El presente proyecto se ha realizado para analizar la viabilidad y escalabilidad de ejecución de un modelo de negocio llamado, “TUtutor”. TUtutor es una plataforma virtual en la que alumnos que estén cursando el nivel primario podrán tener clases personalizadas. Dicha plataforma los conecta con tutores universitarios con experiencia en la materia de matemática y que también buscan obtener un ingreso adicional. Los tutores tendrán la principal función de desarrollar una metodología que se acomode a la comprensión adecuada del curso donde el alumno presente dificultades. Este proyecto nació a partir de la coyuntura actual que se está atravesando a nivel mundial. La pandemia ha obligado a muchos países a adecuarse a una nueva realidad. Sin embargo, en el proceso de transición surgieron deficiencias que requieren soluciones inmediatas. En este caso, la educación ha sido un sector muy perjudicado ya que, en el Perú, la mayoría de los colegios, tanto particulares como nacionales, no estaban 100% listos para asumir el cambio total a la metodología remota. Esta medida obligatoria ha acelerado todas las operaciones de las escuelas con la finalidad de que puedan seguir con sus sesiones de manera virtual. No obstante, se han presentado problemas en el rendimiento académico de los alumnos tras este cambio. Por lo cual, es donde necesitan de un mayor refuerzo y asesoramiento personal en la materia de mayor dificultad. / This project will analyze the viability and scalability of the creation of a business named “TUtutor”. TUtutor is a virtual platform where university students with skills in mathematics, and who are interest in earning an additional income, may connect with elementary school students and act as tutors through personalized classes. These university students will develop a methodology that would adapt these courses experiencing difficulty with teaching their students in the online learning environment as their function. This project was created based on the current situation we are facing around the world. The pandemic has forced many countries to adapt a new reality that in-class lessons struggle to adapt to the challenges of online learning. During the transition process, deficiencies in such classes have surged that require immediate solutions. In this case, the education sector in Peru has been highly affected because the majority of the two kinds of schools, public and private, where not fully prepared to perform the change from in-person classes to the remote methodology. This mandatory measure caused all school operations to quickly adapt and make all classes virtual. However, due to the quick changes, the academic performance of children has suffered. Therefore, schools need major reinforcement and personal counseling from their students. / Trabajo de investigación

M. Tech. (Department of Information and Communication Technology, Faculty of Applied and Computer Sciences). Vaal University of Technology. / There are many learning paradigms in the academic field, many of which have been used since the advent of universities and other learning institutions. However, the advent and subsequent popularisation of the Internet in the early 1990's has led to the development of new learning paradigms. Simultaneously, students currently enrolled at higher education institutions (HEI) fall under the Generation Z cohort, otherwise known as Millennials. This generation has grown up with widespread usage of the internet, and research has shown that engagement with these students in an educational setting has slowed down. This study endeavoured to establish whether the use of Social Networking Services (SNSs) could aid to better engage student in the teaching and learning process, and if so, whether there would be a measurable improvement in the marks of students enrolled in a final year Information Technology (IT) module at a HEI. Facebook and YouTube were the SNSs chosen as the focus of the study. Data collection was achieved by means of mixed-methods methodology. Semi-structured interviews were held with lecturers to determine their perceptions regarding the use of Facebook from an educational perspective. thematic analysis was performed to identify prominent themes in the qualitative data. Statistical analysis was performed on the result of two groups of students that took the final year module over two semesters. An action research based case study was designed as intervention for students in the 2nd semester involving the use of SNSs. The marks of the two groups were compared and contrasted to determine whether an improvement in results had taken place. Students participating in the action research case study also completed a survey for the purpose of gauging their experiences in the use of SNSs for the action research interventions are also highlighted and discussed, and thematic analysis is performed. After analysis of the gathered data had taken place, it was clear that the majority of participants in the study found that SNSs could add value to the teaching and learning process and there was a small to moderate improvement in results. Guidelines for other institutions that would like to integrate SNSs into their teaching and learning processes are proposed and a model has been developed.

