School of Education

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A decolonial feminist investigation of gender representation in IsiZulu literature in the further education and training phase.
(2023) Cele, Nomonde.; Sader, Saajidha Bibi.
Literature is considered an essential educational resource in South Africa to edify teaching and learning. Learners can also learn about society's ideals through literary works. The paucity of knowledge on the kinds of texts that are recommended and the underlying ideologies that these teach learners is noteworthy. It is important because little is known about the kinds of recommended texts and the underlying beliefs that these teach learners. From this perspective, it is important to determine if gender representation in literature promotes gender equality. Therefore, this study aims to understand how gender is represented in isiZulu literature prescribed to educators and learners in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase in South Africa. This qualitative study is located in the decolonial paradigm and engages the tenets of feminist critical discourse analysis as its primary analytical framework. A purposive sample of two setwork isiZulu literature was selected to investigate the phenomenon of gender representation. The results revealed that the selected texts perpetuate negative stereotypes of both men and women. The investigation found that patriarchy, heterosexuality, socialization, and cultural manifestations of society that often picture women negatively all play significant roles in how characters are portrayed in isiZulu literature. The literary works depict scenarios in which men dominate and control women under the pretext of heterosexuality, normalised gender relations, and cultural customs. The results show that representations in the literary works are gender-biased and gender-insensitive. A critical approach to the selection of literature is required as it is concerning that these representations are being taught to learners in schools. Key stakeholders in the education department have a lot of work ahead of them to ensure that South African isiZulu-prescribed literature incorporates gender inclusion.
A feminist analysis of Black lesbian students’ academic and social experiences at a technical and vocational education and training institution in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.
(2023) Siwela, Sanele.; Sader, Saajidha Bibi.
There is scant research regarding the experiences of Black lesbian students in relation to their access to tertiary education, their success at higher education institutions and their experiences with their lecturers and co-students, especially within the environment of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. The lack of empirical research on the academic and social experiences of Black lesbian students has left a gap in the understanding of how their social identities intersect to influence their post-school education and training experiences. To address this gap in knowledge, I investigated the academic and social experiences of six Black lesbian students at a TVET college in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. This dissertation adopted an eclectic theoretic approach, using the African decolonial perspective of Oyeronke Oyèwùmí as well as the work of decolonial feminist theorist, Maria Lugones. I also drew on key concepts from Black feminist thinkers Patricia Hill-Collins and bell hooks – in particular, their concept of intersectionality. I used these frameworks to argue against the ongoing influences of past colonialism and apartheid that tend to permeate the institutional culture of TVET colleges in South Africa. This feminist research study adopted a qualitative methodology and used visual narrative inquiry. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, photo voice, reflective journaling and focus groups. Poetry was used as a data-generating reflective tool. Data analysis combined both visual narrative analysis and analysis of the narratives. Findings revealed institutional heterosexism and a lack of educational access for black lesbian students at this TVET college which impeded their educational participation and success, resulting in failure, absenteeism and dropout. Educational access is understood in this thesis as a multifaceted phenomenon that includes administrative, financial, physical, social, career guidance and epistemic aspects. Enablers to learning at the college included individual strategies (using their own agency) as well as strategies that the college could initiate. This included stronger support from lecturers to contribute to lesbian students’ participation in class and their academic success. Meeting other lesbians who were open about their sexual identities was also another enabler to learning, as it provided these students with a sense of belonging. Financial enablers to be able to attend a college and study were present in the form of the NSFAS grant, which covered their study costs and also enabled them to provide support to their families. Whilst there has been significant evolution in the TVET sector in terms of administrative access and funding for students, the provision of psychological support for minority students is still lacking. This study recommends that the Department of Higher Education develop ongoing psychological support interventions to address the negative psychological impacts LGBTQ+ students experience within the tertiary environment, inclusive curriculum and institutional policies. New college buildings should always include 3-5 individual toilets to provide an alternative for individuals who feel uncomfortable entering the main toilet blocks.
A river runs through it : landscapes of learning, development and change of nontraditional workers.
(2023) Cox, Amanda Jane.; John, Vaughn Mitchell.
In the 21st century contexts in which we live, precarious work has become more prevalent. This study explored how workplace learning takes place for those of us who do not belong fully to an organisation. The need for lifelong and life-wide learning in formal, non-formal and informal ways becomes critical for non-traditional workers, who are defined as those who are not in traditional full-time employment but work on short-term contracts, often for multiple companies. This study focused on this niche group of professionals who work in alternative ways. I was drawn to conduct this study due to my own expectations and experiences about the world of work. Childhood mindsets about work being in one company and job for life were challenged and changed during my career, in which I found myself working in non-traditional ways, enjoying the flexibility that this way of working afforded me. Transformative learning theory, which is about a revision of frames of reference, was a helpful theoretical lens to explain some aspects of my career story. My unique career journey piqued my curiosity about how other non-traditional workers navigate their way into and through the world of work and how they develop as professionals in contexts of precarity. Communities of practice theory (a social learning theory) surfaced as a helpful theoretical lens to explore the learning journeys of my own and another five non-traditional workers. A narrative autoethnographic research approach and a participatory interview technique called river of life were used as the methodological roadmap to navigate my way through the study. The study explored the development of identities, the processes and sources of learning, and the implications of learning in such contexts. The findings identified the importance of lifelong and life-wide learning for non-traditional workers, culminating in the notion of careers being like living landscapes that are moving and changing as we engage in them. The important role of experience and the development of transferable skills was identified. The participants were also found to be good at managing multiplicity in their careers, working across subject areas, projects and multiple identities. Finally, an emerging culture of this type of worker was explored.
