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Formative assessment practices of teachers in selected primary schools in Nkomazi in South Africa.
(2021) Nsingwane, Thobeka Faith.; Maharajh, Lokesh Ramnath.
The study aims to explore the formative assessment practices of teachers in selected primary schools in Nkomazi in South Africa. The research sought to determine whether teachers practice formative assessment in selected schools in Nkomazi in South Africa. The study was qualitative. A purposive sample of five schools was selected from the Nkomazi West circuit in the Ehlanzeni District. Five teachers (one teacher from each school) were selected to be part of the study. The interpretive paradigm guided the study. The data of the study was generated through interviews and observation. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. The data was generated, analysed, and reported. The study findings indicate that the participants were not able to share their understandings about formative assessment. The participants lacked knowledge of formative assessment. Consequently, they did not plan to practice formative assessment. The participants also indicated that they never attended any training based on formative assessment. Through the study, the participants had elaborated on factors that inhibit them from implementing formative assessment: overcrowding in their classrooms and lack of resources. And other challenges were insufficient feedback to the learners due to excessive workload and learners’ absenteeism. The implication of the study is that schools and districts need to play their vital role in investing in a high-quality, sustained formative assessment professional to develop teachers. The Department of Education in Mpumalanga should train teachers on forms of assessment and types of assessment. They should also provide teachers with relevant resources at school. There is a need to reallocate resources to ensure that teachers have concentrated time and support to build their knowledge of implementing formative assessment in their daily lessons. Teachers need to play their role to be lifelong learners since the system changes through them empowering themselves. Higher education institutions should develop a module on assessment and implement the formative assessment.
Victors or victims? an exploration of how teachers navigate changes in teaching and learning during the covid-19 pandemic.
(2022) Pillay, Lucas.; Jairam, Visvaranie.
For many learners and teachers, 2020 and 2021 manifested many challenges, at home and school, as a result of the global pandemic, including facing serve illnesses, death of a loved
one, experiencing abrupt school closures, disruption of the teaching and learning process, and the feeling fear, grief, and anxiety as Covid-19 spread. Education shifted from traditional
methods of learning to remote and online learning. Teachers and learners found themselves teaching and learning in front of screens at home and in other settings. Even with efforts by
teachers, staff, and school principals, many of whom swiftly established online lessons, remote teaching plans, and concrete strategies for meeting learners’ educational basic needs, the
challenges were profound. This study explores how teachers navigated the changes in teaching and learning during the Covid-19 pandemic and provides guidance on creating an intervention programme. The study was conducted in three primary and three secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal. Eleven participants were purposely selected for this study. This study employed a qualitative approach and an interpretivist paradigm, as it is grounded in the world of lived experiences. Data was produced through collages, reflective journals, and interviews. Thereafter, a narrative was developed. Emerging from the data, an intervention programme guide and model was created to assist educational stakeholders in the creation of tailor-made intervention programmes based on their unique school context. Kurt Lewin’s (1951) theory of change was the theoretical framework that underpinned this study, which provided insights on how changes in an institution can occur. Lewin’s (1951) theory of change and the data generated from this study influenced the Navigating Change Theory which is presented in this thesis. From the data produced from the participants, it is revealed that there are many changes and challenges in teaching and learning that need to be carefully navigated to achieve educational goals. This study extensively presents ways in which teachers, victoriously, navigated the changes in teaching and learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Teaching english first additional language to grade 4 learners through play: a seasoned teacher's self-study.
(2023) Ngcongo, Emmaculate Nompumelelo Nokukhanya.; Masinga, Masinga, Lungile.
