different approaches; all to limited effect in realizing the intended national goals of this curriculum project. The overall pattern also reveals a degree of frustration among the teachers in the sample, who acknowledged and were concerned at the enormity of the HIV and AIDS challenge facing the country. They recognised the motive behind the policy to have the education system play an important role in response to the HIV challenge, but felt frustrated with the social, personal and practical difficulties of actually implementing the policy within the context of poor (or no) training, knowledge, and support.
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Simasiku, Frederick. "An investigation of how enquiry-based fieldwork develops action competence in Grade 12 Geography: a Namibian case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003511.
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The goal of the study was twofold: firstly to investigate and describe how senior secondary school geography teachers were implementing enquiry-based learning through fieldwork. Secondly, to investigate and document how enquiry-based learning through fieldwork facilitated the development of action competence amongst learners in a geography classroom. In order to address the first goal, a survey questionnaire was utilised to generate descriptive data from a sample of seven geography teachers in the Hardap region of Namibia. Although teachers engaged learners with enquiry-based fieldwork learning activities it is suggested, based on the findings of data of this goal, that teachers face severe limitations in terms of integrating environmental learning into the geography curriculum. The main limitations of the teachers include: limited practical knowledge of and training in how to teach fieldwork skills; a lack of teaching resource materials; time constraints; heavy personal loads; and lack of school support for environmental education. In addressing the second goal an enquiry-based fieldwork learning unit was planned and implemented in the researcher’s classroom. Observation, focus group interviews, and audio records of learning interactions, were used as data generation methods for this cycle of the study. An indicator framework for identifying action competence in learners was constructed as a data analysis tool. In terms of the findings of goal two it is evident that enquiry-based learning through fieldwork facilitated the development of action competence amongst learners. Six overarching benefits of this type of learning were identified in this study, namely: - It empowered learners to develop contextual knowledge and understanding of issues that they investigated. - It facilitated commitment thus motivated learners to take indirect action. - It promoted social interaction and group cohesion amongst learners thus enhanced their decision-making ability for problem-solving and action taking. - It elicited emotional responses and a greater understanding of learners’ own and others’ attitudes and values towards issues. - It fostered critical thinking thus permitted learners to envisage a future based on their learning experiences. - It enabled learners to plan and take indirect action during the learning process. Based on the research findings, some lessons learned are presented in an attempt to contribute to the effective implementation of enquiry-based fieldwork at the classroom level.
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Bock, L. J. "Research portfolio." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006128.
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Nanghonga, Ottilie Mwanyenenange. "An investigation on how grade 8 learners make sens of static electricity through exploring their cultural beliefs and experiences about lightning: a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001537.
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Lightning as a natural phenomenon is shallowly presented in the Namibian curriculum documents such as the syllabus and textbooks. This gap in curriculum triggered my interest to investigate whether learners’ meaning-making in static electricity was enabled or constrained by elicitation and integration of their cultural beliefs and experiences about lightning and by their practical activities. This study was conducted with my grade 8 learners at the school where I am currently teaching. The school is located in a rural area in Ohangwena region in Northern Namibia. The study is situated within an interpretive paradigm. Within the interpretive paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was adopted. I considered this methodological orientation appropriate in this study as it allowed me to use the following data gathering methods: document analysis, brainstorming, discussions and presentations, semi-structured interview, focus group interview, observation and an assessment test. Multiple methods to gather data were used for triangulation and validation purposes. For data analysis purposes, the data sets were colour-coded to derive themes and analytical statements. Ethical considerations were also taken seriously in this study and all participants gave consent. An analysis of data revealed that there is no learning objective or basic competence in the Namibian Physical Science syllabus for grade 8-10 that requires learners to bring in their cultural beliefs and experiences, in particular, about lightning. Yet the study revealed that learners possess a lot of prior everyday scientific and non-scientific knowledge and experiences about lightning that they had acquired from their communities. Also, mobilization of learners' everyday knowledge and experiences about lightning enabled learner engagement during the science lessons. Likewise, engaging learners in practical activities in static electricity helped them to make meaning of scientific concepts. Based on my research findings, I therefore, recommend that learners' prior everyday knowledge and experiences about lightning should be incorporated during teaching and learning of the topic on static electricity.
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Luwango, Luiya. "Critical reflective teaching practice in three mathematics teachers." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003366.
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This qualitative study reports on critical reflective teaching by three mathematics teachers and how it shapes their classroom practice. The study was carried out in three secondary schools in Rundu in northern Namibia. The study employed a case study method. The selection of teachers was based on their rich practical professional knowledge and exemplary teaching practices. Data collection and analysis was done through an interpretive approach. Interviews and document analyses were the two research tools used, not only for the collection of data but for triangulation also. Interpretations of the findings were validated through member checking. Critical reflective teaching involves thought and action, and it raises teachers’ consciousness of what they do. Through critical reflective practice, teachers scrutinize their beliefs and knowledge of the subject and their practice. Furthermore critical reflective practice may get teachers into a disposition to find alternatives to improve their teaching. In this study, the findings are that participants reflect extensively on their classroom practice. The teachers pointed out that reflection on practice enables them to analyse and evaluate their teaching in line with effective mathematics teaching. They emphasised that critical reflection leads to the identification of weaknesses in teachers’ classroom practice. This culminates in better planning whereby alternative approaches to teaching are exercised. Because of its potential to improve teaching and enhance professional development it is therefore recommended that mathematics teachers be exposed to skills that enhance critical reflective teaching practice. Teachers need to familiarise themselves with the concept of critical reflective teaching in mathematics to meet the demands of superior quality teaching.
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Stephanus, Gervasius Hivengwa. "Exploring teaching proficiency in geometry of selected effective mathematics teachers in Namibia." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013012.
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Quality mathematics education relies on effective pedagogy which offers students appropriate and rich opportunities to develop their mathematical proficiency (MP) and intellectual autonomy in learning mathematics. This qualitative case study aimed to explore and analyse selected effective mathematics teachers' proficiency in the area of geometry in five secondary schools in five different Namibia educational regions. The sample was purposefully selected and comprised five mathematics teachers, identified locally as being effective practitioners by their peers, Education Ministry officials and the staff of the University of Namibia (UNAM). The schools where the selected teachers taught were all high performing Namibian schools in terms of students' mathematics performance in the annual national examinations. The general picture of students' poor performance in mathematics in Namibia is no different to other sub-Saharan countries and it is the teachers who unfortunately bear the brunt of the criticism. There are, however, beacons of excellence in Namibia and these often go unnoticed and are seldom written about. It is the purpose of this study to focus on these high achievers and analyse the practices of these teachers so that the rest of Namibia can learn from their practices and experience what is possible in the Namibian context. The mathematical content and context focus of this study was geometry. This qualitative study adopted a multiple case study approach and was framed within an interpretive paradigm. The data were collected through individual questionnaires, classroom lesson observations and in-depth open-ended and semi-structured interviews with the participating teachers. These interviews took the form of post lesson reflective and stimulated recall analysis sessions. An adapted framework based on the Kilpatrick, Swafford and Findell's (2001) five strands of teaching for MP was developed as a conceptual and analytical lens to analyse the selected teachers' practice. The developed coding and the descriptive narrative vignettes of their teaching enabled a qualitative analysis of what teachers said contributed to their effectiveness and how they developed MP in students. An enactivist theoretical lens was used to complement the Kilpatrick et al.'s (2001) analytical framework. This enabled a deeper analysis of teacher teaching practice in terms of their embodied mathematical knowledge, actions and interactions with students. procedural fluency (PF) and productive disposition (PD), were addressed regularly by all five participating teachers. Evidence of addressing either the development of students' strategic competence (SC) or adaptive reasoning (AR) appeared rarely. Of particular interest in this study was that the strand of PD was the glue that held the other four strands of MP together. PD was manifested in many different ways in varying degrees. PD was characterised by a high level of content knowledge, rich personal experience, sustained commitment, effective and careful preparation for lessons, high expectations of themselves and learners, collegiality, passion for mathematics and an excellent work ethic. In addition, the teachers' geometry teaching practices were characterised by making use of real-world connections, manipulatives and representations, encouraging a collaborative approach and working together to show that geometry constituted a bridge between the concrete and abstract. The findings of the study have led me, the author, to suggest a ten (10) principles framework and seven (7) key interrelated factors for effective teaching, as a practical guide for teachers. This study argues that the instructional practices enacted by the participating teachers, who were perceived to be effective, aligned well with practices informed by the five strands of the Kilpatrick et al.'s (2001) model and the four concepts of autopoesis, co-emergence, structural determinism and embodiment of the enactivist approach. The study concludes with recommendations for effective pedagogical practices in the teaching of geometry, and opportunities for further research.
