A thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Education at the University of Zululand, 2019. / The challenge of underperforming learners undermines the intention of the government to see that each and every child is educated. Underperformance in some subjects, including Life Sciences, in Grade 12 in the Luvuvhu Circuit is still a problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors affecting performance of Grade 12 learners at Luvuvhu Circuit. The performance of the learners is not acceptable to the level of contributing to quality overall results. A qualitative research design was used in this study and data was collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Interviews were tape-recorded and notes-taking done to add the interviews. Purposive sampling procedure was followed in selecting participants for this study. Data was collected from teachers who teach Life Sciences in Grade 12 at Luvuvhu Circuit. The results showed that learners’ performance was due to lack of labs, late arrival of the common tasks, absenteeism, substances abuse, location of schools and others. It is recommended that the Department should make provision of laboratories at various schools within the circuit, common tasks to be distributed and administered simultaneously at various circuits. The findings provided recommendations that will be shared not only at Luvuvhu Circuit but also throughout the entire education system to reduce the high failure rate in Grade 12 learners in Life Sciences. Areas of focus identified might also be shared with the subject advisors at district level. / National Research Foundation

Thesis (M. Ed. (Science Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Learners’ performance largely depends on the pedagogy used. This study explored the use of Computer Simulations (CS) to teach plants biodiversity to grade eleven learners Mankweng Circuit. A randomised Solomon Four-Group design was used. Sixty-six learners from two schools equipped with computers were randomly assigned to the Experimental Group (EG), and 66 learners from two other schools without computers were the Control Group (CG). A performance pre- and post-test was used to the EG taught using CS and to the CG taught using Chalk-and-Talk Method (CTM). Also, Focus Group Discussion Interviews (FGDI) were conducted with 12 learners: six from each of the EG and the CG to collect information regarding their attitudes towards the methods used to learn biodiversity. The quantitative data were analysed using a T-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), while the qualitative data were analysed thematically. The results show that the learners in the EG performed better than those in the CG (T-test; p < 0.05), (ANOVA; p < 0.05). Hypothesis one which states that learners in the EG who were taught using CS will perform better than those in the CG taught using CTM is accepted. Also, hypothesis two, which states that learners’ performance in the pretest will not vary in the EG and the CG is accepted. Also, hypothesis three which states that there will be no statistically significant differences in achievements between boys and girls in the EG is established. Thus, the CS method is a useful tool to enhance learners’ performance. Keywords: Computer simulations, PCK, TPACK, Quasi-experiment, Solomon four group design, Learner’s performance