Masters Degrees (Curriculum Studies)

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    Aanpassing van wiskunde-onderrigpraktyk vir die integrasie van getalbegrip, wiskundige bewerkings en probleemoplossing vir verstandelik erg gestremde leerders
    (2023-03 ) Cloete, Jevonn; Lampen, Erna; Basson, Magdalene; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the mathematics teaching practice of severely intellectually disabled (SID) learners in the integration of mathematical operations, problem solving and number sense. The study was carried out in a special school for SID learners. Based on the data generated, a teaching intervention was designed and implemented. This investigation was undertaken against the background of a lack of methodological guidelines for the teaching of mathematical operations, problem solving and number sense in the new adapted curriculum for SID learners. Five other mathematics educators in the research school indicated that their choice of learning tasks only included number facts and arithmetic fluency. The methodological decisions of these educators also often seem to be influenced by the learners' need for individualised teaching. This realisation highlighted the need for alternative teaching to SID learners. The lived experiences of the ten learners involved in the investigation were subsequently included in mathematical problems to design context-rich tasks. This study followed a qualitative research approach. Empirical data were generated through action research which included three cycles. The research design and methodology are therefore based on the principles of action research. The data were collected in the following ways: semi-structured focus group interviews with five mathematics educators, two mathematics specialists and ten learners as well as field notes, a literature review, learner's written work and learner drawings. A literature review was conducted to obtain an educational approach as well as a theoretical framework for the study. This study is informed by the social constructivist framework of Vygotsky (1978) as an educational approach. Vygotsky's theory described the importance of social interactions. The problem-centred mathematics teaching approach of Murray, Olivier and Human (1998) in collaboration with the Stages of Early Computational Knowledge Framework of Wright (2006) were used as theoretical underpinnings for the partial planning of mathematics tasks for the teaching intervention. The study's findings were weighed against the main research as background. Three sub-research questions were used to answer the main research question. These questions brought forth findings that indicate which mathematical problem types, real-life contexts and teaching strategies can be developed in learning experiences for SID learners to intentionally integrate number sense and mathematical operations. The teaching intervention suggested adjustments to my teaching intervention and will continue to be used to adjust my mathematics teaching practice.
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    Kritiese suksesfaktore vir werkende studente in 'n aanlyn leeromgewing
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03 ) Du Preez, Daniella; Fourie-Malherbe, Magdalena; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
    AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die volwasse werkende student is kenmerkend van die hedendaagse hoëronderwysbestel en word toenemend as die norm beskou. Volwassenes wat deur hoëronderwysstudies kennis wil ontwikkel, kundigheid wil versterk, vaardighede wil aanleer en lewenslange leer toepas, moet hul studies balanseer met vele ander verpligtinge soos gesins- en gemeenskapsverantwoordelikhede en ʼn loop-baan. Weens werkende studente se uiteenlopende verpligtinge en die uitdagings wat daarmee gepaard gaan, word hulle genoop om voortdurend ʼn balans tussen werk, gesin en studies te probeer bewerkstellig. Wanneer dit nie meer moontlik is om hierdie balans te handhaaf nie en die werkende student sekere verpligtinge moet prioritiseer, bly hulle studies meestal in die slag. Die fokus van hierdie navorsing is gerig op die kritiese suksesfaktore wat werkende studente in staat stel om hulle studies te slaag. Suksesfaktore in drie subkategorieë, naamlik persoonlike, institusionele en werksplekfaktore, is uit vakwetenskaplike literatuur geïdentifiseer. Die teikengroep van die studie was afgestudeerde werkende studente, wat reeds hul kwalifikasies in ʼn aanlyn leeromgewing suksesvol voltooi het aan ʼn privaat hoëronderwysinstelling (HOI) met Afrikaans as onderrigtaal. Die verduidelikende gemengde navorsingsmetode is gevolg, wat beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data in twee opeenvolgende fases ingesamel, ontleed en vermeng het om suksesfaktore vir die werkende student