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Simanga, Elizabeth Miyaze. "Teaching struggling adolescent readers in Namibia : a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005639.
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Though research has been conducted on many issues since Namibia's independence in 1990, none of these studies has investigated how English Second Language (ESL) teachers teach and support struggling adolescent readers (SARs) to read. Utilising qualitative research techniques such as classroom observations, semi-structured interviews and document analysis, this case study looked at strategies, methods, and resources used by five ESL secondary school teachers to teach SARs to read in two regions in Namibia, Caprivi and Otjozondjupa regions. Two of the five participants were male teachers. The presence of SARs in the classes observed was established by using informal methods such as the ESL teachers' experience (Caprivi region), while a sample of questions from PIRLS 2001 (Mullis, Martin, Gonzalez, & Kennedy (2003) was compiled to form a test used in the Otjozondjupa region. The findings show that despite undergoing initial teacher training and majoring in English, the five ESL secondary school teachers were not trained to teach SARs either how to read or how to support them. In addition, the study found that there was a shortage of reading materials in all five selected schools.
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Ngola-Kazumba, Maria. "An investigation on how learners may use multiple representations in a social interaction to promote learning of percentages and fractions: a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006057.
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The study examined the use of multiple representations such as the real world, written symbols, spoken symbols, diagrams and manipulatives by learners to promote the learning of percentages and fractions through social interaction. This investigation was carried out through a teaching and learning programme which was developed and implemented by me, the researcher. The effect of the implemented programme was the main focus of the research. The qualitative study was oriented in the interpretive paradigm – a paradigm that seeks to understand the meaning attached to human actions. Twenty learners participated in the implementation of the programme and 9 learners were selected for focus group interviews. The purpose of the interviews was to explore learners' understanding and feelings about the use of multiple representations in the learning of percentages and fractions through social interactions. The other tools employed in this study were pre-and-post diagnostic tests, observations, learners' work and a journal. The pre-test was used to determine learners' prior knowledge for the program design and implementation, while the post-test and learners' work were used to analyze the effect of the programme. Observations were used to investigate how multiple representations promoted or did not promote the learning of percentages and fractions. The teacher's journal was to record and reflect on any relevant information gathered on each lesson observed. The data shows that the effective use of multiple representations helped learners learn the concept of percentages and fractions better. Learners were able to look at representations in useful ways; multiple representations made some aspects of the concept clear; and multiple representations enabled learners to correct errors. Through the interaction between the teacher and learners, the following was found: all the learners changed words to change focus; learners made links between multiple representations; the learners deepened their concepts of percentages and fractions; learners could convert between fractions using multiple representations; learners could work out percentages of a quantity; and learners could express one quantity as a percentage of another. Furthermore, through the interaction between learners and learners all learners could identify more equivalent fractions of an initial fraction which was given to them; and they could increase and decrease a quantity by a given percentage. On the basis of this research, it can be concluded that the programme promoted the learning of percentages and fractions through three effective methodologies. The first methodology consisted of the effective use of multiple representations; the second methodology concerned the interaction between the teacher and learner during the learning process and the last methodology related to the interaction between the learners - interactions that were not strongly mediated by the teacher. I would recommend that teachers use these three effective approaches when teaching percentages and fractions to promote the learning of the concepts.
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Amutenya, Laina N. "Understanding how Grade 11 Biology teachers mediate learning of respiration: A Namibian case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017331.
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The new curriculum in Namibia has introduced a new approach to teaching and learning requiring teachers to make use of learners’ prior everyday knowledge (PEK) including indigenous knowledge (IK) and practical work/activities. It further emphasizes some variations in teaching methods such as; the use of analogies, the use of mind maps, and so forth with the aim to actively involve learners in the learning process and develop skills to solve global challenges. The emphasis is on understanding of knowledge, skills and the will to use them appropriately throughout their lives. The main aim of this study was to understand and document how Biology teachers mediate learning of the topic respiration. Informed by an interpretive paradigm, a qualitative case study was conducted at two secondary schools in the Kunene region. The participants were selected using a convenience sampling. Data were gathered using three main sources, namely, documents, semi-structured interview questions which culminated into a questionnaire and observations. Triangulation was thus used to give credibility, objectivity and validity to the interpretation of the data. Data analysis in this case study involved a multi-stage process of organizing, coding and categorizing, synthesizing and summarizing. The audio recorded lessons were transcribed into text and I analyzed data using a colour coding technique by segmenting and labelling text to identify descriptions and broad themes in the data. Vygotsky’s Mediation of Learning and Social Constructivism in conjunction with Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) informed the data analysis process. Teacher-learner interactions were the main theme for mediation of learning (social constructivist perspective), hence during analysis I paid more attention to moments where interactions evolved and I used PCK to gain insights in teaching and instructional strategies used by teachers. The findings of this study revealed that: 1) teachers endeavor to use a variety of teaching methods such as the use of a mind maps and question and answer method. Learners were keen to ask questions in order to understand this topic. 2) The study also revealed that a lack of practical activities is one of the challenges teachers are faced with. Based on my research findings, I therefore suggest that there is a need for continuous professional development of biology teachers and capacity building in order to improve both their content and pedagogical content knowledge.
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Hakaala, Beatha Ndinelao. "An exploration of the structural, cultural and agential conditions that shape life skills teachers' responses and experiences in teaching sexuality and HIV and AIDS." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017340.
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This paper reports findings on how Namibian secondary school Life Skills teachers are exercising their agency to teach or not to teach Sexuality and HIV and AIDS, a subject which is regarded as sensitive and has been surrounded by secrecy and has issues which are cloaked by silence and taboos. The aim of the study was to explore the structural and cultural factors that shape the responses and experiences of Life Skills teachers in teaching sexuality and HIV and AIDS. The study was conducted through observations and interviews with four full-time Life Skills teachers. Document analysis was carried out throughout the study in which lesson plans, portfolios, assessment forms, Life Skills syllabuses, schemes of works, national curriculum documents and subject policy on HIV and AIDS were analysed. The data were analysed by identifying categories, codes and themes using the analytic dualism framework, and the literature review was used to summarise the findings. The study revealed that all teachers operate in an environment that consists of the National structures such as high teacher: learner ratio in their classrooms that they have to teach Life Skills and do day to day counselling, a lack of teaching and learning support material that they should use to scaffold the learning of sexuality and HIV and AIDS, and little time allocated to Life Skills teaching. The same study also revealed that the teaching of Life Skills is hampered by the cultural structures which emerged from teachers’ discourses as evidenced from the data which shows that cultural properties have powers that condition teachers in teaching sexuality and HIV and AIDS. This included learners’ silence in sex-related discussion versus teachers’ position; discourses on the importance of full-time Life Skills teachers in school; comfort in teaching selected topics in Life Skills; Life Skills teachers’ perceptions on parents’ feelings on teaching sexuality and HIV and AIDS in schools, and perceptions on the Life Skills teachers’ position and teaching sexuality and sex education. While the findings revealed that teachers are conditioned by the structural and cultural conditions that acted as constraints to teaching sexuality and HIV and AIDS, the observations revealed agency on their part. The study finding depicts instances where teachers acted in agreement or in contravention of the structural and cultural pressures or conditions in their environments.
