Doctoral Degrees (School of Education Studies)
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Item Open Access Identity construction and reconstruction among male teachers in early childhood settings(University of the Free State, 2024) Mofokeng, Mahudi Magdelina; Ndlovu, B. N.Identity construction and reconstruction among male teachers in early childhood education (ECE) settings has brought attention to the teaching of young children, where male teachers expect to redefine themselves among young learners. Research shows that few male teachers have constructed and reconstructed their identities through training in early childhood development. The research was framed using two theoretical constructs: identity theory and social identity theory. The study employed phenomenology, focusing on the commonality of the lived experiences within a particular group to understand the problem in its context in this case, construction, and reconstruction of identity among male teachers in ECE, and provided a comprehensive description of individuals’ subjective experience of an event or phenomenon. Phenomenology emphasises that only those who have personally encountered things can convey them to the external realm. The qualitative approach tests the theories and intervention techniques, using the snowball sampling technique to find five participants from 5 rural schools in the Thabo-Mofutsanyane District of the Free State province, with generation of data using semi-structured and focus group interviews. The study recommends recruitment strategies in ECE settings so that young children may be exposed to both genders in these settings. Workshops need to be held for male teachers, to advise them on how to deal with challenges that they will face from society and encourage them to stand firm with their career choice.Item Open Access Exploring guidelines to improve the existence and efficay of whole school evaluation at a Free State Secondary School(University of the Free State, 2023) Mlangeni, Lehlohonolo Samuel; Gcelu, N.The study was aimed at exploring the guidelines to improve the implementation of whole-school evaluation (WSE) at Free State secondary schools. The study is underpinned by socio-constructivist theory and collaboration theory, as hybrid theoretical frameworks. The two hybrid theoretical frameworks were chosen for their support of stakeholder collaboration in addressing the social challenges that impact communities. The study is located in interpretivism as a research paradigm, which gives a voice to a range of participants’ subjective beliefs and lived experiences. A qualitative approach underpinned by the interpretive paradigm was utilised to explore the perceptions of the stakeholders regarding the implementation of the whole-school evaluation guidelines. The study was located in participatory action research design to prioritise an ownership of the research project by the stakeholders. A purposive sample of twelve participants selected from one secondary school in the Motheo District, Free State province was utilised. Individual probes and the focus group discussions were used to generate data. The findings reveal an inadequate application of WSE guidelines and minimal training, poor commitment, lack of parental involvement in policy implementation and an inadequate funding from the trusted stakeholders in positions of authority as sources of underperformance in the implementation of the whole-school evaluation guidelines. It is recommended that stakeholder collaboration and social interactions that encompass motivation, teamwork, empowerment and critical reflection be adhered to at the school to ensure effective implementation of the WSE guidelines.Item Open Access Exploring student teachers’ resilience on teaching practice in the COVID-19 Era in Masvingo district, Zimbabwe(University of the Free State, 2023) Marenyenya, Marvelous; Mukuna, Kananga R.This study aimed to explore student teachers‟ resilience on teaching practice in COVID-19 era in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe. More specifically, the study was intended to gain insights into the major teaching practice COVID-19 induced teaching practice stressors, factors that hinder the resilience of student teachers on teaching practice during the COVID-19 era, personal and contextual resources that contribute to resilience outcomes in student teachers on teaching practice in COVID-19 era and support student teachers receive on teaching practice in the COVID-19 era. This research study contributes new knowledge to the ongoing discourses about student teachers‟ resilience on teaching practice in COVID-19 era. In order to explore student teachers‟ resilience on teaching practice in COVID-19 era, the study employed a qualitative social constructivist approach through a phenomenological research design. Data were generated through focus group discussions and in-depth semi-structured interviews. One teachers‟ college was conveniently sampled, and twenty-one (21) student teachers and six (6) student teachers‟ mentors were purposively sampled from three primary schools in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe. Data were analyzed using the thematic content analysis approach. The thematic findings revealed that student teachers on teaching practice in the COVID-19 era are subjected to teaching practice stressors induced by the COVID-19 pandemic such as fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus, illness, isolation, stigmatization and death, anxiety, uncertainty, hopelessness, economic hardships, prolonged teaching practice period, school closures, transference of face-to-face teaching to online learning. It emerged from this study that lack of teaching competences, poor relationships, behavioral problems, class and classroom management, work overload and teaching practice supervision hinder the resilience of student teachers on teaching practice in the COVID-19 era. This research uncovered that personal and contextual resources promote resilience in student teachers on teaching practice in COVID-19 era. The study established that contextual support from stakeholders cultivates the resilience of student teachers' resilience in teaching practice during theCOVID-19 pandemic. Finally, thematic results revealed that the capacity for resilience can be developed during initial teacher preparation, so the study recommends that the teacher education curriculum include a resilience subject. Hence, a pre-service teacher resilience conceptual model is proposed as a guideline for stakeholders involved in pre-service teacher education to develop capacity for resilience in student teachers' teaching practice.Item Open Access Ecosystemic factors affecting comprehensive sexuality education in junior grades in Zimbabwe(University of the Free State, 2023) Mukau, Kenneth; Nichols, H. J.This study explores the ecosystemic factors affecting Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in junior grades in Zimbabwe. Particular interest has been placed on a variety of factors affecting CSE including the attitudes and perceptions of school administrators, teachers, and parents, and strategies to help promote successful CSE implementation. At this time, child marriages, sexual abuse, and early pregnancy cases are on the rise in the country. This can be attributed to the ineffective implementation of CSE. This study adopted a qualitative approach and was guided by the interpretive paradigm underpinned by the assumption that reality is socially constructed. What is more, it allowed for the capturing and interpretation of unique attitudes and feelings of school administrators, teachers, and parents towards the implementation of CSE. Since the topic has no pre-determined outcomes, an exploratory case study design was apt to use. Two data collection tools were triangulated and these are semi-structured interviews and documents, and the collected data was analysed using the thematic analysis method. Urie Bronfenbrenner’s socio-ecological theory and the transformative education theory by Paulo Freire were the two theoretical frameworks informing the study. Fifteen participants made up the sample and these were three