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Item A critical review of academic practice and integrated edtech use at a South African University: The ‘real’ level(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-06) Hoosen, Nazira; Agherdien, Najma; Abrahams, LucienneThis study aimed to investigate and understand how academics’ digital competence and critical digital pedagogy (CDP) knowledge shaped pedagogical practice. Freire (1970), Bhaskar (1978), Archer (1995) and Shulman (1987) were the main authors drawn upon in the literature. A qualitative research paradigm and a multiple case study methodology were employed by drawing on critical realism (CR) and social realism (SR) as a theoretical analytical framework. This entailed exploring structural, cultural and agential emergent properties to examine how each construct developed over time prior to synthesis. The analysis demonstrated that the form of agential mediation to which academics were exposed explained why some of them in the same social structures and culture enacted CDP practices, while others did not. Consequently, three crucial dimensions of CDP knowledge and enactment were made visible through this study’s data and theoretical analytical framework, namely digitally-enabling structures, digitally-informed cultures and digitally-capable agency. From a pragmatic perspective, to enact CDP practice, academics need to connect the digital reality to knowledge work and epistemic practice. In this process, academic agency and digital agency would intersect, requiring reflexive and reflective practice. However, while reflection assists in recognising the need for CDP knowledge and enactment, it is insufficient on its own: embodied action and mindful critique of the world are required. From a theoretical perspective, the concept of ‘critical’, in the literature, is related mainly to the level of social relations. This study demonstrated that there is a socio-cultural stratum and a psychological-cognitive stratum. Both these strata need to be considered as mechanisms that interact with each other to produce the outcomes of CDP practice within a digital reality. Collectively, these contributions do not translate to accepting the digital reality as a predestination. Instead, it highlighted that academics functioned in a layered HE system that required, not a singular, but a unified and pluralistic (collective) vision. Individuals and institutions are limited in their capacity to respond proactively to external change and internal complexity. Therefore, the HE system requires a rerouting from the traditional path, critically reframing learning and teaching through transformative foresight, where all parts within the system work co-terminously. One significant outcome of this study is a developmental higher education systems thinking framework focusing on the promotion of CDP practices.Item A Deep Divide in South African Art Music: Locating the Voice of the Performer(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-07) Nay, Malcom; Olwage, GrantThis essay traces the origins of a “deep divide” (Fokkens 2014: 8) that developed between two central figures in the South African compositional world, originally in the 1980s around accusations of the cultural appropriation of African music. The conflict became entrenched amongst composers, musicologists and performers and has pervaded much of the research and dialogue that has taken place in the intervening years. This came to a head when a selection of South African composers was selected to present works to be performed at a concert at the Juilliard School in New York in 2014. The ensuing fallout characterised the vicious nature of the musical aspersions that eventually degenerated into direct personal conflict. My role as a performer, during this time, had to take into account this unpleasant environment as I had direct interactions with many of the figures involved, often working towards performances and recordings of their music. In more recent times, support for the arts in South Africa has declined significantly serving to intensify the struggle for access to funding, resources, and performance opportunities, exacerbated by a diminishing government mandate for general arts support and the devastating impact of Covid-19. The essay recounts an in-depth personal narrative and performance analysis of my experience when preparing Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph’s Pendulum for Piano and Orchestra (2010). It finds that while an ideal philosophical approach to preparing a performance is commendable, it is not always achievable when confronted with the practical realities of a musical performance.Item A Happier Life Through Sad Mode - Designing Automated Players for Single Player Games(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-06) Chola, Saili; Reid, Kieran; Du Preez, KirstenSolo games are a keystone of tabletop board gaming for players and designers alike. While they are numerous and enjoyed by many members of the community, there is a noticeable lack of clarity and exploration of what principles make these games uniquely interactive and enjoyable experiences for players. This project responds to this inadequacy through the development of a playable game and a research report. The game demonstrates and tests the virtues of solo game play mechanics while the report expands and discusses the interpretable results and qualities of said solo game mechanics.Item A social realist perspective of academic advising in a South African higher education context: a study of practices and practitioners(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) De Klerk, DanieThe South African higher education sector has numerous challenges to contend with. Students' prospects of success are often vulnerable to uneven secondary schooling, structural and material constraints, massification of the sector, and a range of other factors. In