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Uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys : 'n raamwerk vir die optimalisering van diverse leerders se kognitiewe potensiaalDe Bruyn, Trevor Neil 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South-Africa is presently in a process of transformation towards the provision of quality
education for all. There prevails an aim of equal education to all learners. A vision of lifelong
learning was formulated on a national level so that all parties concerned can contribute
towards an equal education. All parties concerned, including educators, have the learner as
the central figure. The meaning of the word "learner" should be thought over by all
educators, especially seen against the background of the national vision that sets inclusive
and cognitive education as a priority. The educator's task now includes learners with special
educational needs.
The insights generated in this study reveals that educaters, at this moment, are not
empowered to maximised and develop the cognitive potential of the diverse learner. The
working method of schools (especially educators) should be of such a nature that all learner's
cognitive, emotional, psycho-motorical and intellectual abilities should be maximised and
developed. Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) as an educational approach have theoretical
and philosophical assumptions which makes it appropriate for implementing cognitive and
inclusive education. This qualitative study review literature and explores the world of the
educator to generate insights to construct a framework to help educators to understand the
relationship between OBE, Curriculum 2005 and cognitive education within an Inclusive
Framework. Life-long learning and applied learning do not focus primarily on the
reproduction of facts and knowledge, it aims to construct knowledge through a variety of
study, learning and thinking strategies. Each learner has inherent potential and the ability to
be successful in spite of his/her needs. The focus shifts to the learners strengths in order to
guide and develop their potential and abilities.
To establish a culture of teaching and learning in our schools reaches further than concerns
about large classes and undisciplined learners. Except experience, educators need a frame of reference to work with a variety of learners stemming from different sosio-economic
backgrounds, each with his/her own learningstyle and information processing abilities. In the
workplace educators should use a meta-theoretical approach, consisting of a variety of
learning, thinking and teaching strategies to benefit the diverse learner. A collective energy
is needed in the establishment of an educational culture that is tolerant towards diverse
thoughts, values, attitudes and practises. To build that culture, it is very important for each
educator to have a conceptual and theoretical framework of OBE, C200S and cognitive
education.
This study aims to provide a framework for educators to work in schools to the benefit of
diverse learners. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika is tans in 'n transformasiestadium, ook wat onderwysvoorsiening aan almal
betref. Daar heers veral 'n strewe na die voorsiening van 'n gelyke onderwysvoorsiening vir
alle leerders. 'n Visie van lewenslange leer is onlangs op nasionale vlak geformuleer sodat
alle belanghebbendes op 'n gesonde wyse kan bydra tot 'n gelyke onderwysvoorsiening. Al
hierdie belanghebbendes (insluitend opvoeders) deel een gemeenskaplikheid, naamlik die
leerder. Dit is juis waar die probleem lê. Die begrip" leerder" behoort deur elke opvoeder
herbesin te word, veral gesien teen die agtergrond van die nasionale visie wat inklusiewe
onderwys en kognitiewe onderwys as prioriteit daar stel. Die opvoeder se taak sluit nou
leerders met spesiale onderwysbehoeftes in.
Die insigte gegenereer in hierdie studie dui daarop dat opvoeders nie op hierdie stadium ten
volle bemagtig is om die kognitiewe potensiaal van die diverse leerder te optimaliseer nie.
Skole (maar veralopvoeders) se werkswyse moet van so 'n aard wees dat alle leerders se
kognitiewe, emosionele, psigo-motoriese en intellektuele vermoëns optimaal gestimuleer en
verder ontwikkel word. Uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys (UGO) as onderwysbenadering se
teoretiese en filosofiese onderbou is van so 'n aard dat dit uiters geskik is vir die
implementering van kognitiewe en inklusiewe onderwys. Die kwalitatiewe aard van hierdie
studie behels die verkenning van verskillende literatuur en ondersoek die leefwêreld van
opvoeders waarna gepoog word om 'n konseptuele raamwerk te struktureer om die verband
tussen UGO, K2005 en kognitiewe opvoeding toe te lig binne 'n inklusiewe raamwerk.