te bepaal. Die eerste fase het bestaan uit ʼn kwantitatiewe studie wat ʼn self-gegenereerde vraelys as data-insamelingsinstrument gebruik het. In fase twee is kwalitatiewe data ingesamel deur middel van individuele aanlyn onderhoude met afgestudeerde werkende studente wat ook aan die vraelysopname deelgeneem het. Alhoewel Bean en Metzner (1985) se model vir onkonvensionele voorgraadse studenteverlies as ʼn konsepsuele raamwerk vir hierdie studie voorgehou is, het die bevindinge van hierdie studie verskille getoon met die Bean en Metzner model. Die resultate van hierdie studie het dus gelei tot die ontwikkeling van ʼn konsepsuele raamwerk wat veranderlikes (kritiese suksesfaktore) identifiseer wat relevant is tot die bevindinge in hierdie studie en die privaat HOI waarop die studie gebaseer is. Die bevindinge het getoon dat toewyding, tydsbestuur, motivering en gesinsomstandighede deur deelnemers aan die studie as die belangrikste persoonlike faktore geag is. Die belangrikste institusionele faktore was gehalte onderrig, kurrikulumgehalte, die moontlikheid van ʼn beter werk na voltooiing van kwalifikasies, beskikbaarheid van nauurse studies, en studiekoste. Werksure, studieverlof, die invloed van werkslading op akademiese prestasie en verdeelde fokus tussen werk en studies is as die belangrikste werksplekfaktore bevind wat ʼn rol speel in die suksesvolle voltooiing van HO studies. Die deelnemers aan die onderhoude het almal tydsbestuur as uiters belangrik geag en dit was ook hul grootste uitdaging tydens hul studies. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie dra by tot die bestaande kennis en literatuur oor die suksesfaktore wat ʼn positiewe effek kan hê op die akademiese sukses van werkende studente. Wanneer werkende studente die belangrikheid van hierdie suksesfaktore beter verstaan, stel dit hulle in staat om ingeligte besluite te neem en die nodige stappe te neem om akademies suksesvol te wees. Die studie se bevindinge bied ook insigte vir HOI’s en werkgewers ten opsigte van die behoeftes en uitdagings van werkende studente.
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    Teachers' experiences of using stories as a strategy to promote mathematical learning in Reception Year classrooms
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03 ) Theron, Carla; Lebethe, Agatha Lucy; Bosman, Linda; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explored Grade R teachers' experiences Of using stories as a teaching strategy to promote mathematical leaming in their classrooms. The aim of the study was to gain insights and an in-depth understanding of the Grade R teachers' experiences related to how they use stories. This included the context- specific challenges and enabling factors they face as well as the perceived value in terms Of relevance and usefulness Of this strategy for supporting mathematics learning. Although stories have been recognised as a powerful teaching strategy to support the learning Of mathematics, Grade R teachers' experiences of using this strategy is an under investigated phenomenon in general and, even more so, in the South African context. The Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching model served as theoretical framework for this study (Ball, Thames & Phelps, 2008). I employed an interpretive, qualitative multiple-case study design and investigated the participants' practices and experiences teaching mathematics through stories in an everyday classroom. A combination Of purposive and snowball sampling was utilised to select the three Grade R teachers as participants from the three schools as cases in the Free State province. Semi-structured interviews, non- participant observations and follow-up discussions, document analysis, a focus group interview, my research journal and field notes served as the data collection methods. Three themes were generated from the inductive thematic data analysis relating to teachers' role and knowledge as Grade R teachers who utilise stories as mathematical teaching strategy. These, moreover, relates to the challenges they face and the potential value they attach to the use of this strategy in their classrooms. The findings Of this study indicate that the teachers use stories and despite the challenges they face, they perceive stories as a valuable means Of supporting mathematical learning in their Grade R classrooms. The findings further reveal that teachers require support pertaining to awareness and knowledge to effectively employ stories for mathematical teaching purposes. In addition, they require access to quality contextually-relevant stories with the potential to provoke the learners to engage with a wide variety of rich engagement with mathematical concepts and skills. The study has implications for Grade R practice, teacher training and resource providers or developers.