this thesis, I argue that academic advising has the potential to help find responsive and sustainable solutions to address these challenges. Academic advising is well established in the global north. In contrast, it remains an emerging field of practice in South Africa, with a dearth of literature about how advising is developed and practiced within the country’s unique higher education context. This thesis aims to contribute to the limited knowledge base about advising as a practice and the work of academic advisors as practitioners in South Africa. The study provides a social realist perspective of the emergence of advising within a South African higher education context. It draws on Margaret Archer’s work on structure, culture, and agency, the morphogenetic approach, and the notion of stratified layers of social reality to analyse data, make inferences, and draw conclusions. This is a qualitative study that adopts a mixed methods approach. The research paradigm is phenomenological, while phenomenographic principles are used selectively to advance the objectives of the study. The data that informs the study consists of a quantitative baseline dataset and qualitative data collected through semi structured interviews with 15 academic advisors working at the University of the Witwatersrand. As this is a PhD by publication, the thesis consists of four interconnected papers (i.e., chapters), bookended by introduction and conclusion chapters. The first paper provides insights about advising as gleaned from the baseline data, while the second draws on the same data to highlight the impact of students’ structural and material constraints on the work of academic advisors. Papers three and four use interview data to glean academic advisor insights about advising prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. The thesis concludes by highlighting the transformative potential of academic advising for South African higher education yet cautions that a major shift in the way advising is perceived and practiced is required for its potential to be realized.Item A social realist perspective of academic advising in a South African higher education context: A study of practices and practitioners(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) De Klerk, Danie; Dison, LauraThe South African higher education sector has numerous challenges to contend with. Students' prospects of success are often vulnerable to uneven secondary schooling, structural and material constraints, massification of the sector, and a range of other factors. In this thesis, I argue that academic advising has the potential to help find responsive and sustainable solutions to address these challenges. Academic advising is well established in the global north. In contrast, it remains an emerging field of practice in South Africa, with a dearth of literature about how advising is developed and practiced within the country’s unique higher education context. This thesis aims to contribute to the limited knowledge base about advising as a practice and the work of academic advisors as practitioners in South Africa. The study provides a social realist perspective of the emergence of advising within a South African higher education context. It draws on Margaret Archer’s work on structure, culture, and agency, the morphogenetic approach, and the notion of stratified layers of social reality to analyse data, make inferences, and draw conclusions. This is a qualitative study that adopts a mixed methods approach. The research paradigm is phenomenological, while phenomenographic principles are used selectively to advance the objectives of the study. The data that informs the study consists of a quantitative baseline dataset and qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 academic advisors working at the University of the Witwatersrand. As this is a PhD by publication, the thesis consists of four interconnected papers (i.e., chapters), bookended by introduction and conclusion chapters. The first paper provides insights about advising as gleaned from the baseline data, while the second draws on the same data to highlight the impact of students’ structural and material constraints on the work of academic advisors. Papers three and four use interview data to glean academic advisor insights about advising prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. The thesis concludes by highlighting the transformative potential of academic advising for South African higher education yet cautions that a major shift in the way advising is perceived and practiced is required for its potential to be realised.Item Academic anxiety and a micro-online intervention for enhancing psychological capital(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022-06) Rambau, Karabo Fellicia; Siemers, IanThis study investigates the effectiveness of a Psychological Capital (PsyCap) intervention in reducing students’ levels of academic anxiety. In essence, the current study focuses on academic anxiety with the aim of investigating whether a PsyCap intervention is able to reduce students’ perceptions of academic anxiety. Regarding this, the current study also aims to enhance students’ levels of PsyCap so that students can be able to cope with academic anxiety. This study also utilised the Conservation of Resources (CoR) model to frame the relationship between PsyCap and academic anxiety by arguing that the accumulation of personal resources (i.e., PsyCap) could act as a buffer and reduce the experience of academic anxiety among students. It is of paramount importance that students are equipped with the necessary resources or skills that are needed in order to survive and excel within higher education. This is because being a university student can come with countless challenges that are sometimes unbearable. Regarding this, Rehman (2016) have argued that students entering the higher education system often come across