My self-study research focused on teaching English First Additional Language to Grade 4 learners through play. This study aimed to improve my teaching practice by exploring new and
innovative strategies for effective teaching and learning of English FAL. I undertook this study because I was concerned about my learners' under-performance in English FAL and my
unintentional role in continuing this pattern. Adopting a Sociocultural theoretical perspective helped me understand that learning a language is embedded in social and cultural experiences. Thus, it was essential to pay attention to what learners experienced in their social and cultural interactions (prior knowledge level). The first question that guided my research was: What can I learn from my personal history about teaching and learning English First Additional Language through play? This question helped me reflect on my educational journey and engagement with language learning, starting with my family, community, primary and high school, and early school teaching experiences. I identified five significant learnings from my lived experiences that influenced my teaching of language: (a) Learning through playing traditional games, (b) Learning through storytelling, (c) Learning through rhymes and games, (d) Learning through role-playing and (e) Learning through interaction with others. My second research question was: How can I better facilitate the teaching of English First Additional Language through play? In responding to this question, I worked with my Grade 4 class as research participants on various activities I designed for this study. Working with the learners in different activities and my reflective journal helped me understand how learners recognised the teaching and learning of English FAL. In this self-study, I also worked with my two critical friends who are also studying Master's Degree in Curriculum Studies. I generated data using six research methods, namely: collage, artefact retrieval, drawing, audio recording, reflective journal writing and Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) and lesson plans. In engaging with this self-study, I considered five learnings concerning learning and teaching of English FAL: Curiosity and interest to learn stimulated through play, Physical engagement through play encourages class participation, Social interaction through play is an advantage to learning, Play promotes and develops creativity in learners and Play as a teaching technique to improve learner performance. In addition, I learned that learning a language is not an individual activity but a social experience that should be connected to learners' daily experiences.
Lecturers’ understanding and enhancement of student engagement at a higher education institution: an appreciative inquiry.
(2022) Muthusamy, Nirashnee.; Hlalele, Joseph Dipane.
The purpose of this study was to explore lecturers’ understanding and enhancement of student engagement at a higher education institution through an appreciative inquiry approach. This investigation was intended to unearth strategies to enhance student engagement at a higher education institution, and to understand how and why such strategies enhance student
engagement. A qualitative case study was deemed to be suitable to explore lecturers’ understanding and enhancement of student engagement. The study was informed by an
appreciative interpretivist paradigm in conjunction with an appreciative inquiry theoretical framework. A purposive sampling technique was applied to select participants consisting of
eight lecturers who facilitate compulsory modules pertaining to the Bachelor of Education (Foundation and Intermediate Phases) programme at one higher education institution in
KwaZulu-Natal. The data generation methods utilised in this study were appreciative interviews, discursive informed conversations, and an open-ended questionnaire. All participants were subjected to all three data generation methods. The study’s data generation methods were designed in accordance with the principles and phases of an appreciative inquiry (AI) which focuses on what is working, rather than what is wrong. Findings revealed that lecturers at a higher education institution understand student engagement as active participation
which entails being interactive in lectures. Further, active participation involves collaboration, co-constructive relationships, interaction, and metacognition. More importantly, the study
revealed strategies that encourage active participation such as immersing oneself in the module, humanising content, creating interconnectedness, using a variety of resources, being positively involved in class activities, applying content to real-life situations, utilising interactive teaching aids, ensuring thorough lecture preparation, authenticating the learning experience, creating opportunities for critical-thinking, providing quality feedback, facilitating smaller groups and tutorials, creating a supportive learning environment, encouraging work-integrated learning and innovative models, and reviewing content and pedagogical practices. The study also revealed that the enhancement of student engagement through active participation is fulfilling and linked to success. This was assisted by effective lecturer-student cooperation, application, and reflection of knowledge, practicing acceptable societal values, preparation of students for the 21st-century world-of-work, and giving positive and expeditious feedback to students. Based on the conclusions and findings, I have suggested further research on the topic but focusing on digital pedagogy that could provide further insight on student engagement. Due to Covid-19 protocols, the institution chosen for this research migrated to online learning, hence lecturers experienced challenges when engaging students on digital platforms. It is also recommended that future research explore in-depth the challenges that impede the enhancement of student engagement at higher education institutions so that barriers to learning could be eradicated.
Vegetative propagation of Corymbia henryi and its hybrids in South Africa through cuttings and mini- grafting techniques.
(2019) Mkhize, Millicent Smisele.; Laing, Mark Delmege.
Eucalyptus species are the most commonly planted hardwood species in South Africa, composing 42% of the total plantation area in the country but as the forestry planation areas in South Africa are not expanding, the only way to increase timber supply is to use the available land productively. This also increases the demand to efficiently propagate eucalyptus species, in an easy and economically viable way. This can be achieved through optimising vegetative propagation techniques which ensures mass multiplication of superior genotypes/phenotypes and the maintenance of individual characteristics in order to ensure that a plant is genetically identical to the original/donor plant. Spotted gum (Corymbia species) and their inter-specific hybrids have been identified as promising taxa for commercial forestry in South Africa due to their superior survival and growth across a broad range of edaphic and climatic conditions. The major benefits of these hybrids include superior growth characteristics, disease and insect resistance and frost tolerance, making them desirable for propagation. The hybrids of Corymbia torelliana and C. citriodora are some of the extensively used Corymbia hybrids since they combine frost tolerance (C. citriodora) and disease resistance (C. torelliana). The widely used vegetative propagation techniques include propagation through rooted cuttings and grafting.
