D.Ed. / Cognitive flexibility and didactically opportunities in teacher training. effective learning There is consensus amongst educationalists that the task of the teacher is to ensure that the pupils learn meaningfully. The teacher should create opportunities for meaningful learning to occur. Opportunities must be devised to stimulate pupils to think; by solving problems, making discoveries and experimenting. Futhermore, educationalists agree, that a meaningful learning opportunity is one where the interaction between the teacher and the pupils operates on higher cognitive dimensions and is not restricted to the lower cognitive levels - which is usually the case. This, however, does not imply that the interaction should necessarily be confined to a higher cognitive level. The teacher should be flexible enough to change from one cognitive tactic to another, and plan and act in accordance with the prevailing didactical situation. The concern of the writer and the reason for this investigation is the assumption and conviction that cognitive inflexibility and the lack of meaningful learning opportunities are symptomatic and " problem areas of the school practice. Rote learning and memorisation have become important teaching objectives. The purpose of this investigation is to ascertain whether it is possible for student-teachers to acquire the skill to plan effective learning opportunities and to enhance their cognitive flexibility.

The study investigated how the child centred approach is applied in teaching Natural Science (NS) in Johannesburg East schools. Most attention was paid on which teaching methods were used and how they were used to teach NS. Data was collected from 5 randomly selected schools in Johannesburg East through observations of Natural Science teachers teaching, and focus group discussion with them. Data presentation and analysis revealed that NS teachers who participated in the study used a limited range of child centred teaching methods. They only used experiments, class activities, as well as question and answer method. Literature review revealed that there are numerous child centred teaching methods that NS teachers can use. Some of these methods are brainstorming, discussions, games, group/pair work, field trips, case studies and assignments, using Information and Communication Technology (ICT), debates and facilitation. The majority of teachers still used the out-dated lecture method contrary to the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) 2012 documents that call for an end in the use of traditional teaching methods such as the lecture method. The study also revealed that there are certain challenges and factors that inhibit the implementation of the child centred approach in NS. These challenges among others include the teacher centred curriculum which dictates the pace and content to the child, lack of adequate NS resources, big volumes of learners in classes, different abilities, talents, interests and skills possessed by learners, learners’ lack of discipline, as well as shortage of qualified NS teachers. All these were seen as inhibiting factors in the implementation of the child centred approach in NS. The study among other recommendations recommended that, in order for the child centred approach to be implemented successfully the Ministry of Basic Education should develop a child centred curriculum that does not dictate the pace to the child. The Ministry as well should come up with a specific or customised child centred approach model that is relevant to NS as a subject, in-service all NS teachers and empower them with the child centred teaching methods, principles and strategies, capacitate all schools with all necessary resources such as qualified NS teachers as well as relevant chemicals, materials, apparatus and information and communication technology infrastructure designated for NS. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

A research project submitted to the Faculty of Science, School of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science by combination of coursework and research, 2017 / This study investigates learners’ performance in solving arithmetic equivalences and arithmetic and algebraic equations and was influenced by the notion of the didactic cut (Filloy & Rojano, 1989). Data was collected from two township schools in Johannesburg using a written test. With a Vygotskian perspective on learning, learners’ performance was investigated in two ways: through a response pattern analysis of 106 test scripts as well as through an error analysis on 46 scripts. The response pattern analysis identified seven clusters of responses, each of which suggested a different performance pattern. Two clusters of responses suggest evidence of the didactic cut and that learners struggled with the concept of negativity. A purposive sample of 46 test scripts was analysed further to investigate the actual errors that learners made. Common errors within the two most relevant response pattern analyses were also investigated. Using a combination of typological and inductive methods to categorise learners’ errors, equality and negativity errors were most prominent. Findings revealed that there were very few learners who used arithmetic strategies to solve arithmetic equations and that instead, they used algebraic procedures. The most unexpected finding was that learners appear to memorise the structure of solutions and hence manipulate their procedures in order to obtain familiar structured solutions. Key words: Equality, equal sign, solving linear equations, negativity, learner error, response patterns / XL2018

