Doctoral Degrees (Social Science Education)

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Young men negotiating masculinities and love in a South African township.
(2023) Dlamini, Melusi Andile Charles.; Bhana, Deevia.
Young black men’s negotiations of love and intimacy, beyond the focus on force and violence, are minimally explored in South African scholarship. While studies have highlighted the ways that heterosexual relationships have functioned as sites through which men maintain their dominance over women, there is limited understanding of the ways that they resist dominant masculinities. Furthermore, recent scholarship has troubled the reductive readings of young black men’s lives, and have called for critical yet sympathetic approaches to understanding their lived experiences (Ratele, 2018). Therefore, this study explores how young black men, situated in the townships of Durban, navigate their experiences of romantic love and intimate relationships. Informed by critical feminist approaches to love and masculinities, this study emphasises the multiple and situated ways of being and knowing, and challenges reductive readings of young men’s lives. Empirical data were generated through individual interviews and focus group discussions with 34 young men in the INK (Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu) precinct of townships in Durban, South Africa. The research findings suggest that romantic love and intimate relationships are an important feature of young men’s daily lives. For most of the participants, romantic love and intimate relationships extended beyond public performances of (hetero)sexual prowess; instead, love was understood as an essential aspect of their shifting subjectivities – from boyhood to manhood. Key relational practices such as ukuchecka, which are often associated with public performances, emerged as important sites through which participants cultivated emotional and physical intimacies. Among the participants, their romantic relationships afforded new ways of expressing love, which enabled them to deemphasise sexual intimacy, which the participants expressed through the concepts of ukuhloniphana (mutual respect) and ukulinda (waiting). Specifically, romantic relationships were also conceptualised as affective sites that enabled the young men to co-navigate their daily lives with their girlfriends. Therefore, in this study, the critical and situated reading of young men’s experiences with love generated new knowledge about their expressions of love and experiences of intimate relationships. Typically thought of as a site of women’s vulnerabilities, these findings suggest that the context of romantic love offers progressive possibilities for young men to resist dominant masculinities. This study illustrates the value of exploring the mundane, everyday encounters of love and intimate relationships in young men’s lives. These findings have implications for local and international masculinities scholarship interested in the transformative possibilities of love and intimate relationships in young men’s lives.
A decolonial critique of discourses of western colonialism in South African, Namibian and Zimbabwean school history textbooks.
(2023) Iyer, Leevina Morgan.; Maposa, Marshall Tamuka.
European influence in Africa has portrayed the continent through the perspective of Europeans while the African perspective has been neglected. The undeniable continuation of the hegemonic epistemic turmoil due to western colonialism in the Africa, is a perpetual challenge. One of the key sources of knowledge in the educational setting is History textbooks. Taking into account the multifaceted and complex angles through which historiographies of western colonialism are presented in these textbooks, the purpose of this study was to explore the prevailing colonial discourses in South African, Namibian and Zimbabwean school History textbooks through a decolonial critique. The theories of decoloniality and postcoloniality informed the theoretical underpinning of this study, resulting in a lens that acknowledged the remnants of western colonial influence in the existing post-colonial structures of Africa, but also challenged these oppressive Eurocentric hegemonies. Decoloniality and postcoloniality, both advocate that the generations of epistemic violence should be disrupted, thus making space for increased African agency. Summarily, using Fairclough’s (1995) version of CDA methodology, the analysis of the sample school History textbooks revealed five key discourses. These included the discourses of forces of western colonialism, conflict-fomentation, economic exploitation, environmental degradation, and anti-colonialism. In keeping with the idea that knowledge production, undeniably, continues to be influenced by the structures of western colonialism, it was not unexpected that the content in the sample school History textbooks varied, especially in terms of the prevailing historiographies. The understanding from this study was that school History textbooks are not completely decolonial. Rather, the sample textbooks illustrated discourses of western colonialism in Africa from a place of hybridity, which the theory of postcoloniality defines as a fusion of African identity and cultural influence from western countries. Given the political history of each of the sample countries, their political ideologies were reflected in the school History textbooks through the historiographies presented. Considering the incongruity of historiographies in the sample school History textbooks, I have developed the ‘Decolonial model of African epistemology’ - a framework that could ideally be used as an educational tool to promote African indigenous knowledge, especially in school History textbooks by deconstructing existing historiographies,
Teacher learning through teacher learning communities (TLCs): a case of consumer studies teachers in one district in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2024) Shange, Lulama Nomfundo Londiwe.; Ngwenya, Jabulisile Cynthia.
This study aimed to better understand how Consumer Studies teachers learned through Teacher Learning Communities (TLCs) in one district in KwaZulu-Natal. Recurring curriculum changes that have plagued the South African education system have been evident in Consumer Studies as a subject. As a result, to ensure that teachers understand the continuous changes and implementation in the subject, there is a need for Consumer Studies teachers to be developed professionally to ensure that the quality of their teaching is up to the required standard, and they are kept abreast with the latest developments. The study is grounded in the Community of Practice (CoP) theoretical framework. The study utilised a qualitative case study design supported by the interpretive paradigm. The ten Consumer Studies teachers teaching the subject were purposefully selected through purposive sampling. Data were generated through telephonic semi-structured interviews, WhatsApp-based Focus group interviews and reflective journals. The generated data were thematically analysed. The study's findings indicated that Consumer Studies teachers learned through various platforms and forms within their schools and outside the schools. The study revealed the benefits of engaging as a community in various programmes such as developmental workshops, subject committees, moderations and conferences. Although Consumer Studies teachers were engaging in TLCs through different forms, challenges encountered during learning limited the way learning occurred in these programmes. Given the constraints imposed by the circumstances in Consumer Studies on the effective face-to-face interactions among teachers in learning communities, the participants adopted a supportive culture and interdependent strategies that facilitated their learning community engagements. This created the availability of excess resources and expertise that the Consumer Studies teachers could tap into. They utilised social media platforms with which they were conversant to communicate and share teaching materials while fostering social interaction. Based on the findings, the study found the need to improve the implementation of TLCs for better learning. The study also made recommendations to effect the needed changes to enhance teachers’ engagement in Consumer Studies learning community programmes.
Exploring teachers’ understanding and practices of integration of information and communication technology in teaching accounting.
(2024) Sithole, Nosihle Veronica.; Ngwenya, Jabulisile Cynthia.
The evolution of technology in the education sector has resulted in greater recognition of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the classroom to transform teaching and learning worldwide. This study explored Accounting teachers’ understanding and practices of integration of ICT in teaching Accounting in Umlazi District, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The literature indicates that ICT has been adopted by the education sector worldwide and most countries have ICT policy frameworks to guide teachers on ICT integration. Nevertheless, in developing countries including South Africa, policies have failed to meet the aims of ICT integration in teaching and learning and teachers face barriers such as lack of professional training, resources, and technical support. To complement the literature, the Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) theoretical framework and the Unified Theoryof Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) conceptual framework informed the empirical inquiry. An explanatory sequential mixed method study aimed to determine Accounting teachers’ understanding and practices of ICT integration in teaching Accounting in Umlazi District. Quantitative data were collected through a self-designed questionnaire and qualitative data through focus group discussions, observations and semi-structured interviews. Multiple sampling strategies were used to select the sample for the questionnaire and participants for focus group discussions, classroom observation and individual interviews. Quantitative data were analysed through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings indicated that Accounting teachers are aware of selected technologies, namely, tablets, laptops, computers, copier machines, printers, digital cameras, scanners, LCD panels and/ or data projectors, and video conferencing systems. However, their understanding and use is limited. However, Accounting teachers are proficient with word processing, the internet and e-mail used mainly for personal communication. Teachers often use a smartphone and WhatsApp for teaching Accounting. Findings showed thebenefits of integrating ICT in teaching, such as improving teaching and learning through innovations. Barriers are lack of professional training, technical support and resources, theft, power outages and limited teaching time. Smartphones constitute a frequently used and efficient technology tool in teaching Accounting. This study suggests a connective pedagogy to promote smartphones and social media platforms in teaching Accounting.
Gender representations in physical sciences textbooks: student teachers’ pedagogical responses.
(2024) Ndlovu, Penelope Princess Zandile.; Singh, Shakila.; Maistry, Suriamurthee.