numerous issues such as, academic anxiety, academic stress, academic depression, as well as socio-economic hardships. The lack of research regarding enhancing students’ PsyCap in order to help them cope with academic anxiety has motivated the researcher to engage in this topic. In engaging in this topic, the current study adopted a positive psychology approach which focuses on individual’s strengths and capabilities. This study employed a quantitative quasi-experimental research design. Additionally, a non-probability, convenience sampling technique was utilised. Data was collected using a questionnaire, the questionnaire consisted of a self-developed demographic questionnaire, the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ) (Luthans, Avolio, Avey, & Norman, 2007; Luthans, Youssef, & Avolio, 2007), and the Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS) (Cassady, Pierson & Starling, 2019). The final sample (N=110) consisted of first year Psychology students from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in South Africa. Results of the current study confirm the effectiveness of the PsyCap intervention in enhancing students’ level of PsyCap. This implies that the intervention was effective in enhancing students’ PsyCap. Nonetheless, the intervention was not effective in reducing students’ levels of academic anxiety. The results of the current study also indicated that PsyCap and academic anxiety are related. In this case, a significant, negative relationship was found between PsyCap overall and academic anxiety, in Time 0, Time 1, and in Time 2. The results of the current study were discussed in relation to previous literature and previous research.Item Adolescents’ identity development through literature: A study of pedagogy and canon in the Grade 11 English FAL poetry classroom(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-10) Mavhiza, Grace; Nkealah, NaomiThe aim of this study was to analyse the effect of pedagogy and canon on adolescents’ identity development in the Grade 11 English First Additional Language (FAL) poetry classroom. Despite the well-documented benefits of poetry (Femer, 2003; Pushpa & Savaedi, 2014; Antika, 2017), this study identified the problem that poetry is not realising its potential as a subject in the schools in relation to the identity development of adolescents. The school is a place where adolescents spend much of their time and there are many factors which shape adolescents’ identities within the school context. This qualitative study focused on pedagogy and canon among these many factors. The study was designed as a dual case study and set up within the interpretivism paradigm which allowed different interpretations of the data about the effect of pedagogy and canon on adolescents’ development. The complexity of the study meant a dual focused theoretical framework. Thus, the study used a combination of the theories of identity development by Erik Erikson (1963; 1968) and critical pedagogy by Paulo Freire (1970). Purposive sampling was used to identify the cases for this study. The two schools selected happen to be within Ekurhuleni District. In one school the teacher applied traditional pedagogy while in the other school the teacher employed the modern pedagogy which included multimodality, multiliteracies and new literacies. Qualitative data was collected using three tools, namely, participant observation, questionnaire, and reflective journals. Descriptive and thematic analyses of data were conducted, and the results show that there are limitations and affordances of both the traditional and modern pedagogies. In relation to the impact of the poetry pedagogy and canon on adolescents’ identity development in the Grade 11 English FAL poetry classroom, key findings reveal that traditional pedagogy takes away adolescents’ opportunities to explore their personal identities. In addition, the modern pedagogy is preferable among the Grade 11 English FAL poetry adolescents who participated in this study. The study concluded that the current Grade 11 English FAL poetry canon is alienated from the lives of adolescents who participated in this research. Learners yearn for new poetry which speaks to their daily experiences.Item Affordances of Digital Simulations in Training Wastewater Treatment Practicals for Process Controllers in Technical Vocational Education and Training Institutions(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-11) Maluleke, Makhawukani Xilavi Dawn; Mbatha, Khanyisile; Ndlovu, Nokulunga S.In South Africa, Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions train process controllers in various training programmes that rely on on-the-job training at wastewater treatment plants. TVET institutions are urged to include ICT into all training practises, which may necessitate curriculum updates and adjustments. The aim of this study determined how the WEST simulator can be used to enhance practical training for wastewater process controllers. This study followed a qualitative research approach and a thematic data analysis technique. In their perceptions, the participants recognised the teaching and learning affordances of the simulator such as replication of the process overview and problem-solving abilities. The study found that the participants were able to construct a comprehensive WWTP utilising WEST simulation, indicating that the affordances can be replicated and designed in actual situations. Although the WEST simulator offers various affordances, this research found a few minor limitations with its use, such as the computer requirements, which required a RAM speed of 1500 MHz Based on the findings, it is recommended that facilitators should have skills and knowledge in the field to perceive affordances, and their existence and to actualise them to apply them in practical training online.Item An analysis of domain-specific terminology for pedagogical lexicographic