Browsing by Author "Khanare, Fumane Portia."

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A collaborative framework for enhancing sustainable learning for vulnerable learners in a rural ecology.
(2019) Mbambo, Sinenhlanhla Immaculate.; Hlalele, Dipane Joseph.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
There is a paucity of collective structures that enhance quality learning for those learners who reside within the rural ecologies and who are perceived as being vulnerable. This study aims to propose a collaborative framework for enhancing sustainable learning for vulnerable learners in a rural ecology. It is located within the critical paradigm and it employed a qualitative approach. Participatory Action Research methodology was used to involve those parties within the community who displayed an interest in the study and thus they participated in activities or actions which led to the emancipation of the communities who eradicated the problems which plagued the local learning ecology. Purposive, as well as snowballing sampling techniques, were used to select a diverse group of co-researchers which comprised of learners, teachers, parents, a nurse, a priest, a police officer, a social worker and a traditional healer. The co-researchers were of various ages, cultural and religious backgrounds, economic and educational statuses. In order to generate data, collages, focus group discussions, free writing reflections and field notes were used. The amalgamation of the Asset Based Approach and Collaboration formed the theoretical framework which guided the study. To analyse generated data, the content analysis method was utilised. Through content analysis, raw generated data was dissected thoroughly and categorised into labelled segments of thematic codes. Thereafter, patterns were observed, while repetitions were eliminated; finally, the patterns were grouped into themes. These themes formed a structure for a collaborative framework which was used to enhance sustainable learning for vulnerable learners in a rural ecology. The four pillars that underpinned the collaborative framework included promoting a culture of ambitious learners who possess a positive mentality, intensifying the existing forms of care and support, inspiring collaborations, and connecting with the curriculum. While the study recommended that researches of a similar nature could be employed to mitigate other societal ills in rural sectors either than the disruption of learning for vulnerable learners such as unemployment, hate crime, woman abuse and others. The study could also be conducted in other rural ecologies and involve a wider category of co researchers such as unemployed graduates, medical practitioners and psychiatrists. The study concluded that converting frameworks into actions is a complex activity which requires collaborators to mindful of the threats to the operationalisation of the initiative, to monitor the implementation process and to be continuously corporative while they share a common goal and a strong desire for liberation. KEYWORDS:Collaborative,Framework,Sustainable learning,Vulnerable learners,Rural ecology.
An enabling learning environment for international students in the context of HIV and AIDS.
(2019) Nwokedi, Peace Ginika.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
Ideally, providing an enabling learning environment for international students in the context of HIV and AIDS is seen as significant due to their increasing numbers in South African universities. This is because an enabling learning environment will help in enhancing their learning and general wellbeing. However, HIV and AIDS is regarded as everybody’s business within the South African society, of which international students are part. This implies that international students have a part to play in ensuring that the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS is reduced within their host society. Despite this, their voices in South African universities still remain silent and unheard, showing that their contribution might often be taken for granted on issues about them and on issues pertaining to HIV and AIDS. Meanwhile, DHET (2013) policy states that South African universities need to create an enabling learning environment for all their students in order to enable them to learn, grow and develop holistically. Consequently, recent studies have shown that international students studying in South African universities experience diverse factors within their learning environment that inhibit their learning, growth and development. Based on the above, this study proposes an enabling learning environment for international students in the context of HIV and AIDS and aims to seek ways in which the university could create an enabling learning environment for international students in the context of HIV and AIDS. This is a qualitative research study that is guided by an instrumental case study approach within the interpretive paradigm. I employed a multiple method approach for the generation of data which consists of photovoice (a participatory visual method), a self-reflective essay and a focus group discussion method to respond to the main research question and the three critical questions used to underpin this study. Consequently, I drew on the agentic capability theory of Albert Bandura to frame the study and the data were generated from twelve participants’ voices on their subjective experiences, views, ideas, values, knowledge and perspectives concerning how the university could create an enabling learning environment for them in the context of HIV and AIDS. The visual, textual and verbal data generated was then analysed using the thematic analysis of Tesch (1990). The twelve participants consist of six male and six female international postgraduate and undergraduate students who were purposively and conveniently selected, first because of their familiarity with the researcher. Secondly, based on the fact that they all reside at or close to the university