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    Developing algebraic reasoning in the intermediate phase to encourage critical thinking: a case study of teachers
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Asekun, Uvile Oluwadarasimi; Gierdien, Mohammed Faaiz; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mathematics is esteemed in curricula and society as a subject that embodies the highest standard of knowledge. Mathematics is a form of language that can represent a numerical idea using numbers, letters, and symbols in algebra to encourage logical and critical thinking in learners. In addition, algebra is a cognitive process that can be used as a channel to review learners’ algebraic reasoning abilities because it is viewed as a cognitive process. As a result, algebraic reasoning requires teachers’ attention to assist learners in developing critical thinking. This study explored how teachers in the intermediate phase use critical thinking (CT) to encourage the development of algebraic reasoning (AR). In addition, this study explores how teachers use pattern tasks to engage and encourage learners to think critically to develop algebraic reasoning when solving problems. This study focused on the Intermediate Phase, which consists of Grade 4, Grade 5 and Grade 6 learners. Only Grades 5 and 6 were used as a sample for the focus group interview. The researcher presumed that Grade 4 learners could be overwhelmed by the concepts of this study, and due to time constraints, they could not be included. A mixed-method approach of quantitative and qualitative methods was adopted to accomplish the research objective. The qualitative methods included a literature review, lesson observation and interviews with the participating teachers, focusing on evaluation methods provided by CAPS. The quantitative methods include focus groups and post- reflective questionnaires, which helped to understand learners’ responses to CT questions in Grades 5 and 6 for AR development and teachers’ perception of CT. The results at the end of the research showed that teachers’ perceptions had been stimulated, and they had gained more understanding of what CT is and how it can be implemented in their math lessons. The focus group interview and lesson observations also showed learners’ reasoning for AR development when they engaged in the pattern task. Finally, the results showed that both Grade 5 and 6 learners need more practice with their generalisation reasoning. Consequently, it is recommended that CT questions should be part of every mathematics lesson to develop learners’ skills in analysing and justifying its generalisation for the development of algebraic reasoning.
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    The lived experiences of life sciences teachers belonging to different religious beliefs: a focus on the teaching of evolution
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Laubscher, Leila; Le Grange, Lesley; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The motivation to investigate the lived experiences of Life Sciences teachers, belonging to different religious beliefs, teaching evolution, was inspired by a recognised gap in qualitative educational research regarding Life Sciences teachers’ lived experiences. An interest in learning about and understanding Life Sciences teachers’ lived experiences of teaching evolution in the light of their personal religious beliefs inspired this interpretive study. The main research question asks: How do Life Sciences teachers, belonging to different religious beliefs, experience teaching evolution as a curriculum topic? Five Western Cape-based Life Sciences teachers, belonging to Islam, Christianity, were asked 12 questions over individual online semi-structured interviews about their contextual backgrounds, lived experiences of learning about and teaching evolution, as well as their religious beliefs. Their interviews were transcribed, and the data was analysed using a thematic content analysis, as well as a cross case analysis through the constant comparative method. Meaningful qualitative data was produced that aided in the understanding of how teachers experience teaching the topic of evolution, in the light of their backgrounds and religious beliefs. A unique researcher’s touch was applied to the analysis process to foster compassionate understanding of complex lived experiences. The results cannot be uniformly applied to all contexts and cannot be associated with all Life Sciences teachers belonging to Islam and Christianity. According to the results, even within a certain religion, an individual’s beliefs of the religion itself and of the theory of evolution differ, depending on contextual factors. Three of the teachers presented elaborate discussions of evolution in light of the nature of science and expressed enjoyment and interest towards teaching evolution; therefore, teachers’ lived experiences of teaching evolution might be impacted by their understanding of the importance of evolution in Life Sciences, irrespective of their religious beliefs. The other two teachers (Muslim and Christian) expressed a reluctance to teach evolution based on the experience of evolution to be controversial and evolution’s perceived contradiction to creation (as the misconception that evolution is an alternative to creation was held); however, the former teacher did not allow evolution to threaten his faith, whereas the latter teacher experienced conflict within herself. Despite their experience of evolution being difficult to teach, both teachers attempted to remain positive and resorted to assessment requirements as justification for teaching evolution. Some teachers’ experiences of teaching evolution were affected by pressure from external factors such as the limited time factor in grade 12, assessment pressures and learners, parents and/or colleagues opposing the teaching of evolution. This research study emphasises the uniqueness and humanness of each individual teacher’s lived experiences of teaching evolution, which are influenced by their personal contexts, including, but not limited to their religious beliefs. Differences in the lived experiences of teachers from the same religion brings to light the problematic nature of stereotyping individuals’ views of evolution based on religion.