schooladminstrators, six junior-grade teachers, and six parents with junior-grade children. Even with the positive attitudes and perceptions from these participants, the study revealed that CSE was not being effectively taught to junior-grade learners principally owing to several ecosystemic factors. These included but were not limited to the absence of clear-cut policies on the CSE curriculum for junior-grade learners, the existence of diverse cultural and religious beliefs, the lack of resources and proper training in CSE, and so on. The study recommended an active all-stakeholder involvement in the formulation of the junior grades CSE curriculum. This will help create a sense of ownership of the CSE program amongst parents, school administrators, teachers, learners, and the community at large. Additionally, in-service training of both school administrators and the teaching personnel coupled with the provision of teaching and learning resources on CSE for teachers was also recommended.Item Open Access Exploring distributed instructional leadership practices in high performing Zimbabwean primary schools(University of the Free State, 2022) Tenha, John; Jita, Loyiso C.; Jita, ThuthukileInstructional leadership has been one of the most discussed leadership constructs in educational research over the times. The focus of instructional leadership is on principals as the people with all the knowledge to develop schools to greater heights. The increasing workload for principals and the advent of distributed leadership made it prudent for school principals to distribute leadership to other staff members. This practice made use of by effective school principals helped schools to improve their instructional performance. This study was, therefore, motivated by the thought of distributing instructional leadership to all members in a school. Distributed leadership calls for more players in instructional leadership. This results in the tapping of knowledge and expertise in school members. The aim of this study was to have a deeper understanding of how distributed instructional leadership practices were enacted in high performing primary schools for improved performance. The study focused on examining the main activities that characterised instructional leadership practice in the selected schools. It also focused on how the major activities of instructional leadership align with and or exhibited features of distributed leadership. In specific, the study focused on how distributed instructional leadership is enacted in high performing primary schools in Zimbabwe. The qualitative research approach and a multiple case study research design were adopted for this study. A sample of three school principals and nine teachers were purposively selected. Structured interviews, observations and document analysis were used to gather data. The study concluded that the school principals were involved in instructional leadership. The principals carried out instructional leadership activities through distributing leadership practices to other members in their schools. Distributed instructional leadership practices were enacted through varied leadership activities undertaken by various school members. It was established that visioning the school was a key activity of instructional leadership in these successful schools. The schools had specific visions which were developed through collaboration among the principals, teachers and the school community, an example of a distributed instructional leadership practice in the schools. Another finding was that in all the three successful primary schools, managing instruction was prioritised by the principals who all took a distributed approach in executing this activity with their teachers. It was also found that the schools relied on two major strategies to manage instruction and promote instructional improvement, viz, observation of teaching and feedback together with modelling of exemplary practice by the leadership team. The final finding was that the schools had conducive environments for teaching and learning that they created through professional development and collaborative leadership practice. The study recommends that principals nurture teachers through distributing leadership to all members to enable them to grow professionally. This has benefits for both teachers and learners. It is also recommended that teachers are made aware of the importance of distributing instructional leadership. Further research on a wider scale on how distributed instructional leadership is enacted in schools is recommended.Item Open Access The influence of distributed leadership on teaching practice supervision in Masvingo Province’s Teacher Education Colleges(University of the Free State, 2022) Makasi, John Musarega; Gcelu, NtombizandileDistributed leadership (DL) grew out of turning away from the “great man” concept of educational leadership, in which a single actor was thought necessary to lead in a top-down way in a bureaucratic organisational school structure. Extant literature heralds that the DL has gained currency and advocates more actors in instructional leadership. Teacher leaders in schools in Zimbabwe are selected by the teaching practice departments of the educational institution for teachers to supervise students from teaching colleges. However, their supervision is sometimes not effective to develop the professional competencies of trainee-teachers and to reflect on their teaching because teacher leaders are not trained on how to conduct their professional roles and responsibilities during the supervision. Hence, this study sought to explore the influence of DL on teaching practice supervision in Masvingo Province’s teacher education colleges. The study is underpinned by symbolic interaction by Herbert Mead (1883), and distributed leadership theory as lens to understand how DL influences teacher leaders on supervising student teachers on teaching practice. The interpretivist research paradigm using the qualitative research approach and a multiple case study research design were employed to explore the influence of DL on teaching practice supervision in teacher education colleges. A sample of eight teacher leaders was purposively selected using the maximum variation technique, for multiple interviews and focus group discussion. Among the findings that were revealed by this study, it came out that distributed leadership has a positive influence on teaching practice supervision. It was also revealed that to understand and assist in the enhancement of supervision, the supervision scholar (in teacher colleges) must interact with the teacher leaders (in schools that are responsible of supervising students from teacher colleges) on a regular basis, and that interaction should include reflective dialogue on theory, research and practice. The study concludes that teacher leaders can use the distributed leadership concept because it has a positive influence on teaching practice supervision.One of the recommendations by the researcher, based on the findings, is that school headsmust realise how Dl is likely to influence teaching practice supervision for teacher leaders to fully take the position of leading so that they become confident in supervising the student teachers.Item Open Access Professional development needs of Foundation Phase Teachers in the identification of learners with learning barriers(University of the Free State, 2022) Ntlhare, Leetwane Anna; Mukuna, Kananga R.The research study focused on teachers’ professional development needs in identifying LWLB in the Foundation Phase. Teachers’ training and professional development needs for South African Foundation Phase teachers have never been inevitable. The Department reported the failure of Higher Education to produce competent, skilled Foundation Phase teachers to meet the needs of the learners in the diverse classrooms. For decades, the status and image of teaching had been viewed from the position of racial discrimination. The democratic dispensation ended unfair discrimination in the education system by adopting the Inclusive Education and Training System Policy in 2001 to improve access to quality education for