environment, inside the Durban metropolis of the province of KwaZulu-Natal, and have being studying at this particular university for more than two years. Thirdly, they are members of the international students’ group who come from within and outside the continent of Africa and are doing their undergraduates and postgraduate degrees in the context of HIV and AIDS. I drew on the diverse perspectives, identities, knowledge, ideas, opinions and lived experiences of her participants to conduct the study. This indicates that the learning experiences of her participants in the context of HIV and AIDS were varied. However, the findings of the study revealed four themes. The first theme revealed international students’ multiple understandings of an enabling learning environment, such as the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, academic support, financial support and encouraging social integration. The second theme was that international students need an enabling learning environment in the context of HIV and AIDS to augment or improve on their wellbeing and to address the various challenges they are experiencing within their learning environment. In this second theme, the study identified several factors that inhibit the students’ learning within the context of HIV and AIDS. These include psychosocial issues, for example, lack of sense of belonging, feeling of alienation and xenophobia, lack of social support and language barriers; some socio-cultural issues like the exclusive university and immigration policies; difficulty in acquiring study visas to continue with their study in their host environment; and lastly socio-economic issues, such as lack of funding and scholarships and lack of job opportunities. Theme three in this study revealed diverse dynamic multidimensional strategies that could be used in creating an enabling learning environment for international students in the context of HIV and AIDS. These include a comprehensive HIV and AIDS programme; provision of food security; a culturally inclusive university policy; enhancing university security and safety measures; providing more recreational facilities; provision of grants and scholarship for international students; enhancing the teaching and learning resources as well as creating job opportunities for international students. However, the findings also highlight the diverse roles of different enablers such as international students, local students and the university management within the context of HIV and AIDS in enhancing the diverse dynamic strategies that could be used in creating an enabling learning environment in the context of HIV and AIDS. Notwithstanding, in the last theme, the findings in the study showed that employing the photovoice method in this study enabled agency in the lives of the international students by exposing them to visual skills; enabled them to acquire creative skill; enhanced their critical thinking; was seen as an unconventional way of learning; enabled active engagement; connected them to other people; developed awareness of self and the university environment and lastly helped to empower the disempowered, The findings of the study have implication for research, teaching, training and infrastructure. This implies that the findings could be used by the university as a way of developing an enabling learning environment in the South African higher educational institutions in order for their students to become socially and culturally integrated as well as help develop inclusive policies in which international students will be considered. The study concludes by contending that an enabling learning environment for international students in the context of HIV and AIDS should be socially and culturally embedded. Hence, the study has shown that a responsiveness to international students’ voices, based on their diverse perspectives, ideas, experiences, identities and knowledge, which have been disregarded, is needed to address their needs in relation to creating an enabling learning environment for them.
The exploration of classroom strategies for facilitating communication with learners with autism : a case of two schools at Umlazi District.
(2015) Ngcobo, Dorah Thembi.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
The focus of this topic was to explore the teaching strategies that the classroom teachers use to facilitate communication with learners with autism. The study was conducted in two Special Schools in Umlazi District and used 10 participants. Participants were purposively selected because of the nature of the learners. The study adopted a qualitative research in which a case study design was adopted. In order to explore communication teaching strategies and resources used in the classroom, an interpretivist paradigm was used. The data generation processes was obtained through semi structured interviews and classroom observations. The overall findings of the research show that facilitating communication with learners with autism is complex and multifaceted because each strategies. Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), visual aids and gestures are predominantly used to facilitate communication with learners with autism. The findings of the research also show that learners with autism are agents of their communication. Teachers rely on other teachers, school therapists, school management teams and parents to throw effective communication strategies in class. The findings reveal that less technological assistive devices are used to facilitate communication in class. Vygotsky, 1978 cognitive constructivism theory and two concepts of Scaffolding and Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) forms a strong framework of the study since learners with autism depend on continuous guidance and support of the teacher in order to perform a task. Communication teaching strategies of learners with autism differ from that in the mainstream learners because it calls for collaboration of human and non-human resources.
