Online informal learning and 21st century skills among secondary school students : the Mauritian context = Ukufunda ngokohleloxhumano okunganqunyelwe mithetho namakhono amakhulunyaka angama-21 kubafundi bamabanga aphakeme: Ingqikithi yaseMauritius.

Abstract

Informal learning refers to most human learning that takes place outside of the official educational system. In this technological era, every secondary student is exposed to digital or online tools in either for academic purposes or for their leisure activities or for learning something new on any topic of interest informally. What has not been explored yet is the extent to which secondary school learners can acquire 21st Century Skills through Online Informal Learning in the absence of a formal school setting. 21st Century skills are abilities and competencies that today’s students need to possess to become global citizens in this competing working market. Since technology plays a vital role in the learning process of students outside their school settings, it can also act as an important medium for them to communicate, collaborate, and develop their 21st Century Skills such as creativity, digital literacy, and critical thinking. In response to the underexplored gap in the literature, the researcher embarked on an explorative investigation of the development of 21CS through Online Informal Learning of secondary school students using Web 2.0 tools. To adequately address the phenomenon under study, the first research question aimed to explore the various kinds of OIL that are available to secondary school pupils. The second and third research questions were formulated to investigate how secondary school students grow and acquire 21CS through OIL. To further the objectives of the study, qualitative and quantitative methods were integrated to provide a more complete comprehension of the phenomenon and provide answers to the research questions. By analysing the literature review, the researcher designed a conceptual framework underpinned by the six components of Engeström’s Activity Theory, the P21 (Framework for 21st Century Learning), and the three dimensions of Fenwick and Tennant (2004). In a mixed-method explanatory sequential research process, data were derived from secondary school pupils who utilised internet technologies in informal contexts in semi-structured interviews, surveys, and focus group interviews. In the quantitative phase, 310 questionnaires were collected from secondary school students between 11 to 18 years old. The data were then aligned with the conceptual framework. Further, data analysis and trend and correlation detection were performed using quantitative and qualitative models to understand how and why informal online learning (OIL) affects the abilities of 21st century secondary school learners. The findings revealed that certain online resources are utilised for online informal learning while others are used for both informal and formal learning. Furthermore, it was also discovered that social networking sites and instant messaging technologies contribute to online informal learning. The data gathered from the learners’ replies identified the following types of Online Informal Learning among secondary school students: self-directed learning, collaborative learning, explorative learning, accidental Online Informal Learning, self-discovery learning, and intentional learning. The study contributes valuable insights into the potential of OIL to complement formal education and promote critical thinking for lifelong learning. Moreover, the research identifies the pedagogical approaches that are effective in OIL environments. The findings of this study can help educators understand how OIL assists secondary school learners in similar contexts across the world. Significantly, the model proposed in the study provides a framework for future research in this area regarding the use of online informal tools as a foundation to promote learning.

Iqoqa.