resources: towards a comprehensive english isizulu life sciences dictionary(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-02) Dladla, Celimpilo Piety; Zungu, E.B.This thesis examined the structure of published dictionaries as a foundation for creating guidelines for developing a domain-specific lexicographic resource in an African language. The resource developed in the study is directed at Grade 10 to 12 learners as a remedy for the absence of domain-specific lexicographic resources for senior phase learners whose mother tongue was previously marginalised. Subjects are taught in a second language despite the language policy of the Department of Basic Education stating that learners and their guardians are at liberty to choose their language of education (Diko, 2018). The unavailability of these resources deprives potential users of the opportunity of having a choice to use reference material in their home language to understand crucial educational material. This limits their ability to achieve the results they would have had if they had the opportunity of learning in their mother tongue (Osborne & Collins, 2001; Mji & Makgato, 2006). Dictionaries have been identified as assistive resources in increasing learners’ understanding of educational concepts (Ranalli & Nurmukhamedov, 2014; Charamba, 2017). Subsequently, this thesis employed the theory of lexicographic functions to develop guidelines for the development of a bilingualised Life Sciences dictionary in isiZulu with English serving as the source language, as users need the information in English in class and in their examinations. This qualitative study garnered data by means of content analysis of existing English-Zulu bilingual dictionaries by examining their structure and function, as a foundation for developing guidelines for the new resource and the ultimate compilation of the resource. Further, the study interrogated the Life Sciences glossary from prescribed Grade 10 to 12 Life Sciences books from the Department of Basic Education and extracted terminology from these resources. Terminology was then translated into isiZulu employing translation strategies applicable in lexicography as this was not a translation exercise but a lexicographic exercise. Nkomo (2019) asserts that most lexicographic practices had been mistaken for a translation exercise because lexicographic theories are often not employed. For this reason, the study employed the theory of lexicographic functions – studying the needs of users, the user situation and the function of a dictionary (Tarp, 2004; 2008; 2012) to create a dictionary development guideline and additionally, produce a digital dictionary to be made available in a freely downloadable form for use and availability to all users. The dictionary developed was analysed according to guidelines set by Ball and Bothma (2018) for analysing digital dictionaries.Item 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, EmmanuelThe 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.Item An Ecofeminist Reading of Hadestown: The Myth, The Muscial(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-03) Vos, Abigail; Somma, DonatoHadestown: The Myth, the Musical has merged two ancient love stories and has presented these stories within a world riddled with environmental damage. The four main characters (Orpheus, Eurydice, Persephone, and Hades) are influenced by the environment in various ways. Persephone acts as the goddess of the natural world and therefore is nature’s ambassador. Hades, the king of the Underworld, has become an industrial mogul and has inadvertently damaged the earth with his industrial kingdom. As a result, Eurydice is left to suffer these consequences and faces poverty and hunger because of the environmental imbalance that engulfs her. Orpheus, in response, attempts to write a song that will bring balance to the world once more. Our characters are situated within an environmentalist fable; therefore, the musical’s narrative centres around how these characters interact with the environment. The music of Hadestown has been carefully selected in an eclectic way. Jazz, folk, musical theatre, and opera have all had various influences on the musical world of the show. This influence is not simply limited to the score, but the histories of these genres bleed into the work. Folk and jazz both carry profound messages of struggle and protest with them, and therefore the use of these genres aids in the environmentalist activism presented in the musical. These genres and their social and geographical histories are layered into Hadestown. The musical allows for deep character analysis and textual analysis through the writing of Anaïs Mitchell. In this research, I will present an analysis of the lyrics of Hadestown to present the embedded themes of environmentalism, anti-capitalism, and anti-industrialism. My analysis will present how the pained Earth and Her inhabitants reflect the pain endured by the Global South, specifically by women. Impoverished women in third-world countries face most environmental consequences accompanying the Global North’s incessant need for more. This effect is portrayed in the lives of Eurydice and Persephone. An ecofeminist framework will be applied to the work as Persephone exhibits inherent ecofeminist traits. Hadestown presents its audience with a mirror of the world they live in and ask its audience what it will do about it.Item 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, EmmanuelThe 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.Item An investigation of Grade 6 learners’ conceptual understanding of task words and subject terminology in Natural Science and Technology formative assessments on the topic ‘Electric circuits’(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-09) Soloman, Bridgette; Padayachee, Kershree; Mandikonza, CalebThe purpose of this study was to gain insights into grade 6 learners conceptual