Browsing by Author "Govender, Devanandan."

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Alternate systems of education (distance and virtual) : South African trends.
(2001) Govender, Devanandan.; Kistan, G.
It has been well documented (Education and Training White Paper I,II and III) that one of the key challenges facing South African post apartheid education is the need to transform the educational sector that was systematically destroyed by many years of apartheid education. Whilst dealing with the process of transformation, South African education is also expected to deal with many other pressures that beset, at present, educational landscapes world wide. These pressures relate directly to the increased demand for access to higher education with a corresponding reduction in government funding for tertiary education. The massification of higher education has placed great pressure on traditional face to face higher education institutions to provide access to larger numbers of students. Student profiles have also changed considerably in post apartheid South Africa. In the past apartheid policies restricted access to the majority of students consequently there are many adult students who are now beginning to enroll at tertiary institutions to upgrade their expertise and qualifications. South African tertiary institutions see it as their imperative to find innovative ways to make their places of learning more flexible and accommodate students wanting life long learning. Based on the above challenges facing the South African educational landscape, this study investigated the popularity of distance and virtual education as a viable alternate system of learning amongst higher education students in South Africa. The study found that distance education is a very popular choice amongst students who are above 35 years of age. Another finding, was that distance education is popular amongst students pursuing a qualification (diplomas, honours, masters and doctoral degrees) in a variety of professions such as, Computers, Nursing Science, Public Administration, Business Administration, Police Services, Teacher Education, Human Resource Management and Financial Management. While revealing that distance education is a popular choice amongst tertiary students, the study also found that distance education institutions (UNISA and SACOL) provide a very low level of learner support to students. The majority of the students indicate that they are very unhappy about the quality and type of study materials that they receive. They also point out that the format of the study materials is always in the form of correspondence based print materials. These materials are too theoretical, confusing and difficult to understand. In terms of staff support, students felt that staff were not sympathetic to their problems and were always unavailable for consultation. The study also found that the type of feedback students received from staff was not in depth and constructive. In this regard, however, both SACOL and UNISA staff indicate that they do not have adequate time to provide learner support as they have very large classes to contend with, in some instances over 400 students per class. The study reveals that students are unhappy with the fact that their institutions persist with print materials as their primary mode of education delivery. Students overwhelmingly show a preference for multi mediated technologies in their course delivery. On line (Internet) based teaching and learning is high on their priority. It was surprising to find that the majority of students were computer literate. Students indicate that they were self taught in computers as they gained access to it at their place of work. This highlights the point that the work place, is now demanding a new type of worker, namely the knowledge worker. It is for this reason that higher education institutions ought to begin to invest in technology enhanced teaching and learning. In the literature review (chapter two), the study provides a number of advantages of harnessing online education. Perhaps, the most significant advantage of employing computer technology in distance education is that of cost reduction with a commensurate increase in productivity. The literature review also highlights various other potential benefits (personalised education, time and place independence, increased access, etc) to be gained from using online distance education learning systems such as the Internet and Web based applications, etc. In conclusion, the study provides a number of recommendations on how distance education provision could be enhanced in South Africa. Specific recommendations are offered to distance education institutions on strategies that could be employed to increase the quality of learner support and the advantages of employing technology enhanced delivery modes. Recommendations are also offered to the Department of Education (DoE) in terms of revising its policy as outlined in the National Plan on Higher Education (NPHE) with specific reference to distance education provision in South Africa.
Educational technology in post apartheid education evaluation of role and policy.
(1997) Govender, Devanandan.; Kistan, Chandru.
