Exploring the use of collaborative learning to promote pre-service teachers’ participation in a rural university classroom

Abstract

𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 Pre-service teaching education globally is provided to equip students who wish to specialise in the relevant teaching skills and pedagogical knowledge needed to teach and learn effectively. This study aimed to explore collaborative learning strategies to promote pre-service teachers' participation in South African rural university classrooms through article publications. This study is important because universities situated in rural South Africa have been reported to face challenges due to historical, religious, political, and social marginalisation.

This study is qualitative and intended to investigate the challenges that influence pre-service teachers’ less participation, the way out of the challenges, and the threats that could hinder the implementation of the suggested solutions in rural universities. Social constructivism theory and asset-based community development were chosen to theorise while adopting participation research for the design and transformative paradigm to lens the study. Data were collected using structured interviews, focus group discussions and interest in thematic analysis.

The first article, titled: “Challenges of pre-service teachers’ classroom participation in a rurally located university in South Africa,” addresses the challenges responsible for pre-service teachers’ lack of participation in a rural university classroom. The findings based on the above discovered that lack of preparation from both lecturer and students, the use of a teacher-centred approach, difficulty in understanding the English language, teaching workload, large class size, student background and tribalism were the major challenges facing pre-service teachers’ classroom participation in a rurally located university in South Africa.

With a research objective, the second article, titled: “A veritable tool for promoting classroom participation among pre-service teachers in rural universities in South Africa,” explores the strategies that engender collaborative learning among pre-service teachers in rural university classrooms. The study revealed the think-peer-share strategy, group work strategy, micro-teaching strategy, positive feedback and encouragement, learner-centred method, and inquiry method as strategies for improving participation among pre-service teachers in rural universities.

Article three, titled: “Sustaining collaborative learning in a South African rurally located university classroom: Threats and conducive conditions,” examines the conducive conditions that could sustain collaborative learning among pre-service teachers and evaluates the threats that could hinder the implementation of the possible solutions in a rural university classroom. The findings revealed connecting activity to assessment, connecting content to students’ lives, establishing classroom culture and planning as the possible solutions. At the same time, language barriers, unconducive classrooms and the lack of infrastructure were suggested as impeding factors that could hinder the implementation of the proposed solutions in the study. ___________________________________________________________________ 𝑨𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒌𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒔 Voordiens-onderwysersopleiding word wêreldwyd gegee om studente toe te rus wat wil spesialiseer in relevante onderrigvaardighede en pedagogiese kennis wat nodig is om doeltreffend te onderrig en te leer. Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om samewerkende leerstrategieë te ondersoek om voordiens-onderwysers se deelname in Suid-Afrikaanse landelike universiteitsklaskamers te bevorder deur middel van die publikasie van artikels. Hierdie studie is belangrik omdat universiteite wat in landelike Suid-Afrika geleë is, uitdagings ervaar as gevolg van historiese, godsdienstige, politieke en sosiale marginalisering.

Hierdie studie is kwalitatief en bedoel om die uitdagings te ondersoek wat voordiensonderwysers se mindere deelname beïnvloed, die oplossing vir die uitdagings, en die bedreigings wat die implementering van die voorgestelde oplossings in landelike universiteite kan belemmer. Die sosiale konstruktivisme teorie en bate-gebaseerde gemeenskapsontwikkeling is as teorie gekies terwyl deelnamenavorsing aanvaar is vir die ontwerp en transformatiewe paradigma as die studie se lens. Data is ingesamel deur gebruik te maak van gestruktureerde onderhoude, fokusgroepbesprekings en belangstelling in tematiese ontleding. Die eerste artikel, getiteld: “Challenges of pre-service teachers’ classroom participation in a rurally located university in South Africa” (Uitdagings van voordiens-onderwysers se klaskamerdeelname in ’n landelike universiteit in Suid-Afrika), spreek die uitdagings aan wat verantwoordelik is vir voordiens-onderwysers se gebrek aan deelname in ’n landelike universiteitsklaskamer.