This research aimed to analyse the representations of gender in Physical Sciences textbooks and explore student teachers’ pedagogical plans for mitigating biased messages found in texts designed for science teaching and learning. The study adopted tenets of the critical paradigm and drew on theories of the Social Construction of Gender, Feminist Post Structuralist Discourse Analysis, and Critical Theory as the main analytical lenses. The data was produced and analysed in two phases. Firstly, gender representations in the selected Physical Sciences textbooks were analysed using critical discourse analysis. The findings show that the textbooks are gendered masculine and promote Western ideals, which implies inadequate decolonisation of the science curriculum. The text framing depicted men in roles that are prone to conveying a message of male supremacy and female inferiority. This was seen through the overrepresentation of men as producers of scientific knowledge. The studied textbooks did not acknowledge the contributions of female scientists. Conversely, the inventions of male scientists were consistently highlighted and used as an introduction to the majority of topics covered in these textbooks. Secondly, student teachers from one University were sampled to explore their pedagogical responses to gender representations in chosen Physical Sciences textbooks and what factors influence these interpretations. I employed qualitative methods through a blended approach, including face-to-face interviews and telephonic interviews through WhatsApp voice messaging. I utilised thematic analysis to analyse and interpret data and identify key themes for presenting the findings. The research found that student teachers identified ways in which the content of studied textbooks promotes traditional masculine norms and negative societal stereotypes that undermine and devalue women, which could lead to girls dropping out of the Physical Sciences stream. The omission of women's input in the development of scientific knowledge in specific textbooks was regarded as a type of gender-based discrimination against women. The engagements with the student teachers indicate that they can be helpful agents of curriculum decolonisation and degendering, as was evident in their delineations of self-efficacy to disrupt gender norms and stereotypes from Physical Sciences textbooks. They proposed strategies to disrupt gender norms and negative stereotypes in science textbooks. By challenging deeply ingrained masculine norms disseminated through Physical Sciences textbooks, there is apossibility of enhancing the presence and participation of women in career fields related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Constructions of orphanhood and schooling in the Kingdom of Eswatini.
(2024) Masuku , Mzikayifani Bizzah.; Morojele , Pholoho.; Motsa, Ncamsile Daphne.
The thesis comprises five manuscripts whose objectives are to explore the real-life schooling experiences of orphaned children (both boys and girls) in rural schools of Eswatini, interrogate the effects of orphanhood on the children’s emotions, find out how the children navigate their complex environment as well as establish how their schooling has been enabled. The first manuscript focuses on the real-life schooling experiences of orphaned children in three rural schools of Eswatini; the second on the emotional geographies of orphaned children in the same context; the third on how orphaned children navigate their schooling environment; the fourth on how orphaned boys experience schooling in the same context; and finally, how the schooling of orphaned children in Eswatini schools has been enhanced. The main purpose was to draw conclusions on how best orphaned children in rural schools of Eswatini can be helped to experience schooling positively. The study utilised social constructionism, attachment trauma theory, new sociology of childhood, gender schema theory and the rights-based theory for understanding the constructions of orphanhood in schooling contexts. A qualitative narrative enquiry approach was used as its methodology. Twenty-four orphaned children from three rural high schools in Eswatini were purposively sampled. The children comprised 12 double-orphans (boys and girls) and 12 single orphans (boys and girls) in Grade 9 (Form 2) and Grade 11 (Form 4) aged between 13-17 years. A participatory research method called photovoice was used together with individual and focus group interviews. The findings show that orphaned children’s schooling experiences were rooted in sorrow and despair due to their educational environment being hostile. This has made it difficult for the children to experience schooling in a positive way. The study discovered that the children have developed emotional stress. The findings also show that the schooling experiences of orphaned children are gendered, with boys being subjected to more neglect owing to Eswatini cultural norms that regard them as resistant to every difficulty thus able to absorb any pressure. It was revealed that government and other stakeholders have tried to alleviate the plight faced by orphaned children in Eswatini schools by paying for their tuition and providing food; but all these efforts have so far failed to yield maximum results to adequately address the schooling challenges.
A critical exploration of student integration and attrition of Black African undergraduate students from selected South African universities.
(2023) Cele, Siyanda Mluleki Kenneth.; Gaillard, Gaillard.
Access to South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) has significantly increased; however, success and graduation rates continue to decrease, especially amongst Black African students. Moreover, Black African youths entering university do so against the backdrop of extreme inequalities characterising their schooling backgrounds, class and economic resources. Such inequalities have had a large impact on these students’ decision to drop out of university. Literature relating to Black African students’ experiences of integration and attrition at South African universities is sorely missing. In addition to this, the institutions of higher learning are struggling to find a proper remedy to mitigate student dropout. Hence, it is this gap that the present study sought to fill by developing a new model that can be used by universities to retain Black African students in South Africa’s HEIs. The present study adopted the qualitative approach and the critical paradigm. Secondary data was obtained from a larger study of education and emancipation, documenting the university experiences of students from eight diverse universities in South Africa. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with 66 Black African students. In the present study, data were thematically analysed. The theoretical framework that informed data analysis is Tinto’s Student Integration Model (SIM). The interviews that were conducted with the participants produced rich and thick data indicating that the success of Black African students in South African universities is impeded by such factors as language, poor economic background, unsupportive family background, racial discrimination, gender stereotypes, and discrimination. Most participants mentioned that the medium of instruction used at universities, such as English and Afrikaans hindered their success. The findings suggest that high school education inadequately prepares Black African students for university. Furthermore, financial challenges, gender discrimination, homophobia and racism were found to be significant obstacles hindering most participants from studying at university. Informed by these findings as well as the review of extent literature, this thesis proposes a model that will assist universities to minimise dropout rates amongst Black African students. This model obligates institutions of higher learning to put students’ backgrounds at the forefront in every decision that they undertake to maximise the social and academic integration of students and consequently decrease attrition.
From 12 to 15: girls, boys, gender and sexuality at a high school in the North West Province.
(2023) Rizvi, Rabia Khatoon; Bhana, Deevia
This study examines the construction of gender and sexuality amongst girls and boys between the ages of 12 and 15 at a private school in the North West province of South Africa. It seeks to understand how learners negotiate gender and sexuality at school, and how the school environment and beyond contributes to their construction of gender and sexuality. It also investigates the social processes that promote unequal power relations between boys and girls at school. An ethnographic research method was used to conduct this study and the research instruments were observations, individual interviews and focus group discussions. Participants were selected using a mix of convenience and purposive sampling methods. Many of the participants were boarding learners, which provides a distinct insight into the ways in which the boarding space is a highly generative site for the production of gender and sexuality. A total of 101 learners participated in this study and 69 semi-structured interviews and 16 focus group discussions were conducted with learners across grades 7, 8 and 9. The data were analysed with the theory of social constructionism. The findings show that boys and girls pursue pleasure and desire in a myriad of ways within the school context. They challenge sexual innocence by expressing the types of relationships they would like to enter into and show authority in navigating romantic relationships. They use social media for flirtation and engage in the consumption of pornography. Furthermore, the expansion of sexuality is demonstrated as learners choose to enter into queer relationships. However, this is mitigated by the performance of hegemonic masculinity which places girls in a subordinate position. Girls are slut-shamed for resisting traditional norms of femininity and also experience sexual harassment within the school space. Boys and girls both participate in risky behaviour and there is a culture of silence and complicity that is created around it. Bullying and substance abuse are wielded as opportunities to portray aggressive masculinities and femininities. Girls’ bodies are policed by authority figures and by the boys which restricts their expression of gender and sexuality. This study argues that gender and sexuality are perceived by learners through a binary lens, and that girls largely remain in a subordinate position whilst boys conform to the standards of hegemonic masculinity. It is recommended that platforms need to be created to question these prevailing attitudes and to provide opportunities for boys and girls to explore and alter their traditional beliefs around gender and sexuality.
The geographies of spaces for inclusive education: narratives of teachers in three primary schools in Eswatini.