Lewenslange leer en toegepaste leer fokus nie primêr op die reproduksie van feite en kennis
nie, maar het dit ten doelom kennis te konstrueer aan die hand van studie, leer en denke.
Elke leerder beskik oor die inherente potensiaal en die vermoëns om suksesvol te wees
ongeag sy/haar behoeftes. Die fokus verskuif na elke leerder se sterkpunte ten einde hulle te
bestuur en te ontwikkel. Om dus 'n kultuur van onderrig en leer in ons skole te skep, strek verder as die
bekommernisse oor groot klasse en ongedissiplineerde leerders. Buiten ervaring, benodig
opvoeders 'n verwysingsraamwerk om met verskillende leerders te werk afkomstig uit
verskillende sosio-ekonomiese agtergronde, elkeen met sy eie voorkeurmodaliteit en
informasie prosesseringsvermoë. Die praktyk vereis dat opvoeders aan die hand van metateoretiese
werkswyses gebruik maak van verskillende leer, denk en onderrigstrategieë tot
voordeel van die diverse leerder. Hiervoor word 'n kollektiewe energie benodig wat in die
skep van 'n opvoedkundige kultuur wat verdraagsaam is teenoor diverse denke, dieselfde
denke, waardes, houdings en praktyke. Om gestalte aan so 'n kultuur te gee, is dit uiters
belangrik dat elke opvoeder oor 'n eietydse konseptueie en teoretiese raamwerk ten opsigte
van UGO, K200S en kognitiewe opvoeding beskik.
Hierdie studie poog om 'n raamwerk aan opvoeders te voorsien om in skole te werk tot
voordeel van die diverse leerder.
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The effects of a teacher development programme based on Philosophy for ChildrenRoberts, Anthony Francis January 2006 (has links)
Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / This study explored the effects of a teacher development programme based on Philosophy for Children. One of the challenges facing education in South Africa is that the school curriculum has to promote the development of values, such as respect for life, equality, protection of freedom and the right to an opinion, through creative and critical thinking. The theorists, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky inform our understanding of cognitive development with the important notions of active involvement, mediated learning and the development of thinking skills. Many programmes have been developed to assist learners in this regard. One such programme is Philosophy for Children. This study located Philosophy for Children and the locally developed material, Stories for thinking, in Vygotskian theory and explored its application within a South African context. / South Africa
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The improvement of the quality of intermediate phase reading through intervention strategiesNaidoo, Ushadevi January 2012 (has links)
Submitted In Fulfillment Of The Requirements For The Degree Of Master Of Technology (Quality), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2012. / Reading is fundamental to functioning effectively in today's society. Learners with poor reading abilities have low opinions of themselves and their abilities (Patil, Saraswathi and Padakannaya, 2009:93). Behavioural problems may arise as these learners feel isolated and frustrated. The development of learners’ literacy in South Africa as a developing country is accentuated by several challenges. Many learners in South Africa have difficulty understanding the language in which they are taught as they are not taught in their mother tongue. However, the language of instruction is not solely responsible for the poor performance in international reading tests and schooling in general. Learners are faced with socio-economic issues, very little or hardly any parental supervision and educators are faced with the challenge of finding reading methods and strategies suitable to improving reading. Learners in the foundation phase are explicitly taught reading skills. In the intermediate phase, learners are expected to apply the skills acquired in the foundation phase to access the curriculum. In reality, this is difficult to achieve.
The focus of this study is on preparing current intermediate phase educators in the development of learner literacy by contributing possible strategies that will enable the improvement of the quality of intermediate phase reading.
The study was conducted at primary schools to the north of Durban. A questionnaire was distributed to intermediate phase educators, including members of school management. Of the selected sample of 450, 366 of the respondents returned the questionnaire with no inaccuracies, declaring an 85% response rate.
