In the context of continuing growth in online higher education in the United States, students are struggling to succeed, as evidenced by lower course outcomes and lower retention rates in online courses in comparison with face-to-face courses. The problem identified for investigation is how university instructors can ensure that effective teaching and learning is happening in their online courses. The research questions were: What are the best practices of effective online teaching in higher education according to current research? How do exemplary online instructors enact teaching presence in higher education? What are the best practices of effective online teaching in higher education? The purpose of this descriptive case study was to understand and describe the teaching practices of exemplary online faculty, and “exemplary” was defined as recognized with a national award for effective online teaching form a non-profit organization within the last five years. A purposeful sampling strategy identified four exemplary online instructors, who taught in different disciplines at different institutions in the United States. Data collection included a pre-interview written reflection, a semi-structured telephone interview, examination of a course syllabus and other course materials, and observation of a course. Data analysis included repeated close reading and coding of all data collected and then reducing the codes to a manageable number of themes. Two key themes emerged in the findings: human connection and organized structure. Exemplary online instructors seek to connect with students so students know and feel the care, support, and respect of the instructor. Exemplary online instructors also maintain a clearly structured environment that is logically organized, delivered in small chunks, and sufficiently repetitive to keep each student focused on the content. These results contribute to the body of knowledge by allowing online faculty to learn from the best online faculty. First-time online faculty as well as online faculty who seek to improve their online pedagogy may be able to enhance teaching and learning in their courses, which in turn will hopefully yield higher student satisfaction and lower attrition in online education.

The aim of this study has been to investigate, through the narratives of ex-perienced teachers, insights and strategies in the teaching of history in upper secondary school. Based on a flexible grounded theory, life history and theories of pedagogical content knowledge, seven experienced history teachers have been interviewed about their conceptions of history teaching. Development of insights into history teaching and the formation of knowledge can be described as involving both a refinement of practice and more revolutionary turning points. These insights emphasize that good knowledge of the subject is central for legitimacy and creativity. History teaching in Sweden is described as increasingly international and contem-porary, and focussed on students’ learning from various points of view. Varied teaching is stressed with the teacher in centre and also being able to take the role of arranger. Of importance is also the handling of teaching in history as a foundation course as well as an advanced or specialized course. Influences from other subjects have had a diverse impact at the same time as personal interests and experiences, as well as external influences, have been important for the development of strategies. History teachers’ teaching strategies may be described in terms of 1) multiperspectivity, where different points of view and interpretations of history are central; 2) narrative history, where through both major and minor stories, a chronological structure and animation of the subject of history are strived after; 3) social scientific history, which uses history to explain contemporary society through making comparisons and seeking general patterns; and 4) an eclectic strategy, which strives after varieties of an individualised teaching of history by allowing students to make their ways into history in diverse ways. The experienced history teachers’ narratives make evident how the subject of history can be transformed, they demonstrate different conceivable ways of teaching history and reveal its complexity. The teachers’ narratives show how, through their strategies in interaction with their insights in history teaching, they have created an overview and structure in the complex reality of teaching history. The teachers’ insights and strategies constitute a practice based contribution to a more experience informed practice and research on the teaching of history.

The purpose of this interpretive qualitative study was to determine the extent of conceptual and procedural difficulties that NCV Level 4 students encountered when factorising and solving problems involving factorisation. This study is based on Kilpatrick, Swafford and Findel’s (2001) ideas on mathematical proficiency, focusing on conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge and the flexibility of integrating both appropriately to solve algebra problems involving factorisation. This study also explored reasons why NCV Level 4 students demonstrated such difficulties and suggested possible ways that could assist them to understand and flexibly use factorisation to solve problems. A purposive sample consisting of 30 NCV Level 4 students and 5 Subject Matter Experts participated in this study, which adopted a phenomenological case study research design. Triangulation of method was adopted for consistent gathering of information. Data was collected through a written assessment on factorisation under controlled test conditions, and semi-structured interviews. The researcher reduced and analysed data by utilising an integration of constant comparison analysis and classical content analysis. The findings and relevant recommendations concluded this research. / Mathematics Education / M. Ed. (Mathematical Education)

The National Professional Diploma in Education is an in-service programme for classroom-based educators who have less than three years of professional training. The programme seeks to create a pathway to qualified teacher status in ways that will impact positively on classroom practice, prepare teacher-learners for the implementation of the new curriculum and provide a sufficiently rigorous foundation for further study. This evaluation adopted a fourth generation evaluation approach characterised by extensive engagement with programme stakeholders. Chapter 2 outlines an epistemological and philosophical framework of reference whilst Chapters 3 and 4 explore learning and teaching strategies and management and costing issues. The findings of these investigations lead to the recommendations made in Chapter 5. It is felt that the Unisa NPDE meets many of the goals of the programme, but further research is needed into the impact on classroom practice and into the management of the decentralised learner support. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Didactics)

This study focuses on the influence of particular teaching strategies that can be used in Environmental Education (EE) and examines how specific methods influence knowledge retention and attitude change. The aim of the study is to compare the 'traditional' lecture style method where learners are passive, with cooperative learning to determine their influence on learners’ knowledge retention and attitude towards marine conservation. Both methods can be considered effective teaching methods to increase knowledge retention and induce a positive change in environmental attitudes. However, this study suggests that the teaching method used in a particular school could influence the learning outcomes of the EE programme because of pre-existing abilities, skills the learners may have and context to which the learners are exposed. In conclusion, when offering an EE programme, for the programme to be successful one would need to determine which method of teaching is practised within schools and then ensure that the same method is used. / Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Environmental Education))