vulnerable learners and those who experience learning barriers. Policies and guidelines were reformed, and teachers received training. However, the research shows that many professional development programmes have failed to improve teachers’ training. Despite reforming policies and exposing teachers to training, the training and professional development did not equip teachers with the relevant skills and knowledge of appropriate strategies to identify LWLB. It is a fact that if the teachers’ needs are fulfilled, learners’ achievement will improve. This study aimed to explore how teachers’ training and professional development can be improved in identifying LWLB in Foundation Phase schools in Motheo District, Free State. The study sought to answer the main research question: What are the training and professional development needs of Foundation Phase teachers in identifying LWLB and the implications for teacher education? An interpretivist paradigm and qualitative model were chosen to determine the views of the participants in terms of their training. Data were derived from semi-structured face-to-face and focus group interviews with Foundation Phase teachers, support teachers, and Subject Advisors in South African primary schools. Participants were purposively selected. The theoretical frameworks used constructivist and socio-constructivist learning theories. The analysis of qualitative data was conducted using thematic analysis. The research revealed that professional development does not address teachers’ needs; numerous challenges were experienced by teachers in identifying LWLB, although they had received training. The study implies that Subject Advisors ought to pay attention to the various learning theories to engage in networking activities to learn from one another. The Department of Education needs to find ways to adjust training to policy; make the training practically applicable; increase the time available for practice teaching that would allow teachers to interact with one another; and share ideas and experiences to handle challenges in identifying LWLB. Adequate and relevant resources (i.e ICT equipment), teachers' engagement during training, and learning that involves social-constructivism and constructivist theories, were suggested. The researcher proposed the use of Social Constructivism and Constructivist learning theories as strategies to develop teachers to enable them to identify LWLB in the Foundation Phase and improve the performance of such learners.Item Open Access Using teachers’ lived experiences to enhance pedagogy in english second language in Zambian Secondary Schools(University of the Free State, 2022) Kangombe, Dickson; Ntsala, SekanseEnglish as Second language has been extensively studied on the Zambian research landscape, with much attention being given to ESL methodologies. However, ESL has other areas such as lived experiences of teachers. According to Oxford Reference (2021), personal knowledge about the world is gained via direct, first-hand involvement in everyday occurrences rather than through representation generated by other people is what lived experiences are. This concept demonstrates how people create information and meaning about the world they live in through their experiences, which shapes what they may see as reality. In this study, I focused on how teachers lived experiences could be used to enhance pedagogy in English as a Second Language in Zambian secondary schools. The objectives of the study were to; (I) ascertain how secondary school teachers conceptualised ESL teaching using their lived experiences within the Zambian context, (II) explore how teachers expressed their memories of learning ESL in the Zambian context, (III) establish how teachers described their in-service experiences of teaching ESL in the Zambian context and, (IV) ascertain how lived experiences influenced teaching of ESL in Zambian secondary schools. This study was interpreted using the narrative theory. The primary claim of this theory is that information is more convincing when provided in a narrative format rather than in an argumentative approach. My study sample was made up of eight (08) secondary schools, from which eight (08) teachers were drawn, one (1) teacher from each school. I adopted a purely qualitative research design, following the narrative inquiry strategy. I gathered my data using face to face narrative interviews and classroom observations. I analysed my data thematically. The findings from the first objective showed that ESL teachers of secondary schools in Zambia conceptualised ESL teaching in various ways such as it being cognitively oriented, rule explanation dominated, increased exposure to material, eclectic oriented and practice dominated. The findings from the second objective showed that teachers of ESL in Zambia had memories of how they were exposed to ESL in their homes, at preschool level, in primary schools, in secondary schools, colleges and universities. The home memories showed that in their childhood, teachers were not only exposed to ESL alone but other languages such as Bemba, Nyanja, and Tonga. These past language experiences were what constituted their cognition about ESL teaching and learning. The findings from the third objective posted that ESL teachers’ in-service experiences were in terms of the number of years they served, teaching routines, negative and positive experiences, conflicts in knowledge and day-to-day challenges such as overcrowded classrooms, inadequate teaching materials and low reading proficiency levels among pupils. The findings from the fourth objective indicated that, influenced by their lived experiences, ESL teachers were observed in their classrooms engaging in pedagogical practices such as correcting punctuations and pronunciations, translanguaging, monolingualism, anti-apprenticeship of observation, teacher-learner corroborations, eclecticism and language material integration. In view of these findings, I recommend that ESL teachers of Zambia should reconceptualise their view of ESL teaching as constituting isolated elements and adopt an integrated approach. In addition, I recommend that before they implement what they saw their prior language teachers do, ESL teachers must be encouraged to evaluate their past ESL learning experiences in the light of current ESL research and practice. This may help their pedagogical practices to remain relevant and dynamic. The government must also create enough teaching space, deploy enough ESL teachers and produce enough teaching materials so as to reduce overcrowding and give learners adequate ESL learning experiences.Item Open Access Exploring the use of local history projects to develop learners' historical skills in a social science classroom(University of the Free State, 2023) Mbatha, Zwelinjane Meshack; Moreeng, BoitumeloHistory teaching in schools has evolved beyond the focus of content in the form of dates and names of people to a more comprehensive approach that addresses content, critical thinking and historical skills. One of the ways that learners have to develop this critical thinking is through teaching local history projects. Local history is the study that helps the community to understand its past. Therefore, teachers must constantly tell the past because telling these stories and continuing with these traditions helps strengthen the communities. This study sought to explore the use of local history projects to develop learners’ historical skills in a Social Science Classroom. Critical Pedagogy drove the study as a critical framework to suggest which essential thinking skills teachers must enhance to develop learners' historical skills. Critical pedagogy was employed to coach the study; this was done to respond to both the literature and the empirical study findings, which suggest that approach. The study was approached from an interpretive paradigm, which influenced the research practice in the study. The research design has to do with making critical choices on the part of the research. The sample, which was chosen through purposive sampling, included five primary schools in Motheo District. One teacher was selected for detailed study at each