The Predictive Analytic Software (PASW) Version 18.0 was used to analyse the data collected from the responses. The results are presented in the form of graphs, cross tabulations and other figures.
An analysis of the data revealed significant statistics from the different aspects explored (biographical data; factors impacting on reading literacy; language and reading instruction; strategies for teaching reading; library and computer resources; systems for improving reading quality; and homework).
The study contributes to several academic disciplines and the development of society in general, as it proposes strategies and recommendations that may be implemented to improve the quality of intermediate phase reading, and thereby contribute to schooling experience in general.
The study recommends that all stakeholders (home; school management; educators; and the department of education) be held accountable for the improvement of literacy in our country. Educators need to be trained in the teaching of reading and parents need to play a more active role in the learners’ lives. It is imperative that remedial educators and special personnel be employed by the department of education to assist learners with reading difficulties.
The study further recommends that the time allocated for intermediate phase literacy education be reviewed. The reinstating of collapsed libraries is vital to improving the quality of reading. In addition, the administrative workload of educators requires re-examination in light of the poor results achieved in the national (ANA) and international (PIRLS) literacy programmes. / M
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The effects of a teacher development programme based on Philosophy for Children.Roberts, Anthony Francis January 2006 (has links)
<p>This study explored the effects of a teacher development programme based on Philosophy for Children. One of the challenges facing education in South Africa is that the school curriculum has to promote the development of values, such as respect for life, equality, protection of freedom and the right to an opinion, through creative and critical thinking. The theorists, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky inform our understanding of cognitive development with the important notions of active involvement, mediated learning and the development of thinking skills. Many programmes have been developed to assist learners in this regard. One such programme is Philosophy for Children. This study located Philosophy for Children and the locally developed material, Stories for thinking, in Vygotskian theory and explored its application within a South African context.</p>
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The effects of a teacher development programme based on Philosophy for Children.Roberts, Anthony Francis January 2006 (has links)
<p>This study explored the effects of a teacher development programme based on Philosophy for Children. One of the challenges facing education in South Africa is that the school curriculum has to promote the development of values, such as respect for life, equality, protection of freedom and the right to an opinion, through creative and critical thinking. The theorists, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky inform our understanding of cognitive development with the important notions of active involvement, mediated learning and the development of thinking skills. Many programmes have been developed to assist learners in this regard. One such programme is Philosophy for Children. This study located Philosophy for Children and the locally developed material, Stories for thinking, in Vygotskian theory and explored its application within a South African context.</p>
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The impact of the integrated assessment on the critical thinking skills of the first-year Extended Curriculum Programme students in the Department of Management Accounting at the Durban University of TechnologyCloete, Melanie Bernice January 2015 (has links)
Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Accounting Degree: Management Accounting, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Empirical evidence highlighted the problem of underprepared graduates who lack critical thinking skills required in the work environment. Institutions of higher learning have been mandated to provide graduates with these critical thinking skills. However, in order to achieve this mandate, teaching, and, in particular, assessment practices at institutions of higher learning would need to be rethought and transformed.
Integrated assessments that mirror real life situations are particularly useful in the development of critical thinking skills. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the integrated assessment conducted with the first-year ECP students in the Department of Management Accounting at the Durban University of Technology has enhanced the critical thinking skills of these students.
This descriptive and inferential study employed a quantitative strategy, with a quasi-experimental, pre-test, post-test, non-equivalent group design and it was longitudinal in nature. The target population consisted of two groups: all the first-year students registered on the Extended Curriculum Programme in the Department of Management Accounting in 2014, which was approximately 40 students (experimental group); and all the first-year students registered on the Extended Curriculum Programme in the Department of Financial Accounting in 2014, which was approximately 40 students (control group). All five categories of the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal UK edition were administered to both the control and experimental groups in a pre-test and post-test measure. However, only the experimental group was exposed to the integrated assessment. The aim was to measure the change, if any, in the students’ critical thinking skills over a period of time.