Die bevindinge, gebaseer op bogenoemde, het ontdek dat ’n gebrek aan voorbereiding van beide dosent en studente, die gebruik van ’n onderwysergesentreerde benadering, probleme om Engels te verstaan, onderrigwerklading, groot klasse, studente-agtergrond en stambewustheid die groot uitdagings was vir voordiens-onderwysers se klaskamerdeelname aan ’n landelike universiteit in Suid-Afrika. ondersoek Die navorsingsdoelwit van die tweede artikel, getiteld: “A veritable tool for promoting classroom participation among pre-service teachers in rural universities in South Africa” (’n Hulpmiddel vir die bevordering van klaskamerdeelname onder voordiens-onderwysers in landelike universiteite in Suid-Afrika), is om die strategieë te ondersoek wat samewerkende leer onder voordiens-onderwysers in landelike universiteitsklaskamers teweegbring. Die studie het die dink-paar-deel-assessering, groepwerkstrategie, mikro-onderrigstrategie, positiewe terugvoer en aanmoediging, leerdergesentreerde metode en ondersoekmetode aan die lig gebring as strategieë vir die verbetering van deelname onder voordiens-onderwysers in landelike universiteite.

Artikel drie, getiteld: “Sustaining collaborative learning in a South African rurally located university classroom: Threats and conducive conditions” (Behoud van samewerkende leer in ’n Suid-Afrikaanse landelike universiteitsklaskamer: Bedreigings en bevorderlike omstandighede), ondersoek die gunstige toestande wat samewerkende leer onder voordiens-onderwysers kan onderhou en evalueer die bedreigings wat die implementering van die moontlike oplossings in ’n landelike universiteitsklaskamer kan belemmer. Die bevindinge het aan die lig gebring dat moontlike oplossings is om aktiwiteite met assessering te verbind, deur lesinginhoud aan studente se lewens te koppel en klaskamerkultuur en beplanning te vestig. Terselfdertyd is taalhindernisse, ongunstige klaskamers en die gebrek aan infrastruktuur voorgestel as faktore wat die implementering van die voorgestelde oplossings in die studie kan belemmer. ___________________________________________________________________ 𝑺𝒆𝑺𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒐 Thuto ya tshebetso e tlang pele ho mosebetsi wa ho ruta lefatshe ka bophara e fumantshwa bakeng sa ho matlafatsa baithuti ba lakatsang ho ipabola ka makgabane a loketseng a ho ruta le tsebo ya mekgwa e hlokehang bakeng sa ho ruta le ho ithuta hantle. Diphuputso tsena di reretswe ho lekola mawala a akaretsang a ho ithuta bakeng sa ho phahamisa seabo sa matitjhere mosebetsing o etswang pele ba ruta diphaposing tsa borutelo tsa diyunivesithi tsa Afrika Borwa tsa mahaeng. Thuto ena e bohlokwa hobane diyunivesithi tse mahaeng Afrika Borwa ho boletswe hore di teana le diqholotso ka lebaka la kgethollo e susumetswang ke nalane, bodumedi, dipolotiki, le maemo setjhabeng. Diphuputso tsena ke tse lekolang boleng mme di ikemiseditse ho fuputsa diqholotso tse susumetsang bonyane ba seabo sa mosebetsi oo matitjhere a o etsang pele ba ruta., tsela ya ho qoba diqholotso tsena, le ditshitiso tse ka thibelang phethahatso ya ditharollo tse hlahisitsweng diyunivesithing tsa mahae. Lewa la mohopolo wa setjhaba le ntshetsopele e thehilweng ho disebediswa tsa setjhaba di kgethetswe ho bopa kakanyo hodima tshebediso ya diphuputso tsa seabo bakeng sa ho rala le ho kutlwisiso ya phetolo ho lekodisisa diphuputso.