(2023) Nxumalo, Ceb'sile Phangisile; D’amant, Antoinette
Despite the global shift towards inclusive education, there are still basic tensions, contradictions, and gaps between the design of legislation and the implementation of inclusive, education's objectives in daily school operations. It is uncertain whether Eswatini will continue this tendency of embracing the rhetoric of inclusivity without any real change. Implementing inclusive education policies and transforming schools to make them inclusive is a dynamic and complex process that, not only entails redefining teaching practise, but also necessitates that teachers develop a different sense of themselves as professionals and as individuals, taking into consideration the context in which they work and the power dynamics at play. This study explores the lived experiences of six teachers from three primary schools in urban, semi-urban, and rural Eswatini, as they engage in inclusive education. It also examines how these teachers negotiate and move through the diverse and complex geographies of inclusive education spaces in their schools, while contending with tensions and discrepancies between "real" - action or what is - and the "ideal" - what might be. To understand the daily experiences of teachers in the context of the power-laden spatiality of inclusive education, the use of authentic narratives as a fundamental approach of inquiry focused on listening to and hearing directly from the teachers. By utilizing spatial analysis, we can better understand the forces that shape teachers' perceptions of inclusive education. This research is informed by the idea that teachers are active social constructivists working for the change of classrooms and schools in light of inclusive education and the relationships between space and social practice. Thus, using social constructionism as a theoretical framework, my research enabled me to identify the quality of teachers' experiences with inclusive education, as well as the ways in which power embedded in school geographies mediates the construction of teachers' identities and the narratives that teachers construct to account for their lived experiences. The constructionist framework helps to make sense of the complicated social, historical, and cultural contexts that impact teachers' experiences as they evolve into practitioners who are inclusive. The results of this study show that while teachers face many difficulties, conflicts, contradictions, and complexities; they also have positive and inspirational experiences as they transform to become inclusive practitioners. There is hope for the future of inclusive education because some teachers are starting to re-evaluate how traditional education can address exclusionary practices and take their role as change agents seriously to foster more inclusive and equitable education in classrooms and schools. Others who have not yet personally started to engage with inclusive education at a deep level, are merely presenting a thin veneer of inclusion to satisfy the demands of inclusive education policy expectations. The realization that historically and traditionally dominant unequal relations of power disempower, demoralize, and discourage teachers from challenging existing and institutional structures and practice, embracing transition, and renegotiating their individual and professional identity as teachers for greater inclusive and equitable education; is becoming more and more apparent. This research helped me to understand the diversity within and between individual teachers' classrooms and schools, the multiple realities that have an impact on multiple and intersecting teacher identity construction, and the consequent need to avoid one-dimensional and linear assessments and interpretations of teachers in transition.
International Phd students’ first-year experiences: the case of students at the university of Kwazulu-Natal (UKZN).
(2022) Oyewo, Adetola Elizabeth.; Manik, Sadhana.
This study contributes to the literature on internationalization of higher education by adding to scholarship on students' destination choice on studying abroad and their expe1iences in host count1ies. South-south migration of students is an under researched field when compared to South-nmth migration. This study, couched in transnationalism, examined the reasons for international PhD students from com1tries in Afiica exiting their home count1y to study at the University of KwaZuluNatal (UKZN) in South Africa and their first-yeai· PhD expe1iences at UK.ZN. The study is unde1pinned by push-pull theories (Ravenstein, 1885; Lee, 1966; Mazzarol & Soutar, 2002) and the social capital themy of Bourdieu (1986). The study was qualitative using interviews and focus group discussions as date generation tools. Sixteen international PhD students from Africa, studying at UKZN were selected through convenience sampling. The findings indicate that international PhD students exit their home com1tiy because of several push factors, which collectively spur them to leaving their home cmmtiy to study at UKZN. International student migration to UKZN results in a brain gain for UKZN and a brain drain to the home com1tiy. The study advances theoretical insights into the push factors from other Afiican cmmt1ies, which were numerous; however the financial pull factors comprising fee remission and oppmtunities to tutor/ lecture at UKZN in SA ove1whelmingly propelled the mobility of international students from countries in Africa to UKZN in SA. The findings illmninate both positive and negative experiences about students' first-year PhD study at UKZN. The study fom1d that the students were accessing an array of social capitals at the host institution and within South Afiica. Positive experiences included academic tutoring/ lecniring and reseai·ch training towards completion of the PhD with initiatives such as the UKZN boot camps, workshops and the coho1t model. These expe1iences developed the hmnan capital of international students. Discursive positionality influenced students' expe1iences: the inability to speak isiZulu, Afrophobia, exclusion, and perceptions of 'being an outsider/foreigner. These created significant acculturative stresses for international students during the first year PhD. The study extends on the theo1ies of Mazzarol and Soutar and Lee. It makes a fiuther theoretical contiibution by providing a framework on the push-pull factors influencing international PhD students to study at UK.ZN and advances a framework on the provision of service quality. Several recommendations are provided to stI·engthen service delive1y for African international snidents to enhance the PhD students' experiences in their first year.
Exploring the role of teacher learning community in accounting education in the context of rurality: a case study.
(2023) Oduro, Sylvester Elvis.; Bhengu, Thamsanqa Thulani.; Ngwenya, Jabulisile Cynthia.
This study explored the lived experiences of sixteen secondary school accounting teachers in one education district regarding the roles of teacher learning community programmes in the teaching and learning of accounting within the context of rurality. To secure equity in the segregated prodemocratic educational provision in South Africa, the post-apartheid education system has been characterised by a range of reform strategies to provide quality education which meets the demands of the 21st century and beyond. To ensure teachers’ understanding of the reform strategies and their implementation, the education system has been largely characterised by ongoing teacher learning community engagements that contribute to teacher professional learning. The study was grounded in the Community of Practice theory and the generative theory of rurality. Furthermore, a qualitative research approach supported by the interpretive paradigm was adopted in accordance with the study focus. A case study design involving both semi-structured individual telephonic interviews and a WhatsApp-based focus group discussion were used to generate data that contribute to the understanding of the lived experiences, interpretations, and the multiple meanings of the study participants. The data generated ware thematically analysed. The participants were purposefully selected through the convenience sampling. The outcome of the study revealed some important benefits of learning communities as well as contextual constraints that impact on their implementation. The benefits include accounting teachers’ mastery of the subject-matter and improved learning outcome, facilitating improvement strategies as well as nurturing teacher expertise to provide leadership in the accounting classroom. The study also established how learning communities produce creative and innovative mechanisms to facilitate the teaching and learning of accounting as well as how rural accounting teachers harness technology to enhance the effectiveness of learning communities. Given the above benefits, the study found that there was the need to revamp the implementation of learning communities for better outcome. Notwithstanding the benefits, this study also brings into focus the contextual challenges that constrain the implementation of learning communities in a rural context as well as inadequate teacher accountability that characterise the implementation of the learning community programmes. Given the findings, recommendations are made to effect the needed changes to improve the implementation of learning community programmes.
The construction of violent femininities at a university campus in KwaZulu-Natal: students’ understandings of and exposure to gender violence.
(2022) Naidu, Charnell Ruby.; Anderson, Bronwyn Mardia.
This study explored university students’ understandings [and perceptions] of as well as exposure to female gender violence at a university in KwaZulu-Natal. Using qualitative research, the study is located within the interpretivist paradigm. The rationale for this study is based on the under researched phenomenon of university female students’ violence in all its forms. The study used purposive sampling and engaged in individual semi-structured open-ended interviews to generate data, with fifty-one purposively selected participants. Inductive and thematic analysis was used. The study used an eclectic theoretical approach which includes Judith Halberstam’s Theory of Female Masculinity, Raewyn Connell’s Theory of Gender Power and Michel Foucault’s Post Structural Theory so as to provide a comprehensive and nuanced insight into this complex phenomenon. The main findings showed that students understood gender violence with both males and female students as perpetrators, but with females disproportionately the victims. The students’ perceptions of female students’ use of gender violence and the forms it took according to the data were variegated in that their perceptions were both similar and differed in many instances. The forms of violence they mentioned ranged from physical, sexual, verbal, emotional as well as the use of social media platforms to derogate and humiliate individuals. The findings also reveal that female students were perpetrators of violence against other males and females, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and homophobic violence. Their engagement in violence challenged the stereotypical feminine status of docility. The findings further reveal that female students engage in gender violence for a multiplicity of reasons that may or may not be provoked. The study also found that alcohol and drug use was rife on campus and this exacerbated female gender violence. Evidently, the females being referred to and the males who witnessed or experienced female perpetrated violence showed the subversion of power from male domination and female passivity. These findings provide evidence that female student violence at university is prevalent and this has implications for future research in this field as well as implications for policy and practices at Higher Education Institutions. These finding have implications for a more holistic and inclusive approach in terms of tackling gender violence at Higher Education Institutions (HEI).