Not only is Quantum Mechanics (QM) conceptually rich, it is also a theory that physics students have found abstract and technically formidable. Nevertheless, compared to other classical topics of physics, university students’ understanding of QM has received minimal attention in the physics education literature. The principal purpose of this study was to characterize the variation in the ways that undergraduate physics students depict the basic concepts of QM and to extrapolate the results to scaffold possible changes to instructional practices at the university that provided the context for the study. In so doing, an adaptation of a developmental phenomenographic perspective was chosen. Empirically, the study was approached through in-depth interviews with 35 physics students from two Ethiopian governmental universities after they had been exposed to the traditional QM course for one-third of a semester. Interview responses were analyzed using phenomenographic approach where a picture of students’ depictions was established for each quantum concept by expounding the given responses. For each basic quantum concept addressed, the structure of the description categories was separately constructed, and overall, it was found that naive, quasi-classical ontology and/or variants of classical ways of visualization are dominant in students’ responses. For example, it was found that students’ depictions of the photon concept could be described with three distinct categories of description, which are (a) classical intuitive description, (b) mixed model description and (c) quasi-quantum model description. Similarly, the findings revealed that it is possible to establish three qualitatively different categories of description to picture students’ depictions of matter waves, namely, (a) classical and trajectory-based description, (b) an intricate blend of classical and quantum description and (c) incipient quantum model description. Likewise, it was found that students’ depictions of uncertainty principle can be described as: (a) uncertainty as classical ignorance, (b) uncertainty as measurement disturbance and (c) uncertainty as a quasi-quantum principle. With regard to learning QM, the categories of description made clear several issues: most students did not have enough knowledge to depict the basic concepts of QM properly; they were influenced by the perspective of classical physics and their perceptions in making explanations about QM; and they also applied mixed ideas, one based on their classical model and the other from newly introduced QM. These results are also supported by the findings of previous studies in similar domains. Findings from the study were used to guide the design of multiple representations-based instructions and interactive learning tutorials on the conceptual aspects of QM that has been shown to address specific difficulties identified in the study. Theoretical and practical implications of the study, as well as potential future considerations are drawn. / Mathematics, Science and Technology Education / D. Phil. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)

This study explores the training of Psychology tutors at the University of South Africa's (UNISA) learning centres with a view to providing a paradigm shift in tutor training and contributing towards new ways of thinking about education and training in South Africa. It furthermore opens up alternative ways of thinking about the process of facilitation in general. Although the study focuses on tutor training within the discipline of Psychology, the outcomes of the study are applicable to tutor training and tutoring in general, and make a valuable contribution in identifying the basic principles underlying tutor training in other disciplines as well. An ecosystemic approach encourages the trainer-trainee system to become aware of how they affect each other's thinking and behaviour. The basic principles underlying the process of facilitation that emerge in the study, therefore apply equally to the training of tutors and the tutoring of learners by others. These principles provide guidelines in terms of the processes involved in tutor development, as well as inform the issues and themes around which the sharing of ideas can be choreographed in the field of tutor training and tutoring. In conclusion, the information generated in the study focuses specifically on student support in the form of face-to-face tutorials in the distance education setting, the form of tertiary education which is most accessible to many historically disadvantaged learners in South Africa today. More generally, it will make a valuable contribution in the current educational context in South Africa, where student support is of the utmost importance in striving for equality in education, and where the focus is on outcomes-based education. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The main hallmarks of the novel problem-based curriculum are self-directed, student-centred learning, clinical reasoning, small group tutorials and the facilitation of learning in an integrated way. These features differ significantly from the traditional curriculum which is teacher-centred, discipline-based and more content orientated. The innovative programme was implemented at the University of Transkei with a view to improving medical education. In this study, the perceptions of second year medical students regarding the implemention of and transition to the new curriculum, was assessed, as part of the evaluation of the curriculum. The results showed that students had grievances about the overwhelming volume of information they had to cover, time constraints, examination methods and bias of tutors towards their own subjects. Nevertheless, they considered the innovation to be favourable, exciting, relevant to life and to future tasks, and more motivating than the traditional curriculum. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Not only is Quantum Mechanics (QM) conceptually rich, it is also a theory that physics students have found abstract and technically formidable. Nevertheless, compared to other classical topics of physics, university students’ understanding of QM has received minimal attention in the physics education literature. The principal purpose of this study was to characterize the variation in the ways that undergraduate physics students depict the basic concepts of QM and to extrapolate the results to scaffold possible changes to instructional practices at the university that provided the context for the study. In so doing, an adaptation of a developmental phenomenographic perspective was chosen. Empirically, the study was approached through in-depth interviews with 35 physics students from two Ethiopian governmental universities after they had been exposed to the traditional QM course for one-third of a semester. Interview responses were analyzed using phenomenographic approach where a picture of students’ depictions was established for each quantum concept by expounding the given responses. For each basic quantum concept addressed, the structure of the description categories was separately constructed, and overall, it was found that naive, quasi-classical ontology and/or variants of classical ways of visualization are dominant in students’ responses. For example, it was found that students’ depictions of the photon concept could be described with three distinct categories of description, which are (a) classical intuitive description, (b) mixed model description and (c) quasi-quantum model description. Similarly, the findings revealed that it is possible to establish three qualitatively different categories of description to picture students’ depictions of matter waves, namely, (a) classical and trajectory-based description, (b) an intricate blend of classical and quantum description and (c) incipient quantum model description. Likewise, it was found that students’ depictions of uncertainty principle can be described as: (a) uncertainty as classical ignorance, (b) uncertainty as measurement disturbance and (c) uncertainty as a quasi-quantum principle. With regard to learning QM, the categories of description made clear several issues: most students did not have enough knowledge to depict the basic concepts of QM properly; they were influenced by the perspective of classical physics and their perceptions in making explanations about QM; and they also applied mixed ideas, one based on their classical model and the other from newly introduced QM. These results are also supported by the findings of previous studies in similar domains. Findings from the study were used to guide the design of multiple representations-based instructions and interactive learning tutorials on the conceptual aspects of QM that has been shown to address specific difficulties identified in the study. Theoretical and practical implications of the study, as well as potential future considerations are drawn. / Mathematics, Science and Technology Education / D. Phil. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)