An exploration of preservice teachers’ use of educational technologies as visualization tools when teaching mathematics.
(2022) Zulu, Mzwandile Wiseman.; Mudaly, Vimolan.
This interpretive qualitative study explores the use of educational technologies by preservice teachers as visualization tools during mathematics teaching at secondary schools. Sfard’s commognitive framework and Koehler and Mishra’s technological pedagogical content knowledge theoretical frameworks undergird the study. Data were collected from ten preservice mathematics teachers at a university in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Performance tests, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and observations were employed to collect data, which was analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The study found that preservice teachers employed two primary visualization strategies when they engaged in mathematical problem-solving: symbolic mental visualization, which they combined with their understanding of word usage, endorsed narratives and routines to arrive at a solution; and graphic visual mediators, such as diagrams, which they sketched to contextualize the problem statement and verify they solutions and use of mathematical word usage, routines, and endorsed narratives. Participants were found to be unable to solve a mathematics problem if they had not visualized it effectively; using a graphic visual mediator to understand the problem statement did not, however, guarantee success when solving a problem. A relationship was found between the visualization techniques that the participants used in their own attempts to solve mathematical problems and the visualization techniques they used in their lesson planning and teaching of mathematics in the same content area. Participants used innovative strategies to mediate learning, including educational technologies that facilitated visual mediators to enhance learners’ engagement with concepts. Synergies were found between the elements of the commognition and TPACK frameworks as these were used in tandem to analyze data. A model was developed (C+TPACK) that integrates the key elements of these frameworks. Further research is recommended to establish the viability, credibility and generalizability of the model.
An exploration of the learners’ views on the efficacy of information communication technology in improving work performance : The case of KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health employees registered at a community learning centre in Durban.
(2024) Malinga, Charlotte Lungiswa.; Harley, Anne.; Mbatha, Lulama Nothando.
This study is situated in the context of adult education in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and is framed within the national policies of the Skills Development Act No. 31 of 2008 and the Human Resource Development Strategy of South Africa 2010-2030. These policies underscore the importance of providing continuous skills development and education opportunities for adults in the labour market, particularly emphasizing the need for basic education and training. The research focuses on evaluating the views of adult learners from the Department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal regarding the efficacy of the Information and Communication Technology Adult Basic Education and Training (INCT4) programme at a local Community Learning Centre. It examines how this programme impacts their work performance and personal lives. The study employs a qualitative research design within an interpretivist paradigm. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with employees who had participated in the INCT4 program. This methodological approach was aimed at understanding the learners' perspectives on the skills they acquired and their application in both professional and personal contexts. The findings indicate that learners value the skills gained from the INCT4 programme highly, noting improvements in their work performance and personal life management. These skills enhanced their confidence and self-esteem, enabling them to undertake new tasks and engage more effectively in their professional roles. While the application of these skills varied across different job roles, all learners noted personal benefits, such as increased ability to use digital platforms independently. The study underscores the significance of adult education as a form of lifelong and life-wide learning. It highlights the role of self-directed learning in adult education, drawing on Knowles's theory of andragogy and Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The research contributes to the understanding of how adult education can facilitate individual and societal development and underscores the need for adult education programmes to be relevant and responsive to learners' needs. The study concludes with a call for further research into the involvement of adult learners in the planning and evaluation of educational programs and the effectiveness of various learning areas in Community Learning Centers (CLCs).
An investigation of teachers' experiences of screening, identification, assessment, and support of learners with learning barriers in a mainstream school.
(2023) Mhlongo, Margaret Nombulelo.; Sader, Saajidha Bibi.
Inclusive education has become a global concern (Walton & Engelbrecht, 2022). This study sought to investigate teachers’ experiences of the implementation of the Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support within a mainstream schooling context. The study was a qualitative study located within the interpretive paradigm. The data to respond to the key research questions of the study was generated through in-depth semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews as well as document analysis. The participants for the study were purposely selected from three primary schools in the Circuit of Mahlabathini, Zululand District, KwaZulu Natal Province. The participants were from the schools which were implementing the Policy on SIAS. All the participants had a minimum of six years in the field of education. The findings of the study revealed that the teachers had a good understanding of inclusive education, as contained in Education White Paper 6 and the Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support. The teachers reported a range of challenges they experienced in the implementation of the Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support. However, findings revealed that the teachers used their agency to navigate challenges to ensure that their learners who were experiencing barriers to learning were supported. The findings point to the fact that the effective implementation of the Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support is at the core of the efforts of the basic education sector to build an inclusive education and training system. From a social rights perspective, this presents a mechanism for redressing past imbalances, enfranchising the disenfranchised and ensuring equitable access to education for all.
Complexities of leading the schools in the context of COVID-19 breakout : perspectives from school management team members in East Griqualand Circuit.
(2023) Nenga, Queerida Sindiswa.; Bhengu, Thamsanqa Thulani.
