Using student notebooks to measure opportunity to learn in Botswana and South African classrooms

This article describes how a detailed notebook analysis was used to assess and compare the opportunity to learn of a sample of grade 6 students from 126 classes in South East Botswana and North West Province, South Africa. Students’ mathematics notebooks provided the main data source for estimating how much time is spent on the subject during the 6th grade year, and what mathematics is covered relative to what the study’s student test asked the sample of students. The notebook analysis shows that in sample classes in both countries, most teachers were giving an average number of mathematics lessons that was considerably lower than the number officially programmed under each country’s ministry guidelines. It also reveals that, on average, teachers in both samples of classes covered just over a third of the possible topics related to the test items between the pre-test and post-test. Nevertheless, substantial differences in students’ opportunities to learn in the two countries are evident.     

Pedagogy of Learning and Teaching: A Phenomenographic Perspective from Selected Classrooms in Rural South Africa

Abstract

Classroom practitioners are expected to facilitate effective learning under the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in South Africa. During this facilitation process, educators are required to become more resourceful in terms of their learning and teaching strategies. This article is based on a case study – within the phenomenographic paradigm – of Grade 9 educators and learners in four rural schools in North West, South Africa. The study focussed on a specific economics and management sciences (EMS) topic relating to the understanding of the value or price determination of the South Africa rand on the foreign exchange market. The article is divided into three parts: firstly, the concepts of phenomenography and the variation theory of learning are explored and constituted as the conceptual framework; secondly, educators’ experiences with the variation theory as a classroom resource for learning; and thirdly, the impact of educators’ classroom experiences with the variation theory on learners’ quantitative and qualitative learning outcomes. The results showed an improvement in the learners’ understanding of the EMS topic studied.     

Exploring relationships between oral reading fluency and reading comprehension amongst English second language readers in South Africa

Most analyses of oral reading fluency (ORF) are based on L1 reading, and the norms that have been developed in English are based on first language reading data. This is problematic for developing countries where many children are learning in English as a second language. The aim of the present study is to model the relationship between English reading fluency and comprehension among rural English-second-language learners (ESL) in South Africa. We use data collected in 2013 by the National Education and Evaluation Development Unit in South Africa. This survey tested 4697 Grade 5 students from 214 schools across rural areas in South Africa. A sub-sample—1772 students—were selected for an ORF test. For these students there exist data on both reading comprehension and reading fluency. Although a number of studies have analyzed the relationship between fluency and comprehension, none have been conducted on a large-scale for ESL learners in a developing country such as South Africa. The present research contributes to the literature by analysing the size, significance and uniformity of this relationship for ESL learners in South Africa. Preliminary findings indicate a threshold at 70 words-read-correct-per-minute which is lower than the typically used threshold of 90 words-read-correct-per-minute of English first language readers.     

“I was giving someone who didn’t have a voice a voice”: exploring qualitative mini-research projects as a tool to teach students about aging

ABSTRACT

In the study of gerontology, fieldwork with older adults is often used to enhance students’ understanding of the aging process. While assignments based on interactions with older adults are a common practice in teaching students enrolled in gerontology studies, we know less about the impact of such activities on students from other disciplines. This paper summarizes students’ experiences with an assignment offered to a diverse cohort of undergraduate students who took a course in social gerontology. To complete this assignment, students had to interview an older adult, summarize the life story of the participant, apply a theoretical perspective to the older adult’s life story, and reflect on the process. Analyzing data derived from 72 assignments and 10 semi-structured interviews with students who were enrolled in the course, this paper examines students’ experiences with this assignment. Specifically, we identify what aspects of the assignment students found beneficial, what aspects they found challenging, and in what ways this assignment helped students to enhance their understanding of aging. Our findings suggest that students found it challenging to recruit an older adult for an interview and struggled with the semi-structured nature of the interview process. All students found the actual interview process to be extremely rewarding and beneficial for their learning. In discussion, we provide some recommendations on how to offer this type of assignment to a diverse group of students enrolling in the courses on social gerontology.     

Students’ navigation of the uncharted territories of academic writing

Abstract

Many students enter tertiary education unfamiliar with the ‘norms and conventions’ of their disciplines. Research into academic literacies has shown that in order to succeed in their studies, students are expected to conform to these norms and conventions, which are often unrecognized or seen as ‘common sense’ by lecturers. Students have to develop their own ‘map’ of their programme's expectations in order to make sense of the seemingly mysterious practices they are expected to take on. This study, undertaken at a University of Technology in South Africa, details students’ perceptions of their writing difficulties and their attempts to navigate their way through various writing tasks. The findings reveal that students experience a range of difficulties and that the students often feel unsupported in their travails with academic writing.     