Athikele ya pele, eo sehlooho sa yona e leng: “Diqholotso tsa seabo sa matitjhere a so qale ho sebetsa diphaposing tsa ho rutela diyunivesithing tsa mahaeng tsa Afrika Borwa,” e bua ka diqholotso tse bakang hore matitjhere a so ka a qala ho sebetsa, a se be le seabo se sekaalo diyunivesithing tsa mahae. Diphihlello di itshetlehile hodima se fumanweng e le kgaello ya boitlhophiso ya barupelli le baithuti, tshebediso ya mekgwa e ikamahanyang le titjhere feela, bothata ba ho utlwisisa puo ya English, bongata ba mosebetsi wa ho ruta, boholo ba dihlopha tse rutwang, nalane ya moithuti le kgethollo ya morabe, ke tsona diqholotso tse kgolo tse tobileng ho nka karolo ha matitjhere, pele ho tshebetso phaposing ya borutelo yunivesithing e fumanehang mahaeng Afrika Borwa. Ka sepheo sa diphuputso, athikele ya bobedi, eo sehlooho sa yona e leng: “Sesebediswa sa sebele sa ho ntshetsa pele ho nka karolo ha matitjhere a pele ho tshebetso diyunivesithing tsa mahaeng Afrika Borwa”, se hlahloba maano a hlahisang thuto e kopanetsweng hara matitjhere a pele ho tshebetso diyunivesithing tsa mahaeng. Diphuputso di senotse mawala a ho nahana le ho arolelana mehopolo le bomphato, mawala a mosebetsi wa sehlopha, mawala a ho ruta o ipapisitse le dikgatiso tsa dithuto tse fetileng, maikutlo a matle le kgothatso, mokgwa o shebaneng le moithuti, le mokgwa wa dipatlisiso e le mawala a ho ntlafatsa bonkakarolo ba matitjhere pele ho tshebetso diyunivesithing tsa mahaeng.

Athikele ya boraro, sehlooho: “Ho boloka thuto e kopanetsweng ka phaposing ya borutelo ya yunivesithi e mahaeng ya Afrika Borwa: Ditshoso le maemo a loketseng,” e hlahloba maemo a loketseng a ka bolokang thuto e kopanetsweng hara matitjhere pele ho tshebetso mme e lekola ditshitiso tse ka sitisang ho sebediswa ha ditharollo tse ka bang teng ka phaposing ya borutelo ya yunivesithi ya mahaeng. Diphuputso di senotse hore ho hokahanya mosebetsi le tlhahlobo, ho hokahanya dikahare tsa serutwa le bophelo ba baithuti, ho theha moetlo wa ka phaposing ya borutelo ho rala ke ditharollo tse ka sebetsang. Ka nako e tshwanang, ho ile ha hlahiswa maikutlo a hore ditshitiso tsa puo, diphaposi tsa borutelo tse seng maemong a loketseng, le ho haella ha meaho, ke tsona dintho tse ka sitisang ho phethahatswa ha ditharollo tse hlahisitsweng diphuputsong tsena. ___________________________________________________________________ 𝑰𝒔𝒊𝒁𝒖𝒍𝒖 Imfundo yokuqeqeshela umsebenzi wokufundisa emhlabeni wonke ihlinzekwa ukuhlomisa abafundi abafisa ukufunda ngokukhethekile amakhono okufundisa afanele nolwazi lokufundisa oludingekayo ukuze kufundwe futhi kufundiswe ngempumelelo. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuhlola amasu okufunda ngokubambisana ukuze kugqugquzelwe ukubamba iqhaza kothisha abasengabafundi abaqeqeshelwa umsebenzi wokufundisa emakilasini amanyuvesi asemakhaya aseNingizimu Afrikha ngokushicilelwa kwama-athikili. Lolu cwaningo lubalulekile ngoba amanyuvesi asemakhaya eNingizimu Afrikha kubikwe ukuthi abhekana nezinselelo ngenxa yokucwaswa ngokomlando, ezenkolo, ezombusazwe kanye nezenhlalo. Lolu cwaningo luyikhwalithethivu futhi luhloselwe ukuphenya izinselelo ezinomthelela ekubambeni iqhaza okuncane kothisha abasengabafundi abaqeqeshelwa umsebenzi wokufundisa, indlela yokunqoba izinselelo, kanye nezinto ezingase zithiye ukuqaliswa kwezixazululo eziphakanyisiwe emanyuvesi asemakhaya. Kusetshenziswe injulalwazi isocial constructivism kanye nokuthuthukiswa komphakathi okusekelwe empahleni njengenjulalwazi yocwaningo, ngesikhathi futhi esebenzisa ucwaningo olubamba iqhaza kanye nepharadayimu eguquguqukayo ukubheka ucwaningo.