Poverty, school - aged pregnancy, parenthood and schooling in three township secondary schools in Kwazulu- Natal, South Africa.
(2021) Mkhathini, Audrey Sibongile.; Morojele, Pholoho Justice.; Motsa, Ncamsile Daphne.
The thesis consists of six manuscripts, that are collectively intended to explore how poverty affects the navigation of pregnancy, parenting and schooling of school-aged girls in three underprivileged township secondary schools in Durban in the Province of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, and the way in which the girls interpret their situations. The intention was to gain a deeper insight into the effect of poor socio- economic conditions on the pregnant girls and mothers‟ experiences, the navigation process and what they think could be done to improve their situation. The study was framed by the social constructionism theory to comprehend the daily life experiences of pregnant girls and mothers and the meaning they create from the situations that they face. Children‟s Geographies and intersectional models were further adopted to provide clear understanding of the intersection of poverty and the way in which girls challenge their situations. The study used qualitative narrative inquiry that illuminated pregnant girls‟ and mothers‟ situations and also the teachers‟ narratives. The research process took place in three secondary schools located in two poverty-stricken townships in Durban. Purposive sampling was used to select nine school-aged pregnant girls and mothers, two girls were from two schools and the other five girls were all from the same school. Participants‟ ages were between 15 to 19 years and they were in grades 10 to 12. To gather data from nine (9) participants, semi-structured individual and focus group interviews were employed. A participatory research method in the form of a mapping exercise and photo voice exercises were used for six participants to express their experiences, meanings and thoughts about their situation of negotiating parenting, pregnancy and of acquiring education in conditions of socio-economic scarcity. Teachers were also purposefully selected and were between 30 and 52 years old and had worked with pregnant girls and mothers from poverty- affected areas. Questionnaires and individual interviews were used to collect data from five teachers. The research process took place in pregnant girls‟ and mothers‟ natural settings where incidents that formed the girls‟ experiences when negotiating pregnancy, parenting, acquiring education and meaning as well as coping tactics, were formulated. The socially constructed beliefs based on culture and morality reduced the girls‟ space for social acceptance and optimism that could bring change to the life they are living. Social values became the source of negative interactions and reactions that pregnant girls and mothers experienced in their social circles, in their families, community and at school. That ranges from judgements to name calling - unfair treatment, rejection and loss of friendship that made girls live lives of guilt and regret. The study found that on top of well- known common disruptions that are brought about by pregnancy and parenting to all the school-aged girls, scarcity of means and poor familial relationships worsen the situation. This is because pregnant girls and mothers faced extra responsibilities and challenges that other school-aged pregnant girls and mothers with privileged economic background and favourable family relationships did not face. Namely, providing for themselves, the lack of basic needs and money, inability to access social assistance due to lack of adult guidance and knowledge that brought hardships and challenges to their schooling careers. The study maintains that the poverty that most girls experience is exacerbated by various factors that resulted from social or familial injustices and unreliable social systems. All of these impact negatively on the girls‟ navigation process. Hence, poor socio-economic conditions did not only become the sole determinant of the different experiences that pregnant girls and mothers faced in their journey, but it also brought numerous challenges that complicated the girls schooling journey. In addition, penurious conditions also exposed girls to powerlessness, dependency and lowered their selfesteem. This taught them to deny themselves and their personal needs and to prioritise their children and other people‟s interests and this interfered with their emotional and psychosocial development. The study further found that pregnant girls and mothers were subjected to various social injustices. In addition; pregnancy and parenting resulted in various surprising reactions and interactions for school-aged girls as it disclosed realities that hurt their feelings such as, witnessing the diminution of their effectiveness in their families and being replaced by their babies. All pregnant girls and mothers demonstrated great zeal to finish school to improve their babies and family‟s lives so they had to show resilience towards the odd situations that they faced to get education. This included, coming up with various strategies as their coping mechanisms which included, listening to their parents and teachers, ignoring negative reactions, making use of available assistance even if others laugh at them, and starting their days earlier and finishing them later than others. The study found out that the agency that girls demonstrated is not sufficient to take them to where they want to be but that they need support. Although they are pregnant and are mothers, they are still young, so community and family support is considered crucial for them to negotiate the situation in a stigma-free environment. The study concluded that the community, schools and homes are the best places that could constitute this kind of environment if it were to be encouraging and less judgemental. At the school level, School Management Team (SMT) and teachers should familiarise themselves with guidelines on learner pregnancy prevention and management and they should be more willing to be proactive and sensitive to the issue of poverty among pregnant girls and mothers. Also, they should ensure that there is a policy that will be followed by the school that should be known by all the teachers. The Department of Education should enrich the curriculum in such way that it equips learners with moneymaking and management skills. Different Government Departments need to work collaboratively with the Department of education in order to assist pregnant girls and mothers to achieve their goals by providing relevant guidance such as the procedure to access social security.
The representations of contemporary legislation in South African Grade 12 Business Studies textbooks.
(2022) Magwanyana, Thandokuhle Prince.; Ramdhani, Jugathambal.; Mtshali, Muntuwenkosi Abraham.
The purpose of the study was to analyse the representations of contemporary legislation in South African Grade 12 Business Studies textbooks. Critical discourse analysis (CDA) was used as a contemporary theoretical approach to qualitative research with a view to examining the use of words and sentences. Employing a qualitative approach allowed for the extraction of rich data from the diverse meanings that different textbooks assign to current legislation, as portrayed in Grade 12 Business Studies textbooks. Qualitative research is unrestricted and adaptable. The study employs Critical Theory (CT) to demonstrate how bureaucratic, cultural, and social power in society influence the representations of legislation, such that what may be known about legislation is subjectively shaped by the values and social positioning of the dominant group. The main focus of this study is CDA, a social analysis programme that examines discourse critically; in other words, how language is used to address social change. The analytical tools used in the study were ―Omission‖, ―Insinuation‖, ―Presupposition‖, ―Modality‖, ―Topicalisation‖, ―Foregrounding‖, ―Register‖ and ―Connotation‖, as employed by (Huckin, 1997, 91, 93; McGregor, 2003, 4-6). Findings from the analysis of six South African Grade 12 Business and Studies textbooks indicate that the use of power is still embedded in the written words, to maintain control of society by those in the elite. The findings also indicated that school textbooks lack neutrality. The implications of the findings suggest that the South African Grade 12 Business Studies textbooks are overwhelmed with issues of power and control and hidden messages, even though no explicit linguistic features are articulated at the surface level. Awareness must be raised among policymakers, textbook creators, textbook users, facilitators, teachers, and schools, to make power relationships and social group illustrations in textbooks more reasonable. Grade 12 Business Studies teachers treat school textbooks used in the classroom as if they are neutral. However, there is a need for teachers to critically engage with school textbooks and to examine how and why specific texts are written or presented in particular ways. Grade 12 Business Studies teachers, in collaboration with subject specialists, scholars, and policymakers, must examine school textbooks.
The nature of assessment tasks in secondary Business Studies textbooks in Eswatini, Lesotho and Botswana.
(2022) Dlamini, Zodwa Treasure.; Manik, Sadhana.