The findings revealed a statistical significance in the overall post-test scores in favour of the experimental group. The norm group comparisons also revealed that, after the completion of the integrated assessment, the experimental group’s post-test mean scores were higher than the US grade 12 students and were closely matched to the US first year of 4 year colleges. In addition, the experimental group’s pre-and post-test mean scores were closely matched to the SA norm group. These results suggested that the experimental group experienced gains in their critical thinking ability in the post-integrated assessment.
It is, therefore, recommended that integrated assessments, which are based on real world problems, should be conducted in the first year and in subsequent years. It is not always possible for universities of technology to offer cooperative education/ in-service training to all students. Contextualized integrated assessments, therefore, bridge this gap by allowing students to experience workplace requirements without physically being in the work environment.
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Measuring pupil's knowledge and understanding of technology : a methodological studyGoldstone, Margo 3 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Technological literacy is a competency that is widely espoused both locally and
internationally (UNESCO, 1984; TAAP, 1991). Technological literacy has been
described as a multi-dimensional construct consisting of a knowledge, skills and an
affective component. This study investigated learner performance in the cognitive
domain. Intact classes of Foundation (Grade 3), Intermediate (Grade 6) and Senior
phase (Grade 9) learners from 12 Western Cape schools participated in a standardised
paper-and-pencil assessment, the Pupil's Understanding of Technology (PUT) test.
The study attempted to measure the effect of two variables - geographic location and
gender, on learner knowledge and understanding of technology. The main substantive
findings to emerge are firstly that geographic location is significantly related to
performance in specific content areas of technology. Secondly, gender appears to be
less significant in determining learner knowledge of technology on most questions.
Furthermore, the level of knowledge of technology appears to correspond with phase
or developmental level, thus supporting the conception of technological knowledge as a
subset of general achievement.
In addition, this study describes various methodological limitations pertaining to the
PUT format and content. The main methodological limitations to an assessment of
learner knowledge and understanding of technology using the PUT instrument relates
to the nature of technological knowledge, and the understanding that technological
literacy is a complex, multi-dimensional and activity-based subject. The study further
highlights the need for an interrogation of the monolithic categories of 'geographic
location' and 'socio-economic' category. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tegnologiese geletterdheid is 'n vaardigheid wat beide nasionaal en internasionaal
voorgestaan word (UNESCO, 1984; TAAP, 1991). Tegnologiese geletterheid is al
beskryf as 'n multi-dimensionele konstruk wat bestaan uit 'n kennis, vaardigheid en
emosionele komponent. Die studie ondersoek die leerder se prestasie in die
kognitiewe gebied. Volledige groepe van Grondslag (Graad 3), Intermediêre (Graad 6)
en Senior fase (Graad 9) leerders van 12 skole in die Wes-Kaap het deelgeneem aan
'n gestandardiseerde pen-en-papier evaluering, die Leerling se Begrip van Tegnologie
(Pupil's Understanding of Technology - PUT) toets.
Die studie poog om die eftek van twee veranderlikes, geografiese ligging en geslag, op
die leerder se kennis en begrip van tegnologie te meet. Die belangrikste substantiewe
bevindinge is eerstens dat geografiese ligging beduidend korreleer met prestasie in
spesifieke inhoudelike areas van tegnologie. Tweedens blyk dit dat geslag 'n minder
belangrike invloed toon in die bepaling van die leerder se kennis van tegnologie in die
meeste vrae. Verder blyk dit dat die vlak van kennis van tegnologie ooreenstem met
die fase of ontwikkelingsvlak. Dit ondersteun die konsepsie van tegnologiese kennis
as 'n onderafdeling van algemene prestasie.