of the five schools. The empirical study consists of collecting data using interviews and document analysis. Data was analysed using qualitative analysis; this was done to ensure a thorough description of qualitative study findings. Interviews and document analysis were used to report the findings of the study. Thematic analysis was used to make sense of the data. The findings show that there were opportunities for learners to showcase their skills and myriad challenges in teaching local history projects to develop their historical skills. The study recommended more meaningful use of current relevant sources, and the teachers should attend continuous workshops to enhance their understanding of teaching local history projects to develop learners' historical skills.Item Open Access A participatory visual exploration of nurturing masculinity amongst Eastern Cape-based Xhosa male foundation phase teachers(University of the Free State, 2023) Kagola, Obakeng; Müller, M.; Beyers, C.Teaching in the Foundation Phase (grades R to 3) is commonly perceived as a profession designated for females. Global research, including specific studies in South Africa, indicates that male teacher involvement in the education of young children aged five to nine remains limited. Scholars attribute this lack of participation to the socially constructed notion that teaching in the Foundation Phase is exclusively women’s work, reinforced by the belief that this profession primarily involves nurturing and caring activities. Additionally, the literature suggests that rigid masculine ideals and patriarchal practices contribute to men’s resistance and reluctance to engage in nurturing and caring professions, as they fear being perceived as less masculine or inadequate. Moreover, male teachers in the Foundation Phase face scrutiny and questioning of their masculinity, as their choice of profession deviates from the socially constructed norms of hegemonic masculinity. Some of the male Foundation Phase teachers attempt to reaffirm their masculine identities by distancing themselves from nurturing activities perceived as soft, aiming to conform to hegemonic masculine ideals. This study was aimed at exploring the use of participatory visual methods to explore nurturing masculinities amongst Xhosa male Foundation Phase teachers in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The qualitative study adopted a transformative paradigm and employed participatory visual research methodologies (PVRM) as its design. Two feminist theories, namely Raewyn Connell’s theory of masculinity and a feminist post-structural lens, guided the interpretation of the data. Six Xhosa male Foundation Phase teachers were recruited as participants using snowball sampling. Data were collected through the participatory visual methods photovoice, metaphor-drawing and collage-making. The participants were engaged in the initial stage of analysis through participatory analysis, which was followed by thematic analysis of the generated data. The findings reveal that Xhosa male Foundation Phase teachers navigate their positions as men within the amaXhosa cultural context as fathers and husbands in their communities, homes and schools. Consequently, their performances fluctuate between hegemonic and complicit streams of masculinity in and around the classroom. Their understanding of nurturing is influenced by their childhood experiences and transitioning into amaXhosa cultural practices of manhood. In their early years, participants experienced a feminine approach to nurturing and care from their mothers and grandmothers. In their later years, they were exposed to fatherly and more cultural masculine forms of love and support as they navigated through the passage of manhood. The Xhosa male Foundation Phase teachers who participated in this study facilitated nurturing in and around their classrooms by constructing respect, care and support for self and others. This involved acts of kindness and empathy. They further challenged patriarchal practices such as the notion that “men must be respected”, which can hinder their ability to foster nurturing environments. The study offers recommendations for policy, practice and future research. For instance, faculties of education providing Foundation Phase qualifications should enhance teacher training on pedagogical strategies that enable teachers to address sensitive topics such as gender diversity and inclusivity without feeling uncomfortable or unprepared. Research is needed in South Africa regarding the inclusion of males in the education of young children in the early years, particularly exploring learners’ perceptions and experiences of being nurtured by male Foundation Phase teachers.Item Open Access Using a critical analysis of the Lesotho Inclusive Education Policy (2018) to explore teachers‘ inclusive practices(University of the Free State, 2023) Mohoebi, Matšeliso Alice; Khanare, P.; Tsotetsi, Cias ThapeloInclusive education has formed an important part of the agenda on the global educational development discourse. There are now greater exclusionary issues associated with migration, language and ethnicity, socio-economic status, infrastructure and resource mobility. The concept of inclusion has been introduced to bridge the gap that is visible in education and has widened to incorporate these broader issues of social diversity. Given the multifaceted nature of diversity of classrooms, we have a segregated education system of inequalities which the Lesotho Inclusive Education Policy (2018) has undertaken to address towards achieving self-reliance and equal opportunities for all. The study explored how teachers in inclusive settings demonstrate their understanding of the LIEP 2018 policy. Using purposive sampling, data collection was done through collage group portrait discussions and focus group discussions with nine teachers and a semi-structured interview with one special education manager to explore how teachers‘ understanding of the LIEP 2018 policy and the Ministry of Education and Training support for the teachers in implementing the policy. The study used Florian and Black-Hawkins‘s Inclusive Pedagogy to inform teachers‘ inclusive practices within the framework of the interpretivist paradigm and the qualitative case study design targeting one regular secondary school in Lesotho. To analyse data, the study used thematic analysis informed by research questions to derive themes and trends that emerged from the data collected from the teachers‘ inclusive practices in the classroom and related implementation problems at school. The findings reveal the teachers‘ practices as being inconsistent with the expectations of the policy. The classroom practices have been found to be inclined towards teacher-centred approaches, typified by the rigid curriculum and assessment based on paper and pen examinations excluding visual teaching aids which could help learners to better understand the concepts in the classrooms. While the study acknowledges teachers‘ attempts at ensuring inclusive classrooms by dramatising and role-playing some of the activities, the Inclusive Pedagogy highlights lack of teachers‘ positive attitudes towards and beliefs in the policy, lack of sign language interpreters and resources to achieve the objectives of the policy. The paper concludes that successful implementation of inclusive education depends on teachers‘ competencies in and attitudes towards inclusive teaching methods and human and material resources. The study thus proposes an inclusive teachers‘ practices model informed by the findings and the literature to help with the proper implementation of the LIEP 2018 policy.Item Open Access The integration of information-handling skills into the South African secondary school curriculum(University of the Free State, 2023) Nuku, Bomkazi; Ntsala, Sekanse AbinerThe existing research claims that information-handling skills do not receive the necessary attention in some South African secondary schools, even though they are recommended by the National Guidelines for School Library and Information Services. The existing research affirms that this impacts negatively on learners, as a result they