The education environment in South Africa is fraught with diverse layers of complexity. The aim of this study was to investigate the complexities that School Management Team members in three primary schools in East Griqualand Circuit in the Harry Gwala District dealt with as they led schools in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak, and also to understand how they lead during times of crisis. Given the close interaction of huge numbers of people, schools were declared as high-risk places in terms of transmission. To stop the virus from spreading, the Department of Basic Education instituted severe measures. These measures were presented in the form of new policies and regulations. So, the Department of Basic Education gave some of the responsibilities of enforcing these policies and regulations to the School Management Team members. Enforcing government mandated COVID-19 regulations presented the SMT members with new challenges and complexities, over and above their regular duties. Many insurmountable problems and challenges were encountered in terms of actual situations in schools. This study was located within a qualitative research design and used semi-structured interviews in the production of data. Interviews conducted lasted between 30-60 minutes each and included probing questions which assisted to elicit further information. I conducted interviews with nine SMT members, comprising of principals, deputy principals and departmental heads. Prior to analysis, interviews were recorded and transcribed. Themes were created when data from transcriptions was coded, analysed, and categorised. The replies to the open-ended interview questions were analysed using categorisation and inductive coding to establish themes. The study’s conclusions showed that it was difficult for SMT members to enforce some of the gazetted safety regulations, due to a series of factors their schools were faced with. There was also a lack of support from stakeholders like the Department of Basic Education and parents. And one of the lessons learnt is the importance of sharing and co-construction of solutions to problems.
Developing as subject specialists in a rural school: narratives of novice teachers.
(2023) Ngcobo, Nokuphila Thobeka.; Pillay, Daisy.; Pithouse-Morgan, Kathleen Jane.
his study explored the lived stories of two novice qualified teachers who taught in a rural school in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study's primary purpose was to understand what factors influenced their lived experiences as developing subject specialists. Thus, the study did not intend to bring about change regarding the participants’ shared stories but rather gain insight into their lived experiences. I was prompted to conduct this study by my own early experiences when I first entered a rural classroom as a novice teacher and my personal motivation to develop as a subject and classroom specialist in the first three years of teaching. The study adopted a qualitative interpretivist approach, allowing the participants to be as expressive as they wished in their storied narratives. The qualitative interpretivist approach enabled me to obtain rich information, which assisted me in gaining a deep understanding of the participants’ professional lives through their shared stories as newly employed teachers in a rural school. A qualitative approach, specifically narrative inquiry, elicited thick descriptions that embraced the participants’ subjectivity. Three data-generating methods were used: journal writing, drawings of rich pictures, and an open-ended telephonic interview. These three methods enabled the participants to share their memories and to reflect on their unique personal and professional journeys towards becoming subject specialists. My analysis of the lived stories suggests that novice teachers find it relatively easier to adapt to a rural school if they have been previously exposed to such a setting. However, novice teachers can experience a cultural shock when they have to immerse themselves in a rural setting if they have never experienced it before. I found that networking within and outside the school plays a vital role in the development and growth of novice teachers. Other findings include that an ineffective mentoring culture may cause frustration among newly qualified teachers, while a well-established networking system will support and sustain them. The overall implication is that the novice teachers in this study fully understand the demands on them as developing subject specialists; they do all they can to engage in continuous development by acquiring enhanced skills, knowledge, and values from both human and online resources. My analysis of the storied narratives taught me that these novice teachers are willing to learn more about their subjects, especially if they know that they lack some content knowledge even though they are fully qualified. They appreciate networking relationships with more experienced teachers, which also enhances their personal and professional development.
Disability representation in selected Zimbabwean Chishona novels and plays=Ukuvezwa kokukhubazeka kumanoveli nemidlalo ekhethiwe yeChiShona saseZimbabwe.
(2021) Hapanyengwi, Loveness.; Nyika, Nicholus.
The issue of disability is a bone of contention in Zimbabwe and worldwide. People with disabilities (PWD) are looked down upon and are always viewed with a negative eye. Attempts have been made at both the international and national levels to address this problem. Internationally, Zimbabwe is a state party to the Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPWD) (2006). The convention is an attempt by the United Nations (UN) to change attitudes and approaches to persons with disabilities. Locally the government of Zimbabwe in its constitution of (2013, p.10) section 83 recognises the worthiness of persons with disabilities and as such calls for their protection and dignity. Despite these efforts, nothing has come to fruition as no significant change has been realised people with disabilities continue to be marginalised. Literature has a role to play in shaping attitudes and perceptions towards disability in society and as such, there is a need to look at what it communicates about disability in case it could be a contributory factor. This study explores the depiction of disability in selected ChiShona novels and plays with a view to answering the following