understanding of the task words (used in Bloom’s taxonomy) and key words (subject terminology) in the subject Natural Science and Technology (NST). This study was motivated by wanting to understand whether the possible cause of learners’ poor performance in assessments was due to their lack of understanding of assessment questions. This was investigated through a case study conducted on 101 grade six learners at a South African primary school. Learners wrote a written test on the topic: electric circuits which was subsequently marked using a memo. Based on their scores obtained 14 learners were selected and grouped into 4 focus groups based on high, average, low scores, and a mixed group. The focus group discussions explore what were learners interpretations of the task words and subject terminology used in formative assessments. The transcripts were analysed both deductively and inductively. The data analysis revealed that grade 6 learners do not conceptually understand the task words and subject terminology used in NST formative assessments. The findings revealed that learners’ interpretations depended on their understanding of either the task word or subject terminology, that the different meanings of words in colloquial English compared to academic language influenced their understanding of words, and that learners did not know how to approach assessment questions. The implication of this study is that NST teachers need to both tap into learner prior knowledge and collaborate with English teachers to assist learners understand assessment questions. The recommendation is that more time needs to be allocated for teaching task words and subject terminologies.Item An investigation of how a lecturer uses discussion to promote meaning making during the teaching of the topic of Excretion to 3rd year preservice Life Sciences teachers(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-10) Nyaloku, Malebo; Mandikonza, CalebThis study seeks to investigate how a lecturer uses discussion to promote meaning making during the teaching of the topic of Excretion to 3rd year preservice Life Sciences teacher. The process of meaning making includes how people understand and make sense of the content. Qualitative research was conducted to investigate how a lecturer uses discussion to promote meaning making. In this study, I used an interview and observations of video-recorded lectures on Excretion. The participant in this study is a Life Sciences lecturer at the university of the Witwatersrand. Data analysis involved watching the video-recorded lectures, transcribing them and coding transcripts to identify how discussion was used to promote meaning making and having a semi-structured interview with the lecturer responsible for teaching Excretion to 3rd year preservice teachers. The findings from this study shows that discussion promotes meaning making when students engage with the lecturer, the teaching and learning materials and with other students, which allows them to share ideas and make meaning of the intended knowledge.Item Applying critical literacy theory to examine English Further Education and Training short story textbooks(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Sekgobela, Adolph; Nkealah, NaomiTextbook authors have worked hard over the years to produce quality work. However, it has been a challenge in South African basic education to use these textbooks to train learners to be critical thinkers, which means that learners struggle to cope when they reach higher education. Basic education assesses basic knowledge, without learners themselves being challenged to engage creatively with content and interpret it through a critical lens. This study researched on three short story textbooks, namely Fabulous, Short Story Anthology and Changes using the qualitative method. These are short story textbooks used in public schools in South Africa, as part of English First Additional Language subject content. Purposive sampling was used to make selection of short stories. Within each book, the Department of Basic Education prescribed eight stories for learning. This study selected two of the eight prescribed stories from each book, making six short stories selected for the research. These stories were analysed with their activities against critical literacy theory. It was found that short story activities, especially those studied in Grade 11 and 12, do not assist learners to develop skills such as problem-solving, creative writing, and critical literacy, and that the Grade 10 stories do in some instances promote critical literacy skills development. On the whole, it was found that all short stories limit learners from being creative beings who are able to rewrite, rethink and reconstruct the world around them.Item Articulating Embedded Choreographies: Implicit Knowledges As/And Choreographic Strategies(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Snyman, Johannes Hendrik Bailey; Ravengai, SamuelThis thesis ‘looks back’ to ‘look forward’. I start with the assertion that there is a deficiency of choreographers documenting their processes that emerge in the laboratory. Using mixed methods this thesis focuses on embodied autoethnography to find a means to document and articulate my research and creative process. The first part of this research contextualises choreographic research in South Africa, choreography and embodiment and finally a conceptualisation of my understanding of choreographic strategies. The second part focuses on the embodiment philosophy of Michael Polanyi and articulates a third dimension of knowledge that exists in the gap between tacit and explicit knowledge: embedded-implicit knowledge. A clear correlation is established between embedded-implicit knowledge or ‘knowing’ and intuition. I then crafted Harald Grimen’s (1991) four interpretations of Michael Polanyi’s (1958) ‘tacit knowledge’ into choreographic strategies and used each