perform poorly in certain subjects, and this phenomenon ends up impacting on their tertiary education. The non-existence of the training manual for schools and the lack of the recent research on the integration of information-handling skills into curriculum opened the gap for this study to take place. The study intended to identify insights regarding a step-by-step integration of information-handling skills into the South African secondary school curriculum. Due to non-existence of the National School Library Policy that may provide recommendations on the integration of information-handling skills into curriculum, this study was limited to refer to few educational documents and policies, which had no in-depth information on information-handling skills but on curriculum. This study adopted an interpretivism paradigm to focus on the participants' own experiences in six secondary schools in Bloemfontein with school libraries, from various quintiles to represent the whole population relevant to the study. For this reason, either librarians or library committee members from both quintile (1-3 and 4-5) were interviewed per school during semi-structured interviews to reveal the status of the media centers. Teachers from both quintile (1-3 and 4-5) schools were requested to produce their lesson plans and learners’ research work for analysis during document analysis. Also, learners were observed while accessing the media center resources in quintile (4-5) level schools during structured observation. The study revealed that the concerns raised in the problem statement still exist to this day, and the consequences are that plagiarism is committed, and that learners may not be ready for a tertiary education, according to previous research studies. This study addresses these concerns and contributes to the body of knowledge by proposing the Information-Handling Skills (IHS) enhancement model in secondary schools. The study recommends urgent implementation of this model, this would enable the successful integration of information-handling skills into curriculum by schools at all levels.Item Open Access Experiences of Science teachers on the teaching of learners with hearing-impairment in Lesotho secondary schools(University of the Free State, 2023) Molahloe, Maretsepile Relebohile; Mokhele-Makgalwa, MatselisoThere is a global concern through the ‘education for all’ initiative that all learners, regardless of their disabilities, should be in school. This enables learners with diverse needs to study Science as a subject, which, according to different researchers, is a cornerstone for economic development. This subject also equips learners with the knowledge and skills that capacitate them as individuals to contribute positively towards their communities. However, research shows that hearing-impaired learners (HIL) lag behind and their performance in Science is not always satisfactory. The problem is implicated in the fact that very little research work has been directed towards Science teaching for HIL. For this reason, this study seeks to understand teachers’ experiences when teaching Science to HIL in Lesotho secondary schools. Opportunities to learn (OTL) and capabilities frameworks are used to guide this study. OTL variables are used in this study and include teachers’ beliefs about teaching approaches and learning activities that accommodate HIL. The inclusion of a capability framework is for studying the teaching approaches customised for increasing learning opportunities for HIL. The paradigm that was used in this research is interpretivism. This study also follows a qualitative approach and falls within a case-study design. The sample comprised of four Science teachers teaching learners with hearing impairment. The findings of this study show that the use of experiments is effective for teaching Science to HIL, even though they are time consuming in preparation and deliberation of the lesson. Teachers also believed that the use of information and communication technology (ICT) could not only improve their teaching of Science but could as well respond to the many challenges they encounter when teaching HIL. The study also indicates that teachers teaching HIL require different accommodative strategies, but due to different challenges and contextual factors HIL’s opportunities to learn Science concepts are compromised. The study concludes that, since HIL are taught like any other learners in their Science lessons, it’s imperative that teacher capacity building be provided to maximise the opportunities to learn Science for HIL.Item Open Access A relational leadership strategy for the implementation of the integrated curriculum in Lesotho(University of the Free State, 2023) Tankiso-Mphunyane, Libokoana-‘Mathaabe; Tsotetsi, Cias ThapeloThe purpose of the research was to propose a relational leadership strategy for the implementation of the integrated curriculum in Lesotho. The integrated curriculum was introduced in 2009 as an alternative to the subject and examination-oriented curriculum. It focuses on the creativity, independence, and survival skills of the learners. Due to lack of understanding of the implementation of the integrated curriculum in Lesotho, there is a need to design a strategy for curriculum integration. The study is based on a transformative paradigm which focuses on bringing about positive impact to the lives of people. Although the integrated curriculum has already been designed and implemented, an improvement to bring development to the lives of Lesotho learners is required. This study was grounded in the Ubuntu Theory that engages all people, including the undermined, marginalised, and those deprived of the freedom to participate in the study. All co-researchers were treated equally and with respect. They expressed their views in discussion of the five objectives of the study, and took part in implementing the integrated curriculum without undermining the marginalised. This study is a qualitative research design as it locates the observer in the world. The Participatory Action Research (PAR) design was applied in the study. This is the design whereby co-researchers participate collaboratively in solving problems without undermining one another. Like Ubuntu, PAR also strengthens the idea of working together to solve problems, and in this study, this was made possible by allowing participation of the marginalised co-researchers. Data were analysed, employing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). The study found that the implementation of the integrated curriculum in Lesotho is used to solve daily life challenges such as the high unemployment rate. However, the study found that some stakeholders are resistant to change due limited training to provide learners with new information and skills. Funding was believed to be one of the conditions for successful implementation. Hence, it was found that sufficient funding hindered the implementation of the integrated curriculum in Lesotho. Some stakeholders committed themselves to holding regular meetings to address the challenges of the implementation and to come up with possible solutions. This led to the development of a relational leadership strategy for the implementation of integrated curriculum in Lesotho through relevant literature review, analysis of empirical data and documents, and the author`s view. All the analysis was done in relation to the five objectives. Through this strategy, the study revealed that the implementation of the integrated curriculum can only be effective if all the stakeholders are involved and work collaboratively. Through the Relational Leadership (RL) strategy, all stakeholders have to ensure that they share the vision of the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) for the new curriculum, plan their responsibilities in new curriculum implementation, share their duties, actively engage in the implementation, and empower the marginalised that also have relevant ideas for development of the integrated curriculum. This would lead to an outcome and reflection. As a result, the vision for Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) and Curriculum and Assessment Policy (CAP) would also be achieved.Item Open Access The management of development support mechanisms to nurture the new Generation of Academic Programme (nGAP) of black female academics into leadership positions(University of the Free State, 2023) Zuzani, Zola Noble; Kabi, J. S.This study aimed to examine how talent management, as a management concept, can be infused into the nGAP initiative as a driving force towards developing and mentoring black female academics. The study explored talent management's theoretical framework and functions for acquiring, assessing, developing, and deploying talent of early career academics. The talent management strategies implemented by companies in South Africa and internationally have been extensively explored. The study aimed to determine whether talent management could be incorporated into higher education during the development programme. Despite its successful implementation in the business environment and universities in Europe, talent management in African universities still needs to improve. The study presented essential lessons African universities could adopt to incorporate talent management in their development programmes for early career academics. As universities aim to attain a competitive advantage in their environment, they require the development of a talent pool of high-potential academics to take over from retiring academics and go through a rigorous mentoring support structure. To fully understand the success of talent management, an overview of talent management practices was done, followed by a discussion on the current possible challenges that could affect implementing successful talent management practices meant to retain talented academics. In order to understand the incorporation of talent management in various universities, this interpretative-qualitative phenomenological study analysed the lived experiences of black female academics in the new Generation Academic programme. It employed semi-structured interviews, document analysis and thematic analysis to generate data from the interviews with five (5) female academics i.e four black females and one coloured female. The interview participants' data revealed that universities still need an official and structured talent management programme, which is crucial in attracting, developing and retaining academics. Participants revealed other aspects that necessitated incorporating talent management in universities. The study concludes by presenting findings and recommendations which identified induction as a pertinent differentiator whether the nGAP lecturers felt "empowered" or not. Furthermore, a credible evaluation process of the nGAP lecturers was recommended. Some credible evaluation tools, such as CIPP, were recommended to benefit early career academics during the nGAP training. A recommended guiding policy for mentors and nGAP lecturers has been suggested to add more significance and depth to the nGAP training program.Item Open Access Examining the components of pedagogical content knowledge and the construction of physics teachers’ classroom practices(University of the Free State, 2023) Hlaela, Nthoesele; Jita, L. C.Research considers teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) as knowledge that differentiates a teacher from a subject specialist. PCK is needed to help the teacher transform the knowledge of content to be teachable to students. Research has shown that when the PCK of teachers is not well established, classroom practice is jeopardized. The quality of teaching Science is a concern in many countries including Lesotho. There have been inconsistent findings on the large-scale studies to relate PCK and classroom instructional practices, thus the call for more studies that explore the relation of PCK and classroom practices so as to understand the role of PCK in teachers’ classroom actions. This study investigated the components of PCK that Physics teachers in Lesotho possess and how they draw on the components of PCK to construct their classroom practices in a variety of secondary school contexts. The PCK components were examined across Physics teaching as domain PCK while the manifestations of PCK were explored in the teaching of a specific topic in Physics, “the effects of force”. The Consensus Model of PCK was used as a conceptual framework guiding this study. This Model was adapted to incorporate the Model of Magnussonet al. (1999) to explore the PCK components and to portray the manifestations of PCK in classroom practices. The Consensus Model consists of five knowledge bases termed PCK components in this study being: assessment knowledge (AK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), content knowledge (CK), knowledge of students (KS) and curricular knowledge (CuK). This model allowed the researcher to explore both the knowledge on-action and the knowledge in-action, which are helpful in differentiating what the teacher knows about teaching Physics and how the teacher actually teaches Physics in the classroom. This study followed an explanatory sequential mixed method design where data were collected in two phases. In Phase one, a quantitative part, a paper-and pencil PCK test was administered to 87 qualified Physics teachers teaching the last two years of secondary education. The responses were scored using a rubric that was in line with the five PCK components, which were rated on a four point scale from 1 to 4, where 1 indicated undeveloped PCK and 4 indicated developed PCK. Data were analysed using the Extended Rasch Model and SPSS. Phase two, the qualitative part, involved four case teachers selected among the 87 teachers. These were purposively selected teachers with the highest and lowest scores from the PCK test. The qualitative data were collected through different methods. The audio-recorded pre-observation interviews, the video recorded classroom observations and the audio-recorded post-observation interviews. Data were analysed by presenting the narratives of the four case teachers. The findings revealed that the Physics teachers’ PCK was rather low since the person measures ranked in the interval −1.37𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑖𝑡<𝑃𝐶𝐾<+0.95𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑖𝑡 with the PCK components of CK and KS being the least developed. It was also found that the PCK components measured through the PCK test did not show the same level of development as the components manifested in classroom practices and this study argues that contextual factors shape classroom practices construction more than pedagogical content knowledge of the teacher. This study recommends the involvement of Physics teachers in regular refresher workshops that are meant to engage teachers in reflection on what they know about the topics they teach, focusing on different PCK components.Item Open Access A strategy to teach business opportunities creation skills using Information and Communication Technology(University of the Free State, 2023) Donda, Lindelihle Pretty-Girl; Tlali, M. F.This study aimed at designing a real-life-situation strategy of teaching business opportunities creation skills (BOCS), using information and communication technology (ICT). The strategy is developed against the background of several challenges impeding the teaching of BOCS using ICT in Amajuba District in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). BOCS is one of the six purposes of Grade 12 Business Studies’ learning content which students must comprehend and apply in their real-life situations during and after exiting matric. When demonstrating BOCS, teachers should utilise strategies that empower students to see how to learn; look for new data; use new data; assess the significance of data; and tackle novel and non-course reading proficient issues, utilising ICT. This was discovered to be trying for most teachers, as they actually present exercises that show BOCS in a theoretical structure, which is taken out from their (students) application to information. This makes it hard for students to move and apply the information and their abilities to real-life circumstances due to for, example brief (short) class period