questions. (i) How is disability represented in selected ChiShona novels and plays within the context of Vumunhu? (ii) What factors explain the selected ChiShona novel and play authors’ perception of, and attitudes towards disability? and (iii) Why do ChiShona writers create characters with a disability? The study used Vumunhu/ Unhu/ Ubuntu as its Theoretical framework realising that Vumunhu places value on respect for human life and dignity. Hence the study sought to find out if authors recognise the worthiness of characters with disabilities as human beings in their depiction of such characters. The study sought to find out if artists create characters with disabilities with due respect and dignity as any other characters. In an effort to answer the above questions the study adopted literary analysis as a research methodology which encompassed document analysis, critical discourse analysis as well as the translation method as research methods. The research established that disability is underrepresented in most of the studied texts. This underrepresentation is reflected in the limited number of texts that discuss disability and the inadequate fictional space that is accorded characters with disabilities in the studied texts. Another major finding of the study is that the depiction of disability is largely negative and derogatory terms are used to address those with disabilities in most of the texts, an indication that the majority of authors’ depiction of disability is not in line with the principles of Vumunhu. The study demonstrated that disability and characters with disabilities are included in literary works as a literary device which contributes to the negative depiction of disability. The study also concluded that most authors parade abuses and ill-treatment of persons with disabilities without offering solutions to the abuses something which defeats their purpose of writing. The study mainly recommends that the ChiShona language that is used with regard to disabilities should be revised. Old ChiShona terms that communicate negative attitudes towards disabilities should be discarded and new terms that promote positive attitudes and that reflect respect in line with Vumunhu should be coined to replace the derogatory ones. To this end all policies on disability should be implemented absolutely and measures should be put in place to ensure that all published literary works that articulate disability issues promote positive attitudes towards disability and that characters with disabilities are accorded due respect. Iqoqa Udaba lokukhubazeka ludala ukungavumelani eZimbabwe nasemhlabeni jikelele. Abantu abakhubazekile babukelwa phansi kanti bahlala bebukwa kabi. Imizamo isiyenziwe ezingeni lasemhlabeni jikelele kanye nasezweni ukubhekana nale nkinga. Emazweni omhlaba iZimbabwe iyizwe eliyingxenye yeNgqungquthela yamaLungelo aBantu aBakhubazekile (2006). Ingqungquthela iwumzamo weNhlangano Yezizwe ukuguqula imibonokuzizwa nezindlelakubuka zabantu abakhubazekile. Ekhaya, uhulumeni waseZimbabwe eMthethosisekelweni wayo (wowezi-2013, iSigaba 83) uvuma ukufaneleka kwabantu abakhubazekile bese ekhuluma ngokuvikeleka kwabo kanye nesithunzi. Nakuba ikhona le mizamo, alukho ushintsho olubonakalayo osekufinyelelwe kulo njengoba abantu abakhubazekile beqhubeka nokushiywa ngaphandle. Imibhalo yokuziqambela inendima okumele iyiklame ekuguquleni imibonokuzizwa nemicabangokubuka ebhekiswe ekukhubazekeni emphakathini. Kunesidingo sokubuka lokho okwedluliswa yimibhalo yokuziqambela ngokukhubazeka uma kwenzeka kube yisimo esifaka isandla. Lolu cwaningo lubheka ukuvezwa kokukhubazeka emanovelini akhethiwe nemidlalo yeCiShona luhlose ukuphendula le mibuzo: Kungabe ukukhubazeka kuvezwe kanjani emanovelini akhethiwe eCiShona nemidlalo engaphansi kwengqikithi ye-Vumunhu? Yiziphi izinto ezichaza imibonomicabango yababhali bamanoveli akhethiwe eCiShona nemidlalo kanye nemibonokuzizwa ebhekiswe ekukhubazekeni? Kungani ababhali beCiShona bakha abalingiswa abanokukhubazeka? Ucwaningo lusebenzise Vumunhu, Unhu/ Ubuntu njengeNjulalwazi yocwaningo ekhombisa ukuthi i-Vumunhu igcizelela ukubaluleka kokuhlonipha impilo yomuntu kanye nesithunzi sakhe. Ngenxa yalokho ucwaningo luhlose ukuthola ukuthi kungabe ababhali bayakwazi yini ukubona ukubaluleka kwabalingiswa abakhubazekile njengabantu ekuvezeni kwabo abalingiswa balolo hlobo. Ucwaningo lwaluhlose ukuthola ukuthi amaciko akha abalingiswa abakhubazekile ngenhlonipho nesithunzi njenganoma yibaphi abanye abalingiswa. Ekuphenduleni imibuzo engenhla ucwaningo lusebenzise uhlaziyo lwemibhalo yokuziqambela njengendlelakwenza ucwaningo okufaka nokuhlaziya idokhumenti, ukuhlaziya okuchazwa amagamakusetshenziswa kanjalo nendlela yokuhumusha njengendlela yokwenza ucwaningo. Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi ukukhubazeka akuveziwe ngokwanele emibhalweni eminingi efundiwe. Lokhu kungamelwa ngokwanele kuvela enanini elinganele lemibhalo edingida ukukhubazeka kanye nebanga elifishane elinikwa abalingiswa abakhubazekile lemibhalo esuselwe ekhanda engenele emibhalweni efundiwe. Okunye okukhulu okutholwe ucwaningo ukuthi ukuvezwa kokukhubazeka kuyinto engeyinhle kanye namagama alumelayo asetshenziswa ukucokofula labo abakhubazekile emibhalweni eminingi, okuyinkomba yokuthi iningi lababhali liveza ukukhubazeka ngokungahambelani nemigomo ye-Vumunhu. Ucwaningo lukhombise ukuthi ukukhubazeka nabalingiswa abakhubazekile bafakwa emisebenzini yokuziqambela njengethuluzi lemibhalo efaka isandla ekuvezeni ukukhubazeka ngendlela embi. Ucwaningo luphinde lwaphetha ngokuthi ababhali abaningi baveza ukuhlukunyezwa nokungaphathwa kahle kwabantu abakhubazekile ngaphandle kokunika izixazululo ekuhlukunyezweni nokuyinto egxibha kwasizathu sabo sokubhala. Ucwaningo luphakamisa kakhulu ukuthi ulimi lweChiShona olusetshenziswa uma kukhulunywa ngokukhubazeka lubuyekezwe. Amagama amadala eChiShona aveza imibonokuzizwa engemihle uma kuziwa ekukhubazekeni kumele ashiywe eceleni bese kwakhiwa amagama amasha agqugquzela imibonokuzizwa emihle eveza inhlonipho ehambisana ne-Vumunhu afakwe esikhundleni salawo ehlisa isithunzi. Zonke izinqubomgomo ezimayelana nokukhubazeka kumele ziqalise ukusebenza bese kuba nemizamo okumele yenziwe ukuqinisekisa ukuthi yonke imisebenzi yokuziqambela eshicilelwe ekhuluma ngezindaba zokukhubazeka ekhuthaza imibonokuzizwa emihle uma kubukwa ukukhubazeka nokuthi abalingiswa abanokukhubazeka banikwa inhlonipho ebafanele.