The aim of the study was to investigate the vegetative propagation of Corymbia henryi (C. henryi) hybrids through the rooting cuttings, and the grafting of C. henryi.
The propagation of the hybrids through cuttings was carried out in three experiments, comparing cutting material collected from coppice stumps and ramets. The cuttings were collected from 14 C. henryi hybrid genotypes grown in Zululand. The cuttings were maintained in a rooting tunnel for four weeks before being placed in greenhouse conditions to acclimatize to the natural environment. The use of ascorbic acid (AA) (40 mg L-1) with Seradix® 2 (IBA 3g kg-1) yielded the highest rooting incidence, ranging from 37.5-55.5%, with the lowest rooting resulting from the application of propiconazole with Seradix®2 (IBA 3g kg-1) at >2%. The combination of AA with IBA has shown to be synergistic, since AA acts by protecting the rooting hormone from oxidation therefore allowing it to enhance tolerance of the plants to greenhouse conditions and alleviate stress. The cuttings selected from coppice had a higher rooting survival than those collected from hedge material. The genotype had an effect on the rooting success of cuttings, with the highest rooting percentage occurring with C. torelliana x C. citriodora subsp. variegata hybrids, with rooting ranging from 25-70%, while a C. torelliana x C. henryi hybrid had the least rooting success (%). The Corymbia species are considered difficult-to-root therefore the results have shown that these species can be propagated through rooting if the better rooting hybrid genotypes are selected. There is still a need to perform more
trials to test the genotypes that have been found to root better in order to reach the commercial requirements of rooting rate of 70% and above.
The propagation through grafting allows for the union of more than one genotype, whether belonging from the same species or different species and offers propagation of species which may be hard-to-root therefore cannot be produced through cuttings. The grafting experiment was carried out to optimize grafting techniques by comparing mini-grafting and conventional grafting techniques for Corymbia henryi. The rootstocks were grown and maintained at the ICFR nursery until time of grating. The scion material was collected from the Zululand region from C. henryi provenance mix. The grafting and mini-grafting was carried out in the grafting tunnel at the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR) nursery, which had continuous mist for the duration of the experiments. The methods applied on the grafts were cleft and splice grafting. The evaluations made were based on the grafting method applied, comparing age of the grafts (mini- grafting and conventional grafting) and the effect of different treatments applied onto the grafts which included the control treatment, use of Parafilm® to tie the graft union, covering the grafts with polyethylene plastic (for one week) and use of an antitranspirant, Vapor Guard®. The control treatment, where grafts were tied with Parafilm® had the highest graft survival (33.3%), with the lowest graft survival on grafts covered with polyethylene plastic (%).Grafting onto four- month old seedlings(mini-grafting) had the highest survival at 55.6%, compared to grafting onto 10-month old seedlings (conventional grafting), with a survival of 22.2%.
Mini-grafting has been tested over some species due to its ease of handling and is being evaluated for its potential in the propagation of Corymbia henryi. This type of grafting offers advantages of efficient management of plants that are grown in the nursery, allowing ease in irrigation, nutrition and pest disease control. The use of younger seedlings allows for grafting to be a commercially viable technique due the reduced time to grow the plant, flexible and pliable cambium layers of younger rootstocks and rapidness of grafting these younger seedlings. Mini-grafting was evaluated with the use of commercially available anti-transpirants and antioxidants, to assess effect of these treatments on graft success. The different ancillary treatments applied were the control, use of Parafilm® to tie the graft union, the use of anti-transpirants such as Nu-Film 17®, Vapor Gard® and Greenstim®, and the use of an antioxidant, ascorbic acid. Foliar application of ascorbic acid had the highest graft survival (60%) compared to the other treatments applied. The use of anti-transpirants in grafting of C. henryi was not successful therefore more research needs to be done on the commercially available anti-tranpirants in alleviating water stress in Eucalyptus species, as each crop may have different requirements for anti-transpirant application and doses may differ from one crop to another.
Vegetative propagation of Corymbia henryi and its hybrids shows some potential for future use, but more research needs to be done to optimise these techniques to be able to have an impact on the commercial scale and in research outputs.