which deny the infusion of theory and practice in the teaching of BOCS, particularly the entrepreneurial skills using ICT. Besides, ICT applications and portrayals during BOCS exercises are generally used to computerise conventional techniques for teaching and learning by teachers , as opposed to displaying and implementing the multifaceted nature of ICT. Because of these and different other issues, this exploration proposes a genuine circumstantial technique that will guarantee the implantation of a theory and practice that eventually empower students to apply the information and abilities procured in the homeroom to their genuine circumstance. The strategy further seeks to involve other external stakeholders aiming at forming an inter-sectoral and collaborative team with multiple and diverse entrepreneurial skills and knowledge required during the current Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) paradigm. It is undeniable that the 4IR has restructured the way we live, work, and interact with one another. This has led to radical changes in all the spheres of life including political, economic, social, education and social sectors (Elheddad, Benjasak, Deljavan, Alharthi, & Almabrok, 2021). It emerges on the previous digital revolution and capitalises on the synergistic effects of various advanced technologies (Jin & Shin, 2021), which includes the artificial intelligence, robotics, the internet of things, 3D printing, virtual and augmented reality. In the current study, the use of the 4IR enables teachers and students to use these technologies in the teaching of BOCS, the entrepreneurial skills in live share trading (Jin & Shin, 2021). For example, the use of robotics to execute trades. The investigation is grounded on bricolage, a hypothetical structure that was first and foremost presented by the French anthropologist, Levi-Strauss in the Savage Mind (1966). Bricolage identifies with the irregular and relates to the game as an erratic, accidental and additionally arbitrary outcome and is related with other objects, where different accessible materials, when recombined and additionally applied with new capacities, as well as different organisations, rediscovers another article (Campos & Ribeiro, 2016; Rogers, 2012). Additionally, participatory action research (PAR) has been applied to create information with the co-researchers. This standard was applied for its emancipatory propensities and in light of it relating with bricolage, as the two of them avow a variety of voices in the research. The researcher worked with a team of two Adult Education and Training (AET) teachers, four Grade 12 Business Studies learners, who are normally called Grade 13, as most of them repeat Grade 12, an Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) subject advisor, two entrepreneurs, a local economic development (LED) manager and two National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC) representatives. The study identified the challenges, strategies, conditions, threats and indicators, regarding the formulation of the real-life-situation strategy in the teaching and learning of BOCS, using ICT. Thereafter, we conducted a strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis amongst ourselves to determine our academic and personal identities. We also conducted a political, economic,social, technological, legal and environmental PESTLE analysis to awaken ourselves in terms of the macro-environments elements in which the study was conducted. The trading environments pertained the political, economic, social technological, legal and environmental elements learners were to analyse before executing the trade. The group's shared vision was to build a methodology that reacts to the difficulties impeding the teaching of BOCS utilising ICT in Amajuba District. The group held conversations in , workshops, and class perceptions (observations) with the aim of producing information that reacted to the goals of the examination (research). After multiple conversations, the research team agreed to single out one sub-topic from Investmrnt Securities, which was the live share trading using ICT. Fairclough's critical discourse analysis (CDA) was utilised to break down the desultory information. Information was dissected through three focal points, specifically the textual, discourse and social practice level.Item Open Access Exploring induction programmes supporting teachers’ self-efficacy in the Thabo Mofutsanyane district(University of the Free State, 2022) Ndabankulu, Amanda; Müller, Marguerite; Tsotetsi, Cias ThapeloThis study explored the importance of induction programmes in supporting beginner teachers’ self-efficacy in selected schools in the Thabo Mofutsanyane district. Local and international studies have shown that beginner teachers report numerous challenges, such as lack of support from their colleagues or lack of a mentor, leading to frustration and even resignation in their first years of teaching. Self-efficacy is one of the critical components of resilience, which helps beginner teachers to overcome their challenges. In 2020, a partnership in piloting an induction programme in the Free State for Strengthening beginning teachers’ professional identity: An exploratory study into the efficiency of an induction model in South Africa was formed with Ghent University, the University of the Free state, the Free State Department of Basic Education, and the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB), funded by the Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad University Development Cooperation (VLIR-UOS).The research project entailed conducting an exploratory field test of the implementation of the induction programme. The current study formed part of the main research project and mainly focused on developing or strengthening beginner teachers’ selfefficacy during the induction programme. The study, which focuses on creating or enhancing beginner teachers’ self-efficacy through a social environment, is framed on the contours of Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory. A mixed-methodology design was used to explore the success of implementing an induction programme and uncover supporting/hindering factors. The research findings indicate that beginner teachers had high levels of self-efficacy, which helped them deal with the challenges they faced in their first years of teaching. These challenges include overcrowded classrooms, administrative workload, a lack of support from the school, and the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study recommends that beginner teachers should be given proper mentorship and support by the host schools to enhance their self-efficacy.Item Open Access Facilitating learning in a 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦™ classroom: the case of the University of the Free State(University of the Free State, 2022) Liebenberg, Jacoba Danilina; Ndeya-Ndereya, C. N.Technology has been observed re-shaping higher education globally, but the speed thereof frequently outruns the capability of higher education facilitators to integrate technological tools into learning facilitation practices. Furthermore, Africa as a developing continent, often trails the rest of the world when it comes to adopting innovative technology in higher education learning facilitation. Considering both the preceding challenges the declared aim of this study was to explore how learning can be effectively facilitated in a Second Life™ classroom at an African University. Learning facilitation in Second Life™ is taking place at universities globally, but not in Africa. Therefore, there is a huge knowledge gap about learning facilitation in Second Life™ in Africa, the African learning experience in Second Life™ and learning theories specifically for learning in Second Life™. An eclectic theoretical framework was used to guide this study. It consisted of three groups of theories, namely Action Learning Action Research, the Virtual World Adjustment Theory and relevant online learning theories. The integration of these led to an adapted Virtual World Adjustment theory of learning, one of the contributions of this study. The exploration