School of Education Studies

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Browsing School of Education Studies by Subject "Academic achievement"

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    Designing a framework for the implementation of student teams achievement divisions (STAD) for technology in a cultural-diverse school setting
    (University of the Free State, 2015-01) Masoabi, Charles Sechaba; Alexander, G.; van Wyk, M. M.
    Cooperative learning is a teaching approach whereby learners work together so that the group members can gain a joint benefit from the group activity. One particular cooperative learning teaching technique, student teams achievement divisions (STAD) has been described as the simplest of a group of cooperative learning techniques referred to as Student Teams Learning Methods. In the STAD approach students are assigned to four or five member teams reflecting a heterogeneous grouping of high, average and low achieving students of diverse ethnic backgrounds and different genders. Moreover, STAD, as a cooperative learning technique is supported by a constructivist paradigm that suggests learners construct and apply knowledge as they interact with one another or the teacher and their environment. This doctoral study explored the effects of (STAD) on learners’ social skills, attitudes, academic performance and retention of taught content in Technology as a subject. The study expatiated on various theories, such as motivation theories, selfdetermination theory, self-efficacy theory and cooperative learning theory as theories that formed the basis for using STAD in Technology. The researcher employed STAD in Grade 8 Technology classes for the purpose of fulfilling the aim of the study. This research is guided by the interpretive and methodological bricolage designs during the fieldwork for collection of data and data analysis. Data was collected on learners working in STAD cooperative learning groups. The data was gathered at school as a social and cultural setting where learners are taught to adapt particular traditions and social interactions intended to impact positively on their social skills, attitudes, academics and motivation levels. The researcher observed groups’ interactions, processes and how learners communicate with each other amongst their groups. This study employed the Bricolage design, qualitative methods of collecting data and quantitative methods to achieve the requirements of this inquiry. Therefore the findings of this study have indicated that the environment played an influential role in cultivating learners’ social skills and positive attitude toward Technology as a school subject. Furthermore, STAD has shown to be instrumental in developing learners’ self-efficacy and self-determination that could eventually build up intrinsically motivated learners regarding high academic achievement.
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    Enhancing learners' academic achievements in rural Lesotho schools: matching teaching and learning styles
    (University of the Free State, 2009-05) Letele, Moeketsi Joseph; Alexander, G.; Swanepoel, Z. I.
    English: The Lesotho Junior Certificate results between 2003 and 2006 indicate that in the rural secondary schools of Lesotho the pass rate ranged from 51% to 58%. These figures are low compared to those in the urban schools for the same years which ranged from 70% to 72%. The Teaching Service Department shows that there was 40% of unqualified teachers in these schools in 2003 and 35% in 2007. There seems to be a correlation between the high numbers of unqualified teachers and the low pass rate in these schools. This view is underscored by Wheeler and McLeod (2002: 696) who note that teachers are more likely to develop teaching styles which are congruent with their own learning styles rather than those of their learners if they are unaware of the learning and teaching styles literature. This study aims to establish teaching styles that match the learning styles of learners in the rural secondary schools of Lesotho with the view to improve academic achievement. The objectives are: to determine whether teachers in these schools have adequate knowledge pertaining to teaching and learning styles; to identify the predominant styles; to determine the extent to which matching teaching and learning styles improves academic achievement; and to provide a teacher's guide on teaching and learning styles. The research comprises of a literature study and empirical investigation. The Solomon Felder Index of Learning Styles (SFILS) and self-designed teaching style questionnaire were used. The learners' end-of-year examination marks were studied. The empirical findings indicate that most teachers in rural secondary schools of Lesotho do not have adequate knowledge on teaching and learning styles, while findings from the literature and empirical study indicate that academic achievement of learners can be enhanced by matching teaching and learning styles. Therefore, these findings can be used to improve the teaching and learning process and ultimately the level of success that learners in rural secondary schools can experience in their respective schools. Finally, the findings of this study were used to develop a teacher's guide on teaching and learning styles. This would hopefully guide teachers in the rural secondary schools of Lesotho on which styles could work best in their contexts.
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    The impact of teacher mentoring on student achievement in disadvantaged schools
    (University of the Free State, 2016-04-19) Van der Walt, Hendrik Stephanus; Jansen, J. D.
    English: The impact of teacher mentoring on student achievement has been researched extensively, but there are still gaps and disparities in the literature with regards to the size of the impact on student achievement, the generalizability of existing research, the length of mentoring needed as well as the time that it takes to achieve meaningful increases in student achievement in disadvantaged poor-performing schools. The purpose of this research was to address these gaps in the research literature by doing a concurrent, matched but non-randomised control study to determine the impact of mentoring of teachers on student achievement in the school-university partnership between the UFS and disadvantaged poor-performing schools in its feeding area over a period of four years. The impact of mentoring teachers on the student achievement in accounting, mathematics and physical sciences were researched. Large positive impacts were achieved in all the subjects. There was no significant time delay in the impact that mentoring had on student achievement. The impacts were achieved from the first year after mentoring started and were still present four years after mentoring started. The practical significance of these findings is that student achievement in poor-performing disadvantaged schools can be meaningfully improved by mentoring teachers in these schools.