This research study focused on assessment tasks in junior secondary Business Studies textbooks in three Southern African countries: Eswatini, Lesotho and Botswana (ELB), thus addressing a gap in the scholarship on Business Studies textbook analysis. Business Studies is part of a new curriculum introduced in these countries and entrepreneurship, a significant thematic focus. The study analyzed the nature of assessment tasks against a background of problem-solving and critical thinking skills development for secondary school learners. This study analyzed two chapters in each of the three Business Studies textbooks from the three mentioned countries. Textbook content analysis was thus at the core of the study where the assessment tasks in the Business Studies textbooks were analysed. Two key themes of Entrepreneurship and Business Ownership were selected for analysis as the selected countries indicated high levels of unemployment and their new curricula showed a commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and business ownership amongst learners in the hope of building the economy. Whilst the study used a mixed-method approach, it leaned more towards a qualitative approach as the analysis involved an interpretation of the complexity of the assessment tasks in the Business Studies textbooks Literature related to textbook assessment tasks were reviewed for a general conceptual, theoretical and methodological foundation for the exploration. The study used a conceptual framework adapted from Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy and Umalusi and then further developed a Multi-Dimensional Framework (MDF) for this study to analyse the cognitive demand in the assessment study's findings highlight several gaps in postcolonial education in the two sections providing theoretical insights into the aim of Business Studies as a subject in order to ensure the sustainability of an entrepreneurial spirit in learners. Textbook quality was at risk in these two chapters for several reasons. The chapters demonstrated extensive short answer tasks that test lower order thinking skills (LOTS) facilitating superficial learning. Therefore, there is dissonance between the objective of including specific chapters in the textbooks (such as entrepreneurship and business ownership, which are innovations to the curriculum linked to neoliberalism) and the nature of the assessments and the kind of learner that would be developed in these chapters. The few essay type tasks in the textbooks, promote deep learning by assessing higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) like problem-solving and critical thinking skills which enhance the development of entrepreneurial skills. Additionally, tasks in the textbooks were sequenced in a manner that enhance continuity and progression of learning. Also, some essay tasks were authentic as they do simulate the real world situation but authentic assessment tasks did not dominate the two sections in all three textbooks. The research concludes with a framework called ‘Integrated Assessment Framework’ (IAF) to guide future analysis of end of chapter tasks. It is recommended that these chapters (Entrepreneurship and Business Ownership) be reviewed by the relevant education authorities and refined to foster greater critical thinking and problem-solving skills, to promote authentic, fit for purpose, context-driven deep learning which can serve as a germination bed for entrepreneurial activity and business ownership.
An inquiry-based learning framework for teaching Geographic Information Systems in a rural ecology=izindlela zolwazi zezomhlaba zokufunda ngenhlaliswanobudlelwane yasemaphandleni.
(2022) Zondi, Thabile Aretha.; Hlalele, Dipane Joseph.
This study explored the use of an Inquiry-based learning framework for teaching Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in a rural learning ecology. This qualitative study was premised on the transformative paradigm. Using Participatory Action Research, 17 stakeholders shared their experiences of teaching and learning of GIS. Critical Emancipatory Research (CER) was used to frame this study and it allowed for the formation of a reciprocal relationship amongst the co-researchers. Data was generated through conversations with a purpose, focus group discussions, reflective journals and classroom observations. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data for this study. The study identified four major impediments to the teaching of GIS in the particular context: lack of formal GIS training, traditional teaching approaches, inadequate resources, and a negative teacher attitude towards GIS. It was noted from these findings that there was a training gap and consequently, the co-researchers and I participated in training workshops focused on GIS content knowledge and pedagogy. An Inquiry-based framework was integrated into the training workshops and as a result of these workshops, the co-researchers started exhibiting a positive attitude towards GIS. Central to the findings in this study was the importance of communicative action and the collaboration of different stakeholders in addressing educational challenges. To conclude, based on the findings from this study an Inquiry-based learning framework is recommended for teaching GIS in a rural learning ecology. Iqoqa Lolu cwaningo luphenye ukusetshenziswa kohlaka lokufunda oluhlose ukuthola okuthile ekufundiseni Izindlela Zolwazi lwezoMhlaba, i-Geographic Information Systems (GIS) esayensini yenhlaliswanobudlelwane yasemaphandleni. Lolu cwaningo lobunjalo botho lwesekelwe kuhlelomqondo lwenguquko. Ukusebenzisa Ucwaningo Lokuhlanganyela Ngokwenza, ababambiqhaza abaqavile abayi-17 babelane ngolwazi lwabo ukufundisa nokufunda i-GIS. Ucwaningo oluhlaziya ngenhloso yokuthola okuthile, i-Critical Emancipatory Research (CER) lusetshenzisiwe ukweseka lolu cwaningo futhi luvumele ukudaleka kobudlelwane obunikezelanayo phakathi kwababambiqhaza abasebenzisanayo. Imininingo yaqoqwa ngezingxoxo ngenhloso, izingxoxo neqoqo elicwaningwayo, amajenali okuninga kanye nokubukela okwenzeka emaklasini. Ukuhlaziyo okunzulu kwasetshenziswa ukuhlaziya imininingo yalolu cwaningo. Lolu cwaningo luveze izingqinamba ezine ekufundiseni kwe-GIS esimweni esithile; ukuswelakala koqeqesho lwe-GIS kwesinye isimo, izindlela ezejwayelekile zokufundisa, ukungabi khona ngokuphelele kwezinsiza, kanye nesimomqondo sokubukela phansi kothisha i-GIS. Kwaqapheleka kulokho okutholakele ukuthi kunegebe loqeqesho nokwaba nomthelela wokuthi ababambiqhaza ababambisene kanye nomcwaningi bahlanganyele emisebenzini yokuqeqesha egxile olwazini lwe-GIS kanye nendlelakufundisa. Uhlaka oluhlose ukuthola ulwazi lwahlanganiswa nemisebenzi yokuqeqesha futhi kwase kuthi imiphumela yalemisebenzi yokuqeqesha, ababambiqhaza abasebenzisanayo baqala ukubonakalisa izimomqondo ezinhle kwi-GIS. Okusemqoka kokwatholakala kulolu cwaningo kwaba ukubaluleka kwesenzo sokuxhumana kanye nokusebenzisana kwababambiqhaza abasemqoka ukubhekana nezingqinamba zezemfundo. Ukuphetha, kuncike kokutholakele kulolu cwaningo, uhlaka lokufunda oluhlose ukuthola okuthile lwaphakanyiswa ukufundisa i-GIS esayensini yenhlaliswanobudlelwano yasemaphandleni.
Non-major accounting students’ learning in a threshold concepts-inspired tutorial programme=Abafundi abangasifundisisi isifundo sokubhalansisa izimali abasifunda emicabangweni ye-threshold egqugquzelwa uhlelo lwama-tutorial.
(2021) Padayachi, Sasha.; Maistry, Suriamurthee Moonsamy.