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Chani, Fungisisai M. "An investigation into how two Grade 11 Physical Science teachers mediate learning of the topic chemical equilibrium : a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017334.
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The Namibian Physical Science Higher Level Syllabus requires students to study the topic on chemical equilibrium. This section has proven to be one of the most difficult for Namibian learners as reflected by their poor responses to questions in the Grade 12 NSSC ‘H’ examinations. Triggered by these discoveries, I decided to conduct a research on how teachers mediate learning of the topic on chemical equilibrium in a Namibian context. Conducted at a private school in Windhoek, the study involved two experienced Grade 11 Physical Science teachers renowned for good results. I adopted a qualitative case study underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. Sense making of concepts on chemical equilibrium was my unit of analysis. To generate data, I used document analysis, semi-structured interviews, lesson observations, which were videotaped as well as stimulated recall interviews. Vygotsky’s mediation of learning and social constructivism blended with Shulman’s pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) were the theoretical frameworks adopted in the study. During the analysis process, there was grouping of data into categories. These included teacher-learner interactions as emphasized by Vygotsky’s mediation of learning and learners’ challenges according to PCK. I used an inductive approach to identify emerging themes from my data. The themes were colour coded and the developed into analytical statements. Data triangulation, member checking, and peer review ensured data validity and trustworthiness. Stimulated recall interviews conducted while watching the videos with the two teachers, complemented these approaches. My findings were that teachers extensively used various meditational tools such as prior knowledge, language, analogies and an equilibrium game to mediate learning. The teachers experienced numerous challenges during mediation of learning, including language difficulties and learners’ failure to comprehend complex chemical equilibrium concepts. Notwithstanding, the teachers in this study managed to some extent to overcome the challenges by exhibiting facets of advanced PCK.
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Mwandingi, Albertina Ndahambelela. "An investigation of Grade 11 learners' mathematical preparedness in a selected Namibian school: a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003509.
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The proliferation in the number of schools offering junior secondary education in Namibia since independence in 1990 has led to an increase in the number of learners in the classroom and has created a wide range of mathematical proficiency among learners entering senior secondary education in grade 11. This broad range of basic mathematical ability among these learners, together with increasing classroom numbers has caused problems for the senior secondary mathematics teachers (Batchelor, 2004). The study shows that diagnostic testing can prove to be useful in assessing learners’ mathematical preparedness by identifying learners’ areas of weakness, which have hindered their mathematics learning and performance. Taking the results of a diagnostic test into consideration could help teachers cater for their learners who need remediation classes as early as possible before extending the mathematics curriculum. Setting and using diagnostic testing requires careful consideration; there are many pitfalls that are highlighted in this research. These include question coverage and general analysis of category totals.
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Puttick, Steven. "Geography teacher's subject knowledge : an ethnographic study of three secondary school geography departments." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2015. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.712039.
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Dongwi, Beata Lididimikeni. "Mathematics teachers' experiences of designing and implementing a circle geometry teaching programme using the van Hiele phases of instruction as a conceptual framework: a Namibian case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003133.
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The aim of this case study was to examine, analyze and report on the findings of the experiences of selected mathematics teachers when they used the van Hiele phases of instruction in designing and implementing a Grade 11 circle geometry teaching programme. The sample consisted of three selected mathematics teachers from the school where the researcher teaches. This school is located in the Oshikoto Education Region in Namibia. The school serves a multicultural group of 759 learners from a middle-class economic background. The site and participants were selected conveniently as the researcher had unrestricted access to both the facilities and the participants. This research takes the form of a case study and is underpinned by the interpretive paradigm. Data for this research was collected using a variety of techniques such as interviews, classroom observation and document analysis. This facilitated easy triangulation of the data. The findings of this research make four claims with regard to the experiences of the mathematics teachers with designing and implementing the circle geometry teaching programme using the five van Hiele phases of instruction as a conceptual framework. The findings revealed that firstly, all three participating mathematics teachers used and implemented all the five van Hiele phases of instruction in their lessons I observed. Secondly, the teachers navigated quite freely from one phase of instruction to the next, but also returned to the earlier phases for clarification and reinforcement in their teaching. Thirdly, the teachers saw the phases of instruction as a good pedagogical tool or template for planning and presenting lessons. Fourthly, the majority of the learners followed the instructions and seemed to obtain the answers faster than expected. The lesson presentations were lively and both teachers and learners communicated at length to discover angle properties of circles while developing and nurturing the technical language of geometry.
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Kasenga, Alfred. "An investigation into the implementation of the senior secondary agriculture curriculum in the Caprivi region of Namibia." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004555.
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Shortly after independence, Namibia embarked on a major process of educational reform. It was in this reform that the apartheid educational legacy was redressed. Namibians viewed the apartheid educational system as being irrelevant and that it did not meet their needs and expectations. One of the reform aims was to involve education in the development of knowledge and skills for self sufficiency and sustainable development, therefore Agriculture was incorporated into the school curriculum as a key area to achieve this aim. Learners taking the subject are expected to be equipped with relevant theoretical and practical skills that provide a sound foundation in this discipline. This case study was undertaken to gain a better understanding about how the participating teachers perceived and implemented the Agriculture curriculum at the senior secondary school level in their schools. In carrying out the case study a qualitative research method was employed using semi-structured interviews, observation and document analysis for data collection. It would appear from this study that Agriculture is unable to fully achieve the reform ideals at the senior secondary school level, as sixteen years after independence these teachers are still teaching the subject to learners with very limited resources and academic support. This scenario shows that there are marked inconsistencies between policy and praxis, between the stated goals and aims of the reform and the curriculum designed to achieve these. In this half-thesis I therefore argue that without well qualified teachers, suitable resources and infrastructure to implement the curriculum in these schools, the pre-vocational nature of the subject as suggested in the subject policy document will be compromised. The study concludes by proposing certain teaching strategies and possibilities for systemic development that can be used to effect quality curriculum implementation in the region where the research was situated.
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Hoveka, E. P. "Research portfolio." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003616.