Information and communication technology (ICT) has dominated our lives and the way we learn in such a way that, without it, our way of life becomes obsolete. This study explored challenges experienced by tutors in facilitating teaching and learning through the use of videoconference (VC) technology in an open and distance learning (ODL) environment. These challenges are exacerbated by the fact that most tutors, although highly qualified, do not have teaching methodologies with their qualifications at the time of their employment as tutors. It is believed that if these challenges could be given attention, VC technology would serve as an effective facilitation tool for bridging the distance in teaching and learning. Based on qualitative research approach, this study followed a qualitative phenomenological research design. Qualitative data was collected from individual semi-structured interviews with specific VC tutors; tutorial observations based on tutorials offered in the VC environment; and focus group interviews with students who attended tutorials through VC technology. Informed by the Community of inquiry (CoI) theory, the study answered the following main research question: “What are the experiences of tutors in applying instructional methodologies during VC tutorials?” The findings indicate lack of skills and reluctance in applying various active facilitation methods by VC tutors, insufficient technology training intervention by the ODL institution under study, technical challenges of VC technology in teaching and learning, and lack of monitoring systems during VC discussions. The findings further featured various factors that contribute to tutors’ ability in promoting interactivity during VC tutorials. In conclusion, this study clearly indicates that instructional methodologies used in VC tutorials cannot contribute to a meaningful teaching and learning, and thus make interactivity absent throughout VC sessions. Based on these findings, and suggestions for further research, the study therefore recommends acceleration in tutor training on exploitation and integration of VC technology with various suitable teaching methodologies. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Introductory programming failure rate among students is high worldwide, including in South Africa. The failure rate remains a subject for investigation due to a high number of students who find learning to program difficult. This study evaluates factors that contribute to high failure rates in an introductory programming module at University of South Africa. The study evaluates curriculum, programming syllabus, and personal factors to evaluate reasons for high failure rates. Quantitative and qualitative research approaches are used to identify learning hindrances. The research results show that personal factors are the leading contributing factors, followed by the curriculum and then the programming syllabus. Personal factors relate to time, personal reasons, and commitments; curriculum involves tutorials; and programming syllabus factors are linked to programming concepts and application. The findings have implications for how teaching and learning in introductory programming can be improved. The study provides recommendations for improvement and future studies. Keywords: Learn to program; introductory programming; higher learning; personal / School of Computing / M. Tech (Information Technology)

This study explores the training of Psychology tutors at the University of South Africa's (UNISA) learning centres with a view to providing a paradigm shift in tutor training and contributing towards new ways of thinking about education and training in South Africa. It furthermore opens up alternative ways of thinking about the process of facilitation in general. Although the study focuses on tutor training within the discipline of Psychology, the outcomes of the study are applicable to tutor training and tutoring in general, and make a valuable contribution in identifying the basic principles underlying tutor training in other disciplines as well. An ecosystemic approach encourages the trainer-trainee system to become aware of how they affect each other's thinking and behaviour. The basic principles underlying the process of facilitation that emerge in the study, therefore apply equally to the training of tutors and the tutoring of learners by others. These principles provide guidelines in terms of the processes involved in tutor development, as well as inform the issues and themes around which the sharing of ideas can be choreographed in the field of tutor training and tutoring. In conclusion, the information generated in the study focuses specifically on student support in the form of face-to-face tutorials in the distance education setting, the form of tertiary education which is most accessible to many historically disadvantaged learners in South Africa today. More generally, it will make a valuable contribution in the current educational context in South Africa, where student support is of the utmost importance in striving for equality in education, and where the focus is on outcomes-based education. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The main hallmarks of the novel problem-based curriculum are self-directed, student-centred learning, clinical reasoning, small group tutorials and the facilitation of learning in an integrated way. These features differ significantly from the traditional curriculum which is teacher-centred, discipline-based and more content orientated. The innovative programme was implemented at the University of Transkei with a view to improving medical education. In this study, the perceptions of second year medical students regarding the implemention of and transition to the new curriculum, was assessed, as part of the evaluation of the curriculum. The results showed that students had grievances about the overwhelming volume of information they had to cover, time constraints, examination methods and bias of tutors towards their own subjects. Nevertheless, they considered the innovation to be favourable, exciting, relevant to life and to future tasks, and more motivating than the traditional curriculum. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)