Accounting 101 classrooms at universities in South Africa typically consist of large class numbers with both major and non-major accounting students. The students who are majoring in the discipline of accounting have elected to study accounting and qualify as chartered accountants or a similar profession. The students who are not majoring in the discipline of accounting have had accounting imposed upon them as a compulsory discipline in their chosen programmes. Historically, the pass rates and class averages in these classes are low, both internationally (Hove et al., 2010; McGee, Preobragenskaya, & Tyler, 2004) and in South Africa (du Plessis, Muller & Prinsloo, 2005). The pedagogy, curriculum, assessment style and the delivery of the accounting discipline have been designed with the competencies required by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). The challenge inherent in this mixed classroom bears reference: as resources were limited, discipline experts were unable to provide non-major accounting students who do not want to become chartered accountants or those students who possessed an aversion to the discipline, with a design relevant to their specifications. This challenge necessitated a deeper understanding of non-major accounting students’ learning, as well as those students who possessed an aversion to the discipline, as their performance may contribute to the failure rate. This further necessitated the utilisation of possible innovative methods in order to assist students who do not wish to specialise in accounting in a South African context. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways in which non-major accounting students experienced the learning of Accounting 101 in a tutorial programme based on the Threshold Concepts Theory. This innovative method was used to attempt to assist students to overcome the conceptual as well as the emotional barriers to their learning of Accounting 101, and to therefore think like an accountant, the purpose of the Threshold Concepts Theory. The qualitative methodology that was used is called Interactive Qualitative Analysis (IQA) and consisted of a two-phased methodology: focus groups and the use of semi-structured interviews to validate the results of the focus group phase. This qualitative study was informed by the principles of social constructivism, where the construction of knowledge and skills is a social process (Lucas, 2000). The learning paradigm or worldview that the Threshold Concepts Theory propounds is also that of social constructivism (Meyer & Land, 2008). The IQA analysis provided a Systems Influence Diagram (SID), which is a graphical representation of the themes or affinities that emerged during the learning journey of the participants. The holistic approach to learning adopted by the participants drove the entire study and influenced how effectively the participants interacted with the Accounting 101 threshold concepts tutorial questions. The design of these tutorial questions also influenced the challenging dynamics of the discipline content. The challenges found within the discipline content influenced the learning experiences of the participants, and in turn resulted in two ‘super-affinities’ that addressed the conceptual and emotional barriers to learning. The concept of ‘interprogramminarity’ was created for this study, which describes research conducted amongst programmes that housed the same discipline, namely, Accounting 101, for this study. This concept will allow discipline experts to use the tentative framework provided to teach non-major accounting students to think in the discipline when they embark on their learning journey. The framework also suggested that the personality traits of the students should be assessed prior to and upon completion of their learning journey, using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, so that students could be aware of which quadrant of the Eysenck Personality Theory they belonged to, and if there was any change when they mastered the discipline. Iqoqa Egunjini lesifundo sokubhalansisa izimali 101 emanyuvesi aseNingizimu Africa kukhona abafundi abaningi abanamameja nabangenawo kulesi sifundo. Abafundi abameje kulesi sifundo sokubhalansisa izimali bakhetha ukufunda lesi sifundo bese beba ongoti ekubhalansiseni izimali (chartered accountants) noma umkhakha ocishe ufane. Abafundi abangameji ngalesi sifundo basenza ngenxa yokuphoqwa yizinhlelo abazikhethile. Ngokomlando, izinga lokuphumelela nangomlinganiso weklasi kuphansi kakhulu nhlangothi emhlabeni wonke naseNingizimu Afrikha. Uhlelo lokufundisa, okwakhe isifundo, isitayela sokuvivinya kanye nokulethwa kwesifundo sokubhalansisa izimali, bekuqoshwa ngekhono elidingwa abakwaSAICA. Izinselelo ezimukeliwe kuleli klasi elixubile ziveza okuthile njengoba nokusetshenziswayo kunomkhawulo. Ongoti besifundo babengakwazi ukuhlinzeka ngokukhethekile izitshudeni ezingamejile ezingafuni ukuba ongoti kulesi sifundo, noma labo bafundi abangasinambithisi lesi sifundo. Le nselelo ilekelela ukuqonda okujulile ngokufunda kwabafundi abangamejile ngaso, kanye nalabo bafundi abangasinambithisi ngoba ukungaphumeleli kwabo kwengeza inani labangaphumeleli. Lokhu kuqhubeka kulekelele ukusetshenziswa kwezindlela ezinobungcweti ukuze kulekelele abafundi abangafisi ukufundisisa isifundo sokubhalansisa izimali ngokwesimo saseNingizimu Afrika. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo ukuphenya izindlela abafundi abangasifundisisi lesi sifundo abazifundile ngokufunda isifundo sokubhalansisa izimali 101 kuhlelo lwamatutorial olugxile kwinjulalwazi yemiqondo yeThreshold. Le ndlela enobuchule yasetshenziswa njengomzamo wokusiza abafundi bakwazi ukunqoba izithiyo ekucabangeni kanye nasemizweni ekufundeni isifundo sokubhalansisa izimali 101 kanye nokuthi nje bacabange njengabo ongoti bokubhalansisa izimali. Indlela yekhwalithethivu yasetshenziswa ebizwa nge-Interactive Qualitative Analysis eyakhiwe izimo ezimbili zendlela: iqoqo eligxilisiwe kanye nokusetshenziswa kwengxoxo engahlelekile ukuqinisekisa imiphumela yesimo seqoqo eligxilisiwe. Le ndlela yekhwalithethivu kulesi sifundo ithonywa izimiso ze-social constructivism, lapho ukwakhiwa kolwazi kanye namakhono kuyinkambiso yenhlalo. Izindlela zokufunda noma zokubuka umhlaba ukuthi injulalwazi yemicabango ngokweThreshold nayo inokuxhumana ne-social concructivism. Isihlaziyo seIQA sanika okumelwe umdwebo, Okuwuhlelo Oluthonya Isifanekiso (Systems Influence Diagram), olunezindikimba ezivela ngesikhathi sohambo lokufunda kwababambe iqhaza. Indlela yokwenza eqoqa konke ekufundeni yakhethwa ababambe iqhaza ukushayela isifundo sonke nokuthi laba nomthelela kanjani iqhaza labayingxenye ekusebenzeni lesi sifundo esingu 101 mayelana nemibuzo yetutorial nemicabango yethreshold. Umqopho wemibuzo yetutorial yathonya izinselelo ezahlukahlukene nokuqukethwe kwesifundo. Izinselelo ezatholakala kokuqukethwe kwesifundo kwathonya asebekufundile kwababambe iqhaza nokuthi yaveza imiphumela emibili kwi-supper-affinities elungisa izithiyo kokucatshangwayo kanye nasemizweni ekufundeni. Umcabango we-interprogramminarity wakhiwa watholwa uchaza ukuhanjiswa kocwaningo ngaphansi kwezinhlelo eziningi ezikhoselise isifundo esaziwa ngesifundo sokubhalansisa izimali. Lo mcabango uzovumela ongoti bomkhakha ukuba basebenzise uhlaka olwanikezwa ukufundisa lesi sifundo kulabo abangamejile ngaso khona bezokwazi ukuthatha uhambo lokufunda nokucabanga ngalesi sifundo. Uhlaka lubeka ngokuthi umfundi kufanelwe avivinywe ngaphambi kokuba aphothule izifundo zonke, kusetshenziswa i-Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Ukuze abafundi bezokwazi ukuthi isiphi isilinganiso senjulalwazi yeEysenck Personality Theory abakhosele kuyo uma kukhona ushintsho ngesikhathi besiqondisisa kahle isifundo.
Exploring the effects of environmental location and social inequalities on the emotional geographies of teaching and learning: a comparative analysis of three primary schools in Bloemfontein, South Africa=Ukuhlola imiphumela youbunjalo bendawo kanye nokungalingani ngokwenhlalo nomuzwa wezezwe ekufundiseni nasekufundeni: ukuhlaziya ngokuqhathanisa izikole ezintathu zamabanga aphansi eBloemfotein, eNingizimu Afrikha.
(2022) Masoka, Nkesane Samson.; Gaillard, Claire.
