Browsing by Author "Mji, Andile"
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- ItemAlignment between South African mathematics assessment standards and the TIMSS assessment frameworks(AOSIS Publishing, 2012-12) Ndlovu, Mdutshekelwa; Mji, AndileSouth Africa’s performance in international benchmark tests is a major cause for concern amongst educators and policymakers, raising questions about the effectiveness of the curriculum reform efforts of the democratic era. The purpose of the study reported in this article was to investigate the degree of alignment between the TIMSS 2003 Grade 8 Mathematics assessment frameworks and the Revised National Curriculum Statements (RNCS) assessment standards for Grade 8 Mathematics, later revised to become the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS). Such an investigation could help to partly shed light on why South African learners do not perform well and point out discrepancies that need to be attended to. The methodology of document analysis was adopted for the study, with the RNCS and the TIMSS 2003 Grade 8 Mathematics frameworks forming the principal documents. Porter’s moderately complex index of alignment was adopted for its simplicity. The computed index of 0.751 for the alignment between the RNCS assessment standards and the TIMSS assessment objectives was found to be significantly statistically low, at the alpha level of 0.05, according to Fulmer’s critical values for 20 cells and 90 or 120 standard points. The study suggests that inadequate attention has been paid to the alignment of the South African mathematics curriculum to the successive TIMSS assessment frameworks in terms of the cognitive level descriptions. The study recommends that participation in TIMSS should rigorously and critically inform ongoing curriculum reform efforts.
- ItemPedagogical implications of students' misconceptions about deductive geometric proof(SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein, 2012) Ndlovu, Mdutshekelwa; Mji, AndileThe role of proof in school geometry has been a subject of intense debate throughout the twentieth century and that debate persists even today. This study aims to identify and analyse deductive geometric proof difficulties encountered by Bachelor of Education (BEd) in-service student teachers and to propose possible ways of remediating them. The authors conducted a content analysis of responses to a circle geometry item in an achievement test taken by 170 students. Although 78% of the students performed well in the deductive proof item, 22% evidenced misunderstandings or misconceptions which varied in complexity. The misconceptions were analysed into four categories and implications for pedagogy proffered to turn the misconceptions into critical teaching and learning opportunities.
- ItemThe potential of teacher development with Geometer’s Sketchpad(AOSIS Publishing, 2008-12) Stols, Gerrit; Mji, Andile; Wessels, DirkIn this paper we document the advantages of utilising technology to enhance teachers’ instructional activities. In particular we showcase the potential and impact that the use of Geometer’s Sketchpad may have on the teaching and learning of geometry at school. A series of five, two-hour teacher development workshops in which Geometer’s Sketchpad was used were attended by 12 Grade 11 and 12 teachers. The findings revealed that teachers had a better understanding of the same geometry that they initially disliked. This finding was supported by a quantitative analysis which showed a positive change in the understanding of and beliefs about geometry from when the teachers started to the end of the workshops.