Hierdie studie beskryf ook verder die verskeie metodologiese beperkinge wat
betrekking het op die PUT uitleg en inhoud. Die belangrikste metodologiese
beperkinge vir die evaluering van leerderkennis en begrip van tegnologie met die PUT
verwys na die aard van tegnologiese kennis, en die opvatting dat tegnologiese
geletterdheid 'n komplekse, multi-dimensionele en aktiwiteitsgebaseerde onderwerp is.
Dit blyk ook verder uit die studie dat daar 'n behoefte is aan 'n ondersoek na die
monolitiese kategorieë van 'geografiese ligging' en 'sosio-ekonomiese' afdeling.
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The evaluation of the outcome of a thinking skills programme for middle management in a financial services industry organisationHermanson, Christina Magdalena 04 1900 (has links)
Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The globalisation of business is probably the most important topic
of discussion in business around the world. Globalisation impacts on
business processes, and changes in the processes of economic and
political liberalisation signify a radical shift in thinking about how
the world works and how it should be organised. The process of
change consequently means having to deal with increasing
complexity. It is the complexity of change that prompts the urgency
to improve the thinking of management in an organisation. As
adult learners, managers need different competencies to operate; in
addition their thinking skills need to be developed, as they are the
key drivers in an organisation going through transformation.
In a needs' assessment in a financial services organisation
operating in the global environment, a need for training of middle
managers to help them improve their thinking skills in order to
become more effective thinkers was determined. The need to train
adults to develop cognitive skills prompted a specific thinking skills
intervention and the facilitation thereof. A Thinking Skills
Programme aimed at teaching thinking dispositions and thinking
skills was implemented as a programme to teach the managers to
become effective thinkers. The study was approached from a
programme evaluative perspective. The purpose of the programme
was an improvement-orientated evaluation and was designed to
evaluate the outcomes of the programme.
Qualitative data was collected through a pre- assessment and postassessment
process. Open-ended questionnaires as well as other qualitative methods were used in the assessment to capture the
data. The data analysis was done through content analysis. In the
process of determining the patterns and processes in the preassessment,
observations, semi-structured interviews, field notes
and post-assessment, the researcher looked for themes or
interconnections that emerged in the units, sub-categories and
categories. The sub-categories that emerged were derived from the
frequency of appearance in the answers of the participants in the
questionnaires.
The post-assessment feedback categories indicated that a shift in
effective thinking had taken place in the participants. The most
significant difference in their thinking was the awareness of their
thinking.
They reflected on their thinking while solving problems, which is
evidence of effective thinking. They used the thinking tools to help
them solve problems. The intervention influenced the participants
to be more creative in solving problems, which was not evident in
the pre-assessment.
The evaluation of the outcome of the programme through the
application of a Thinking Skills Programme was successful. This was
demonstrated by the fact that in the measurement of the outcome
of the programme it was evident that the middle managers had
become more aware of their thinking and that they applied the
thinking dispositions and thinking tools in their daily managerial
activities. They had become more effective thinkers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die globalisering van die sakewêreld is waarskynlik die belangrikste
besprekingspunt in dié sektor regoor die wêreld. Globalisering het 'n
impak op sakeprosesse, en veranderings in die prosesse van
ekonomiese en politieke liberalisering dui op 'n radikale verandering
in denke oor hoe die wêreld werk en hoe dit georganiseer behoort te
word. Die proses van verandering dui gevolglik daarop dat daar
rekening gehou moet word met toenemende kompleksiteit. Dit is
die kompleksiteit van verandering wat aanleiding gee tot die
belangrikheid daarvan om die denkvaardighede van die bestuur in 'n
organisasie te verbeter. As volwasse leerders benodig bestuurders
verskillende vaardighede om hulle taak te verrig, en hulle
denkvaardighede moet ontwikkel word aangesien hulle die dryfkrag
is van 'n organisasie wat transformasie ondergaan.