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Fine Arts, 2015 / This research explores the dialogical in arts pedagogy. This form of pedagogy is understood to allow for both the learner and educator to participate by exchanging experiences without the one being more superior to the other (Freire 1968, p. 169). In this thesis I use the Zulu term Inkulumo-Mpendulwano, which, rudimentarily, means dialogue. Broken down, Inkulumo means to talk or to have a conversation and Mpendulwano means to respond. However, I also use the term Ukufundisa, which means “to teach” but also “to instruct” and “to school” which is an authoritarian way of teaching. What is emphasised in this research is not only the potentiality of InkulumoMpendulwano interactions which can be adapted in the classroom as well as curated spaces, but by introducing different terminologies I attempt to reimagine the language and practices associated with arts education. This further engages with the possibility of changes in terminology and vocabularies, how the written and spoken is understood differently and how visual and spatial modes become central to changing the learner/teacher dynamic. This dissertation exemplifies two cases of the dialogical arts pedagogy. The first is a case study of Keleketla! Library and the second is a participatory action research approach where I work as an artist-educator for the practical component of this research entitled Artucation Programme. The outcome of this research is a written dissertation and a creative project that investigates InkulumoMpendulwano interactions in arts education. / XL2018

A Research Project Submitted to the Faculty of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in Part Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Education Johannesburg, 1986 / This investigation looks at the appearance of the high-risk student, and the compensatory education programmes which developed to try and help cope with this problem. It examines the issues and findings of almost three decades of American research into the matter, a, well as the more recent South African investigations. Factors affecting evaluations of education programmes, and which could contribute to the lack of concensus about the worth of these programmes, are discussed. Finally attention is focussed on the evaluation of a specific Zoology Academic Support Programme. The evaluation, based on Patton's paradigm of choices, includes both summative and formative aspects, It Is hoped >.ha^ e former will assist the reader to make an informed decision about the worth of this programme. The lat.er illuminate some of the issues affecting the program..,, s success, in the hope that a better understanding of these will allow for modifications to improve the effectiveness of this programme.

The study investigated how the child centred approach is applied in teaching Natural Science (NS) in Johannesburg East schools. Most attention was paid on which teaching methods were used and how they were used to teach NS. Data was collected from 5 randomly selected schools in Johannesburg East through observations of Natural Science teachers teaching, and focus group discussion with them. Data presentation and analysis revealed that NS teachers who participated in the study used a limited range of child centred teaching methods. They only used experiments, class activities, as well as question and answer method. Literature review revealed that there are numerous child centred teaching methods that NS teachers can use. Some of these methods are brainstorming, discussions, games, group/pair work, field trips, case studies and assignments, using Information and Communication Technology (ICT), debates and facilitation. The majority of teachers still used the out-dated lecture method contrary to the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) 2012 documents that call for an end in the use of traditional teaching methods such as the lecture method. The study also revealed that there are certain challenges and factors that inhibit the implementation of the child centred approach in NS. These challenges among others include the teacher centred curriculum which dictates the pace and content to the child, lack of adequate NS resources, big volumes of learners in classes, different abilities, talents, interests and skills possessed by learners, learners’ lack of discipline, as well as shortage of qualified NS teachers. All these were seen as inhibiting factors in the implementation of the child centred approach in NS. The study among other recommendations recommended that, in order for the child centred approach to be implemented successfully the Ministry of Basic Education should develop a child centred curriculum that does not dictate the pace to the child. The Ministry as well should come up with a specific or customised child centred approach model that is relevant to NS as a subject, in-service all NS teachers and empower them with the child centred teaching methods, principles and strategies, capacitate all schools with all necessary resources such as qualified NS teachers as well as relevant chemicals, materials, apparatus and information and communication technology infrastructure designated for NS. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