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The purpose of this study is to look at English Second Language IGCSE Core Curriculum for Grades 11 and 12. The criteria that has been identified and selected for analysis as stipulated by the Ministry of Basic Education and Culture Language policy Document of 1996 reads as follows: The aim of teaching English as a language should be to enable the learners to increase their participation in the learning processes. This aim was selected as the criteria for investigation because the notion of active participation by the learners in the teaching and learning process places the learners in a different perspective. In other words, the learners are to be seen as possessors of knowledge rather than ‘empty vessels’ as depicted by the behaviourist approach (Van Harmelen 1999). This idea of a learner-centred approach as embedded in Social Constructivism approach is the foundation on which the Namibian Education Reform Process is based. The justification for selecting these particular criteria for close inspection in the English Second Language Curriculum was sparked by the professional attachment of the researcher into teaching English Second Language to Grades 11 and 12 at the Herman Gmeiner Technical School in Swakopmund. The researcher is also serving as a subject head for this particular discipline. Furthermore, evaluating and analyzing the English Second Language curriculum on this particular objective, the researcher hopes to uncover or come to an understanding of how our educational practices have moved from what was practiced under the behavioural approach and to discover the needs of teachers in terms of implementing the new curriculum in their daily practices as educators. Having the criteria stated, the study will focus on how the data was collected and the type of methodology used to gather this information.
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Mark, Siu-man, and 麥兆文. "Implementation of issue-based approach in teaching junior secondary geography." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2001. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31962531.
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Avia, Ndiyakuphi. "Grade 10 life science teachers' understanding and development of critical thinking skills in selected schools in Namibia." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003432.
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The educational reform policy in Namibia adopted the principles and practice of learner-centred education, a policy based on constructivist epistemology. This approach emphasises that learners are constructors of knowledge and that they must discover information and construct their own learning. Constructivist techniques require the use of critical thinking through learners’ active involvement in the learning process. The aim is for learners to use critical thinking to identify problems, ask questions, reason, examine and solve problems in real situations and make sound decisions. This approach provides learners with activities and experiences that stimulate them to learn to think for themselves and to ask questions. Therefore, teachers need to design activities that require learners to think critically and act independently through mastering these various modes of inquiry. The purpose of this study was to explore how the selected Grade 10 Life Science teachers understand and implement critical thinking in their teaching practice. I conducted the study in two secondary schools from the Omusati region in Namibia using a case study to gain insight into the implementation of critical thinking. Three data collection instruments: interviews, document analysis and class observations were used. The reason for conducting this study was to gain a better understanding of how teachers use various strategies to foster critical thinking skills in Life Science and the challenges they experience in teaching in secondary schools. The results of the study revealed that teachers have a theoretical understanding of what critical thinking implies and the role it plays in learning. They are also aware of the strategies used to develop critical thinking skills. However, these theoretical perspectives do not reflect in their teaching in that some of the strategies that the teachers used did not bring about meaningful learning. Learners are still required to recall factual knowledge, thus active involvement of the learners is limited. The study also revealed that there are specific issues that hamper the implementation of critical thinking, which include superficial understanding of learner-centered education, teacher-tell approach, overcrowded curriculum, inexplicit syllabus, lack of good examples from the textbooks and examinations, too short lesson periods, lack of language proficiency and lack of professional development. The findings indicate that despite the theoretical understanding of the teachers in this study, their actual practice of developing critical thinking skills is problematic. The study concludes that teachers should be encouraged to design better-structured activities in order to involve learners beyond just being listeners. In light of these findings, the study recognizes a need for ongoing in-service professional development to support teachers in modelling critical thinking to their learners and to teach them to think critically. The findings of the study will serve to inform both my and my colleague’s professional practice as advisory teachers with regard to what to focus on when advising and supporting the teachers in schools.
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Kavari, Jackson-Hain Jakavaza Katjiuanjo. "Examining the knowledge and practices of selected Namibian accounting teachers about learner-centred methods of teaching." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1009428.
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Learner-centred education has been in force in all schools in the Republic of Namibia since 1996. Progress towards adoption of learner-centred methods of teaching by teachers has been slow. The main purpose of this study is to examine how teachers understand the principles of learner-centred education in selected Secondary Schools in Omaheke Education Region. The secondary purpose of this study is to determine how teachers could be helped to improve the implementation of learner-centred education (LCE). The study used a qualitative approach. Data were collected from a purposively selected sample of Grade 10 accounting teachers in a specific region in Namibia by means of interviews, classroom observations and a qualitative questionnaire. Data were analysed thematically. The results indicated that, although the teachers had a positive attitude towards learner-centred education, they did not have the skills to adapt their teaching in an appropriate way to cope with the learner‟s lack of English literacy. The teachers possessed basic knowledge of learner-centred education practices, but found it very difficult to implement them in resource-poor environments. In addition, factors that hindered the effective implementation of learner-centred education in the classroom were identified. The study suggests ways to improve the knowledge and practices of teachers with regard to learner-centred teaching practices.
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Marongwe, Anesu Desmond. "An enquiry into the formative and summative assessment procedures, and perceptions thereof, of grade 10 mathematics teachers : a Namibian case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001513.
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The purpose of this study was to gain insight into observed discrepancies between continuous assessment and final examination average marks in Grade 10 Mathematics in the Oshikoto region of Namibia. The study is framed as a case study and is grounded within the interpretive paradigm. A mixed methods approach was applied, eliciting both quantitative as well as qualitative data. The study took place in two phases. In Phase 1, continuous assessment and Grade 10 final examination average marks for 62 Junior Secondary Schools for the period 2008-2010 were gathered and analyzed. Schools were characterized in terms of the relationship between their continuous assessment and final examination average marks for each of the three years. Phase 2, which was informed by Phase 1, took the form of structured interviews with a sample of three Mathematics teachers and three principals along with a focus-group interview of twelve teachers in order to investigate more deeply the perceptions of teachers and principals toward assessment policy and practice. The study shows that Grade 10 assessment practice in Namibian schools is far from ideal. Many teachers are not fully conversant with the various continuous assessment components as outlined by policy, and teachers are not confident about setting appropriate continuous assessment tasks. There is a strong perception that continuous assessment marks can easily be inflated and those teachers who gave high continuous assessment marks to their learners were generally perceived as being either incompetent or dishonest. While continuous assessment was seen as an important component of teaching and learning, it is evident that teachers and principals would welcome greater clarity, along with standardization and moderation, with respect to continuous assessment practice.
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Kanyanda, Ester Ndahekomwenyo. "An investigation into the nature of mathematics connections used by selected Grade 11 teachers when teaching algebra : a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017347.
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of mathematical connections used by selected teachers when teaching the topic of algebra and to investigate their perceptions of their use of connections. The participants were selected on the basis of teaching experience as well as their willingness to share their ideas. An interpretive paradigm was used to collect and analyse data. The data was collected from three participating teachers. These participants were selected from the three secondary schools in the town of Tsumeb in Namibia. I used video recordings of two lessons per teacher as well as semi-structured interviews as my tools to gather data. After the two lessons were video recorded, I conducted a workshop with the teachers to introduce them to the 5 types of mathematical connections pertinent to this study. We analysed the videos together using Businskas' framework as a basis for analysis. This then formed part of the stimulated recall interviews. It was found that, even though teachers were not aware of the concept of mathematical connections before our interactions, there was strong evidence of connections being made and used in their lessons. The two types of connections that were used most frequently (24.1 percent each) were procedural and instruction-oriented connections respectively. Part-whole relationships connections were used the least with a frequency of 12 percent. All three teachers agreed that they needed to make more connections when teaching and that they would think more about connections in future, particularly when preparing their lessons. The study makes recommendations to encourage the continuous use of connections in teaching mathematics.
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Sibeya, Nestor Mutumba. "Exploring perceptions and implementation experiences of learner-centered education among history teachers : a case study in Namibia." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013226.