Dynamics of implementing mainstream english curriculum at a school for the deaf in Eswatini.
(2023) Khumalo, Sabelo Mlungisi.; Shoba, Makhosazana Edith.
It is essential to explore the dynamics of implementing the mainstream English curriculum at a school for the deaf. This assists teachers to reflect and critique their practices and experiences with the aim of improving their classroom actions. It also helps to raise awareness of the natural identity of both teachers and learners at the school, with the hope of meeting individual needs and ultimately, the teaching and learning goals. This qualitative study employed the pragmatic paradigm and action research design. Seven teachers purposively sampled participated in the study six teachers of English and the school principal. The study was guided by three research questions: 1) What are the dynamics of implementing the mainstream English curriculum at the school for the deaf in Eswatini? (descriptive); 2) How do the dynamics of the mainstream English curriculum influence its implementation in the school for the deaf? (Operational); and 3) why are the dynamics of implementing the mainstream English curriculum at the school for the deaf the way they are? (philosophical). Five data-generation instruments were used namely: documents review, reflective activity, video observation, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The Natural Identity Framework guided this study leading to the generation of three categories: the top-down, bottom-up, and individual dynamics. Findings revealed that there is tension between the top-down (professional) and bottom-up (societal/school) dynamics, which affects curriculum implementation at the school. This begged for the recognition of individual dynamics which seek to understand the personal “who” questions. Such dynamics are neutral; and they harmonise the tension of the two giants by combining their strengths. The individual dynamics are realised after reflecting and critiquing current practices and experiences. Such help to meet individual needs and to improve practice. Consequently, the study recommends that teachers should always reflect and critique their practices in order to identify what works in their respective school contexts. As a contribution to the body of knowledge, this study proposes the innate dynamics implementation model which recognises the natural and inborn identity of both teachers and learners as the key driver of a successful curriculum implementation.
Early childhood education in Ghana: teachers’ understanding and enactment of inclusion.
(2022) Mohammed, Awudu Salaam.; Hlalele, Dipane Joseph.
This study explored teachers’ understanding and enactment of Inclusion in Early Childhood Education (IECE) in Ghana. Inclusion theorises that, every child of school-going age must have access to quality education regardless of their cultural and socioeconomic dissimilarity. The keystone of the policy is to stimulate inclusion and lessen exclusions in the educational system. By utilising an interpretive qualitative multi-case study approach involving semi-structured interviews, observation, and photo-elicitation instruments, data from six study teachers was collected. The inductive thematic analysis method was used to interpret the data. Findings from the study revealed IECE was understood as the accommodation and merging of learners with disability with their mainstream peers in the same learning environment to reduce stigmatisation, segregation, and exclusionary practices. Disability was a major factor influencing Ghana’s IECE practices, more than equity issues, ability, and stage of child’s enrolment. Despite the progressive principles underpinning IECE, the enactment of the programmes is encountering challenges due to various debilitating factors such as the lack of educational resources, funding, inappropriate training programmes, and conservative cultural views towards children with disabilities. The study recommended that for a high level of IECE practice, the policy should be supported by effective and ongoing training, Government support by providing the required resources, clear policy guidelines, and employing teachers with knowledge and understanding IECE. For an IECE school to succeed, a culture mind shift must begin at the top, with a coherent understanding, shared vision throughout the entire staff, commitment, and best practices in teaching and learning throughout the whole school community. Teachers, policymakers, and other role-players in education should view IECE in the context of learners’ rights to education rather than focusing on disability problems associated with exclusion and segregation. The exploration concludes that, even though the enactment of IECE is fraught with impediments, it is a reasonable practice that should be enacted to achieve national objectives since IECE exposes children to information and skills which is vital for economic growth and confidence building. By meaningfully adopting IECE and enacting it successfully, the nation’s current and future human resource development, will be enhanced. building. By meaningfully adopting the IECE policy and enacting it successfully, the nation’s current and future human resource development, will be enhanced.
Educators’ experiences of corporal punishment: a case study of selected secondary schools in Eswatini.
(2021) Magagula, Lindiwe Ncane.; Mnisi, Thoko Esther.