Recent nursing literature has repeatedly proclaimed the need for creativity in nursing. The complexity of contemporary nursing practice as a result of the explosion of knowledge and technology, changing human values and diverse health care systems, requires an innovative and creative nurse who can adapt to change and provide holistic, individualised, context-specific patient care. Higher levels of cognitive thought, creative thinking and problem-solving skills have been stressed as desirable qualities of student nurses. It is suggested in the literature that the evolution of innovative strategies and the ways to implement them into nursing curricula be explored in order to assist and encourage students to develop these higher cognitive skills. From an analytical study of the literature which was undertaken with the aim of exploring the nature of creativity and the processes involved in creative thinking and learning, and of identifying innovative strategies particularly relevant to the teaching of nursing, it became apparent that the most significant determinants in teaching for creativity, are the learning enviromnent, the educator-student relationship, and the provision of a variety of teaching strategies, which are student-centred with a problem-solving focus. It was established that stimulation of both the left and right hemispheres of the brain is essential for the development of creative thinking skills. Based on the insights and knowledge gained in the study, a nursing education model for the fostering of creativity was developed. This model encompasses a wide variety of didactic considerations and is designed to stimulate whole brain learning. It is hoped that its use will be of value in the production of innovative and courageous nurse practitioners who will be better equipped to cope with the changes and challenges of their working environment and be able to provide context-specific nursing care. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Nursing Science)

The aim of this study was to assess the primary teacher upgrading programme at Ramaano Mbulaheni Training Centre (RMTC). The literature review in this work includes a selection of related studies and articles in developing countries such as South Afric~, Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe and in developed countries like Japan, Britain and United States of America. These together formed I the theoretical base of the research. A survey was carried out in the Malamulele, · Mutale, Sekgosese, Soutpansberg, Thohoyandou and Vuwani areas in the Northern Province Region 3, to find out whether the RMTC teacher upgradi"g · programme is serving the purpose of up·grading underqualified primary teachers. An attempt was made to give the necessity of teacher upgrading in South Africa and an assessment was made of the Ramaano Mbulaheni Training Centre upgrading programme. / Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Didactics)

This study was an attempt to explore and describe media utilisation from a Primary Science teacher's perspective, within a qualitative theoretical and methodological framework. A brief survey revealed what media was available in the schools, and observation and interview methods were used to give meaning to the media utmsation practice in schools. It was hoped that the results would assist in the construction of guidelines required to improve media use, and consequently science teaching in the rural primary schools. The inquiry revealed that apart from improving educational facilities, re-motivation of the science teachers was an essential ingredient in the search for ways of improving media use in Primary Science instruction / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

The study explored factors that affect academic achievements in Grade 6 mathematics classrooms in a case of solving word problems. It investigated empirically the causes and perceptions that lead to difficulties in solving word problems and eventually identified strategies for teaching them. The constructivist philosophy was adopted. The study used the mixed-method design with quantitative data complementing the qualitative information. In gathering data, a word problem task, questionnaires, a class observation schedule, face-to-face and focus group interviews were used, focusing on SFS (pseudo) school learners and their teachers as a convenient sample. Data analysis was done in an integrated fashion where concurrent triangulation was followed. The statistics results illustrate that factors such as English language proficiency adversely affect the academic achievements of Grade 6 learners when solving word problems. Reading instructions aloud repeatedly and explaining key mathematical concepts have emerged as key strategies in understanding and solving word problems in mathematics. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The aim of this study was to investigate the comparative effects of Constructivist-Based Teaching Method (CBTM) and the Traditional Teaching Method (TTM) on Grade 11 Mathematics learners’ errors in algebra. The constructivist learning theory (CLT) was used to frame this study. Mainly, CLT was used to influence the design of CBTI to hone participants’ errors in algebra that militate against their performance in Mathematics. The study was conducted in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa with a four-week intervention programme in each of the two participating secondary schools. Participants consisted of n=78 Grade 11 Mathematics learners and one Grade 11 Mathematics teacher. A non-equivalent control group design consisting of a pre-test and post-test measure was employed. The Grade 11 teacher in the control school employed the TTM while the researcher implemented CBTM in the experimental school. The main aspects of CBTM entailed participants’ construction of their own knowledge from the base of prior knowledge and through group learning approach and exploratory talk in which discussions included argumentation, verbalising explanations, justifications and reflections. Participants in experimental school became familiar with the basic principles of CBTI such as group work, which enhanced the construction of conceptual understanding of algebraic concepts. This reduced most of the errors they commit in algebra and elevated their performance in Mathematics. The principal instruments for data collection consisted of a standardised Algebra Concept Achievement Test and lesson observations. The pre-test was used to determine participants’ initial errors in algebra before the intervention. A post-test was given at the end of intervention to ascertain change in participants’ errors in algebra over a four-week intervention period. Using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, the study found that participants in experimental school significantly reduced their errors in algebra than those in control school. The study showed that CBTM was a more effective pedagogy that improved the errors Grade 11 learners commit in algebra than the TTM. / College of Education / M. Ed. (Mathematics Education)