Doctoral Degrees (Science and Technology Education)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10413/7147

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An exploration of general education and training teachers' democratisation of the science teaching and learning space.
(2016) Jafta, Thomas Daniel.; Alant, Busisiwe Precious.; Vithal, Renuka.
Abstract available in PDF file.
An exploration of the interface between schools and industry in respect of the development of skills, knowledge, attitudes and values (SKAV) in the context of biotechnology.
(2010) Singh-Pillay, Asheena.; Alant, Busisiwe Precious.
This study traces how the National Curriculum Statement-Further Education and Training (NCS-FET) Life Sciences Policy is constructed and translated as it circulates across the Department of Education (DoE), schools and industry nodes. Actor Network Theory (ANT) (Latour, 2005) guides the theoretical framework and methodology of this study. ANT is a useful tool for showing the negotiations that characterise patterns of curriculum change in terms of how policy gets constructed, how practice gets performed, the skills, knowledge, attitudes and values (SKAV) constituted in practice, and whether there is an interface in terms of policy construction and SKAV constitution. From an ANT perspective curriculum policy change is a matter of practice co-performed by sociality and materiality, these being interwoven and entangled in practice. The trajectory of the NCS-FET Life Sciences Policy is traced during the practice of mediation of policy, implementation of policy and mediation of workplace learning. The topography of this study is underpinned by the transformatory agenda attached to curricula policy reform in South Africa. Agency has been granted by the democratically elected government to structures such as the DoE, schools and industry to promote human resource development and overcome the skills shortage via the NCS-FET Life Sciences Policy (DoE, 2003) and the National Biotechnology Strategy Policy (DST, 2001). There are divergences between these two documents as to the type of biotechnology that can be used as leverage for human resources development. The controversy lies in the notion of wanting to broaden access to biotechnology by having it included in the NCS-FET Life Sciences Policy, while wanting to promote third-generation biotechnology. Furthermore, contradictions are illuminated in the constitution of the NCS-FET Life Sciences Policy: it espouses constructivist principles and has a social transformative agenda, but its construction is guided by behaviourist and cognitivist principles. iv Employing the analytical tools offered by ANT (Latour, 1993, 2005; Callon, Law & Rip, 1986), the network tracing activity reveals that policy construction and SKAV development involve more than the action of a single human actor. This means that humans are not entirely in control of practice (Sorenson, 2007). Practice is performed by a series of shifting relations between elements of “sociality” and “materiality” (Mulchay, 2007). The network tracing activity elucidates that curriculum policy is an emergent effect of the interface, a dynamic point that arises from translations in the network. While there is an interface in respect of policy construction and SKAV constitution across the nodes of the study, the emergent effect of curriculum reform has pointed to the slippage between what was intended (via the policy as stated in the Government Gazette) and what was actually experienced in practice.
The intersection between ICT and climate smart agriculture in adapting to the impacts of climate change on food production by uMsinga’s smallholder farmers: implications for climate change education.
(2020) Bakare, Olusegun Ojo.; Alant, Busisiwe Precious.
This study drew on community based participatory action research (CBPAR) and living theory (LT) to explore the intersection between information and communication technology (ICT) and climate smart agriculture (CSA) in enhancing the ability of smallholder farmers (SHFs) to adapt and mitigate the impacts of climate change in uMsinga, an impoverished rural area in KwaZulu-Natal. As action research, it included a preliminary and main phase. At the preliminary phase, the study aimed to identify SHFs’ existing agricultural practices in relation to climate change adaptation, as well as their perceptions regarding the possible integration of ICT and agricultural practices. In the main phase, the study aimed to assess the existing ICT literacy and the required ICT literacy if SHFs are to integrate smartphones with their agricultural practices. It explored the kind of functionalities that SHFs wished to see in a possible weather app. In order to address these research questions, a sequential transformative mixed method approach guided by community based participatory action research (CBPAR) and living theory (LT) approach was employed. In the study, 35 uMsinga SHFs were engaged through community forum meetings. Two frameworks were employed to make sense of the findings in the study, namely: the theory of planned irrigators’ behavior (TPIB) as well as unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). The theories were used to explore the nature of relationship which exist in the intersection between ICT and CSA. The findings, from the preliminary phase, show that the uMsinga SHFs practise seven CSA practices. The findings further revealed eight unintended challenges resulting from the SHFs’ choice of CSA practices. These challenges affirmed that the deployment of ICT alone is insufficient to solve the threats posed by climate change for food production by SHFs. As such, the findings further show that an overwhelming majority of the SHFs has a positive regard for the integration of ICT with CSA practices. However, two unintended problems appeared to be limiting the realisation of their intentions: inadequate ICT literacy skills and the absence of agro-weather application that is appropriate and suitable for this rural indigenous community. The CBPAR intervention thus focused on improving the SHFs ICT literacy skills and their ability to use an existing “Demo” weather app through their smartphones, to enhance their CSA practices. The findings, arising from this main phase of the study, highlight the “importance of context” in helping SHFs to mitigate the threats posed by climate change to food production, an issue that is completely ignored in curriculum policies and policies aimed at integrated national adaptation responses to climate change impact and vulnerability. The contributions to knowledge as well as the implications of findings are discussed within the context of the criticality of interfacing between ICT and SHFs CSA practices.