Educational Technology as a significant discipline within the educational landscape has been firmly accepted by many countries throughout the world. Most notably, countries such as the United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, Hungary and Scotland are amongst the forerunners in implementing educational technology in their educational systems. The value and significance of educational technology is such that democracies throughout the world can ill afford to ignore. This study is thus an attempt to investigate, assess and identify the role and policies of educational technology in post apartheid South Africa. The rationale behind this study is thus to examine and ascertain whether the Government of National Unity has gone far enough to affect major changes in the educational landscape with special reference to the assimilation and in co-operation of educational technology. Based on this rationale, the study investigates amongst others, the perception and understanding of educational technology amongst educationists in primary and secondary schools in Phoenix which is located approximately 25 km north of Durban in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. This limitation of concentrating and restricting the study to Phoenix was unavoidable due to various mitigating circumstances amongst which were the factors of time, cost, human and financial resources and also the issue of security. However after all these concerns were analysed it was found that the majority of schools in the Phoenix area were ideally suited to the study as these schools were made up of a well balanced racial mix of pupils. In investigating the understanding of "educational technology" amongst the various respondents, a number of correlations such as the influence of age, tertiary institution where the respondents graduated, qualification levels, the role of media centre and it's staff, etc were made. Thus this study eventually strengthened the resolve in providing significant information on the previously uncharted territory of "educational technology" in South Africa. In fact this is one of the only known research studies that was undertaken on educational technology in KZN. The study also gleaned various other data to assess whether there exists any policy frameworks on educational technology within the educational landscape of South Africa. In the final analysis various conclusions were drawn, and were subsequently followed by recommendations.
The implementation of outcomes-based education in the foundation phase in the North Durban region, in different school climates.
(2000) Moodley, Premilla.; Kistan, G.; Govender, Devanandan.
Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) has been used successfully in many States in the United States of America, New Zealand and Denmark. Much of the information contained in the theoretical literature relates to America. In South Africa, OBE is incorporated in Curriculum 2005 - the new national curriculum for the twenty-first century. Curriculum 2005 proposes to be a major step forward in ensuring quality education for all people in South Africa. It aims to equip learners with the knowledge, competencies and orientations needed for success once learners leave school or complete their training. OBE shifts the focus from a content-based education to one that is based on outcomes achieved by learners. This research examines how the Foundation Phase educators, in the North Durban Region of KwaZulu-Natal, perceive the implementation of OBE and its implications for the entire school community. The study examines the advantages that OBE proposes and the related constraints. The researcher concludes that in its infancy in South Africa, OBE with all its uncertainty of change, is being implemented with various degrees of success. This research study aims to highlight that the major burden of fulfilling the promise of OBE falls on the shoulders of the OBE practitioners.
An investigation into the use of South African Broadcasting Corporation School T.V. in enhancing teaching and learning in the foundation phase at Acacia Primary School.
(2000) Govender, Visvanathan.; Govender, Devanandan.
Television is an extremely powerful and influential medium and if utilized appropriately it could promote literacy and revive a culture of teaching and learning in South Africa. The significance of educational television can only be realized if all role players are equally committed to this powerful medium: the National Broadcaster, the Department of National Education, school management team, parents, learners and perhaps the most important component, the educators in schools. School TV is an ideal vehicle to sustain and promote new teaching and learning strategies such as Outcomes Based Education. This research study concluded, that Educational Television is instrumental in supporting learners and educators in new teaching and learning strategies such as Outcomes Based Education. The research findings from this study provide valuable information on the preference and usage of SABC School TV in foundation phase classrooms.
Investigation of the use of a learning management systems in postgraduate educational technology modules : a case study.
(2009) Mafata, Mafata Paul.; Khoza, Simon Bhekumuzi.; Govender, Devanandan.