The effects of explanation-driven inquiry on students’ conceptual understanding of redox

ABSTRACT

The study that is the subject of this paper tested the effects of EDI (explanation-driven inquiry) on students’ redox conceptual understanding and their misconceptions. Two classes of 119 10th grade high school students were involved. Two groups of students in the same school were chosen. One class that was taught by EDI teaching was set as the treatment group and another class that received conventional teaching was set as the control group. Students’ conceptual understanding was measured by a standardised instrument, and the students’ misconceptions were compared. The analysis of covariance showed that EDI teaching had significant effects on students’ redox conceptual understanding, and the results of the chi-square test demonstrated that students’ conceptual understanding level was improved by using EDI teaching. Also, after comparing the two groups of students’ misconceptions of redox, the results indicated that the students’ misconceptions changed toward deeper conceptual understanding in the treatment group that used EDI. Finally, some suggestions were made on how to implement EDI in the classroom.     

Insights gained from a comparison of South African and Canadian first-generation students: the impact of resilience and resourcefulness on higher education success

ABSTRACT

First-generation students are often described as disadvantaged in university adjustment, self-efficacy and grades. Yet this deficit model of understanding first-generation students ignores their cultural capital, which could increase resilience and resourcefulness. Here, 844 students (31% first-generation) in South Africa and Canada completed measures of resilience, resourcefulness, university adjustment, academic self-efficacy and self-reported grades. Overall, the results reveal that the characterisation of first-generation students is culturally specific and, in some ways, differs between Canada and South Africa. That is, the deficit model may better describe Canadian than South African first-generation students. Yet, in many ways first-generation students are like their peers and their academic outcomes are predicted by their culturally specific levels of resourcefulness and resilience. This study support the notion that the positives students bring to university should be considered and that students would benefit from being taught the requisite skills involved in increasing resourcefulness and resilience.     

Discrete Population Models: Why They Belong in a Differential Equations Course

We make a case for including difference equations, in particular the discrete logistic equation, in basic differential equations courses. Contrasting the behavior of discrete and continuous models enriches students’ understanding of both modeling and differential equations. To facilitate sharing discrete population models with students, some materials including class handouts and an “exploratory” computer assignment are provided.     

The potential of student narratives to enhance quality in higher education

University policies are increasingly developed with reference to students’ learning experiences, with a focus on the concept of the ‘student voice’. Yet the ‘student voice’ is difficult to define and emphasis is often placed on numerical performance indicators. A diverse student population has wide-ranging educational experiences, which may not be easily captured within the broad categories provided by traditional survey tools, which can drown out the rich, varied and gradual processes of individual development. There is no single tool that can be used to measure students’ experiences. This paper draws on findings from four narrative inquiry studies, carried out in the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, to illustrate how a narrative approach could be used to complement performance indicators. This provides a richer context for educators’ understanding of students’ experiences and for supporting and setting institutional agendas.     

Contextual Factors Influencing Student Absenteeism at a Higher Education Institution in South Africa

Student absenteeism at higher education institutions (HEIs) is a cause for concern as it has implications for students’ academic performance and therefore graduation rates. Graduation rates to some extent influence funding to which universities are entitled. This study aimed to establish the contextual factors that influenced student absenteeism at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), South Africa. A cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted amongst 140 students in a single discipline in the management cluster. First-year students were found to have a greater tendency to be late for the first period (08:00) than second-year or third-year students. Furthermore, the students chose to absent themselves from class to study for tests; complete assignments; or engage in group work. The majority of the students absented themselves from classes on the day before a test as well as on the day of the test. The recommendations that emanated include the need to dedicate time for testing, during which no lectures are scheduled and to plan the timetable so that first-year lectures start in the second period (09:00).     

Trajectories of change in university students’ general views of group work following one single group assignment: significance of instructional context and multidimensional aspects of experience

This paper examines how distinct trajectories of change in students’ general views of group work over the duration of one single group assignment could be explained by multidimensional aspects of their experience and the overall instructional context. Science (336) and Education (377) students involved in a semester-long group assignment completed questionnaires at the beginning and end of their assignment. Individual and group level analyses provided evidence of change in general views of group work for over half of students and one third of the groups. Students’ multidimensional experience of their group assignment was investigated in terms of its cognitive, motivational, affect, interpersonal, management, and assessment aspects. Change in general views of group work could be explained by different aspects, which varied depending on the overall instructional context and whether change was toward more positive or more negative views. Overall, the findings highlight the significance of affect in students’ experience of group work and the influence of enabling or inhibiting features of instructional contexts. The criticality of distinguishing between different experiential aspects of group work and examining the nature of students’ experience in relation to the characteristics of the instructional context was demonstrated. Understanding what triggers change in students’ general views of group work is important as these views are expected to have a major impact on the quality of subsequent engagement in group activities.     