Exploring students' experiences of information and communication technology (ICT) facilitated feedback : a case study of business management education students at a higher institution in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2014) Chidiebere, Anyanwu Clinton.; Ngwenya, Jabulisile Cynthia.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
The changing context of higher education (HE) in an era of rapid technological and economic changes internationally, and in South Africa presents new challenges for lecturers and students. As an aspect of the challenges, the need for the integration of technology in teaching and learning in South African schools had received pivotal attention. Presently, there is widespread interest and research into the role feedback plays in education and modes of providing feedback to students in higher institution. The focus on the experiences of using email in teaching and learning has not been sufficiently explored. There is a major gap in terms of understanding the experiences of higher institution students of using e-mail feedback in teaching and learning in higher institutions. Hence in this study the focus is to explore students’ experiences of email facilitated feedback in Business Management Education at a Higher Institution. The study examines the use of e-mail as a teaching tool for providing feedback to Business Management Education students. In the study, students’ experiences of using e-mail feedback method in Business Management Education are explored in order to understand how useful and accessible e-mail feedback is as a teaching tool. The study further looks at what influences the use of e-mail facilitated feedback had on students’ learning of Business Management Education. This study uses a qualitative case study design and located within the interpretive paradigm. Ten Business Management Education students at a higher institution in KwaZulu-Natal Provinces, South Africa made up the study participants and provided the source of data for this study. The ten students are in their 3rd and 4th year of study. Students from the Institution had access to mains electricity, and the whole institution is served by a Local Area Network (LAN) which is constantly accessible to the students for academic and learning purposes. Findings from this study reveal that students have differing experiences of e-mail facilitated feedback. While majority of students have positive experience of e-mail feedback, some had challenges using e-mail facilitated feedback. Findings further revealed that the use of e-mail facilitated feedback in Business Management Education did not take into consideration the gaps in terms of levels of prior knowledge and literacy in basic computing and internet applications across the student population. In addition, students did not receive prior orientation on how to access and the uses of the e-mail facilitated mode of feedback that is used in the Business Management Education school.
Factors contributing to learners absconding in a high school in Phoenix.
(2015) Jugmohan, Areshna.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
The focus of this study is to explore the factors that contribute to learners absconding. The study was conducted in one peri-urban school in Phoenix. The study was guided by two research questions: (i) what are the factors that contribute to absconding of learners? (ii) how does absconding impact on teaching and learning? The study employed Bronfenbrenner’s Social Ecological Model as a theoretical framework. The paradigmatic position of the study was from an interpretivist view. A qualitative research approach was used and the study was in the form of a single case study of a school in Phoenix, Durban. Ten participants were selected using snowball sampling, purposive sampling and convenience sampling. The participants were made up of seven learners and three educators. The data generation process was obtained through open-ended questionnaires with learner participants only, semi-structured interviews with all participants, focus group discussion with learner participants only and documentary sources (school records). Data was analysed using content analysis. The overall findings of the research show that the factors that contribute to learners absconding are situated at the peer and school level. The findings also show that absconding has educational and social effects. In addition, the findings reveal that educators and other learners who attend school regularly are also affected by absconding.
Foundation phase teachers' competencies in teaching learners with attention deficiency hyperactive disorder : an exploration study.