M.Cur. (Advanced Midwifery and Neonatal Nursing) / With the introduction of the four year comprehensive course, the students at a particular college of nursing receive instruction on normal labour at the beginning of their second year. They are then allocated to the maternity wards of a particular hospital for their midwifery nursing science practica. The practical placement of these students to the midwifery clinical area is variable as a few may be allocated to the practice immediately after having received their theoretical instruction, a few two months later and the rest four, six, eight and ten months later. A major problem thus facing midwifery educators at a particular college of nursing, is to select an appropriate method of teaching that would assist the student nurses in acquiring the psychomotor skills that are necessary for the management of the delivery procedure. The goal of this study was to evaluate the competency levels of the second year student nurses, in the application of the psychomotor skills that are necessary for the management of the delivery procedure, after having made use of different teaching strategies, namely: * the traditional teaching method, and * the aforementioned method combined with the simulation teaching method. The hypothesis stated that there would be no difference in the application of the necessary psychomotor skills for the first delivery procedure, between the control and the experimental groups.

M.Ed. / In this study attention was paid to factors influencing students in their evaluation of the teaching skills of their lecturers. The problem addressed is that of the increase in student numbers and the relatively high failure rate at South African universities which accompanies it. Due to the fact that the lecturer is responsible for teaching, it follows that a solution to this problem lies partly with him/her. Universities are forced to seriously address this problem and to supply possible solutions. As a result research programs are often conducted in order to establish those factors which have an influence on a student's evaluation of a lecturer's teaching (for example Malan, 1979; Strydom & Helm, 1981; Malan,1983; Vlok & Sewell, 1985 and Marais & Van Tonder, 1986, etc.). The purpose of this project is threefold: to present an overview of literature pertaining to techniques of teaching evaluation applied locally and internationally; to identify factors which could possibly influence students' evaluation of teaching, using available literature; to determine to what extent these factors apply to male and female students of different seniority levels and in various fields of study. In the study of relevant literature specific attention was paid to those characteristics of a lecturer earmarking him/her as effective. These characteristics include both personal and teaching practice characteristics. The study also includes teaching evaluation as a facet of teaching development, addressing various techniques of evaluation and focusing upon evaluation by students ...

A Research Project submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MSc (Sci. Ed). March 2016 / This research project was a case study that investigated how two experienced science teachers, who were undertaking self-studies to improve the use of practical work in their classrooms as part of their BSc Hons research projects, actually developed their strategies for effective use of practical work. This study explored the effectiveness of practical work by analysing 6 ‘typical’ science lessons i.e. introduction, practical session and consolidation lessons in two schools around Gauteng in South African. The research design took a form of classroom observations through audio and video recordings and also interview and questionnaires schedules with the two participant teachers. Abraham and Millar (2008) argued that many science teachers do not implement practical work effectively when teaching in their classrooms and most learners fail to relate what they do in practical work to other aspects of their learning. This research project hoped to find an answer to main research question: How effective are the two participating teachers’ strategies of using practical work to promote conceptual and procedural understanding? The data analysis used a model of effectiveness on the work done by Millar, Marechal and Tiberghien (1999) and Tiberghien (2000). The two teachers focus in these observed lessons was to promote and develop conceptual and procedural understanding. This study found that practical work in some cases was effective in getting the learners to do what was intended for them to do with objects and materials e.g. apparatus, but the was less evidence of the effectiveness of practical work in getting the learners to use the intended scientific ideas from the data they collected and also little evidence of them showing the understanding of what they were intended to understand e.g. cognitive challenge of linking the observables to ideas. The study revealed that learners get more procedural understanding and less conceptual understanding in a given practical activity. The study also revealed that teachers faced a lot of challenges when implementing the use of practical work in their classroom e.g. time constraints, minimum availability of resource, less CAPS training etc. and these challenges often hinders the use of practical work as part of the learning and teaching of science. This study further recommended that the department of education do more to support the teachers in their implementations of certain teaching strategies e.g. practical work and that the use of practical work be considered at the fore-front of learning and teaching of science. / TG2016