Ulwazi luqoqwe ngokusebenzisa izingxoxo ezihleliwe, izingxoxo zamaqoqo acwaningwayo kanye nentshisekelo kuhlaziyo ngokwengqikithi. I-athikili yokuqala, esihloko sithi: “Challenges of pre-service teachers’ classroom participation in a rurally located university in South Africa,” ikhuluma ngezinselelo ezibangela ukuthi othisha abasengabafundi abaqeqeshelwa umsebenzi wokufundisa babambe iqhaza elincane emakilasini enyuvesi yasemakhaya. Imiphumela esekelwe kulokhu okungenhla ithole ukuthi ukungazilungiseleli kothisha nabafundi, ukusetshenziswa kwendlela yokufundisa egxile kuthisha, ubunzima bokuqonda ulimi lwesiNgisi, ubuningi bomsebenzi wokufundisa, ubukhulu bekilasi, imumva lomfundi kanye nobuzwe kwakuyizinselelo ezinkulu ezibhekene nokuthi othisha abasengabafundi abaqeqeshelwa umsebenzi wokufundisa babambe iqhaza elincane emakilasini enyuvesi yasemakhaya yaseNingizimu Afrikha. Ngenjongo yocwaningo, i-athikili yesibili, esihloko sithi: “A veritable tool for promoting classroom participation among pre-service teachers in rural universities in South Africa,” ibheka amasu akhuthaza ukufunda ngokubambisana phakathi kwabafundi abaqeqeshelwa umsebenzi wokufundisa emakilasini amanyuvesi asemakhaya. Lolu cwaningo lwembule isu lokufunda ngokuthi umfundi aqale azicabangele yedwa impendulo ngaphambi kokuxoxa nozakwabo, isu lokusebenza ngamaqembu, isu lokufundisa okuncane, ukunika abafundi impendulo eyakhayo nokubakhuthaza, indlela yokufundisa egxile kubafundi, kanye nezindlela zokubuza njengamasu okuthuthukisa ukubamba iqhaza kothisha abasengabafundi abaqeqeshelwa umsebenzi wokufundisa emakilasini amanyuvesi asemakhaya.

I-athikili yesithathu, esihloko sithi: “Sustaining collaborative learning in a South African rurally located university classroom: Threats and conducive conditions,” ihlola izimo ezivumayo ezingagcina ukufunda ngokubambisana phakathi kothisha abasangamafunda abasaqeqeshelwa umsebenzi wokufundisa futhi ihlola izinto ezingase zithiye ukuqaliswa kwezixazululo ezingabakhona ekilasini lenyuvesi yasemakhaya. Okutholakele kuveze ukuxhumana komsebenzi nokuhlola, ukuxhumanisa okufundwayo nezimpilo zabafundi, ukusungula isiko lekilasi nokuhlela njengezixazululo ezingasetshenziswa. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kuye kwaphakanyiswa izingqinamba zolimi, amakilasi angekho esimeni esihle kanye nokuntuleka kwengqalasizinda njengezithiyo ezingase zithiye ukuqaliswa kwezixazululo ezihlongozwayo ocwaningweni. ___________________________________________________________________