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The study sought to understand how Grade 9 History teachers perceive and implement learner-centered education (LCE) in selected schools in Caprivi educational region in the Republic of Namibia. It concentrated on three teachers in two combined and junior secondary schools. The research employed a qualitative approach and three data instruments were used: interviews, class observations and document analysis. The findings of the study show that in their interview discussions of the principles, intent and recommended key features of LCE, the three participating teachers generally correctly captured some of the essential intentions of a LCE approach. At times in the interviews they seemed to strongly grasp the essence of a key strategy and its intent, but at other times their views were sketchy. Their view of different teaching strategies at times appeared integrated but not always that strongly. When it came to their classroom practice they could and did use a number of appropriate LCE teaching approaches. The level of effectiveness in their use of many of the approaches varied from effective to far from ideal and in need of quite big improvement. In the area of resources the three classrooms were extremely limited in what they displayed, had and used. There were too few textbooks and almost no posters and wall displays on history and the geography of the world and its peoples that the students were studying. An especially interesting feature was that they all seemed to be consciously engaged in an on-going teaching experiment with the LCE approaches. The LSC [sic] practices were clearly not yet strongly imbedded as solid classroom habits or dispositions, with perhaps the exception of questioning. But this experimenting made them much more self-conscious and reflective about their experiences. They all frankly identified some tensions that they felt existed between the espoused official features of a LCE class and the demands of the covering the curriculum, size of classes etc. Overall it was an encouraging picture of teachers eager to find ways to improve their teaching and experiment with new ideas. But also a picture of people not properly exposed to good or best practice in each teaching strategy and having to reinvent and rediscover on their own even the basics of reasonable practice often making very basic mistakes, for example in questioning.
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Kanime, Mwene Kashiiwandapo. "An investigation into how Grade 11 Physical Science teachers mediate learning of the topic stoichiometry : a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017346.
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Stoichiometry is proven to be one of the difficult topics for learners in the NSSC Physical Science syllabus due to its abstract nature. Over the years the Examiner’s reports reveal that learners' performance is very poor in this topic. In addition, learners fear the topic and have developed a negative attitude toward it. It is against this background that I decided to carry out a qualitative case study; investigating how teachers mediate the learning of stoichiometry. The study was conducted at two schools in the Oshikoto Region, Namibia and it involved two grade 11 Physical Science teachers. The study is located within the interpretive paradigm and made use of interviews, document analysis and lesson observations (which were video-taped and transcribed) followed by stimulated recall interviews to generate data. The generated data were analyzed using the inductive approach whereby themes were identified. The themes were later used to develop analytical statements in relation to my research questions and these were used to interpret the data. Moreover, the study adopted the notion of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) proposed by Shulman (1986, 1987) as well as Vygotsky's (1978) mediation of learning and social constructivism as the theoretical frameworks. The data were validated by triangulation, member checking as well as using the stimulated recall interviews while watching the videos with each participant. The findings of the study show that teachers use several tools to mediate the learning process and this includes the use of language, learners' prior knowledge and analogies. In addition, it emerged in this study that teachers are faced with a number of challenges when mediating learning of this topic. Hence, the study recommends that teachers should develop their pedagogical content knowledge for them to effectively eliminate the challenges faced as well as to come up with the best teaching strategies which they can use to mediate learning and help learners make sense of the topic stoichiometry.
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Leung, Pik-sai Tracy, and 梁碧茜. "Using environmental teaching kits in teaching secondary 1-3 geography syllabus in Hong Kong." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2004. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B30218470.
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Yeung, Pui-ming Stephen, and 楊沛銘. "Geography teaching and environmental consciousness among Hong Kong secondary school students." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1993. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31212025.
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Simasiku, Bosman Muyubano. "Student teachers' experiences in using multiple representations in the teaching of grade 6 proportion word problems : a Namibian case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001703.
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This study investigated the experiences of four participating student teachers in using multiple representative approaches in the teaching of Grade 6 proportion word problems. The multiple representative approaches include the Between Comparison Method, the Within Comparison Method, the Diagrammatic Method, the Table Method, the Graph Method, the Cross-product Method, and the Oral Informal Method. An intervention programme was organised, using workshops where student teachers were prepared to teach Grade 6 proportion word problems using multiple representative approaches. The teaching practice lessons of the four participating student teachers in two primary schools were video recorded, and the focus group interview was conducted at the University Campus. With the exception of the Graph Method and the Cross-product Method, it was revealed that the multiple representative approaches were generally effective in the teaching of Grade 6 proportion word problems. The study further revealed that multiplicative relationships can be explored through using the different individual representative approaches. The study argues that the cross-product method is not the only way to teach Grade 6 proportion word problems. There are multiple representative approaches that should be used in conjunction with each other to enhance the teaching of proportion word problems. Furthermore, this study revealed that a number of challenges were encountered when using multiple representative approaches. The challenges include difficulties with the English language, different and unique abilities of the learners, lack of plotting skills and the lack of proficiency in the learners’ multiplication and division skills. This study made recommendations on the integration of multiple representative approaches in the mathematics education curriculum and textbooks. It further recommended that in-service workshops for teachers and student teachers on the integration of multiple representative approaches in the teaching of Grade 6 proportion word problems should be initiated.
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Shilamba, Julia Ndinoshisho. "An investigation into the prevalence and use of code switching practices in grade 8 mathematics classrooms in the Ohangwena region of Namibia: a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001683.
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This research report focuses on an investigation of the prevalence and nature of code switching practices in grade 8 mathematics classrooms in the Ohangwena region of Namibia. The existence of code switching in these classrooms was established by administering a survey to all grade 8 teachers in the region, while the nature of these practices was explored by interviewing and observing selected teachers using a case study research methodology. The data from the survey was analysed quantitatively using descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data from the case study which comprised of audio and video transcripts was analysed within the framework of Probyn’s (2006) code switching categories. These categories looked at code switching in terms of: explaining concepts; clarifying statements or questions; emphasising points; making connections with learners’ own contexts and experiences; maintaining the learners’ attention with question tags; classroom management and maintaining discipline; and affective purposes. The study found that code switching is widespread in most of the grade 8 mathematics classrooms in the Ohangwena region. It also revealed that the teachers’ code switching practices aligned well with most of Probyn’s framework. The criterion of maintaining learner’s attention with question tags was however not found in this study. The results of the study showed that teachers code switch because the majority of the learners’ language proficiency is not good. Code switching is mostly used as a strategy to support and promote learners understanding in mathematics. The study recommends that it is high time that code switching is acknowledged as a legitimate practice and recognised as an important and meaningful teaching strategy to assist learners who are learning mathematics in their second language. Code switching needs to be de-stigmatised and teachers should be supported in using this practice effectively and efficiently.
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Shapange, Ismael. "An investigation into the types of classroom tasks senior secondary school (grade 11 and 12) mathematics teachers give to their learners : a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017356.
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This interpretive case study was undertaken to investigate the nature of classroom tasks that teachers give to their learners and to gain insights into how they choose these tasks. It was carried out at two secondary schools in the Okahao circuit of the Omusati region in Namibia. The schools range from Grade 8 to Grade 12. This study focused mainly on teachers who teach Mathematics at senior secondary phase (Grade 11 and 12). The research participants were of four mathematics teachers – two from each school. The study was designed around two phases. Phase one consisted of video-recording of lessons, and phase two consisted of interviewing the teachers. The main purpose of the study was to ascertain the types and nature of tasks that teachers give to their learners and to gain insights into how they chose these tasks. The research adopted a combination of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The study revealed that the participating teachers provided a near equal amount of lower level cognitive tasks and higher level cognitive tasks. It further revealed several factors that influence teachers when selecting the types of tasks they give to their learners. These factors include curriculum requirements, types of learners and their experiences, and learners’ contexts.