In 'n behoeftebepaling in 'n finansiële dienste organisasie wat op die
wêreldmark meeding, is die behoefte geïdentifiseer aan opleiding vir
middelvlak bestuurders om hulle denkvaardighede te help verbeter,
ten einde van hulle meer effektiewe denkers te maak. Die behoefte
om volwassenes op te lei in die ontwikkeling van kognitiewe
vaardighede het aanleiding gegee tot In spesifieke
denkvaardigheidsintervensie en die fasilitering daarvan. 'n
Denkvaardigheidsprogram gemik op die onderrig van
denkdisposisies en -vaardighede is as 'n program ingestelom
bestuurders op te lei om effektiewe denkers te word. Die studie is
benader vanuit 'n programevaluasie-perspektief. Die doel van die
program was 'n verbeteringsgeoriënteerde evaluasie en dit is
ontwerp om die uitkomstes van die program te evalueer. Kwalitatiewe data is versamel deur middel van 'n pre- en
postassesseringsproses. Oopeindevraelyste asook ander
kwalitatiewe metodes is in die assessering gebruik om data te
versamel. Die data-analise is gedoen deur inhoudsanalise. Vir die
bepaling van die patrone en prosesse in die pre-assessering, is
observasies, semigestruktureerde onderhoude en veldaantekeninge
gebruik. Vir die postassessering het die navorser gesoek na temas
of interkonneksies wat na vore gekom het in die eenhede,
subkategorieë en kategorieë. Die subkategorieë wat na vore gekom
het, is geïdentifiseer op grond van die frekwensie van voorkoms in
die antwoorde van die deelnemers wat die vraelyste voltooi het.
Die terugvoeringskategorieë in die postassessering het aangetoon
dat 'n verandering in effektiewe denke by die deelnemers
plaasgevind het. Die mees beduidende verandering in hulle denke
was die bewustheid van hulle denke.
Deelnemers het gereflekteer op hulle denke tydens
probleemoplossing, wat as bewys dien van effektiewe denke. Hulle
het die denkinstrumente gebruik om hulle te help om probleme op
te los. Die intervensie het tot gevolg gehad dat die deelnemers
meer kreatief tydens probleemoplossing was, wat nie tydens die
pre-assessering geblyk het nie.
Die evaluering van die uitkoms van die program deur die toepassing
van 'n Denkvaardigheidsprogram was suksesvol. Dit is
gedemonstreer deur die feit dat in die meting van die uitkoms van
die program dit duidelik geblyk het dat die middelvlak bestuurders
meer bewus geraak het van hulle denke en dat hulle die denkdisposisies en denkinstrumente in hulle daaglikse
bestuursaktiwiteite toegepas het. Hulle het meer effektiewe denkers
geword.
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The development and evaluation of a metacognitive programme for young learners in the South African context.Benjamin, Louis January 2005 (has links)
The Basic Concepts Mediated Learning Programme (BCMLP) was developed to enhance the cognitive and scholastic functioning of learners who experience barriers to learning in the early years of schooling in the South African context. The study aimed to initiate a process of evaluation of the efficacy of this metacognitive programme with Grade 2 learners from the &lsquo / Cape Flats&rsquo / , an historically disadvantaged community in Cape Town. The study was conducted simultaneously in two local education authorities by independent teams of fieldworkers in each of the education authorities. This quantitative, quasi-experimental, non-equivalent comparison group design study was implemented with learners who were equally assigned to an Experimental group (N=54) or Comparison group (N=55). English home-language and Bilingual (English and Afrikaans) learners made up a majority of the study sample. The study was conducted in English.<br />
<br />
Extensive pre-test and post-test batteries consisting of cognitive (information-processing), cognitive modifiability (dynamic assessment), and scholastic tests were used to collect data. A number of structured interview schedules including post-intervention teacher rating scales were also used for the purpose of data gathering. The results from the parametric and non-parametric methods of data analysis selected, revealed a pattern of significant pre- to post-study cognitive and scholastic gains in scores for learners in both the Experimental and Comparison groups (p< / 0.05). In addition, it was found that the study participants, irrespective of their designation to the Experimental or Comparison group became more modifiable and demonstrated enhanced information-processing abilities at the end of the study. Significantly greater gains were, however, attained by learners in the Experimental group in a majority of the areas assessed (7 out of 12) (p< / 0.05). Learners in the Experimental group were also found to be more responsive to instruction and modifiable than learners in the Comparison group.<br />