Prompted by the escalating number of criminal cases against educators for severe corporal punishment and injury inflicted on learners, this study aimed to understand why educators persist with corporal punishment. Corporal punishment in Eswatini schools persists despite its proscription following Eswatini’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Guided by the Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as a theoretical framework, working within an interpretive paradigm, this qualitative study employed open-ended questionnaires administered to purposively selected educators from different types of schools in the four regions of the country. This was followed by two focus group discussions (FGDs) to validate and acquire an in-depth understanding of the data that were generated via the questionnaires. The data generated was used to understand why educators persist with corporal punishment. The main objectives were: to explore the experiences of educators relating to the use of corporal punishment to discipline learners in schools, to understand why educators persist with corporal punishment in schools despite its proscription, and to determine how educators maintain discipline and ensure an environment conducive to teaching and learning using less drastic disciplinary techniques. Following a thematic analysis of the data, the findings revealed that educators justify their persistent use of corporal punishment at three levels, namely social, political, and pedagogic levels. The findings further revealed that the educators have created their own amalgam of culturally influenced blended discipline to continue inflicting corporal punishment on learners. The study recommends that educator training institutions should follow the Education for Effective Classroom Management (ETCM) Model in educator training and include a module that specifically deals with issues of discipline. The institutions should also emphasise lifelong learning in educator service workshops to enable educators to meet the evolving demands of their profession.
Exploring the motivation of grade 9 learners in their subjects’ choices in a school in Nqutu: a case study.
(2021) Kubheka, Alfred Sibusiso.; Mbatha, N.P.
This is a qualitative study that is intended to explore the motivation of grade 9 learners in their subjects’ choices in a school in Nqutu: a case study. Using Lent’s Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) explored how subject choice affect the career decision of a learner and its influences thereafter. The case study methodology has been used together with two methods of generating data. Participants were interviewed and had to write a one-page essay titled my future career reflecting on their future career choice. I used the random sampling method to recruit twelve participants. The findings of the study emphasise that grade nine learners are mostly on their own with little assistance they get from subjects’ educators regarding the choice of subjects at grade ten. The study also indicated that parental support, most parents left the decision to be taken by the learners; they only advised them to choose right. Another important finding is that in the area of Nqutu, uMzinyathi district, not all grade nine learners are taken for career expo or career guidance, unlike in other districts like aMajuba district where all the grade 9 learners are invited into a common venue for subjects’ choice. What was also evidenced in the study was that the world of work term four chapters in the Life Orientations chapter is not dealt with in grade 9 in preparation for grade ten subjects’ choice. The study reveals that the subject choice at grade 9 is neglected. As a result, learners do not choose subjects correctly; as a result, they fail in the FET phase or else fail their first year at tertiary, and they change courses. I, therefore, suggest a policy that will promote more advocacy programmes on subject’s choice across the country by the national department of education to provinces and then districts to schools.
Exploring the practices of educators in managing learner discipline within the classroom and in school: perspectives from teachers in three primary schools in the Umzinyathi district.
(2022) Mlondo, Precious Nondumiso.; Bhengu, Thamsanqua Thulani.
Abstract available in PDF.
Female principals’ leadership experiences in rural schools in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2024) Mutula, Dorah Lyaka.; Martin , Melanie Yvette.; Amin , Nyna.
Women face multiple challenges in accessing and participating in educational leadership, and this remains a problem and compelling issue for research. This study aimed to explore female principals’ leadership experiences in six selected public primary rural schools in the KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa. To understand women's leadership experiences, the study examined their biographies, early learning, and school experiences as leaders. An intersectional lens was employed to understand women’s multiple challenges encountered in educational leadership based on an interlocking system that shapes the interpersonal, organisational, and structural aspects of their experiences. This reflects Collin’s (2000) assertion that cultural, structural, and interpersonal domains are intertwined, collectively shaping gender dynamics.A qualitative approach with a narrative inquiry design was applied, and six female principals were purposively selected from rural schools. The data was collated using semi-structured interviews, a focus group discussion, and photographs and analysed using content analysis. The findings reveal that women experience multiple challenges in the form of gender stereotypes, discrimination, prejudices, bias, rejection, and infantilisation. Women’s biography, early learning, and school experiences shape and influence how women lead. The study concludes that the nature of women’s leadership experiences is linked to multiple factors, situations, and events; thus, it is personal and complex, and rural women must overcome and surpass the challenges through resilience and supportive environments. The study has implications for leadership structures, women leaders, and policymakers.
Foundation phase teachers’ enactment of curriculum differentiation in a full-service school in the Zululand District.
(2023) Mngomezulu, Thandeka Faith.; Khumalo, Samukelisiwe.; Khoza, Bhekumuzi Simon.
The study presents a qualitative action research exploring teachers’ enactment of CAPS curriculum differentiation in one of the full-service schools in Paulpietersburg under Zululand District, KwaZulu-Natal. The main objective of the study was to explore foundation phase teachers’ enactments of curriculum differentiation in a full-service school in the Zululand District. As such, why do foundation phase teachers enact the curriculum differentiation in particular ways in a full-service school in the Zululand District? Also, how do the teachers enact curriculum differentiation in a full-service school in the Zululand District? The study employed emancipatory action research to draw on pragmatic philosophy, which led to new practical knowledge, and new abilities that created knowledge within a pragmatic context. Six teachers were purposefully sampled for the research data collection. Data was generated using focus-group meetings, observations, reflective activities, and semi-structured interviews. The thematic analysis was applied to analyse data using the inductive process to organise data according to the conceptual framework: curriculum content, teacher’s use of CAPS, lesson objectives, enactment methods, teaching strategies, teachers’ role, learning and teaching support material (LTSM), lesson duration, teaching and learning environment, assessment tasks, as well as reflection and enrichment on activities. Literature explored three types of curriculum enactment influenced by a performance (content-based) curriculum, a competence (social-based) curriculum, and a differentiated (personal-based) curriculum. The research study findings on the teachers’ curriculum enactment revealed that teachers’ enactment of the curriculum was dominated by performance curriculum principles. As such, teachers and learners were frustrated by the level of underachievement in the prescribed objectives due to a lack of understanding and knowledge of the curriculum differentiation implementation. However, the teacher’s enactment of the differentiated curriculum was improved during the second phase of the action research. Additionally, the teachers were able to trust and apply their differentiation strategies to achieve the CAPS-prescribed objectives. Nevertheless, the quality and volume of content achieved within the stipulated time raised concerns. The different enactment methods also postulated doubts in terms of meeting each learner at the point of their educational needs, taking into consideration the size of the classrooms. The study recommends that teachers be more developed in curriculum differentiation enactment to interconnect the performance curriculum with a competence-based curriculum, thereby designing and applying the differentiated curriculum in class. The study further encouraged teachers to use different strategies to foster the curriculum without tampering with the prescribed content and skills.