This qualitative study explored the effects of environmental location and social inequalities on the emotional geographies of teaching and learning in three selected primary schools. Accordingly, a comparative analysis was conducted in three schools located in the Motheo District in the Free State – a province of South Africa. The research participants included principals, teachers, parents and learners from the selected Free State school communities. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews and observations. Given that the study sought to explore equity, democracy, peace and stability in the education fraternity, the critical paradigm was employed to interpret the data. The findings cannot be generalized across the entire province or district. The findings come from three South African schools that are different in nature – public peri-urban, public rural and urban private – with special reference to Bloemfontein, South Africa. The findings revealed that Kganya Public Peri-Urban School and Jahman Public Rural School’s teacher-leaner ratios exceeded the Education Department’s prescribed norm, and this impacted negatively on teaching and learning. However, the teacher-learner ratio of Groenvlei Urban Private School was below the Education Department’s prescribed norm, and learners received the full attention of the teachers. The findings also indicated that Groenvlei Urban Private School’s buildings met the basic infrastructure requirements and were much better than those of Kganya Public Peri-Urban School and Jahman Public Rural School, which were in a poor condition during the time of this research. Regarding family structures, the findings revealed that most of the learners attending Kganya Public Peri-Urban School and Jahman Public Rural School did not stay with their parents. However, all grade 7 learners from Groenvlei Urban Private School stayed with their parents, who were able to assist them with their day-to-day needs. The research findings further indicated that the learners' attitudes towards learning was mostly affected by the circumstances in which they found themselves, which included walking long distances to school, the school buildings and the school environment, which had little or no effect on the part of Groenvlei Urban Private School. The findings also showed that parental involvement at Kganya Public Peri-Urban School and Jahman Public Rural School was poor, while it was good at Groenvlei Urban Private School. Implications for the school community were tabled, whereby it was suggested that the Education Department should work together with the School Governing Body(SGB), principals, community leaders, church leaders, and all stakeholders to mobilise parental involvement in school activities. This could be done through workshops, church services, awareness campaigns, and community meetings. It was also suggested that a system of grade representatives be introduced at schools to oversee the daily activities of the learners and teachers in and outside the classroom. This would ensure that the school community and the community as a whole worked together for a better level of education in South African schools. On the part of the government, it was suggested that the government worked closely with all schools (including private schools) in order to bridge the gap that existed between them. The government should also reduce class sizes in public peri-urban and public rural schools to enable effective teaching and learning to take place. Moreover, the government should co-operate with nongovernmental organisations to assist with maintaining school buildings and undertaking renovations. Regarding economic inequality, it was confirmed as an obstacle to conducive teaching and learning (the inequality refers to learning resources poverty and unemployment). The government should play a pivotal role in changing the situation in schools. In conclusion, the government has to ensure that the inequalities revealed by this study are addressed in order to improve the quality of teaching and learning in South Africa. IQOQA Okufundwayo ngekhwalithethivu kwahlola imiphumela yobunjalo bendawo kanye nokungalingani ngokwenhlalo nomuzwa wezezwe wokufundisa nokufunda ezikoleni ezintathu ezakhethwa zamabanga aphansi. Kanjalo, ukuhlaziya ngokuqhathanisa kwenziwa ezikoleni ezintathu ezitholakala kwisifunda saseMotheo esitholakala esifundazweni saseFree State eNingizimu Afrika. Ababamba iqhaza kucwaningo kufaka othishomkhulu, othisha, abazali kanye nabafundi abaqhamuka ezikoleni ezakhethwa kumphakathi wesikole wesifundazwe saseFree State. Ulwazi lwaqoqwa ngokwenza izinhlelo ngxoxo nokupha iso ngokubheka. Ngokunika ukuthi isifundo sasibheka ukuphakamisa ukulingana, intandoyeningi, ukuthula kanye nozinzo emkhakheni wezemfundo, ipharadayimu ehlolayo yasetshenziswa ekuhlaziyeni kolwazi olwatholakala. Yize, imiphumela ingeke nje icatshangelwe esifundazweni siphelele noma isifunda, imiphumela igqamisa izinselelo ezibanzi mayelana nokungalingani ngokwenhlalo, okungenzakala ngekusasa kuzwelonke nasemazingeni aphansi ngokwezinqubomgomo zezemfundo ezihlose ukulungisa imfundo ngokungalingani ngokwenhlalo ezikoleni.
Gender, sexuality and violence: an ethnographic case study of 12-13-year-old school girl femininities at a primary school in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2022) Govender, Naresa.; Bhana, Deevia.; Moosa, Shaaista.
This ethnographic study is situated at the intersection of gender, sexuality and violence in illuminating the experiences of 12- and 13-year-old girls in a primary school in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Rejecting a dominant focus on girls as passive and docile, the thesis illustrates the complex ways through which young femininity is produced, accommodated and challenged in relation to heterosexuality. Given the relative scholarly silence around primary school girls’ constructions of heterosexuality in South Africa, the thesis asserts that such girls’ investment in heterosexuality is a contradictory pursuit: their desires and active agency are self-evident, but so are the oppressive ways through which their own actions serve male interests. I argue that the primary school context is an active site through which young femininities are produced, as girls reinforce and challenge gender norms. Firstly, I focus on the expectations and respectability accorded to the ‘proper girl’ status. Being a proper girl was a dominant expectation and pervaded girls’ experiences in their family, community, and school. Proper girl femininity rested on pre-dominant norms founded on sexual docility and subordination to gender and cultural traditions. These norms were emphasized in relation to male power, and the presumption of girls’ vulnerability and victimhood in regards to sex and sexual violence. Secondly, and notwithstanding these dominant messages, girls contested proper girl femininity. They drew on particular heterosexual strategies and were subjected to - and subjected themselves to - the societal compulsion towards obligatory heterosexuality. The study shows that girls invested in boys and boyfriends, modified their bodies and dressed and engaged in sexual talk and practices through which their existence as sexual beings was illuminated in direct contrast to proper girl femininity. However, their insistent expressions of sexual agency occurred in the context of rape culture at school. Thus, thirdly, the study highlights detailed accounts, from girls’ own perspectives, of the ways in which sexual harassment, violence and inequalities manifested at school through the insidiousness of rape culture. Nearly all the girls interviewed spoke of sexual harassment meted out by boys and other girls, which they either experienced or witnessed. However, girls’ attempts to contest and redress rape culture at school were limited as a result of the broader social and cultural system they lived in being based in turn on patriarchal conditions which offered little support for girls’ experiences of harassment and violence. In this regard, the girls spoke of how their teachers paid little to no attention to gendered and sexual relations as such within the school environment. Rape culture was tolerated and normalised. In this way, the school was found to be complicit in the casualisation of gender binaries, gender-based violence and misogyny. Culturally-embedded notions of emphasised femininity were also used as a powerful tool to regulate girls and a means of disassociating them from expressing agency and speaking out about their experiences of sexual violence within the school environment. Finally, the greatest significance of a study of this nature lies in its contribution to the designing of suitable intervention strategies to support South African primary schoolgirls in their experiences of gender, sexuality and violence. These strategies must take into account the complex and early formations of femininities that are outlined in this study. An approach that recognises girls’ pleasurable investments in the development of their own sexuality, as well as their potentially damaging investments, while also underscoring the need for a greater focus on younger girls’ femininity in South Africa, is more necessary than ever. This should be a vital and necessary step in working towards ensuring that schoolgirls are equipped with the skills and knowledge to negotiate their sexualities in more positive and gender-equitable ways, rather than in ways that are harmful to their sexual and emotional well-being. IQOQA Lolu cwaningo olu-ethnographic luzinze kwimpambanonjulalwazi yobulili, ngokobulili kanye nodlame ekuqoqweni kwesipiliyoni samantombazane aneminyaka eyi-12 neyi-13 ezikoleni ezisemazingeni aphansi KwaZulu-Natali. Kuchithwa umbono odumile wokuthi izingane zamantombazane kummele zingatshengisi mizwa. Ucwaningo luveza ubunkimbinkimbi bendlela izingane zamantombazane ezikhuliswa ngayo kanye nendlela ezizizwa ngayo ngobunye ubulili. Ngenxa yokwentuleka kocwaningo mayelana nendlela amantombazane abuka ngayo ubulili eNingizimu Afrika, lolu cwaningo lugcizelela ukuthi izingane zamantombazane mazifundiswe ukucabanga ngobulili ngendlela ehlukile: izifiso zazo kanye nokwenza kwazo kuba sobala, kanti kanjalo nezindlela ezicindezelayo ezenza ukuthi zenganyelwe ngabesilisa kufezeke nezidingo zabesilisa. Ngiqakulisa ngokuthi unzikandaweni wasesikoleni esisemazingeni aphansi yindawo ekahle yokubumba imiqondo yamantombazanyana ukuba amelane nobunye ubulili. Okukuqala, ngagxila kokulindelekile kanye nenhlonipho eye inikwe ‘intombazane eqotho’. Lokhu kwenza izingane zamantombazane zibe nesipiliyoni nemfundiso ethile emakhaya azo, emphakathini nasesikoleni. Ukuba intombazane eqotho kuncike kwimfundiso edumile eyakhelwe phezu kwemikhuba yokuthoba efundiswa izingane zamantombazane etholakala nasemasikweni. Le mikhuba ibifakwa ezingqondweni ukuze abesilisa babe namandla kunabesifazane okugcine sekwenza abesifazane bahlukunyezwe. Okwesibili, yize kunjalo, amantombazane abe eselwela ukuzimela njengabesifazane. Asebenzise amandla alobu obunye ubulili, okusuke kulindeleke kubulili ngabunye emphakathini. Ucwaningo luveza ukuthi amantombazane azinikele ukubukeka kubafana, nasemasokeni, ashintsha indlela yokugqoka, ashintsha nemizimba yawo kanye nengxoxo yawo mayelana nezobulili okwenza ukuba avele ngenye indlela eyehlukile kunale elindeleke entombazaneni, axoxa ngezocansi njengalokhu benza abesilisa. Kepha indlela aziphatha ngayo ngokobulili akwenza kuzikandaweni womkhuba wokudlwendulwa owenzeka ezikoleni. Ngakho-ke, okwesithathu, ucwaningo lubeka imininingwane, ngeso lamantobazane, ngezigameko zokunukubewa ngokocansi , udlame kanye nokungalingani okukhona ezikoleni ngenxa yesiko lokudlwengula. Cishe wonke amantombazane abe ababambiqhaza akhulume ngokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi okwenziwa ngabafana namanye amantombazane, bekubona kwenzeka noma kwenzeka kubona. Kepha izikhalo zawo amantombazane azibanga nampumelelo ngenxa yendlela umphakathi kanye nesiko okucabanga ngayo lusishaya indiva lesi sikhalo. Ngale ndlela, amantombazane akhuluma ngendlela othisha nabo abangawunaki umkhuba wokuhlukumeza ngokobulili kanye nagokocansi esikoleni. Ukudlwengula kwakubekezelelwa futhi kubukeka kuyimpilo. Lokhu kwenza isikole sibe nesandla ukubhebhethekisa lesi sihlava. Kanti nalo usiko lunesandla ngokuba lubheke amantombazane ngendlela yokuthi akumele akhulume ngezimo zokuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili abhekana nazo esikoleni. Okokugcina, ukubaluleka kocwaningo olunjenganalolu kuncike ekutheni lube nomthelela ekuletheni izinguquko ezikoleni zaseNingizimu Afrika ezinkingeni zobulili, ngokobulili kanye nodlame. Lawo masu kuyomele abheke ubunkimbinkimbi nokushesha kokuqala ukuzinaka ngokobulili okuvezwa yilolu cwaningo. Ucwaningo oluthinta injabulo yamantombazane ekuzikhuliseni ngokobulili bawo, kanjalo nobungozi balokhu, kube kubhekwa ukubaluleka kokugxila emantombazaneni asemancane eNingizimu Afrika lubaluleke kakhulu. Lokhu kumele kube yisinyathelo esibaluleke kakhulu ekuqinisekiseni ukuthi amantombazane athola amakhono nolwazi okufanele ukubhekana nobulili ngendlela efanele okunezindlela ezilimazayo ngokobulili nemizwa.
