Authentic learning for teaching reading: Foundation phase pre-service student teachers’ learning experiences of creating and using digital stories in real classrooms

Teaching and learning, an evolving endeavour, is associated with many factors, with advancements in technology, playing an ever-growing role in the classroom. It is therefore important to include the use of interactive communication technologies (ICTs) in university curricula of teacher education programmes. Universities ought to be creative in advancing autonomous learning among their students by providing opportunities for integrated and rich learning experiences. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to intentionally integrate ICTs in the planning and delivery of foundation phase reading lessons. This was achieved by providing authentic learning opportunities to final year foundation phase student teachers through the provision of training in the creation of digital stories (DS), collaborating within communities of practice (COP) (peers and other relevant parties), and then using their creations in ‘real-world’ classroom contexts. The aims of this study were to explore student teachers’ perceptions and experiences of developing DS in groups with minimal formal initial input and their use of DS during foundation phase (FP) reading lessons in real-class settings during teaching practice. Data were collected via focus group interviews and participants’ reflection essays. The study’s findings indicate that the creation of their own DS provided rich, rewarding multidimensional learning experiences to student teachers. Participants reported that they found the ‘assignment’ to be of real value, since it was directly linked to classroom practice, and despite the cognitive demands of the assignment; the nature of the task nurtured, an agentic disposition towards their own learning. Participants further reported that the DS provided enthusiasm among young learners during the delivery of lessons and were of pedagogical value, despite experiencing some challenges in using DS during reading lessons. Participants were of the view that the use of DS in advancing reading and literacy holds much pedagogical promise, because it resonates with the this generation of digital natives, the present generation of learners who have been born into a world where they interact with digital technology from an early age.DHE

Reconceptualising teacher education for teachers of learners with severe to profound disabilities

This paper considers teacher education for teachers of learners withsevere to profound disabilities (SPD) in South Africa, in both formaland non-formal learning programmes within a disability studies ineducation framework. Qualitative data were collected from a rangeof education stakeholders including non-governmental (NGOs) anddisabled people organisations (DPOs). Based on a thematic analysis,findings show limited pre-service teacher education programmesfocused on teaching learners with SPD. In-service teacher trainingthrough education departments and NGOs and DPOs, is usuallythrough basic short courses or workshops and are notcomplemented by on-going support

Experiential learning through virtual and augmented reality in higher education

Educational technology can enhance learning by supporting the learning environment through various digital resources. There have been numerous emerging technologies which are able to bridge the resource gap in learning environments enabling students to get access to an abundance of resources on digital platforms. This paper presents a literature review, exploring the potential of using Mobile Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies to support experiential learning in South African institutions. While there have been studies which aim to assess the use of AR and VR for educational purposes such as in mining safety education in South Africa, there is a need for studies that look at the potential of AR and VR in augmenting higher educational institutions such as universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges which require students to complete an experiential learning component in their studies in order to complete their qualifications. The study aims to establish the potential role that AR and VR can provide in enhancing experiential learning by providing students with practical experience in various educational fields, leveraging augmented and virtual reality technologies to simulate such learning environments

A survey of acoustic conditions and noise levels in secondary school classrooms in England

An acoustic survey of secondary schools in England has been undertaken. Room acoustic parameters and background noise levels were measured in 185 unoccupied spaces in 13 schools to provide information on the typical acoustic environment of secondary schools. The unoccupied acoustic and noise data were correlated with various physical characteristics of the spaces. Room height and the amount of glazing were related to the unoccupied reverberation time and therefore need to be controlled to reduce reverberation to suitable levels for teaching and learning. Further analysis of the unoccupied data showed that the introduction of legislation relating to school acoustics in England and Wales in 2003 approximately doubled the number of school spaces complying with current standards. Noise levels were also measured during 274 lessons to examine typical levels generated during teaching activities in secondary schools and to investigate the influence of acoustic design on working noise levels in the classroom. Comparison of unoccupied and occupied data showed that unoccupied acoustic conditions affect the noise levels occurring during lessons. They were also related to the time spent in disruption to the lessons (e.g., students talking or shouting) and so may also have an impact upon student behavior in the classroom

The relationship between moral reasoning and perceptions of family functioning during adolescence

Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2003.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focused on the moral development of adolescents, their perceptions of their families' functioning in terms of various dimensions and the relationship between these perceptions and adolescents' levels of moral development. The research group comprised of 268 learners attending an Afrikaans secondary school. All the participants had Afrikaans as their first language and they were catergorised into two age cohorts; namely the 13/14-yearolds and the 17/18-year-olds. Gender was also represented in the study. The participants' levels of moral reasoning were measured by the Menings oor Sosiale Optrede Vraelys (MOSOV), an unstandardised instrument that was formulated in terms of Kohlberg's cognitive-developmental theory of moral development. This instrument consisted of six moral dilemmas. According to Kohlberg's theory moral development is culturally universal and follows an invariant sequence of stages. Furthermore, moral judgment takes place on three levels, the pre-conventional, conventional and post-conventional levels. The pre-conventional level usually develops during childhood, most adolescents and adults will only reach the conventional level and only a small percentage of adults will reach the postconventional level of moral reasoning. Participants' perceptions of family functioning were measured by the Family Functioning in Adolescence Questionnaire (FFAQ). This standardized instrument measures family functioning in terms of six dimensions, namely: structure, affect, communication, behaviour control, value transmission and external systems. The results for moral reasoning levels indicated that the post-conventional level was the most common level of moral reasoning used by participants (at least 56% of the time). This tendency was represented for both age and gender variables within the research group. The second most common level of moral reasoning was the conventional level. Only a small representation of the pre-conventional level occurred. The results were inconsistent with Kohlberg's theory in terms of the proportional representation of the three levels. The results for participants' perceptions of their families' functioning indicated that their perceptions of family functioning for each of the dimensions, was mainly average (mean stanine scores of 4-6 were obtained). Significant mean differences between the various research groupings were also found for some of the dimensions. The results indicated that only two of the MOSOV's moral dilemmas correlated significantly with some of the family functioning dimension mean scores. One was a positive correlation whilst the other was a negative correlation. The general absence of significant relationships and the presence of a significantly negative correlation between moral reasoning levels and perceptions of family functioning was inconsistent with the literature that generally supports the view that a positive relationship exists between family functioning and moral development of the adolescent. A secondary focus was to measure the construct validity and reliability of the MOSOV instrument for this study, since this was an unstandardised instrument. The results showed that construct validity was present but reliability was not high enough. The results of the study therefore need to be treated with circumspect.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het gefokus op die morele ontwikkeling van adolessente, hul persepsies van hoe hul gesinne funksioneer in terme van verskeie dimensies, asook die verband tussen hierdie persepsies en die vlakke van morele ontwikkeling wat by adolessente voorkom. Die ondersoekgroep het uit 268 leerders bestaan, wat almal verbonde is aan dieselfde sekondêre skool. Die deelnemers wat almal Afrikaans eerste taal-gebruikers is, is in twee ouderdomsgroepe verdeel, naamlik: die 13/14 jariges en die 17/18 jariges. Geslag is ook in die studie verteenwoordig. Die deelnemers se vlakke van morele ontwikkeling is met behulp van die Menings oor Sosiale Optrede Vraelys (MOSOV) gemeet - 'n nie-gestandaardiseerde instrument wat op grond van Kohlberg se kognitiewe-ontwikkelingsteorie van morele ontwikkeling geformuleer is. Hierdie instrument bestaan uit ses morele dilemmas. Volgens Kohlberg se teorie is morele ontwikkeling kultureel universeel en verloop volgens 'n reeks onveranderlike stadia. Daarbenewens geskied morele oordeel op drie vlakke, naamlik: die voor-konvensionele, konvensionele en na-konvensionele vlakke. Die voor-konvensionele ontwikkelingsvlak ontwikkel gewoonlik tydens die kinderjare, terwyl die meeste adolessente en volwassenes die konvensionele vlak bereik en slegs 'n klein persentasie volwassenes bereik gewoonlik die na-konvensionele vlak van morele redenering. Die deelnemers se persepsies van gesinsfunksionering is met behulp van Die Vraelys vir Gesinsfunksionering gedurende Adolessensie (VGFA) gemeet. Hierdie gestandaardiseerde instrument kan gebruik word om gesinfunksionering in terme van ses dimensies te meet, naamlik: struktuur, affek, kommunikasie, gedragsbeheer, waarde-oordrag en eksterne sisteme. Die bevindinge ten opsigte van die morele redeneringsvlakke het aangedui dat die nakonvensionele vlak die algemeenste voorkom en in hierdie ondersoek deur die meeste deelnemers gebruik is (ten minste in 56% van die gevalle). Hierdie neiging was opvallend ten opsigte van beide ouderdom- en geslagsveranderlikes in die ondersoekgroep. Die vlak van morele redenering wat die tweede meeste voorgekom het, is die konvensionele vlak, terwyl die gebruik van die voor-konvensionele vlak die minste voorgekom het. Dié bevindinge was teenstrydig met Kohlberg se teorie in terme van die proporsionele verteenwoordiging van die drie vlakke. Die bevindinge ten opsigte van die deelnemers se persepsies van hul gesinne se funksionering dui daarop dat hul persepsies vir elke dimensie hoofsaaklik gemiddeld is (gemiddelde stanegetellings van 4 - 6 is behaal). Wat sommige van die dimensies betref, het daar ook betekenisvolle verskille tussen die gemiddelde tellings van die subgroepe voorgekom. Slegs twee van die MOSOV se morele dilemmas dui op 'n betekenisvolle verband met sommige van die dimensies van gesinsfunksionering se gemiddelde tellings. Die een dilemma dui op 'n positiewe verband, terwyl die ander een op 'n negatiewe verband dui. Die algemene afwesigheid van betekenisvolle verbande en die voorkoms van 'n betekenisvolle negatiewe verband tussen morele redeneringsvlakke en persepsies van gesinsfunksionering, ondersteun nie die literatuur nie, in terme waarvan 'n positiewe verband tussen gesinsfunksionering en morele ontwikkeling by adolessente verwag sou word. 'n Sekondêre fokus van die studie was om die konstrukgeldigheid en die betroubaarheid van die MOSOV instrument met betrekking tot hierdie ondersoek te bepaal, aangesien dit 'n niegestandaardiseerde instrument is. Die ondersoek se resultate dui op die aanwesigheid van konstrukgeldigheid, maar dat die betroubaarheid daarvan nie baie hoog is nie. Daarom moet die resultate van hierdie studie met omsigtigheid hanteer word

