Wits School of Education (ETDs)

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Browsing Wits School of Education (ETDs) by Author "Mushayikwa, Emmanuel"

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    An assessment of online learning materials on cumulative knowledge building in chemical reactions at Grade 10 through the lens of Legitimation Code Theory (LCT): A case study of Mindset videos
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Jambaya, Tenson; Radebe, Nomfundo; Mushayikwa, Emmanuel
    The Professional Teaching Standards (PTS) in South African schools have established cumulative knowledge building as the core of teachers’ work. However, cumulative knowledge building is still an understudied field. The main aim of this research is to explore the effectiveness of Mindset videos as a teaching intervention to assist learners in grade 10, in order to develop adequate understanding of the concepts found in the topic of chemical reactions in Chemistry. Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) was used as a conceptual framework, with a specific focus on Semantic Density (SD) and Semantic Gravity (SG). The study employed a qualitative case study approach as this study used non-numerical data of the Mindset videos on chemical reactions which was interpreted and analysed in terms of how some chemical reactions concepts were taught. It also adopted a case study exploratory research design, a method established to explore a phenomenon that has not been researched or adequately explained before like the LCT and Mindset videos. Pre-recorded Mindset video observations served as the primary data collection method whereby two Mindset videos were observed and transcribed. The research sampling used in this study is a purposive sampling method. This is because the researcher understands the case explored in this study and therefore it is crucial to handpick the sample matching characteristics required for this research topic. The researcher had to pick two Mindset videos on chemical reactions purposively as the aim was to study the Mindset (and not any other types of videos) on chemical reactions to study them and make conclusions about the findings. In this study, data analysis involved observing two electronic documents, the two Mindset videos and interpreting them to answer the three research questions. Thus, document analysis, a form of qualitative research that uses a systematic procedure to analyse documentary evidence and answer specific research questions, was the approach to data analysis. The study’s main findings revealed that Mindset videos are presented in a way that is accessible to learners and may reduce abstractness of concepts especially in the topic of chemical reactions. In this way, the Mindset videos are as good as conventional teaching, but they have the advantage of being supplementary to classroom teaching. After a grade 10 learner has been taught chemical reactions at school, s/he can supplement this with a Mindset video on the same topic. The Mindset videos are also helpful during learner non-contact times such as the COVID 19 lockdowns where learners were supposed to learn at home thereby contributing significantly to cumulative knowledge building. Possible future studies on this study could include studying the effect of Mindset on learners who watch them as supplementary to the contact lessons on using performance tests. The other possible future study may include comparison of Mindset on chemical reactions as online methods in comparison to contact lessons on the same topic of chemical reactions. Can also compare effectiveness of Mindset videos and other companies produced videos on chemical reactions.
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    An investigation of challenges experienced by Physical Sciences novice teachers when teaching Electric circuits in Grade 10 science classrooms: A case of Johannesburg North District schools
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-10) Nkuna, Hlayisani Tracy; Stephen, Mmapaseka; Mushayikwa, Emmanuel
    The National Senior Certificate (NSC) diagnostic reports over the years have shown that learners perform poorly in electric circuits in the Grade 12 Physical sciences final examinations. This has raised concerns to identify the underlying reasons behind this. The learners’ performance is often linked to the teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. This study sought to understand the challenges that physical sciences novice teachers experience when teaching electric circuits in Grade 10 as well as the factors that contribute to these challenges. In understanding the challenges experienced by the novice teachers, this study was underpinned by Bhaskar’s (1978) theory on Critical Realism as a theoretical framework to reveal the teachers’ challenges in relation to their content and pedagogical knowledge. In conjunction to this, the study was guided by Archers’ (1995) constructs of the Social Realist Theory. The two theoretical frameworks were used to analyse the data, using stratified levels of reality from critical realism and analytical dualism from the social realist theory as an analytical tool. Employed in this study was the qualitative case study research design. The data was collected through twenty online questionnaires and five individual online semi-structured interviews with physical sciences novice teachers from the schools in the Johannesburg North district. These instruments were used to provide an in-depth account of the challenges experienced by the novice teachers and their contributing factors. The study found that the novice teachers experienced challenges with the lack of specialized resources such as fully functional laboratories and content related challenges, such as misconceptions, gate-keeping concepts and teacher centred approaches. The findings also revealed that despite being technologically oriented themselves. The findings also revealed that the novice teachers experienced challenges with the use of ICT in their teaching of electric circuits, owing to a variety of reasons related to the context of the school, their pre-service training as well as general beliefs about ICT. The study recommends that teacher training programmes should perhaps look into firstly, teaching the pre-service teachers more on how to improvise, given that most schools lack resources and secondly, the methodology courses need to consider focusing on how to equip the teachers with the correct conceptions of the main concepts of electric circuits in order to minimise the misconception perpetuated by the novice teachers as well as build they confidence in the instruction of electric circuits. The rationale for this study was on the grounds that there is not much physical science education research clearly accounting for the challenges experienced by the novice teachers post the millennial generation and the COVID-19 pandemic. This study provides ground for other researchers to explore the nature of science teaching with this current generation (generation Z). The findings from the research study reveal that the current generation experience challenges beyond content knowledge, such as a short attention span. In light of this finding, this study suggests that future research should be aimed at incorporating the technological aspect of teaching in science topics in order to make the science topics interesting and relevant to the learners.
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    Rethinking Physical Science Practical Work in the remote teaching and learning context: A case of a South African University
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-10) Mashaphu, Tshegofatso; Zulu, Sphamandla I.; Mushayikwa, Emmanuel
    This study focuses on exploring pedagogical and learning practices and approaches to practical work in the remote teaching and learning context. The aim was to investigate the physics practical work under remote teaching and learning conditions given that the practical work is traditionally laboratory based. The study used Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) and Vygotsky’s concept of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). This case study generated its data through the analysis of practical work manual documents and individual semi-structured interviews with participants. The participants included a physics education lecturer, a physics education specialist who was the consultant in charge of creating practical work manuals for remote practical work, 3 laboratory demonstrators, and 3 pre-service teachers. The findings of this study revealed that physics practical work was conducted in the form of kitchen-table experiments to give a sense of hands-on practical work to pre-service teachers. Also, in the remote teaching and learning context, the designed practical work presented some Challenges for teaching and learning, even though opportunities were also imminent with this approach. Moreover, the findings indicate that several factors influenced the design, implementation and learning of the practical work. Such factors included network connectivity, limited availability/access of the recommended simple materials, and the preservice teachers’ willingness to actively participate in the practical work sessions on the WhatsApp platform and lastly the findings suggested that the use of digital technologies was central to both teaching and learning practical work under the remote context.