Public understanding of renewable energy technologies in Nigeria.
(2016) Wojuola, Rosemary Nike.; Alant, Busisiwe Precious.
Globally, there is a focus on generating energy from renewable energy sources in order to ensure sustainability. However, experience has shown that although the public generally accepts Renewable Energy Technology (RET), there is always opposition to their implementation. Renewable energy education is essential for the successful implementation of Renewable Energy Technology. This education can be used as a tool to enhance the public’s understanding, and to achieve the development of a sustainable lifestyle among the public. Efforts directed at studying the public’s understanding and acceptance of RET have consisted majorly of survey studies that lack theoretical background, and as such, could not gain an in-depth understanding of the public’s acceptance of RET. There is a need for studies that will explore the life experiences of the public, taking into consideration the various variables that dictate the nature of this understanding of RET. This study was informed by the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) through which the beliefs, attitudes and perceptions about RET were examined as they related to sustainable behaviour. In this study, a mixed methods approach was used to explore the public’s understanding (inclusive of knowledge and beliefs, perceptions, and attitude) of Nigerians in relation to a sustainable lifestyle. This consisted of the concurrent use of focus groups and a survey study that allowed for both depth and breadth at the same time. The data were collected through four focus groups consisting of 23 participants, and a structured questionnaire, which was completed by 600 randomly selected participants. The data analysis was done using thematic analysis and through the use of the statistical package SPSS version 23. The outcome of this research shows that there is a general low level of knowledge about RET among the Nigerian populace, with males scoring higher than females. The statistical analysis carried out in this study shows a significance of 0.002, which is less than the level of significance of 0.005. This implies that there was no significant correlation between the level of education of the public and their knowledge of RET. The results also reveal that knowledge and beliefs about renewables, coupled with Perceived Usefulness and perceived ease of use, determines the populace’s attitude towards RET. A regression analysis between attitude and intention to use renewables yielded F=22.200 and p=0.000. This means that there was a significant relationship between the variables, showing that the research model is fit. Negative perceptions about the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) and the cost of installing RET were major factors that prevented the participants’ willingness to install renewables. There is thus a need for Renewable Energy education that is comprehensive enough to enhance a positive perception among the populace about RET. Also, sustainability should be included in energy education programmes in order to develop a sustainable culture in the nation.
Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) provision in Nigerian technical colleges: exploring the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency (REE) of stakeholder partnerships using community-based participatory action research (CBPAR).
(2018) Legg-Jack, Dagogo William.; Alant, Busisiwe Precious.
This thesis explored Technical and Vocational Education and Training provision in Nigerian technical colleges with the specific focus on establishing the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of stakeholder partnerships. It used Community-based participatory action research. The study was guided by three research questions in the preliminary, and two for the main study. These research questions are outlined as follows: Preliminary Study 1. What is the extent of TVET provision across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria? 2. How does the TVET provision within these six geographical zones compare to the provision of general education schools? 3. What is the level of efficiency of a selected few TVET institutions across these geographical zones in Nigeria? Main Study 1. Are the selected TVET institutions surveyed in any form of partnership with any organisation? If so, what types of partnership are they involved in? 2. Using CBPAR, how do we strengthen and develop a new model of partnership for REE TVET provision in Nigerian technical colleges? In order to address these research questions, an explanatory sequential mixed method design involving a Community-based participatory action research was used. Data was collected for the preliminary study through desk review, document analysis and closed-ended questionnaires for the first, second and third research questions respectively. For the main study, data was generated through semi-structured questionnaires for research question one, whilst that of two was generated through pre- and post-intervention minutes of meetings, personal interviews and focus group discussions. Four frameworks were employed in the study. An analytical framework for evaluating TVET provision in terms of relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency was used to gauge the internal efficiency of selected technical colleges in research question three of the preliminary study. The Triple Helix (TH) and the Quadruple Helix Innovation Models (QHIM) were used to explore partnerships in the main study. The last framework – the Ecological System Theory (EST) – was used in understanding the development of a new relevant, effective and efficient (REE) partnership in TVET provision. The last theory, EST, was applied due to the limitations of the THM and the QHIM in describing the levels of interaction between different stakeholders in quality TVET provision. The EST however, allowed for the discovery of the different levels of interaction amongst stakeholders required to collaborate for REE TVET provision in Nigerian technical colleges. For research question one, the preliminary study results revealed 155 TCs across the six geopolitical zones. In addition, the provision was not evenly distributed because there is no technical college in Zamfara State in North-West. Research question two indicated a highly disproportionate ratio of TCs versus general education schools – ranging from 1: 