Providing opportunities for student self-assessment: the impact on the acquisition of psychomotor skills in occupational therapy students

The Occupational Therapy department at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa is responsible for ensuring students achieve psychomotor skill proficiency, as it is an essential component of health care practice. The aim of this study was to determine whether the introduction of opportunities to afford self-evaluation better prepared students for psychomotor skill performance during clinical fieldwork. A quantitative analytical longitudinal design was used with a sample of second-year BSc occupational therapy students from 2007–2010. Self-assessment opportunities were introduced to students in 2009, enabling the comparisons of students’ performance based on Fitts and Posner’s motor skills learning theory. The results indicated that the pre-intervention group demonstrated poor psychomotor skill ability compared to the intervention group, concluding that students require deliberate opportunities to practice self-evaluation skills in their early years of study.     

Learning and Study Strategies among First-Year Students at a South African University: A Mixed Methods Study

South African higher education is plagued by low academic success rates. Academic development and support units can play an important role in addressing low academic success rates by assisting students in developing appropriate learning and study strategies. Limited information is available on students’ learning and study strategy profiles and their needs regarding intervention programmes. This article reports on a mixed methods study that investigated learning and study strategies among a sample of first-year students enrolled at a South African university. Quantitative data, collected using the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) from a sample of first-year students, pointed to an urgent need for learning and study strategy intervention programmes to be provided. The qualitative data offered a more in-depth understanding of participants’ needs regarding learning and study strategy intervention programmes. Implications for practice and avenues for further research are discussed.     

Bringing the social into pedagogy: unsafe learning in an uncertain world

The paper describes a collaborative curriculum development project implemented over 3 years at 2 universities in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The project involved a short module in which students in their fourth year of study interacted and learnt collaboratively across the boundaries of institution, discipline, race and social class, about the concepts of community, self and identity. The pedagogic approach adopted is described, as well as the responses of the students, and a brief reflection on some of the learning outcomes attained. The paper considers the learning processes which the curriculum development team experienced, and suggests that in order to facilitate learning for an ‘uncertain world’, the curriculum designers, too, need to engage in learning processes in which they make themselves vulnerable, mirroring some of the learning processes they expect the students to undergo.     

An exploratory study of first-year students at a historically black university campus in South Africa: their academic experiences,success and failure

Abstract

This article reports on a study focusing on the first-year academic experiences, success and failure of a cohort of students at a historically black university campus in South Africa. It examines their academic experiences and factors which influenced their success and failure at the end of the first year. Views were sought from a sample of 100 lecturers and 500 first-year students using quantitative (survey) and qualitative (questionnaire) data collection methods. The results indicate that on the one hand, academic success for this cohort was influenced by class attendance, completion and timely submission of assignments, and group discussions/group work. On the other hand, academic failure was attributed to late submission of assignments, inability to ask questions and poor communication skills. The results also point to a need to pay serious attention to improving the academic learning environment of first-year students in order to enhance students’ chances of success.     

The Effect of a Video Produced by Young African People on Perceptions of Japanese Pupils about Africa

This paper examines whether a video produced by young African people could serve the goal of education for understanding ‘others’ in the context of Japan. This was investigated by assessing Japanese pupils’ perceptions of Africa before and after viewing a video produced by Kenyan students. Data were gathered from Japanese pupils’ drawings. The result suggests that, after seeing the test video, the pupils changed their perceptions of Africa significantly. This concluded that video can contribute to the goal of education for understanding ‘others’, but the effect must be reinforced by providing more information concerning Africa and encouraging interactions between Africa and Japan     

Students’ Perceptions of Learning in an Online Multiround Business Simulation Game: What Can We Learn from Them?

Multiround business simulation games have been gaining popularity in higher education. However, certain aspects of experiential learning of individual students in the game remain unaddressed in research literature. Team assessments, such as team papers, appear a common, “natural” choice given the team‐based nature of the games but may potentially mask individual learning outcomes. In this study we use a qualitative method to glean from individual students’ papers a deeper understanding of the process of learning of individual students in a team‐based, multiround business simulation game. Our findings indicate that individual and timely assessments are necessary to identify cases of not meeting the expected individual learning outcomes for the instructor's corrective intervention. This study contributes to the understanding of the process and outcomes of student learning in a multiround business simulation game, methods of teaching a supply chain and operations class with a simulation, and methods for better aligning course goals and assessments.     

Analyzing teaching quality in Botswana and South Africa

This study focuses on quantifying the quality of mathematics teaching in 183 randomly selected sixth grade classrooms: 100 from the North West province of South Africa and 83 from South East Botswana. The teaching quality is measured by coding videotaped lessons for three different components: mathematical proficiency, level of cognitive demand, and observed teacher knowledge. Results suggest that the overall teaching quality is about the same in both regions. Some variation was observed at the level of each component. For example, in the South Africa sample the students engage more in tasks that just involve “memorization” and less in tasks that involve “procedures without connections” in comparison with the Botswana students. Teachers in Botswana implement the official curriculum more faithfully than do those in North West. In both countries most of the learners engaged only in low-level tasks (very little activity involved “procedures with connections”) and teachers demonstrated a lack of knowledge about how to integrate mathematical content with effective pedagogical techniques.