as an approach in the development of specific creative tasks for the creation of an original choreography: L.I.F.E a history of distance (2017). My inspirations and musings became an invaluable part of this research through articulating my own interpretations of Grimen and my personal history as a source in developing a narrative structure for the work. Finally using a multi-modal reflection framework, developed from various reflexive practices, I reflected on the research and processes to answer the research question: How can Harald Grimen’s four interpretations of Michael Polanyi’s philosophy of tacit knowledge be interpreted as choreographic strategies to articulate the embedded-implicit knowledge within the process of documenting an embedded choreographic practice?Item Audio-visual speech perception amongst bilingual speakers(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024-03) Seedat, Ammaara; Ramona, Kunene NicolasWhy does a face articulating the syllable [ga] presented alongside an auditory /ba/ syllable result in a perceived /da/ syllable/? Language is more than words, and the human face has shown enormous communicatory significance as a mode of nonverbal communication. Multisensory integration is used in audio-visual speech perception when auditory and visual information are integrated at the same time. This integration, however, can be viewed as an involuntary process that occurs automatically. The audio-visual benefit effect occurs when auditory and visual information is synchronized, this is when the visual cue is congruent with its auditory counterpart. Literature on audio-visual speech perception, states that the magnitude of visual influences on audio-visual speech perception varies not only across languages but also across developmental stages. The reasons underlying cross-linguistic and developmental differences in audio-visual speech perception however remain unclear. With bilingualism becoming the norm rather than the exception around the world (Grosjean & Byers-Heinlein, 2018), strong research foundations for spoken-word comprehension in bilinguals have been carried out. These foundations have been grounded in classical frameworks from monolinguals and formalised in models such as the Bilingual Model of Lexical Access (BIMOLA) (Léwy, 2008) and the Bilingual Language Interaction Network for Comprehension of Speech (BLINCS) (Shook & Marian, 2013). Bilinguals may experience increased audio-visual integration when using their less dominant language because less familiarity with a language creates a greater reliance on the visual channel to make sense of auditory input. This study will therefore examine the extent to which young adult bilinguals benefit from audio-visual speech. We examine how different listening conditions affect how L2 bilinguals perceive audio-visual speech. Participants in this study were L1 English speakers learning L2 isiZulu between 17-29 years of age. Each participant was introduced to four different conditions. Namely, an audio only condition, a visual-only condition an and audio-visual condition and an incongruent condition. In the audio-only condition, the stimuli were only auditory, in the visual-only condition the stimuli were perceived without an auditory stimulus. The audio-visual stimulus was made up of both an auditory and visual stimulus whilst the incongruent stimulus was created through dubbing the audio of one word over the visual of another word. The results of the study highlighted the importance of audio-visual speech in late L2 bilingual acquisition. The differences in the phonetics and phonology of language systems might play an important role in how late L2 bilinguals perceive language in different conditions.Item Children Moving Across Borders: Equitable Access to Education for Undocumented Migrants in South Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-09) Blessed-Sayah, Sarah Enaan-Maseph; Griffiths, DominicSouth Africa is experiencing an increase in intra-regional migration, and the management of migration in the country is increasingly becoming highly securitised. Individuals who move intra-regionally across borders include children –accompanied by parents or caretakers, unaccompanied, and those seeking refuge because of untenable and oppressive circumstances in their home country. Also, individuals who move to South Africa without legal documentation often give birth to children within the State, who are then undocumented. Without documentation, these children cannot access education, which means that achieving their educational right becomes impossible. This happens partly because of legal contradictions that exist in immigration and education policy frameworks. For instance, the Bill of Rights, as contained in Section 29(1)(a) of the Constitution of South Africa (The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa No. 108, 1996), states that everyone has the right to basic education, and further states in subsection 2 that the State (being South Africa) is obligated to respect this right. Additionally, the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 (Republic of South Africa, 1996) states that public schools are obliged to admit children without any form of discrimination on any grounds. However, the Immigration Act No 13 of 2002 states that no ‘illegal foreigner’ should be allowed on the premises of any learning institution (Republic of South Africa The Presidency, 2002). Thus, the question remains whether undocumented migrant children are included in the ‘all’ or ‘every’ because of existing legal contradictions between the Constitution and the Immigration Policy. Furthermore, the need to consider how the educational right of undocumented migrant children is upheld comes from the evident nationalist view on migration in South Africa, which is projected through government, and in local communities. Although some studies have evaluated the extent to which this