138 to 1:70. For research question three the results showed that amongst the 22 technical colleges surveyed across the four geopolitical zones, only two colleges had their overall index of efficiency above 50%, with North-Central at 56% and South-West at 54%. Findings from the main study revealed, for research question one, that only 32% of TCs were involved in partnerships, that is, seven out of 22. However, it was significant to note that five out of the seven colleges were involved not only in one-to-one, but in multiple stakeholder partnerships. With regard to the prelude to research question two, using CBPAR, 26 factors were elicited to explain the low efficiency experienced by GTC-Port Harcourt. Thus, to strengthen and develop a new model of partnership for REE TVET provision in Nigerian technical colleges a new type of collaboration that portrays the characteristic features of the QHIM needed to be established – in other words, a new partnership arrangement that incorporates technical colleges, industry, government, and other stakeholders from civil society/NGOs, World Bank (IFC), community, Parents Teachers’ Associations (PTA), philanthropic individuals, and volunteers. Furthermore, the use of a social ecological lens on the new model of REE partnerships enabled the illumination of different interactions and impact levels among the various stakeholders. As opposed to other studies where government is the propelling force within the TVET system, this study shows that industry is key to the production of skilled graduates. The findings of this study have implications for policy, practice and research. Nigerian education policy acknowledges the need for the government to partner with other stakeholders in producing the skilled workforce needed in the country. However, findings in this study reveals a paradigm shift from government to the industry as the key stakeholder needed to produce a competent and skilled workforce needed for industrial development in Nigeria. Significantly, the implications of this study for practice is such that, having industry as the key stakeholder would boost the production of skilled graduates thereby reducing the skills mismatch that are the major cause of unemployment amongst secondary school leavers in Nigeria. It will also create room for gainful employment amongst the youths, thereby reducing the problem of unemployment. Industry provides inputs such as delivering workplace training to TVET trainers, contributing financially to national training funds, providing opportunities for teachers to regularly update themselves through workplace experiences, and contributing to development of the curriculum for economic relevance. The findings of this study also have implications for research, in that it has extended the debate on stakeholder partnerships in TVET provision through the application of the social ecological lens, which illuminates the different levels of interactions and impact amongst various stakeholders required for quality TVET provision.
Using web 2.0 technologies to facilitate the collaborative design process among undergraduate engineering students: an actor network study.
(2016) Chitanana, Lockias.; Alant, Busisiwe Precious.; Govender, Desmond Wesley.
In this thesis I am motivated by a keen interest in design collaboration, and a belief that the quality of design interactions could be enhanced by employing a repertoire of the new and emerging collaborative technologies in the design process. In this study I employed actor network theory’s (ANT’s) methodological and theoretical framework to investigate the use of Web 2.0-facilitated collaborative design by Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering students at the Harare Institute of Technology. In line with ANT, I traced the collaborative design process by following the actors in action (Latour, 2005) when the forces of the network were at work, picking up the traces they left behind to constitute the empirical data for the study. By employing ANT analytical tools the data of the network-tracing activity reveals that the Web 2.0-facilitated collaborative process is an emergent actor network that evolves from associations created among the actors as they negotiate the alignment of interests through a series of translations that occur through moments of problematisation, interessement, enrolment and mobilisation (Callon, 1986b). As the actors went through the moments of translation, various interpretations of the design problem were translated into technical solutions and procedures to be followed in search of a satisfying design solution. The process of achieving agreement (or a stable network) is dependent on the translations that take place among the actors. The analysis shows that Web 2.0-facilitated collaborative design is an emergent process. It is a process that evolves from a translation process, during which a hodgepodge of decisions that cannot wait are taken in a complex, dynamic, fluid and constantly changing environment where actions cannot be planned or predicted in any mechanical way (Akrich, Collan, Latour, & Monaghan, 2002). Therefore, the path that the design process takes cannot be predetermined, but emerges from the network of relations that are created by the actors as they work together to achieve their commonly agreed design goals. Considering the Web 2.0-facilitated collaborative as an emergent process clearly demonstrated that it does not take place in a step by step way, as depicted by many design models. Instead, the process moves back and forth between different domains as the design problem and solution co-evolve and are continuously up for revision (Downey, 2005; Petersen, 2013). The affordances of Web 2.0 technology supported the messy talk (Iorio, Peschiera, & Taylor, 2011) that was critical to the development of design solutions. The emergent character of Web 2.0-facilitated collaborative design allows for important theoretical and practical lessons for design educators, to improve the teaching and learning of the collaborative design process. With collaborative design as an emergent process, it is no longer methods alone that produce results, but the reassemblage of the totality of translation that takes place among the actors into a stable network of relationships, and it cannot be taught outside of authentic design projects.

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Science and Technology Education) by Author "Alant, Busisiwe Precious."