Young masculinities: an ethnography of 8–9-year-old primary school boys=Ubudoda bezingane: ucwaningokuzimbandakanya Lwabafana Bamabanga Aphansi Abaneminyaka Yobudala Eyisi-8 kuya Kweyisi-9.
(2022) Govender, Diloshini.; Bhana, Deevia.
In this ethnographic study I set out to examine the construction of masculinities among 8–9-yearold primary school boys. This study was conducted in a racially diverse schooling context comprised of a mixed class of low-middle and low income Indian and black boys in KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa. A purposive sampling method was employed to select 25 boys for this study. In addition, 11 teacher participants were included to enable a broader lens for my analysis of young masculinities. Following the tenets of feminist poststructuralism, I capture the gendered lives of young boys by prioritising their own views and experiences. This study highlights the social processes through which masculine identities were formed –nuanced by race, socioeconomic conditions, culture, gender inequalities, and sexuality– all of which contributed to malleable and plural patterns of masculinities. These variables intersected to shape Indian and black boys’ social interactions, their negotiation of power and their racialised and classed subjectivities which constituted a significant force in their negotiation of masculinities. Departing from traditional adult framings of childhood passivity, the study findings foreground the complexities, contradictions and diverse ways through which young boys construct, redefine, negotiate and share their knowledge of gender and sexuality as active agents of masculinities. Violence and heterosexuality emerged as the most dominant and prevalent way of expressing hegemonic masculinity and male power. Violence was exemplified through performances of strength, fighting prowess, an esteemed physical body and the denigration of femininity. However, this was not a uniform experience for all boys: given their agency some boys sought to denounce hegemonic masculinity by adopting non-violent subject positions and developed a shared solidarity by caring for each other, thus transcending racial divides. Heterosexuality was also a normalising force that regulated boys’ sexuality in ways that constrained or empowered their masculinities. They actively invested in heterosexual masculinity, finding pleasure in it but also navigating the complex terrains related to compulsory heterosexuality, material and economic deprivation and competition for girlfriends. Nonetheless, teachers rendered boys' early engagement in sexuality obsolete due to dominant subjectivities of childhood innocence. Iqoqa Kulolu cwaningo lokuzimbandakanya ngangihlose ukuhlola ukwakheka komqondo wobudoda phakathi kwabafana abaneminyaka eyisi-8 kuya kweyisi-9 basemabangeni aphansi. Lolu cwaningo lwenziwa esimweni sesikole sezinhlanga ezahlukene kuhlanganisa namakilasi axubile kwabamaholo aphansi, naphakathi kwendawo, sabafana bamaNdiya nabaMnyama KwaZulu-Natali, eNingizimu Afrika. Kwasetshenziswa indlela eyinhloso ukuqoka abafana abangama-25 balolu cwaningo. Kwengezwa ngababambiqhaza abangothisha abayi-11 abafakelwa ukwenzela ukubheka kabanzi uhlaziyo lwami lokwakheka kobudoda ezinganeni. Lolu cwaningo lugqamisa izinhlelokwenza zenhlalobantu okwakhiwa ngazo ukwakheka kokuziqonda ngobudoda – okwahluswe kancane ngubuhlanga, izimo zenhlalobantu nezomnotho, amasiko, ukungalingani kobulili, nokuzikhethela ubulili - konke okwaba nomthelela womehlukwana wamaphethini obudoda. Ukwehluka emidiyweni yendabuko yobudala yobungane obungenalutho, okuzuzwe ucwaningo lugxile enkimbinkimbini, yokuphikisana nasezindleleni ezahlukene abafana abaqonda ngazo, bachaze kabusha baphinde bedlule ngazo kwezobulili nokuzikhethela ubulili njengezinsiza eziphilayo zobudoda. Kwavela ukuthi udlame nokwahlukahlukana ngobulili kuyindlela egqamile nenkulu yokuveza amandla obulili. Udlame lwavezwa ngokukhonjiswa kwamandla, ubuchule bokulwa, ukukhonzwa komzimba oqatha nokujivazwa kobufazane. Nokho-ke lokhu kwakungeyona imfanayo kubo bonke abafana: uma kubhekwa indlela yokwenza abanye abafana ababefuna ukuzihlangula ebudodeni obunokuqonela ngokwamukela isimo esingenalo udlame futhi bakha ubunye obunokubambisana ngokunakekelana ngabanye, ngaleyo ndlela bedlula esimweni sokuzahlukanisa ngobuhlanga. Ukwahlukahlukana ngobulili nakho kwakungamandla okwakha isimo esejwayelekile esilawula ukuzikhethela ubulili ebafaneni. Bazinikela bukhoma ebudodeni obunokwehlukahlukana kobulili, bejatshuliswa yikho kodwa futhi beguduza izindawo eziphithene ezimayelana nokwahlukana ngobulili okuyimpoqo, ukweswela izimpahla nangokomnotho nokuncintisana ngezintombi. Naphezu kwalokho, othisha baveza ukuzimbandakanya kwabafana kwezokuzikhethela ngobulili njengento engekho nje ngenxa yokwenganywa ukubuka ngohlangothi lobumnene kobungane. Ucwaningo lwaphinda lwathola ukuthi ukwakhiwa kobudoda bendlaleke bedlula izindawo zezemfundo kuze kufinyelele esimweni semindeni okuyinkundla eqavile yokukhiqiza ubulili ngokwenhlalobantu. Okwazuzwa kuveza ukugudlisela okumqoka ngokushesha, ukusebenza nabafana besebancane ukweseka indlela yokwenza kwabo nokubakhuthaza ukuxoxa ngobudoda ngezindlela ezakhayo. Ngiqakula ngithi izindlela zokufundisa ezigxile ezinganeni ezikoleni kufanele zifake izinhlelo zokungenelela ezihlelelwe ukwakha ukukhula kokuhloniphana nokungabi nodlame.

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