right is protected or ensured, and others have considered the barriers to exercising the right to education in South Africa, only a few specifically focus on the right of undocumented migrant children to equitable education, and strategies to ensure its fulfilment. Thus, an explanation of equitable access to education in South Africa entails developing an approach for understanding undocumented migrant children’s educational experience, because this approach would provide a platform to achieve workable ways to ensure the fulfilment of their right to basic education. This research explores the difficulties undocumented migrant children experience in relation to education. Given this, an explanation regarding access to education for undocumented migrant children, from an equity viewpoint in South Africa, is developed. Thus, this study had three major aims. Firstly, to develop an understanding of equity in relation to access to education. Secondly, to investigate the impact (problems) of migration on undocumented migrant children in relation to equitable access to education in South Africa. Thirdly, to develop strategies that can ensure that these undocumented migrant children have their right to basic education protected in South Africa. Using the capability approach combined with Unterhalter’s (2009) description of equity as a three-fold concept as the study’s conceptual framework, I argue that ensuring equitable access to education for undocumented migrant children in South Africa requires an integrated approach, which goes beyond top-down strategies and highlights the role of agency. Each finding under the study’s objectives serves as evidence that support my overall argument for an integrated approach. A qualitative research design, from an interpretivist phenomenological lens provided me with the opportunity to carefully interact and bring forward the contextualised lived experiences of undocumented migrant children. This brought about an in-depth description of equitable access to education for them. The study was conducted with an NGO working with undocumented migrant children in the eastern region of the Johannesburg area in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The criterion used for selecting participants was based on the fact that the Project staff members, children who attend the Project, and their parents understand the social environment in which the children reside. They were able to give detailed and in-depth explanations on the impact of migration on their access to education, in an equitable manner. Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) officials who deal with undocumented migrant children, and South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) staff who deal with education also understand the impact of migration on these children’s chance to equitably access education and were included in the study. A total of 45 participants who were conveniently selected, based on the inclusion criteria, made up the sample size. Nineteen undocumented migrant children (n=19), eleven parents of undocumented migrant children (n=11), and fifteen professionals participated in this study (n=15). I served as the primary tool for data collection while employing different qualitative methods, including individual semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The method of data analysis I used for this study included an inductive and deductive approach using the NVivo QSR 12 software. From this method of data analysis, I identified three key themes relating to the specific objectives of the study. Objective 1: I found that undocumented migrant children, their parents, and professionals who deal with this group of children perceive equity to mean ‘the opportunity to thrive’ and ‘fairness’. In addition, under the first objective, it was found that equitable access to education is closely linked to being able to attend schools. While the undocumented migrant children described this in terms of the right to attend school and learn educational skills, the parent and professional participants explained it as a fundamental human right which should not be constrained by one’s legal status in South Africa. Along this line, it was also revealed that equitable access to education is important for various reasons including access to other services; capabilities, functioning, and the platform to achieve other human rights; and the avoidance of social ills. In all, equitable access to education strongly supports the human dignity of undocumented migrant children. Objective 2: Under objective two, I found that the impact of migration to South Africa, as it concerns equitable access to education for undocumented migrant children, was negative. Various problems faced by these children were identified. Firstly, the overarching problem was the lack of documentation which affects the opportunity for undocumented migrant children to equitably access school. This lack of documentation includes the non-issuance of proper birth certificates and so, the non-registration of the births of these children; and the fear of going to renew or apply for permits at the South African Department of Home Affairs (DHA) because of fear of police arrest. Secondly, the problem of continued discrimination, and xenophobic attacks and attitudes was also experienced by undocumented migrant children and their parents. These attacks affected their chance to access education. Thirdly, the lack of access to basic services presented itself as a difficulty which affects the opportunity to access schools, in an equitable way. Fourth, policy gaps, including ambiguities and non-implementation of recent court judgments, also served as problems which affect access to education for these children. Lastly, Covid-19 and the effects of the pandemic further compounded already existing difficulties undocumented migrant children face concerning their equitable access to