Investigating Computer Application Technology Teachers’ Procedural Knowledge and Pedagogical Practices in ICT- Enhanced Classrooms

Helping beginner and veteran teachers to develop technological knowledge and skills in how to use new information and communications technologies (ICTs) to teach is a critical component of teacher preparation in this digital age. This article reports on a study in which 117 beginner and veteran (experienced) Computer Application Technology (CAT) teachers at 11 government Further Education and Training (FET) colleges in Gauteng, South Africa, completed a 65-item questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed 13 knowledge constructs, using a 5-point scale which addressed the nature and context of CAT teachers’ procedural, functional and pedagogical content knowledge (PrFPACK) in an ICT-enhanced classroom. Additional data was solicited using classroom observation and interviews to understand CAT teachers’ PrFPACK and e-skills in the use of ICT resources. The data was analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and thematic analysis. The research findings revealed a number of significant differences in beginner and veteran CAT teachers’ PrFPACK. The results of the study confirmed that professional development of beginner and veteran teachers in the use of new ICTs in the digital age should be an ongoing effort in all educational institutions. It is imperative to train both beginner and veteran CAT teachers in an innovative method of teaching with ICT resources.     

‘He is Father Christmas when Man-U wins’: EUFA league and the dynamics of spousal relations in Nigeria

The European Champions League and Premiership have become infectious to Nigerian families. As a patriarchal society, husband fanship influences and alters social interactions before, during and after UEFA matches. Against this background, this paper examines the influence of husbands’ sports fandom on social relations in families and opportunity for deviant behaviour. Findings show that husbands’ identification with European clubs is redefining social relationships at the family level. Families were labelled as: couple as fans of same club, couple as fans of rival clubs and families with one soccer-loving partner. Loss of matches may lead to refusal to eat food, aggressive behaviour, conflict, lack of communication, while victory brings joy, gifts and better bonding and communication. Watching matches outside the home increases the opportunity of husbands to associate with deviant peers and, consequently, deviant behaviour. To keep their marriages, women have converted to soccer lovers to enhance communication and check their husbands’ association with deviant peers.     

Evaluation of engineering and technology activities in primary schools in terms of learning environment,attitudes and understanding

Because the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education continues to be recognised around the world, we developed and validated an instrument to assess the learning environment and student attitudes in STEM classrooms, with a specific focus on engineering and technology (E&T) activities in primary schools. When a four-scale instrument assessing classroom cooperation and involvement and student enjoyment and career interest was administered to 1095 grade 4–7 students in 36 classes in 10 schools, data analyses supported its factorial validity and reliability. When the new questionnaire and understanding scales were used to evaluate E&T activities, statistically-significant pretest–posttest changes in career interest and understanding (with large effect sizes ranging from 0.70 to 0.81 standard deviations) supported the efficacy of the instructional activities.