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Mwiikeni, Helena Twiihaleni, and Helena Twiihaleni Shimwafeni-Mwiikeni. "An investigation into how grade 10 learners make meaning during the teaching and learning of the topic on nutrition in Life Science: a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001876.
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The integration of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences during teaching and learning is a pre-requisite in the Namibian curriculum. The curriculum states that if learners are taught in a way which builds on what they already know and they relate new knowledge to the reality around them, their learning in school can be made more meaningful. Thus, learners’ meaning making in the topic on nutrition was researched to find out whether elicitation and integration of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experience in the nutrition topic enhanced or constrained their learning. This study was conducted with my grade10 learners at the school where I am currently teaching. The school is located in a rural area in Oshana region in Northern Namibia. This study is situated within an interpretive paradigm. Within the interpretive paradigm a qualitative case study approach was adopted. I considered this methodological orientation appropriate in this study as it allowed me to use the following methods: document analysis, brainstorming and discussion, semi-structured interviews and a focus group interview, practical activities with worksheets and observation and reflection. Multiple methods to gather data were used for triangulation and validation purposes. For data analysis purposes, the data sets were colour coded to derive themes and analytical statements. Ethical consideration was also taken seriously in this study. The findings from this study revealed that integration of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experience enabled learners to understand science better particularly in the topic of nutrition. The study also revealed that learners possess a lot of prior everyday knowledge and experience about food they eat in their homes. However, data from the community members revealed that there are some contradictions between learners’ prior everyday knowledge and the science content of the topic. Nonetheless, engaging learners in practical activities in the testing of food (local and conventional western type foods) helped them to make meaning of the content learned. I therefore, recommend that learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences should be incorporated during teaching and learning of the topic on nutrition. The study also recommends that the Department of Education should ensure that teachers get the necessary support and training on how to integrate learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences.
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Asino, Tomas. "An investigation into how grade 9 learners make sense of prior everyday knowledge and practical learning through exploring tooth decay problems in Onangalo village: a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001986.
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The main goal of this study was to investigate how grade 9 learners make sense of prior everyday knowledge and practical learning through exploring tooth decay problems in their local context. The study was conducted at a deep rural Junior Secondary School situated in Onangalo Village, Tsandi constituency in Omusati political region, northern part of Namibia. My research was triggered by the transformation in the Namibian curriculum, which now recognizes a need to contextualize science and make it relevant to the learners’ everyday life experiences. An interpretivist paradigm informed this study. Within this paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was employed. The unit of analysis was the various activities undertaken by my grade 9 learners with a view to make meaning of prior everyday knowledge and practical investigations in chemistry. A variety of data generating techniques were used in this study, namely, brainstorming and discussion sessions, questionnaires, practical activities with worksheets and semi-structured interviews. A video recorder was used to capture events throughout. Analytical categories emerged as a result of a coding system called pawing. From the analytical categories, analytical statements were formulated. The generated data was validated by a critical friend who was a Life Science teacher at the same school at which I did this study. Further validation was done through learners watching the video recordings and through focus group interviews. Methodological triangulation was also used to validate the data. The study revealed that the use of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences in teaching and learning promoted active learners’ participation and enhanced meaning making. Thus, the study recommends the adoption of well-structured science lessons which take into consideration learners’ prior everyday knowledge. The study recommends that these science lessons be used in conjunction with practical activities to promote active learner engagement and conceptual development. Despite the benefits of integrating learners’ prior everyday knowledge during teaching and learning, the study however also revealed some challenges such as limited time and difficulties of English language proficiency amongst learners.
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Boqwana, Eleanor Pindiwe. "Fieldwork as a compensatory teaching strategy for rural black senior secondary schools." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003426.
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The understanding of geographical concepts and the development of skills requires the use of appropriate teaching strategies. Modern school syllabuses emphasize the development of concepts and skills which are basic to the understanding of geography. Geography provides practical learning opportunities which directly involve the learner. Techniques which directly involve the learner are perceived to be the most valuable. Fieldwork, which embraces a wide range of innovative teaching strategies, is the one best suited to give first-hand experience to the pupils. This study investigates the potential of fieldwork to promote conceptual understanding in geography with special reference to pupils in rural schools. Extensive literature on fieldwork in geographical education was analysed. Surveys of geography teachers and pupils in senior secondary schools were conducted to assess their attitudes towards geography and the use of learner-centred approaches with special reference to fieldwork. The role of fieldwork to promote conceptual understanding was evaluated by exposing two groups of pupils to different field activities. This revealed that fieldwork promotes understanding, stimulates interest and builds up confidence even when first introduced at senior secondary level.
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Kwong, Kin-ho Terence, and 鄺健豪. "An evaluation of the teaching of concepts in geography in Hong Kong secondary schools." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1989. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B38626603.
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Ip, Kim-wai William. "A study of the conditions influencing the present state of fieldwork teaching in lower secondary schools in Hong Kong." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 1988. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/HKUTO/record/B38626974.
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Muyeghu, Augustinus. "The use of the van Hiele theory in investigating teaching strategies used by grade 10 geometry teachers in Namibia." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003703.
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This study reports on the extent to which selected mathematics teachers facilitate the teaching and learning of geometry at the van Hiele levels 1 and 2 at a Grade 10 level in selected schools in Namibia. It also addresses and explores the teaching strategies teachers employ in their classrooms. Kilpatrick et al.’s model for proficient teaching and the van Hiele model of geometric thinking were used to explore the type of teaching strategies employed by selected mathematics teachers. These two models served as guidelines from which interview and classroom observation protocols were developed. Given the continuing debate across the world about the learning and teaching of geometry, my thesis aims to contribute to a wider understanding of the teaching of geometry with regard to the van Hiele levels 1 and 2. There are no similar studies on the teaching of geometry in Namibia. My study concentrates on selected Grade 10 mathematics teachers and how they teach geometry using the van Hiele theory and the five Kilpatrick components of proficient teaching. As my research looks at teaching practice it was important to deconstruct teaching proficiency with a view to understanding what makes good teachers effective. The results from this study indicated that the selected Grade 10 mathematics teachers have a good conceptual understanding of geometry as all of them involved in this study were able to facilitate the learning and teaching of geometry that is consistent with the van Hiele levels 1 and 2.
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陳淑英 and Suk-ying Eva Chan. "Teachers' conceptions of geography teaching and learning." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2002. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31962786.
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Hautemo, Aletta Mweneni. "An investigation of Wikipedia translation as an additive pedagogy for Oshikwanyama first language learning." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013139.
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The integration of Information and Communication Technology in the indigenous language classroom lags behind compared to other subjects. In many ways, indigenous language teachers find it difficult and to some extent, impossible to integrate ICT into their classroom activities. The focus of this study is to explore the ways in which ICT could be used as a learning tool in an Oshikwanyama First Language classroom. I investigated the use of Wikipedia translation as an additional teaching and learning tool. I concentrated on the impact that ICT tools have on learning, and the motivation it has on learners to learn Oshikwanyama. This qualitative case study was conducted in an urban school in northern Namibia. The adoption of ICT at the school is good as there is a full-fledged computer lab with unlimited wireless internet access. This was a requirement for the project to enable the participants to work online. I purposefully chose higher-level learners (Secondary phase) for this study. I conducted a survey with them on their access to and use of ICT devices in their daily lives, and thereafter conducted a basic computer workshop and a Wikipedia translation project with them. My research findings show that although the use of ICT is part of the learners’ lives, most of the communication through ICT devices is done in English not Oshikwanyama. Wikipedia translation offers a stimulating learning platform for learners to learn Oshikwanyama and English at the same time and this improved their performance in both languages. Furthermore, the Wikipedia translation, which was done collaboratively, gave learners the confidence to work with other learners to create knowledge. Lastly, Wikipedia translation motivates learners to learn Oshikwanyama and use it in their daily ICT interaction.