Studies (Alavi, 2000, Conole, 2004, Birch & Burnett, 2009,) reveal that technology has been capable of enhancing teaching and learning in various contexts. It is within such a context that this study investigated the utility of Learning Management System (LMS) in postgraduate teaching and learning at the Faculty of Education in the South African university. My focus was the experiences of both academic staff and postgraduate students in relation to the learning opportunities and challenges accompanying LMS as used as a teaching and learning platform. This study employed a mixed methods approach (a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches), which was implemented in two phases, following a sequential order (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2003). In phase one, a quantitative approach was employed. This approach engaged students in completing a questionnaire that comprised of close and open-ended questions. Furthermore, simple random sampling was applied to select the respondents for data production in this phase. In the second phase a qualitative approach, concerned itself with the production of in depth data). The sub-sample of the population from the questionnaire was used in the focus group and individual interviews with educational technology students. All those participants whose responses spoke better to the critical questions were selected. Three academics were selected for individual interviews. Convenience purposive sampling (Henning, 2004) was applied for the selection of the participants in this level. Non-participatory observation was applied for triangulation purposes. In terms of analysis, thematic analysis was used (Aronson 1994), with charts and statistics representing quantitative data and texts representing qualitative data. By means of guided analysis, research findings were interpreted (Hammonds, 1976). In order to discuss all these findings, the principle of construct-connect theory (Gagnon & Collay, 2000: Siemens: 2004) was used. The results revealed that both selected academics and postgraduate students knew the capabilities and challenges of the LMS. The implications of these capabilities and challenges for teaching and learning were discussed. The research concluded with a set of recommendations to ensure, the effective use of Learning Management System to support teaching and learning in the postgraduate sector.
The use of interactive whiteboards (IWSs) in science instruction at high schools.
(2009) Motebang, Moipusi.; Khoza, Simon Bhekumuzi.; Govender, Devanandan.
The increasing installation of the SMART Boards (electronic interactive whiteboards - IWBs) in education is an issue that cannot be ignored. South Africa is not an exception in this issue. The IWBs are gaining popularity amongst schools and educators in South Africa. With the growing number of users of IWBs in South Africa, this modern technology might have brought challenges and new opportunities to education and instructional methods at all educational levels. The purpose of the study was to investigate the use of the IWBs in the teaching and learning science in high schools. The selected schools use modern technologies that enhance teaching and learning such as the IWBs. This study aimed at developing an understanding of educators’ experiences on the benefits and challenges posed by utilizing the IWBs in their current practice with a view to drawing implications for possible recommendations for this type of technology. The study adopted a qualitative research design and followed case study methodology. It employed qualitative data collection techniques such as semi-structured individual and focus group interviews and classroom observations with purposively selected science educators in two public high schools in the Durban metropolis. The participants were six educators and eight learners from the two schools. It also followed a guided analysis based on the principles of both Connectivism and Engagement theories that informed the study. The findings revealed both benefits and challenges on educators. The most prominent benefits which educators recognized included multimedia features of the IWBs; their capabilities in learning; and their support for different learning styles. Alongside these benefits, educators also perceived challenges which involved low level of educators’ ICT skills related to insufficient professional development and training, and lack of planning. Generally; the study revealed that the IWBs can be generically beneficial tools provided some major problems are rectified. Recommendations relating to these findings are also provided, with an emphasis on technology planning and professional development as prerequisites to proper implementation of the IWBs in schools.
The use of the environment as a resource for cross-curricular materials development in outcomes-based education.
(2003) Mhlongo, Khokhiwe Mayvis.; Khoza, Simon Bhekumuzi.; Hadebe, Bheki.; Govender, Devanandan.
All schools exist in a particular environment. No matter what environment the school is in the educator can make use of it as a learning resource. The environment is a critical aspect at all levels of education and in all programmes to create environmentally literate and active citizens. This study focussed on the use of the environment as a resource for cross-curricular materials development in Outcomes-Based Education. It is essential for all the driving forces of the education system to understand, that materials development is the process of designing and developing learner-support materials (resources) to enhance the teaching-learning process. Therefore, developing cross-curricular materials is a requisite for assisting learners to master the necessary knowledge, skills, values and attitudes. Developing cross-curricular materials promote integrated learning as encouraged by Outcomes-Based Education. The findings for this study indicate that some educators still lack skills for developing cross-curricula materials. The findings also indicate that, educators from rural schools mostly depend on waste materials as their teaching-learning resources. The study also indicate some recommendations that could be used to empower educators to master competent materials development skills. Quality teaching and quality learning mostly depend on adequate resources that could assist the learner to master the required knowledge and skills.