Grade 7 technology teachers' topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge in teaching graphic communication.
(2022) Mcambi, Zanele Sphokuhle.; Singh-Pillay, Asheena.; Mabaso, Bongeka.
Graphic Communication (GC) is a universal language in the technology and engineering sector. In the field of engineering and the manufacturing industry, graphic communication is useful for the design, development, manufacture of products and construction of structures and systems throughout the world (Lockhart et al., 2018). Graphic communication forms the backbone of all design operations that work within a framework, ranging from conceptual design, detailing of drawing specifications, analysis, interpretation of graphic text and iterative re-design, to making working drawings prior to manufacture of artefacts, assembling of mechanical components and construction of building structures (Dobelis et al., 2019). Through graphic communication skills, learners ought to be taught, by teachers, how to read, interpret, design, and draw using freehand or instrument drawing techniques guided by the South African National Standards (SANS) code of practice. GC is one of the content topics that teachers of technology do not find easy to teach. The National Senior Certificate (NSC) examiners and moderators’ reports for engineering graphics design, civil technology from 2016 to 2021 reflect learners’ remarkable ineptitude regarding graphic communication skills. The diagnostic reports repeatedly highlight learners’ poor performance on examination questions that test for graphic communication skills. While learners’ learning and performance is related to many factors these diagnostic reports allude to the interconnection between learners’ poor performance in GC to the teaching to which they are exposed. In technology education learners are introduced to GC in grade 7. This means that the GC learnt in grade 7 forms the platform for all other GC learning in the subsequent grades. Thus, it is quintessential to explore grade 7 technology teachers’ topic specific pedagogical content knowledge pertaining to GC. Within the South African context, technology is a relatively new subject in the curriculum, as it was introduced in 1998. Many teachers teaching technology teach out- of -field. This means they were not trained to teach technology and lack the subject matter knowledge and pedagogical knowledge needed to teach graphic communication. In response to the afore mentioned issues, this study sought to explore grade 7 technology teachers’ topic specific pedagogical content knowledge in teaching graphic communication guided by the following research questions: 1. What is grade 7 technology teachers’ subject matter knowledge on graphic communications? 2. What topic specific knowledge do grade 7 technology teachers use when teaching graphic communication? 3. Why do grade 7 teachers use their topic specific pedagogical content knowledge for teaching graphic communication in the way that they do? This qualitative study adopted a case study design, and data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. Mavhunga (2015)’s Teachers’ Topic Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TSPCK) frames this study theoretically. Findings of this study revealed that teachers have three understandings of GC: GC conveys an idea or thought via drawings or sketches. GC is a technological process that learners use to do a practical assessment task when designing to communicate ideas into paper or an article. Moreover, GC is a language spoken by architects and contractors. Regarding the way they teach GC, two themes emerged, they use a hands- on approach and the talk and chalk approach. The way teachers teach is influenced by the fact that they are teaching out- of- field and the lack of professional development. Hence the findings of this study concluded with a proposal for a continuous professional teacher development program to be put in place which will assist teachers to stay on par with all the needed information and resources regarding technology and GC.
Improving grade 10 learners’ academic performance in accounting using principles of assessment for learning.
(2023) Cele, Delani Power.; Mahlomaholo , Makeresemese Rosy.
This study aimed to design a strategy to improve Grade 10 learners’ academic performance in accounting using the principles of assessment for learning. Assessment for learning is any assessment whose design and practice are designed and prioritized to promote learners’ learning (Flórez & Sammons, 2013). There are several strategies that AFL offers, and the study used the following strategies: selfregulation, self-assessment, peer assessment, descriptive feedback, learner-centred approach, dialogic approach, creative and critical thinking, and curriculum alignment. Furthermore, in this study, using the abovementioned strategies, AFL was used to improve Grade 10 learners' academic performance in accounting classrooms. The study explored the challenges that led to poor academic performance in Grade 10 accounting learners. These challenges were that teachers mainly focused on grading rather than the process of assessing itself, the use of a more teacher-centred approach, lack of compliance with CAPS/ assessment policy document, lack of dialogue, and the wide gap between pedagogical content knowledge and accounting practice. The study further generated a strategy to respond to these challenges using the AFL principles. Therefore, the study adopted Critical Emancipatory Research (CER) as a theoretical lens, mainly due to its critical commitment to confronting social oppression and challenging well-established ways of thinking that frequently limit learners’ potential. In this study, CER enabled co-researchers and me to work together consciously towards mastering critically challenging and changing systems that routinely oppress them. Through CER, the study embraced multiple perspectives and negotiated meaning in formulating a strategy to respond to the identified challenges. The study further employs Participatory Action Research (PAR) as a methodological approach involving all community stakeholders. It was applied because it is transformation-orientated and grounded in an emancipatory agenda. The research team and co-researchers identified the challenges faced by the teachers and learners in the classroom during teaching and learning of accounting, and through group discussions and reflections, solutions and strategies that could assist co-researchers in acknowledging their objectives were generated. Critical Discourse Analysis was used to analyse data generated on how discourse structures reproduce power and dominance relations in society. Thus, CDA is an analytical research approach that critically analyses speech, text, and language. A person or group of dominant tendencies review critical discourse analysis trying to explain a social reality and have a specific goal in mind, which was done to suggest potential strategies and solutions that could be created, accepted, and modified to address the issues the coresearchers encountered effectively.