Ukufunda okunganqunyelwe mthetho kusho lapho ukufunda okuningi kwabantu kwenzeka ngaphandle kohlelo lokufunda olusemthethweni. Kulesi sikhathi sobuchwepheshe, wonke umfundi wamabanga aphakeme uyazingenela kalula kuzinsizakusebenza ezidijithali noma zohlelokuxhumana ngenhloso yokufunda noma ngezinto zabo zokuzithokozisa noma ukufunda into entsha nanganoma isiphi isihloko abasithandayo benganqunyelwe mthetho. Obekungakacwaningwa ubungako bokuthi abafundi bamabanga aphakeme bangathola amakhono ekhululuminyaka lama-21 ngokufunda nge-inthanethi okunganqunyelwe mthetho ngaphandle kokuba khona kwesizinda sokufunda esisemthethweni. Amakhono ekhuluminyaka lama-21 awulwazi kanye nokuqeqesheka kwabafundi besikhathi samanje abadinga ukuba nawo ukuze babe izakhamizi zomhlaba wonkana kule makethe esebenzayo eqhudelanayo. Njengoba ubuchwepheshe bubamba iqhaza elibalulekile enqubekweni yokufunda yabafundi ngaphandle kwesisinda sokufunda esisemthethweni, bungasebenza futhi njengendlela ebalulekile kubona ukuxhumana, ukusebenzisana, kanye nokuthuthukisa amakhono abo ekhuluminyaka lama-21 afana nokuziqambela, ulwazi lobuchwepheshe, kanye nokucabanga okuhlaziyayo. Ukuphendula mayelana nesikhala sokungacwaningiwe kubucikomazwi, umcwaningi uqalise ngophenyo oluhlolayo lokuthuthukiswa kwamakhono ekhuluminyaka lama-21 ngokufunda ngohlelokuxhumana olunganqunyelwe mthetho kwabafundi bamabanga aphakeme besebenzisa izinsizakusebenza ze-Web 2.0. Ukubhekana kahle nalokho okucwaningwayo, umbuzo wokuqala wocwaningo uhlose ukuphenya izinhlobo ezahlukene ze-OIL ezikhona kubafundi bamabanga aphakeme. Imibuzo yocwaningo yesibili nowesithathu yenzelwe ukuhlola ukuthi abafundi bamabanga aphakeme bakhula kanjani futhi bathola kanjani amakhono ekhuluminyaka lama-21 nge-OIL. Ukuqhuba futhi inhloso yocwaningo, izindlela zocwaningo lobunjalo botho kanye nolwezibalomidanti kwahlanganiswa ukunikeza ukuqonda okuphelele kotho olucwaningwayo kanye nokunikeza izimpendulo emibuzweni yocwaningo. Ngokuhlaziya ukubuyekezwa kwemibhalo eshicilelwe, umcwaningi uqambe uhlaka lwemicabango olwesekelwe izingxenye eziyisithupha zeNjulalwazi Yokusebenza ka-Engeström, i-P21 (Uhlaka Lokufunda Lwekhuluminyaka lama-21), kanye nobukhulu obuthathu bukaFenwick benoTennant (2004). Enqubeni yocwaningo elandelanayo eyindlelangxube echazayo, imininingo yatholakala kubafundi bamabanga aphakeme abasebenzisa ubuchwepheshe be-inthanethi ezizindeni ezinganqunyelwe mthetho ezingxoxweni ezisakuhleleka, amasaveyi, kanye nezingxoxo zamaqoqo acwaningwayo. Esigabeni sezibalomidanti, uhlamibuzo olungama-310 lwaqoqwa kubafundi bamabanga aphakeme abaphakathi kweminyaka eyi-11 kuya kweyi-18 ubudala. Imininingo yabe seyiqondaniswa nohlaka lwemicabango. Okunye futhi, ukuhlaziywa kwemininingo kanye nokusabalala kanye nokutholakala kobudlelwane kwenziwa kusetshenziswa imifanekisomumo yocwaningo lwezibalomdanti kanye nolobunjalo botho ukuqonda ukuthi kukanjani futhi kungani ukufunda nge-inthanethi okunganqunyelwe mthetho (OIL kunomthelela ekukwazini kwabafundi bamabanga aphakeme bekhuluminyaka lama-21. Imiphumela yaveza ukuthi eminye imithombo ye-inthanethi isetshenziswa ukufunda nge-inthanethi enganqunyelwe mthetho ngesikhathi eminye isetshenziselwa kokubili ukufunda okunganqunyelwe mthetho nokunomthetho. Okunye futhi, kwatholakala ukuthi izinkundla zokuxhumana komphakathi kanye nobuchwepheshe bokuthumela imilayezo esheshayo kunomthelela ekufundeni nge-inthanethi okunganqunyelwe mthetho. Imininingo eyaqoqwa ezimpendulweni zabafundi yaveza izinhlobo ezilandelayo zokufunda nge-inthanethi okunganqunyelwe mthetho phakathi kwabafundi bamabanga aphakeme; ukufunda okuqondene ngqo nomuntu, ukufunda ngokubambisana, ukufunda ngokuphenya, ukufunda nge-inthanethi okunganqunyelwe mthetho okungahlelelwe, ukufunda ngokuzithola komuntu nokufunda okunenhloso. Ucwaningo lunomthelela obalulelike ekuqondeni kanzulu ngobumqoka be-OIL ukwesekela imfundo enomthetho kanye nokugqugquzela ukucabanga okuhlaziyayo ekufundeni kwesikhathi eside. Ngaphezu lwalokho, ucwaningo luveza izindlelakwenza zokufunda nokufundisa ezinomthelela ezizindeni ze-OIL. Imiphumela yalo lucwaningo ingasiza abafundi ukuthi baqonde ukuthi i-OIL yelekelela kanjani abafundi bamabanga aphakeme ezimweni ezifanayo emhlabeni wonke jikelele. Kakhulukazi, imifanekisomumo ephakanyiswa kulolu cwaningo inikeza uhlaka locwaningo olulandelayo kulo mkhakha mayelana nokusebenzisa izinsizakusebenza okunganqunyelwe mthetho kwe-inthanethi njengesisekelo sokugquqguzela ukufunda.