(2016) Mthethwa, Nombuso Gugulethu.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
This study is located within the interpretivist paradigm and adopted a qualitative methodology in order to explore teachers’ competencies for teaching learners with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), particularly in the Foundation Phase classroom. The Hope Theory framed the study by engaging teachers in meaning-making process as they identify their competencies and ways in which they could improve their teaching when ADHD is prevalent. Qualitative methodology was chosen as the preferred mode of inquiry which contributed to the researcher’s insight and understanding of the participants’ subjective competencies for teaching the learners with ADHD. Six teachers in one selected school in Pinetown district, who were teaching a diverse group of learners, including learners with ADHD in the foundation phase classroom, were purposefully selected. Participants were, as far as possible, obtained a teaching qualification, have been teaching in the selected school for the period of three years and above, and have taught learners with ADHD. Qualitative data generation methods (i.e. focus group discussion and collage activities) were used to generate data. Guided analysis was used in order to develop a deeper understanding of the teachers’ competencies by reporting on the patters across the data sets. The findings of this study suggested that the teachers possess varies competencies that they use when teaching learners with ADHD, that is using their knowledge and skills gained during the teacher training period. The findings further revealed that revealed that teachers’ attitude towards learners with ADHD is overwhelmingly negative, and they seem to lack a deeper understating of ADHD and this affect their teaching. Moving beyond this, there is hope for improved teaching, the findings revealed that teachers were willing to assistance within the school and from the parents of these learners. Thus, teachers found that it is necessary for everyone to work together in educating the learners with ADHD, as this continues to affect more families and schools. There is even a greater need for the Department of Education to provide on-going and in-service training for teachers in relation to ADHD in the foundation phase. Though inclusive education reforms have been initiated, many learners with ADHD are still excluded intentionally or unintentional, thus affecting the gains of democracy and inclusive education in South Africa.
Inclusive education support programmes provision for learners with learning difficulties in full-service school : Umlazi District educators' voices.
(2017) Mhlongo, Sindiswa Anthea.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
The success of all learners, including those with special needs, depends on the inclusion and active participation of all stakeholders in education. Therefore, this study's aim was to explore the inclusive education support programmes provision for learners with learning difficulties in Umlazi District Full-Service School (thereafter FSS). The specific objectives were to explore the nature of those inclusive education support programmes for learners with learning difficulties; and also to detennine the ways in which the current inclusive education support programmes improve the well-being of these learners in FSS. The theories guiding the study were the asset-based approach of Kretzmann and McKnight, as well as the scaffolding theory of Jerome Brunner. The study followed a qualitative research approach within the interpretive paradigm. The research style that was employed in this study is the participatory research, which allowed participants to be actively involved in identifying and investigating the problem. Six educators from one FSS were purposely selected as the sample of this study because they do accommodate learners with learning difficulties and have taught them for more than three years. The study employed a variety of methods like focus group discussions, collage construction activity, document analysis and field notes, until a deep understanding was achieved. The study was analysed thematically. The findings revealed that there is inclusive education support programmes for learners with learning difficulties in a FSS that are provided by educators, learners, school-based support team, parents, community members, interested organisations and sister departments. The inclusive education support programmes improve the well-being of learners academically, intellectually, socially, psychologically, spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. However, the inclusive education support programmes are still scanty and fragmented. As part of recommendations, collaborative professional development of educators from FSSs should be afforded high priority of IE support programmes training if refonn and restructuring initiatives are to be successful.
International postgraduate students' experiences of learning in a selected university in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2015) Nwokedi, Peace Ginika.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
The voices of international postgraduate students are more often than not missing from the conversation about their learning experiences at their host university. Therefore this study explores the international postgraduate students’ experiences of learning in a selected university in KwaZulu-Natal. By exploring these diverse students’ learning experiences, this study also explored the influence of experience on the type of resources these students uses to support and improve their learning in the host university. The study clarifies the role of internationalisation policy on the mobility of international students and the students’ learning in different context. The bio-ecosystemic theory was used to guide the study. The study followed the qualitative approach and adopted the interpretive paradigm in conducting a single case study research in one university in KwaZulu-Natal. The photovoice participatory visual method and focus group discussion were the methods employed by the researcher to generate data from eight full time international postgraduate students enrolled in a MEd. and PhD programme in 2014.The data from the students’ responses was analysed thematically and the results of this study are illustrated and discussed. The findings are that the international postgraduate students viewed the university as both an enabling and also a constraining learning environment as they identified diverse factors which impacted on their learning within and outside the university environment. The Influence of the international postgraduate students’ experiences on their learning were identified. The findings showed that the students’ developed diverse personal and academic skills that shaped their learning and enabled them to achieve their academic goals. In addition, the result also identified diverse university resources used by the international postgraduate students such as various teaching and learning activities like conferences, presentations, ICT, workshops, seminars etc., the academics and sports and recreational facilities that supported and enabled their learning. This study therefore challenges the argument that international students are ‘victims of pathology’ in experiencing only hardship in their host environment, hardship that negatively affects their learning. The study concludes that international students’ learning is a result of their interrelationships and interactions with people, resources and the environment which helped to develop their personal experiences, improve their knowledge, develop skills and enable change in behaviour to achieve their academic goals. Furthermore, this study also concludes that the use of photovoice as a participatory visual method enabled dialogue among the international students and bring into visual awareness international postgraduate students’ ideas about their learning experiences.