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Van, Harmelen U. "The administration and organisation of independent study topics with special reference to secondary school geography." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003300.
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Traditional school subjects are having to compete for a place in a curriculum which is increasingly judged according to its perceived utilitarian value. According to current educational theory, geography's role in the curriculum is to develop concepts, skills, values and attitudes that allow pupils to understand the human and environmental issues which face their communities and communities throughout the world. In order to achieve these aims, teachers need to adopt a learner-centred teaching approach, yet geography teachers are faced with the dilemma of having to develop participatory teaching strategies within an existing structure which is largely product oriented. This thesis attempts to illustrate how changes can be effected in the approach to the teaching of geography, while working within existing syllabus constraints and while continuing to meet the demands made by the current examination system. To this end, Independent Study Topics are analysed as a means to bring about the desired changes in geographical education. The concept, Independent Study Topics as a 'blanket term' (Diepeveen, 1986) for pupil-centred activities is relatively recent in terms of the South African geography syllabus. In order to obtain greater clarity about the concept and its implications for geography teaching, this study examines current geographical theory relating to learner-centred approaches and relates them to teachers' perceptions of the role of IST in the geography curriculum. The second aspect of the study is concerned with the implementation of Independent Study Topics in a classroom research setting. The organisation and administration of Independent Study Topics in a single school setting is analysed and evaluated as a process of change. This analysis provides guidelines for developing a learner-centred approach which is necessary to ensure that geography retains its position in the school curriculum of the 1990's and beyond.
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Schürmann, Leon. "An investigation into the use of weather type models in the teaching of South African climatology at senior secondary school level." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015948.
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The synoptic chart encodes climatological and meteorological information in a highly abstract manner. The pupil's level of cognitive development, the nature of the syllabus and the teaching strategies employed by the geography teacher influence the pupil's conceptualisation of information. The synoptic chart is a valuable tool for consolidating the content of the S.A climatology syllabus. Recent research has established that climatology-meteorology, and especially synoptic chart reading and interpretation, is difficult for the concrete thinker. These pupils find difficulty in visualising the weather processes and systems. Provided that they are simple and clear, models are useful teaching devices that integrate and generalise information in a manner that is easily retrievable. The intention of the author is to provide weather type models and other supporting strategies and aids as a means to improve the senior secondary pupil's assimilation of southern African climatological-meteorological information. This model-based approach is tested in the classroom using an action research framework to judge its efficacy. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made.
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Muhembo, Gottfried Mbundu. "An analysis of how visualisation processes can be used by teachers participating in an intervention programme to teach for conceptual understanding of geometry." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62439.
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Visualisation in general and visualisation processes in particular have received much attention in the mathematics education research literature. Literature suggests that the appropriate use of visualisation helps learners to develop their conceptual understanding and skills of geometry as it allows them to visually interpret and understand fundamental mathematical and geometrical concepts. It is claimed that visual tools play an important role in communicating mathematical ideas through diagrams, gestures, images, sketches or drawings. Learning mathematics through visualisation can be a powerful tool to explore mathematical problems and give meaning to mathematical concepts and relationships between them. This interpretive case study focused on how selected teachers taught concepts in geometry through visualisation processes for conceptual understanding as a result of an intervention programme. The study was conducted at four high schools by four mathematics teachers in the Kavango East Region in Northern Namibia. The participants were involved in a three-week intervention programme and afterwards taught three lessons each on the topic of geometry. The data collection method of this research was: focus group and stimulus recall interviews, classroom observations and recorded videos. This research is located in constructivism. I used vertical and horizontal analysis strategies to analyse the data. My analytical instrument consisted of an observation schedule which I used in each lesson to identify how each of the visualisation processes was evident in each of the observed lessons. This study revealed that the participant teachers used visualisation processes in most of their lessons and these processes were used accurately in line with the requirements of the grade 8 mathematics syllabi. The visualisation processes were used through designed visual materials, posters and through the use of geometrical objects such as chalkboard ruler, protractor and compass. The results from this study also confirmed that visualisation processes can be a powerful instructional tool for enhancing learners’ conceptual understanding of geometry.
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Neshuku, Christian N. "An exploration of problems experienced in the interpretation of word problems by grade 12 learners." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008206.
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This research sought to investigate the problems experienced in the interpretation of word problems by senior secondary school learners, in particular to see how the language used in the articulation of word problems affects the interpretation. The study was conducted in a school in the Oshikoto region of Namibia, a school located in a semi-rural area of Namibia, and selected owing to the accessibility of the required participants. The research was located within an interpretive paradigm focusing on a study sample of 40 learners from a specified class in the selected school. Data were collected through written tests and a semi-structured interview based on written tests, and a comprehensive descriptive analysis of test results was prepared. The findings of the study indicate that the language in which the word problem was articulated did not make a difference. The performance in both English and Oshindonga tests was almost the same. The findings also indicate that vocabulary, syntactic interpretation, semantic relationships, algebraic skills, and practical sense making in relation to real-life are all important for the successful interpretation and solving of word problems. In view of these findings, the study has provided valuable insights into aspects of the teacher education curriculum that need to be revisited in order to improve the training of teachers In teaching word problems.
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Tshiningayamwe, Sirkka Alina Nambashusan. "Implementation of environmental learning in the NSSC biology curriculum component: a case study of Namibia." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003446.
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In the context of ecological crisis and environmental deterioration, teaching about environmental issues and the preservation of the world’s environment has become increasingly important across the globe (Chi-chung Ko & Chi-kin Lee, 2003). Of the various subjects taught in secondary schools, Science is often perceived as one that can make a significant contribution to environmental education. It is in this light that the study has looked at how Grade 11 and 12 Biology teachers in the Namibian context implement Environmental Learning (EL). This study was constituted as a case study of two schools in Windhoek, in the Khomas region. The study investigated the implementation of EL in the Biology curriculum focusing on the constraints and enabling factors influencing the implementation. This study employed qualitative methods, specifically semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and document analysis in its investigation of EL implementation. Purposive sampling was done and piloting of interview and observation schedules was used to refine the schedules. Ethical issues were taken into consideration throughout the study. The key findings from the study are as follows: - Teachers’ knowledge and interest in environmental education influence how teachers facilitate EL; - There is a mismatch between EL theories and practice; - Teaching of EL is mainly informed by the syllabus and not other curriculum documents, - Current assessment policy and practice impact on EL; and - Possibilities exist for improving EL in Namibia’s Biology curriculum. These key findings have been used to make recommendations for the study which are as follows: - Strengthen the subject content and interest of teachers; - There should be a match between EL theories and practice; - Reorient curriculum documents and other learning support materials used for EL; - Change in assessment approaches; and - Translate constraints of EL into enablers. The study concludes by calling for further research into EL pedagogies. This can be used to improve EL implementation in the region where the study was situated.
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Dzambara, Tobias Munyaradzi. "An analysis of the distribution and use of teaching aids in mathematics in selected Windhoek secondary schools." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001410.