Intermediate and senior phase mathematics teachers’ perceptions of curriculum advisors

Not much is known officially about the ways in which mathematics teachers experience their relationship with the curriculum advisor. This descriptive study investigated, by survey, the views and experiences of a convenient sample of intermediate and senior phase mathematics (grades 4-9) teachers with respect to the curriculum advisory services at schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. The results indicate that these teachers considered the role and job description of the curriculum advisor to be mainly centred on their immediate teaching needs. Consequently, they were unsure about mathematics curriculum-related expectations. Results also indicate a distant relationship with the curriculum advisor with minimal interaction and communication. The majority of teachers reported never having had experiences of their lessons being observed by the mathematics CA, though many respondents still expressed a desire for receiving specialised support from the CA. The findings of this study may be used proactively to inform the planning and design of any future curriculum advisory provision directorates or inspectorates

Crossing the border: Science student teachers using role-play in grade 7

Drama is used to build knowledge and understanding in science as part of a socio-linguistic, constructivist approach. Role-plays, where learners act as analogues for components and processes, help access abstract ideas. However, a problem restricting many science teachers using these approaches has been that they lack sufficient pedagogical knowledge of drama. Our question was, therefore, to what extent do student teachers who are science majors make the necessary ‘pedagogical border crossings’ from drama into their personal pedagogies for science? We observed and recorded the lessons of six volunteers who taught science using drama in grade 7. Our analysis of lesson features that are critical for successful outcomes, based on an adapted version of Tripp’s critical incident method, and student teacher interviews show that role-plays can be powerful border-crossing objects between science and the arts. Findings show that some development is needed to link learners’ actions to concepts and provide more suitable analogues and sufficient learner autonomy. We see drama as an important tool in science teaching and suggest conditions necessary for the initial training of science teachers that could make them better users of drama as role-play to teach science