Learner support services in full-service schools: voices of parents in Uthukela district Kwazulu-Natal
(2018) Skosana, Nolonwabo.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
Support is regarded as the cornerstone of Full-service schools. The government of South Africa introduced full-service school in order to channel inclusive education. For support to be fully embedded in the full-service school all stakeholders should take their rightful positions and that includes parents. Voices of parents are very limited within South African ambience and it is for this reason that this study’s focus is on what the parents say. This study was conducted to explore learner support services in full-service schools: voices of parents in uThukela district, KwaZulu-Natal. A literature study of international, national and local was done in order to understand the concept not just at our point of departure level but rather nationally. This was the phenomenological study which focused on Thlapeng¹ and Letlokwa¹ full-service schools that are based at KwaZulu-Natal’s uThukela district. A qualitative approach with purposeful sampling was used within an interpretive paradigm. The triangulation of data and theories was done using semi-structured interviews and questionnaires as well as Asset-based theory and Epstein’s theory of overlapping spheres. The three themes that emerged during analysis were; Theme one: Parents understanding of full-service school, theme two: learner support services in full-service schools is kaleidoscopic and theme three: discourses of support. The findings from these themes suggest that parents find the support in these school as kaleidoscopic and it also clear even though parents are the third leg of the three legged pot that forms the basis of proper functionality at these schools are not fully involved in the processes with regards to the support of learners in these schools. Their involvement is very limited or restricted which is in contradiction with what the policy on Full-service schools and SIAS document require.
Parental involvement in education : a comparison between a privileged and underprivileged school.
(2014) Manilal, Rubaina.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
This study compared parental involvement in privileged and underprivileged schools in Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal. The objectives of the study were to determine what are the similarities and differences in parental involvement between privileged and underprivileged schools and why they do exist. The theory guiding the study was Epstein’s Theory of Overlapping Spheres. The study followed a qualitative research approach and operated within an interpretivist paradigm. A multiple case design was used. The studied schools were drawn from two contexts, privileged and underprivileged, both located in Phoenix. The methodology employed to generate data was a semi-structured interview, followed by an open-ended questionnaire that was given to participants. The sample of participants comprised of three parents and three teachers from each of the two schools. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings show that there are parents from both privileged and underprivileged communities who are concerned and employ a variety of strategies to get involved in their children’s education, both academically and socially. Although parents from both schools participate in school events the levels of their participation differs, with the parents from the privileged schools being more involved than parents from the underprivileged school. Parental involvement is influenced by many ecological factors which may enable or constrain parental involvement in schools. The factors that enable parental involvement are: parents’ roles and responsibilities, parents’ aspirations and expectations, the nature and adequacy of communication and school leadership and support. The results show that there are a diversity of factors that hamper parental involvement in education such as the working conditions of parents, being a single parent, the absence of parents, socio-economic factors and the school leadership. This study shows that despite it being low, parents in both privileged and underprivileged schools do display involvement and the factors which enable and constrain their involvement must be taken into account. Parental involvement thus cannot be considered a universal context, as each context varies.
School management teams' response to learners who are orphaned and vulnerable in the context of HIV and AIDS : a study of two rural senior secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2008) Khanare, Fumane Portia.; De Lange, Naydene.; Buthelezi, Thabisile M.
No abstract available.
Teachers as change agents: primary teachers'perceptions and management of bullying in a selected school at KwaMashu area.