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This study investigates the types of mathematics teaching aids available at both public and private secondary schools in Windhoek. The study characterises their usage and source as well as teachers’ perceptions towards the use of such teaching resources in the Mathematics classroom. The study is grounded in an interpretive paradigm and employed a mixed methods approach to generate both quantitative and qualitative data in two sequential phases. Phase 1 of the research process, which involved 75 Mathematics teachers, took the form of an audit of the availability and use of teaching aids at 25 secondary schools in Windhoek. A case study methodology was adopted in Phase 2 which focused on five purposively selected schools that displayed different characteristics in terms of the availability of teaching resources. The study found that the majority of teachers at secondary schools in Windhoek have a positive attitude towards the importance and role of teaching aids in Mathematics, seeing them as promoters of hands-on engagement, visual reasoning, active participation and motivation amongst learners. However, in some instances schools are underresourced with respect to certain types of teaching aids, specifically graph boards, geoboards, geometric models and computers. A need for appropriate in-school support on the use of teaching aids was also identified
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Mateya, Muhongo. "Using the van Hiele theory to analyse geometrical conceptualisation in grade 12 students: a Namibian perspective." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003706.
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The study reported here utilised a theory of levels of geometric thinking. This theory was proposed and developed by two Dutch mathematics educators, Pierre van Hiele and his wife, Dina van Hiele-Geldof. The van Hiele theory enables investigations into why many students experience difficulties in learning geometry. In many nations, such as the UK, the USA, Netherlands, the USSR and to a certain extent, Nigeria and South Africa, research evidence has indicated that the overall students’ mathematical competencies are linked to their geometric thinking levels. This study is the first of its kind to apply the van Hiele theory of geometric thinking in the Namibian context to analyse geometrical conceptualisation in Grade 12 mathematics students. In all, 50 Grade 12 students (20 from School A and 30 from School B) were involved in this study. These students wrote a van Hiele Geometry Test adapted from the Cognitive Development and Achievement in Secondary School Geometry test items. Thereafter, a clinical interview with the aid of manipulatives was conducted. The results from this study indicated that many of the School A and School B students who participated in the research have a weak conceptual understanding of geometric concepts: 35% of the School A and 40% of the School B subsamples were at the prerecognition level. 25% and 30% of the School A, and 20% and 23.3% of the School B students were at van Hiele levels 1 and 2 respectively. An equal number of students but different in percentages, 2 (10%) in School A and 2 (6.7%) in School B, were at van Hiele level 3. Only one student from School B attained van Hiele level 4. These results were found to be consistent with those of previous similar studies in UK, USA, Nigeria and South Africa. The findings of this study also highlight issues of how the Namibian Grade 12 geometry syllabus should be aligned with the van Hiele levels of geometric thinking as well as the use of appropriate and correct language in geometrical thinking and problem solving.
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Ho, Shuk-yee Suky, and 何淑儀. "Advanced level geography students' perceptions of teaching pedagogies." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2003. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B27672566.
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Hui, Kwai-yin, and 許桂賢. "Teachers' perceptions of curriculum continuity in secondary school geography." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1997. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31959416.
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Shifafure, Andreas Muronga. "Understanding how grade 11 Physical Science teachers mediate learning of the topic distillation in the Kavango Region." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017357.
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The National Curriculum of Education was implemented with the broad view of including all learners as laid out in the document Toward Education for All. The curriculum emphasised that the topic distillation should be studied. According to the Examiners Reports, the topic distillation is one of the topics where learners face difficulties in the Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) examination Grade 12. This led me to do research on understanding how Physical Science teachers mediate the topic distillation in Namibia specifically in the Kavango region. The study was carried out at two rural schools with two teachers teaching Grade 11. The community member who I asked to demonstrate the making of Kashipembe was also a participant during this study. Kashipembe is a local cultural brew alcohol beverage commonly made in the Kavango East and West Regions of Namibia, which was used as a learning context in this research study. The study used a qualitative case study underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. Data was generated through the use of document analysis, semi-structured interviews, stimulated recall interviews, lesson observations, brainstorming and practical demonstration of making Kashipembe. These different methods of data gathering were used with the aim of triangulating and validating the data. Therefore, my theoretical framework adopted Vygotsky’s (1986) mediation of learning, social constructivism and pedagogical content knowledge according to Shulman’s (1986) theory. The emergent themes were identified inductively and they were colour coded. These themes were later developed into analytic statements which were used in the study. The findings indicate that the use of community knowledge and experience during the teaching of scientific concepts like distillation is important. These findings can also be used by the practising teachers to make their teaching more effective in the curriculums where distillation is included. Therefore, the Namibian curriculum developers need to include this community knowledge in the curriculum to make it easier for the learners to make sense of the topic distillation.
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Ausiku, Charity M. "An investigation into the persistence of traditional teaching methods in grade 9 mathematics classrooms in Rundu : a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004461.
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I embarked upon this study to investigate mathematics teachers' practices that have led to the persistence of traditional teaching methods in grade 9 mathematics classrooms in Rundu. The study was conducted from a learner-centred (L-C) perspective or reform approach in the Namibian context. It is a qualitative study oriented in the interpretive paradigm- a paradigm that seeks to understand the meanings attached to human actions. The participants involved in this study were purposively selected and they are composed of two mathematics teachers and their grade 9 learners. This study was conducted at two schools in Rundu. One is an urban school while the other one is a rural school on the outskirts of Rundu. The research tools employed in this study are questionnaires, interviews and observations. The questionnaires were used to identify and select my participants while the observations were used to investigate the participants teaching strategies. The purpose of the interviews was mainly to investigate teachers' understanding, interpretation and implementation of learner-centre education (LCE). Amongst other findings, this study reveals that inadequate teacher-training, controversial educational policies and challenges such as overcrowdedness in mathematics classrooms, lack of teaching and learning materials, lack of cooperation among mathematics teachers and learners' negative attitude towards mathematics are some of the contributing factors to the persistence of traditional teaching methods in mathematics classrooms. Moreover, the study reveals that the persistence of traditional teaching methods in mathematics classes can no longer be attributed to the lack of understanding of LCE. The teachers in this study seem to be well acquainted with the theoretical aspect of the LCE framework while the implementation aspect seems to be a concern.
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Joseph, Cecilia Namuhuya. "Investigating the inclusion of environmental learning in the Life Science Grade 10 curriculum : a case study of three Namibian schools." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017344.
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This study was carried out to investigate how Grade 10 Life Science teachers in three schools in the Omusati region of Namibia are including Environmental Learning (EL) in terms of the curriculum policy. A qualitative approach was used to generate data through document analysis, interviews and classroom observations to investigate the application of the policy of including environmental learning in classroom curriculum practice. The research was primarily directed towards examining constraints and enabling factors in the context of the three schools that participated in the study. The study revealed that teaching strategies for the inclusion of environmental learning were not widely evident, suggesting disparities between the policy of enabling environmental education through the inclusion of environmental learning across the curriculum. It was notable that teacher knowledge and interest in environmental education influence how they include environmental learning and that assessment practices narrow the scope of environmental learning in ways that do not include critical thinking and problem solving skills. The study concludes that despite diverse constraints inhibiting inclusion, the evidence suggests that the inclusion of environmental learning in Namibia’s Life Science curriculum can enable environmental education. The above main findings are used to make recommendations toward strengthening environmental content knowledge of teachers and to improve assessment practices. It was also noted that some of the environmental learning constraints could be transformed into enablers with more teacher support and by making a better link between environmental learning theories and practices. This will involve a redirection of the curriculum documents as well as the provision of other learning support materials to support environmental learning. The study has enabled me to conclude that what is happening should be encouraged so that it continues and is strengthened although the implementation of environmental learning is not as clear as the policy had mapped out.