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    The learning styles of teacher colleges' students as determined by the Lassi questionnaire
    (University of the Free State, 1998-11) Dunjwa, Nosipho Nombulelo; Paulsen, W. J.
    This research was undertaken to study the learning styles of teacher colleges of education students and the effect that these learning styles had on their academic performance. This was done by means of literature and empirical studies. Data was collected by administering a questionnaire (LASSI), getting examination marks to calculate the percentage pass of students and by a review of related literature. The findings of the literature review showed that students use varied styles of learning. Kolb (1984:77-78) for example, refers to his learners as accommodators (learning by concrete experience and active experimentation), convergers (abstract conceptualisation) divergers (from concrete experience to reflective observation) and assimilators (learning by abstract conceptualisation and reflective observation). Dunn and Griggs (1988:64) indentified different learners as idealists, analysists, realists, pragmatists and synthesists. Results of the empirical study revealed that the college students used a "realist" learning style. The "realist" learns by seeking empirical facts, expert opinions on current needs, is solution seeking and likes concrete results. Their percentage pass was low. This is an indication that the type of style (realist) they use does not bring about success in their learning. The researcher, therefore recommendes that educators should guide students on the use of all study strategies as these determine academic success. They should also provide affective and social education and a motivating learning environment to learners as these have an effect on learning styles. To the students, the researcher recommends that they should assess their study strategies, accept and use even those they are not familiar with, to maximise their learning and achievement.
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    A strategy to enhance business education learners' academic performance using the principle of critical accounting
    (University of the Free State, 2017-02) Matoetoe, Mohau Motloang Vitalis; Mahlomaholo, M. G.; Moreeng, B. B.
    The study aims to formulate a strategy to enhance business education learners‟ academic performance using the principles of critical accounting. Business education (BusEd) replaced bookkeeping and commerce in 2000 as a subject taught in secondary school in Lesotho. It deals with education for general knowledge of business practices that involves various aspects of managing, operating and investing in a business. BusEd learners in this country had a problem of not being able to apply what they had acquired in the BusEd classroom into reality. As a result, the principles of critical accounting (PCA) were adopted as a way to respond to this problem. Principles of critical accounting (PCA) were used because it is a human effort to initiate an actual transformation of the system that participates in a real life situation. Moreover, PCA offers many opportnuties for learners to explore their knowledge in different situations at a particular time. The study pursued the challenges that BusEd teachers face when teaching BusEd which areas follows: teachers are still using teachers-centred approach; there is lack of community involvement and therefore effective teaching. These challenges are based on identifying trends to be considered before establishing a business, record keeping skills and the evaluation of a business as some of the objecti ves of BusEd. The study adopted critical emancipatory research (CER) as a theoretical framework because it gives people chance to raise their voices through empowerment, which benefited the study, as other stakeholders were not given opportunity to be part of the teaching and learning process of BusEd. In response to the challenges, the co-researchersdecided to establish a team with the same vision. The vision focused on how best businesss education teachers can teach the subject effectively, which would result in learners reaching high levels of cognitive skills. Data was generated through participatory action research (PAR) as our methodology. PAR was used as a tool improving the lives of those participating in the process, its results were seen in the transformation of societal structures and relationships. Various data generation tools were employed, ranging from audio recordings and minutes. In order to deepen the meaning of spoken and written text, the study used Van Dijk‟s critical discourse analysis at three levels, namely, text, discursive practices and social structures. The conducive conditions for the implementation of the emerging strategy that were explored included effective working of the team, lesson preparation and facilitation and involvement of relevant stalkholders in teaching of BusEd. Moreover, threats to the strategy were as follows: not be able to work as a team, time factor for meetings and BusEd teachers fear to adjusting to new approaches like working with other stakeholders in BusEd. Lastly, the team had already practiced as a results, we had scope of knowledge, problem solving and accountability of learners in their learning of BusEd as evidence. All these were used so that there could be sustainability of the strategy that enhancesbusiness education learners‟ academic performance using principles of critical accounting during and beyond the duration of the study. The findings of the study show that if business teachers work together as a team, where they share the same vision, ideas, resources and involving other stakeholders, they are better able to enhnance learners‟ academic performance, assiting them to master problem-sloving skills, a deep understanding of business education and they will be able to be accountable.