Integration of technological resources into the curriculum in the fourth industrial revolution: the context of primary schools in Pinetown District.
(2022) Nene, Lindokuhle Gary.; Mpungose, Cedric Bheki.
This research is a qualitative study that utilises a phenomenological research study, by means of 24 teachers at primary schools in South Africa, to fulfil its purpose. This study employs an interpretivist paradigm. This paradigm has been utilised because the study aims at exploring three missing levels of integration (constructive, unconstructive, and personal) during teaching and learning. The study intended to understand why teachers resist integration of technological resources. The methods of data generation employed are three online techniques owing to COVID-19: emailed reflective activity, Zoom focus-group discussion, and Skype one-to-one semi-structured interviews. These methods have been used for the purpose of sampling. Convenience sampling was utilised to select the most accessible participants. This study was framed by the curriculum origins concepts which originate from the curricular spider web (Van den Akker et al., 2009). This study utilises the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) as the theory that shapes the study. Data were analysed through guided analysis in which deductive and inductive methods were deployed. Lastly, ethical issues that are aligned with a qualitative study were considered. These include trustworthiness, dependability, confirmability, credibility, and transferability. This study employs this collection of research methods, the aim being to answer the following critical research questions: Research Questions: 1 .Which technological resources do teachers integrate into the curriculum in the fourth industrial revolution? 2. How do teachers integrate technological resources into the curriculum in the fourth industrial revolution? 3. What informs teachers in the fourth industrial revolution when integrating technological resources into the curriculum in the way they do? These research questions were underpinned by the following research objectives: Objectives of this Study: 1. To explore technological resources integrated into the curriculum in the fourth industrial revolution. 2. To explain the lessons to be learned when teachers integrate technological resources into the curriculum in the fourth industrial revolution. 3. To understand what informs the teachers’ integration of technological resources into the curriculum in the fourth industrial revolution. From the literature, three major concepts were generated by the research phenomena: constructive integration, unconstructive integration, and personal integration. These concepts were aligned with three categories of the curriculum, namely, the pragmatic, the horizontal, and the vertical. The literature and the findings of this study point to the actions of the majority of teachers, when integrating technological resources, being informed by constructive integration. Constructive integration occurs when teachers are compelled to follow a prescribed document such as a CAPS document and manuals. Thus, teachers are following a vertical curriculum. On Skype one-on-one semi-structured interviews teachers reflected on unconstructive integration. Such occurs when teachers’ actions are motivated by their social experience; this means that teachers share information. Such suggests that teachers are driven by the needs of horizontal curriculum. Online reflective activity also revealed that few teachers integrate technological resources, and their actions are informed by personal integration. This imbalance of integration leads to the poor integration of technological resources in which personal integration was singled out as the area for attention. Consequently, the main findings of this study indicate that teachers integrate technological resources into curriculum informed by three levels of integration: constructive, unconstructive and personal integration.
Learning financial literacy amongst adult Mauritians.
(2023) Ramjeet, Amit Kumar.; Maistry, Suriamurthee Moonsamy.; James, Angela Antoinette.; Mariaye, Marie Hyleen Sandra.
Many countries, including Mauritius, have placed financial literacy high on their agenda, with stakeholders including banking and non-banking regulators, government policymakers and the financial industry considering it to be in their best interests to increase financial literacy and consumer awareness. This study assesses the perceptions and understanding of adult Mauritians regarding financial literacy. The research questions concern the state of financial literacy among the adult population, the means through which Mauritians become financially literate, how these learning experiences influence financial decision-making, and why acquisition of financial literacy happens in this way in Mauritius. The study was conducted with groups from varied geographical and socio-economic backgrounds, and tries to address the causal link between being financially literate and using this knowledge for financial decision-making. The findings will contribute to improving perceptions of financial literacy and its use in financial decision-making. Another aim is to identify the best tools, techniques and strategies that can be adopted to help the adult Mauritian population to become financially literate. Most financial literacy programmess are developed with little or no attention to adult learning theory, inclusive learning environments, or culturally responsive teaching. Rather they have been grounded more in financial risk investment models, life cycle consumption theories, or behavioural modification models adapted from a health behaviour model or a combination thereof. In this study both quantitative and qualitative research techniques are used to study the complexities of financial literacy, and substantial evidence has been amassed through this mixed-method approach. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were utilised in this concurrent mixed-method design. Findings from this study demonstrate the importance of financial knowledge for effective decision-making, while also indicating the usefulness of financial literacy for a good understanding of individual financial choices. This study also highlights the lack of institutional financial literacy initiatives, and its recommendations may be used to inform policymakers and practitioners on the best tools, techniques, and strategies for providing financial literacy to the population.

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