(2016) Mbambo, Sinenhlanhla Immaculate.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
rimary teachers’ perceptions on bullying and management are still limited within the South African context. This study explores primary school teachers’ perceptions on bullying and management in a selected primary school in KwaMashu Township in South Africa. The study is located within the interpretive paradigm and it employed a qualitative approach. A single case study methodology was used with primary teachers to understand their perceptions of bullying and management. In order to generate data one- on- one interviews and focus group discussions were used. Purposive sampling was used to select a sample that comprised of 10 female teachers between the ages of 32 and 56, who had been in the teaching environment for over seven years, come from different cultural and religious backgrounds and all work in the same school of study. The study was guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Bio-Ecological Model. To analyze generated data thematic analysis method was utilized. The key themes that emerged from the analyzed data were: Theme 1: teachers’ understanding of bullying and the subtitles in this category were what is in the word bullying and the issues that are integral to bullying. Theme2: The causes and consequences of bullying and the sub themes that emerged were the individual factors, the socio-economic factors, the family risk factors and the school factors. Under consequences of bullying issues such as psychological consequences and academic consequences as well as long-term and short term consequences were considered. Under Theme 3: Teachers’ perceptions on the management and the barriers to managing bullying, subcategories such as: the identification of bullying, teachers’ response towards bullying and continued bullying. Moreover the barriers towards the management of bullying were also highlighted. The findings of the study indicated that teachers in the primary school of study acted as agents of change, they utilized their multiple understandings of the concept of bullying and they adopted fragmented ways of managing bullying.
Teachers' constructions of school-based care and support for learners in a place of safety.
(2017) Nene, Nompumelelo Virgina.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
Care and support of learners, particularly, orphaned and other vulnerable children, is a major call for schools and this is evident in the education policies and conceptual frameworks nationally and internationally. This study explores the teachers’ constructions of school-based care and support for vulnerable learners in a Place of Safety. The objectives of this study were: to explore the teachers’ constructions of school-based care for learners in a place of safety and the school-based strategies to improve care and support for learners in the place of safety. A qualitative research design and interpretive approach were adopted to conduct this study. The study also employed the strength-based approach to achieve the objectives of the study. The purposive and convenient sampling were also chosen in order to get rich and accurate data from the participants. The study used two data generative qualitative methods namely: collage and focus group interview to generate data for this study. The findings that emerged from the study showed that teachers in the Place of Safety were aware that they were dealing with vulnerable learners and the degree of the vulnerability among learners. The data identified that teachers acted as advocate to the learners; engaged the OVC learners in collaborative learning; providing spiritual support to the OVC learners and helping the OVC learners to build their self-esteem. The findings further revealed that the teachers were aware of the improved supporting strategies that include providing most nutritious food to the learners with nutritional; applying multi-cultural approach to teaching; developing the learners on entrepreneurship skill and as well as providing recreational resources. Though inclusive education reforms have been initiated, there is even a greater need for the Department of Education to provide on-going and in-service training for teachers in relation to providing care and support for learners in a Place of Safety.
Teachers' experiences with overcrowded classrooms in a mainstream school.
(2015) Muthusamy, Nirashnee.; Khanare, Fumane Portia.
The focus of this study is to explore teachers’ experiences with overcrowded classrooms in a mainstream school. The study was conducted in one mainstream school in the Durban South area. The study adopts a qualitative research approach in which a case study design was adopted. The data generation process was obtained through unstructured questionnaires and observations with teachers. The overall findings of the research show that teachers’ experiences with overcrowded classrooms are ‘stressful’. Teachers themselves identified certain conditions that are stressful in an overcrowded classroom. These conditions were inadequate classroom space, issues related to safety and health, minimal learner and teacher interaction, disruptive behaviours, teachers experienced emotional and psychological problems, increased workload and inadequate teaching time. The findings of the research also show the contributing factors to stressful experiences. These factors included lack of support from management, policy implementation, teacher training and professional development and lack of resources. The findings also showed that teachers tap into, mobilise and map out individual resources in order to manage overcrowded classrooms.