of the Second Life™ learning landscape commenced with the literature review as non-empirical research. This flowed into the empirical research of content analysis whereby a document analysis was performed on the web pages of all the higher education institutions in the world, facilitating learning in Second Life™. This yielded qualitative and quantitative data from a census of these institutions. Key features explored were namely, the geographical distribution of higher education institutions that facilitate learning in Second Life™ globally; the type of university, whether private or public; student enrolment size; the design of the classrooms; facilitation foci; and facilitation methods. These features were noted and analysed. Findings showed that most higher education institutions facilitating learning in Second Life™ are from developed continents, mainly public universities, and are of medium size in terms of student enrolment numbers. Most of these institutions still prefer facilitation methods similar to traditional classroom learning. Higher education, research, and education are the main facilitation foci in Second Life™, with classroom design leaning towards the non-traditional outlay. The study then progressed to the empirical research of the Second Life™ learning experience of students. An Action Learning Action Research-guided methodology was followed whereby a small-scale project in Second Life™ at an African university was created to explore the students’ learning experience. Voluntary convenience sampling was used to select research participants from first-year students registered for English Academic Literacy at the University of the Free State. Action Learning Action Research advanced from the planning to the preparation for the small-scale project. Thereafter, the action took place with the orientation of students, the learning facilitator and the university Information and Communication Technology (ICT) staff to render services during the project. This was followed by the learning facilitation sessions in a traditional classroom and in Second Life™. Pre- and post-test scores were recorded from the tests written by students before and after learning facilitation took place in the face-to-face and Second Life™ classrooms. After the learning facilitation sessions, a nominal group discussion was conducted with the student participants; ethnographical narratives were solicited from the students; and a reflection from the learning facilitator was collected. The resultant qualitative data from the observations, nominal group discussion and ethnographical narratives, as well as the complementing quantitative data from the test scores served the purpose of triangulation in this study. The test results from the students showed that learning happened in Second Life™. From the observations made, the students demonstrated that they acquired knowledge by interacting and debating in this domain. In the ethnographical narratives, the students commented on the learning experience that they had in Second Life™ and that learning there was neither dreary nor mundane. From the nominal group discussion, it became evident that the exploration engaged them. Also, in the discussion the reservation was expressed by the students that the ownership of devices might be the greatest factor hampering fluent learning in Second Life™. Based on the preceding findings and the reflection of the researcher, a set of markers was compiled to guide effective learning facilitation in a Second Life™ classroom at an African University. The study also contributed by proposing an adapted Virtual World Adjustment Theory. In addition, this study fills the research gap on learning facilitation in Second Life™ in the African higher education context.Item Open Access Constructing an information base on teacher targeted bullying towards policy formation(University of the Free State, 2023) Campher, Roelof Petros; Jacobs, Lynette; Reyneke, MarietteThe primary objective of this study is to develop an information database on bullying of teachers, with the aim of formulating policies to safeguard them against workplace bullying within the South African context. This study is underpinned by a theoretical framework comprising three prominent theorists, namely Habermas, Foucault, and Paulo Freire. The communicative action theory of Habermas was utilised to propose the use of language and dialogue between perpetrators of bullying and victims, in order to establish mutual understanding and consensus that could lessen or even eliminate bullying. Foucault’s theory was used to gain insights into power and knowledge, and the productive nature of power. Foucault advocates for the positive use of power and knowledge and the substitution of undesirable notions and characteristics of the effectiveness of power. He advocates for enlightenment in using power for better social functioning between the superior social class (bullies) and the inferior social class (victims). Furthermore, the study draws on Paulo Freire’s Theory of Pedagogy of the Oppressed, which is based on notions such as concern for humanisation and dehumanisation. Dehumanisation refers to the actions of the perpetrators (oppressors) of bullying, while humanisation is concerned with the recognition by bullies of their actions, and their liberation in becoming more fully human beings, hence achieving liberation. The NRV Workplace Bullying Model that I developed from my Master’s study, suggested an explanation of the phenomenon of victimisation in the workplace, elucidating the linearity and devastating consequences of victimisation, and its impacts on the well-being, productivity, and effectiveness of employees within the system. The theory sheds light on the role of government institutions and management as perpetrators of bullying, resulting in the exit of employees from the workplace. These theoretical underpinnings are imperative in framing and understanding bullying and teacher targeted bullying (TTB) within the South African context. A comprehensive scholarly literature investigation on bullying and victimisation informed the study, in order to explain the complete nature of bullying and TTB, from how it manifests to its devastating effects on victims. Past research on TTB and its impact on victims during the current COVID-19 pandemic was also examined. To comprehend the primary purpose of this study, an interrogation of the legal framework on teacher protection in schools was undertaken. This involved examining what is advocated by the South African Constitution, the South African Schools Act, Teacher Unions, School Governing Bodies, School Management, and recent cases of teacher targeted bullying in South Africa, as well as the judgements handed down. An exploratory sequential mixed methods approach was followed in this study. First, a qualitative interrogation of the South African legislative framework on teacher protection was conducted, in addition to a quantitative section that included gathering empirical quantitative data through questionnaires. An existing questionnaire from an earlier study was adapted for COVID-19 times and the data was collected from participants using the snowballing technique, with a digital link that was shared. This provided an overview of the perceptions and experiences of teachers regarding TTB. Additionally, four audio discussions were conducted to deepen the understanding of TTB and possible measures to prevent it. The research findings have revealed numerous complexities related to the exposure of teachers to TTB in schools, including their experiences and perceptions, as well as recommendations from participants on how to combat TTB. In an interview with a departmental official confirmed my premise that there is no official TTB policy in place to protect teachers. These findings, linked with the theoretical and legal frameworks, this thesis provide a comprehensive information base that can be used by the Department of Education in the formation of policies aimed at addressing TTB in schools. In my final chapter, I provide a summary of the information base and propose elements for consideration in the formulation of such a policy.