School of Educational Psychology

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    Enhancing teachers’ self-efficacy for supporting visually-impaired learners in Lesotho schools through school support networks
    (University of the Free State, 2020) Mosola, Lintle Lydia; Khanare, F. P.
    The inclusion of visually-impaired learners in mainstream schools continues to be debated among many researchers as it places many challenges on the current functioning of the schools. These include the lack of teacher-training, high student-teacher ratio and a tertiary education curriculum which fails to equip teachers with basic skills for utilising assistive devices in teaching these learners. Despite efforts that the Government of Lesotho instituted according to many national and international policies in ensuring inclusion of people with disabilities, only a few schools accommodate visually-impaired learners. This is exacerbated by the fact that teachers remain academically and psychologically underprepared to accommodate these learners in their classrooms. Since teachers are positioned as the key implementers of inclusive education, it is therefore assumed that teachers’ self-efficacy is an important ingredient in embracing inclusive education. Considering this situation, the study drew from both a self-efficacy theory and an asset-based perspective to understand teachers' self-efficacy and how school-support networks could be used to enhance teachers' teaching-learning skills and knowledge regarding visually-impaired learners. This study was informed by a critical paradigm and situated within qualitative research. The visual participatory methodology was used to generate data using a purposive sampling technique to select participants with experience of interacting with learners with visual impairments in Lesotho (n = 21: 7 teachers of the visually impaired learners; 7 learners with visual impairment; 7 parents of learners with visual impairment). Participatory methods such as lesokoana were used as well as focus group discussions, where each group was asked to discuss the need and availability of school-support networks to improve the quality of educating learners with visual impairments. Also, teachers compiled a collage indicating the challenges and enabling factors concerning their self-efficacy. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that there are school networks that support teachers in dealing with visually-impaired learners, even though their engagement is perceived to be on an informal basis. The study recommends that schools should develop an asset-based map and establish school-support network committees that will engage in effective ways to support teachers.
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    Effects of COVID-19 on learners’ wellbeing in a rural high school district
    (University of the Free State, 2022) Mofokeng, Sentle Patricia; Mukuna, Kananga R.
    In December 2019, COVID-19 appeared in Wuhan, China. As it quickly spread across various regions, its devastating effects had global political and socioeconomic repercussions. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on learner wellbeing in a rural high school. It sought to establish the effects of COVID-19, challenges encountered and strategies that the learners think could be helpful in the context of COVID-19. The well-being of learners has been linked to various aspects of their lives, such as their satisfaction, mental health and academic performance. Drawing from John Rawls’ (1971) Classical Liberalism of Equal Opportunities, every learner possesses certain abilities and can learn and better their lives if everyone could be afforded the same equal opportunities. Using the qualitative approach and phenomenology research design, the study was conducted within the confines of the interpretive paradigm. Data were generated using in-depth interviews, and the WhatsApp social media platform was used to conduct interviews to safeguard the participants from the virus. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Six learners and two teachers from one high school in the rural area of Kestell in the Thabo Mofutsanyane District of the Free State province constituted the study sample. The findings revealed that the learners encountered many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects include poor academic performance, loss of loved ones, learners developing mental health issues, and the new normal. The challenges revealed are food scarcity, lack of resources as the COVID-19 pandemic mandated a new mode of teaching and learning and lockdown (confinement). The participants suggested strategies that include providing resources such as laptops, smartphones, and data and equipping learners with skills to learn using online platforms. Recommendations based on the findings were made to train teachers and learners to gain the digital skills and knowledge needed for successful teaching and learning on online platforms in cases such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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    Exploring the multisectoral strategies to support the academic performance of Deaf Learners in inclusive schools Lesotho
    (University of the Free State, 2023) Palime, Ntloyalefu Justinah; Mukuna, Kananga R.
    Increasing the academic performance of learners with disabilities in inclusive schools is currently a global concern. Lesotho is therefore not an exception. Numerous contemporary research studies have contributed to support service initiatives, and engagement of various teaching approaches, including universal design for learning, launching inclusive policies, and the involvement parents. These series of commitments, nationally and internationally, stress the issue of equality and equity in education for all learners, including Deaf learners. Nevertheless, the academic performance of Deaf Learners is still a major challenge. There is a dearth of literature on the multisectoral strategies that strengthen partnership among stakeholders, such as the school personnel, parents, and the learners. The researcher believes that the learners’ voice, particularly the voice of the Deaf Learners as the major stakeholder in this case, is essentially missing. This negates the view of the Ministry of Education in Lesotho that learners form the third leg in the metaphorical legged pot. Thus, in order to address these underlying challenges, the following objectives were espoused in this study: (1) To determine the multisectoral strategies and practices that can support the academic performances of Deaf Learners in Lesotho’s inclusive schools. (2) To identify the challenges of Deaf Learners in Lesotho’s inclusive schools that affect their academic performance. (3) To explore the factors that enable multisectoral strategies to support the academic performance of Deaf Learners in Lesotho’s inclusive schools. This study adopted a qualitative approach to describe and analyse the quality of human experiences within a transformative paradigm. The paradigm acknowledges the roles of privilege, power, inclusion, and culture in working with Deaf learners to overcome challenges in their academic performance. It employed participatory design to enable openness and equity in sharing knowledge and experiences and close collaboration among stakeholders. The data were generated through focus group discussions and a collage with 34 participants that allowed the exploration of how multisectoral strategies involving multiple stakeholders contribute to the academic performance of Deaf Learners. The participants comprised twelve hearing learners, twelve Deaf Learners and teachers (two heads of department, three interpreters, and five teachers), who were purposefully selected. The data were analysed through thematic analysis, a highly flexible method that can be modified and generates rich, detailed, and complex information. The theoretical framework of Kretzmann and McKnight informed the study. The theory acknowledges gifts, abilities and capabilities, and that people live and thrive using their skills. The center of this asset-based theory is mobilising and harnessing local assets, skills, and insights to solve the existing problem. The research findings have revealed that strengthening partnership and listening to the voices of the various stakeholders, including the voice of Deaf Learners , is critical in improving academic performance. The research findings have also revealed that multisectoral strategies are support structures constructed collectively, which enhance networking of personal and rational assets within and outside the inclusive school. The findings certainly demonstrated the possibility of sharing information with concerned stakeholders, including the voice of Deaf Learners, as a factor that enhances multisectoral strategies. Hence, each exercises their potential, shares their experiences and challenges, and decides on appropriate measures for assistance. The findings have also indicated that the power of interaction among stakeholders develops a sense of networking and relationship, thus enabling multisectoral strategies to support Deaf Learners academically. The study opines that the current support provided to Deaf Learners is subjective and is, therefore, generated abstractly without identifying and using the learners’ experiences and strengths. Thus, through multisectoral strategies, the learners’ voice, ideas, and expertise are all essential in addressing their academic issues.