<br />
Learners who participated in the BCMLP were found to benefit with respect to their knowledge of basic concepts, cognitive and scholastic functioning. However, it was not possible to infer from the current study that findings were attributable to any one specific procedure (mediational teaching, concept teaching, vocabulary teaching and teaching to enhance information-processing) or process (Basic Concept Teaching Model) of this metacognitive programme. Furthermore, the study had a number of limitations and findings should be regarded with some caution until replication studies can be completed and the long-term effects of the study can be evaluated.<br />
<br />
The study provides some evidence for the efficacy of short-term, small group intervention programmes implemented by Learning Support Teachers within disadvantaged communities. The study also provides some initial evidence for the efficacy of the BCMLP (a specially designed metacognitive programme). The BCMLP was found to be both appropriate and manageable for Learning Support Teachers to implement in the South African context.
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The development and evaluation of a metacognitive programme for young learners in the South African context.Benjamin, Louis January 2005 (has links)
The Basic Concepts Mediated Learning Programme (BCMLP) was developed to enhance the cognitive and scholastic functioning of learners who experience barriers to learning in the early years of schooling in the South African context. The study aimed to initiate a process of evaluation of the efficacy of this metacognitive programme with Grade 2 learners from the &lsquo / Cape Flats&rsquo / , an historically disadvantaged community in Cape Town. The study was conducted simultaneously in two local education authorities by independent teams of fieldworkers in each of the education authorities. This quantitative, quasi-experimental, non-equivalent comparison group design study was implemented with learners who were equally assigned to an Experimental group (N=54) or Comparison group (N=55). English home-language and Bilingual (English and Afrikaans) learners made up a majority of the study sample. The study was conducted in English.<br />
<br />
Extensive pre-test and post-test batteries consisting of cognitive (information-processing), cognitive modifiability (dynamic assessment), and scholastic tests were used to collect data. A number of structured interview schedules including post-intervention teacher rating scales were also used for the purpose of data gathering. The results from the parametric and non-parametric methods of data analysis selected, revealed a pattern of significant pre- to post-study cognitive and scholastic gains in scores for learners in both the Experimental and Comparison groups (p< / 0.05). In addition, it was found that the study participants, irrespective of their designation to the Experimental or Comparison group became more modifiable and demonstrated enhanced information-processing abilities at the end of the study. Significantly greater gains were, however, attained by learners in the Experimental group in a majority of the areas assessed (7 out of 12) (p< / 0.05). Learners in the Experimental group were also found to be more responsive to instruction and modifiable than learners in the Comparison group.<br />
<br />
Learners who participated in the BCMLP were found to benefit with respect to their knowledge of basic concepts, cognitive and scholastic functioning. However, it was not possible to infer from the current study that findings were attributable to any one specific procedure (mediational teaching, concept teaching, vocabulary teaching and teaching to enhance information-processing) or process (Basic Concept Teaching Model) of this metacognitive programme. Furthermore, the study had a number of limitations and findings should be regarded with some caution until replication studies can be completed and the long-term effects of the study can be evaluated.<br />
<br />
The study provides some evidence for the efficacy of short-term, small group intervention programmes implemented by Learning Support Teachers within disadvantaged communities. The study also provides some initial evidence for the efficacy of the BCMLP (a specially designed metacognitive programme). The BCMLP was found to be both appropriate and manageable for Learning Support Teachers to implement in the South African context.
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