education. Objective 3: The study revealed that strategies to address the problems experienced by undocumented migrant children include government-level, community-level, and individual-level strategies, and a combined, planned approach (integrated approach). Under government-level strategies, it was found that undocumented migrant children need to be issued birth certificates with identification or registration numbers and so, be appropriately registered at birth. Existing policies about education and immigration also need to be revised, and recent court judgments like the Phakamisa Judgment must be implemented. Also, stakeholders must be trained to ensure the proper implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and recent judgments on equitable access to education for undocumented migrant children. As part of community-level strategies more assistance from NGOs, who bridge educational gaps for undocumented migrant children, would be useful in ensuring undocumented migrant children get educated. Individually, promoting social cohesion between migrants and non-migrants was highlighted. Also, parents of the identified children were encouraged to acquire documentation for their children. However, these different levels, on their own, are not sufficient to ensure equitable access to education. Thus, this study advocates an integrated approach to addressing the problems experienced by undocumented migrant children and their parents, regarding their children’s equitable access to education. Supporting this, the professionals interviewed recommend that all levels of society need to work together, in an organised way, to achieve access to education for the identified group of children. Also, the role of the agency and a bottom-up approach to ensuring access to education in an equitable way were highlighted through the integrated approach. Based on the findings, I argue that the various strategies identified require an integrated approach (for thinking and doing), which includes recognising the agency (individually and collectively) of undocumented migrant children. This approach draws on both top-down and bottom-up approaches with the significant roles of policy implementation, monitoring, and evaluation as well as agency (in both individual and collective forms) highlighted. Important is that this integrated approach (for thinking and doing) will be based on a thorough knowledge of the context. The findings thus serve as supporting empirical evidence for the overall thesis which is that to ensure equitable access to education is achieved, equity must be explained in detail, as a multi-faceted notion, and combined with the capability approach, which allows us to identify and interrogate specific structural limitations.Item Conceptualisation of Inclusive Education: Impact on primary school principals and Foundation Phase teachers(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-09) Dewa, Nokuthula Ntombiyelizwe; Bekker, TanyaThis study investigated how the conceptualisations of Inclusive Education (IE) by primary school principals and Foundation Phase teachers impact teaching practices. The study places a high value on participants' IE conceptualisations because they have an impact on teachers' actions in their classrooms, which can either support or limit teachers' inclusive practices in granting epistemic access to learning to all learners. The study addressed the question of how primary school principals and Foundation Phase teachers conceptualise IE and considered the implications of these conceptualisations on their practice. Conceptualisations inform pedagogical practice, and I argue that a pedagogical shift that takes accountability for providing learning opportunities for all learners regardless of difference is necessary. A qualitative transformational research method was used to collect data, and thirteen Foundation Phase (FP) teachers and three school principals were conveniently and purposefully chosen from three Government primary schools, in Johannesburg South. Individual semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews were used to collect data, which was then thematically analysed using both inductive and deductive methods. With some extensions and adjustments, two theoretical frameworks were used for this study: the Inclusive Pedagogical Approach (IPA) and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory. Although Black-Hawkins (2017) argues for three required inclusive pedagogical shifts for teachers to teach inclusively, this study’s findings reveal that teachers in South Africa are currently at three different levels of development toward the required pedagogical shift, which is why IE implementation is hampered despite the numerous IE issues raised by previous studies. According to the findings of this study, there are teachers who have little to no pedagogical shift toward inclusive practices, teachers who have an emerging shift, and teachers who have an established shift. These stages of the pedagogical shift are supported by various conceptualisations that influence teachers' actions, leading to a variety of teaching strategies, some of which do not involve all learners in teaching and learning. The study recommended that the actual stage of shift be considered to support continued progress toward inclusive practice. Teachers who have made little or no pedagogical shift toward inclusivity should be made aware of IE policies and practices, while those who have made an emerging pedagogical shift should be encouraged and assisted in including everyone in their teaching and learning, and those who have made an established pedagogical shift should be developed further in maintaining and improving inclusive practices.Item COVID-19 and children who experience special educational needs: Caregivers’ experiences, coping strategies, and support needs.(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-05) Fernandes, Jenna; Amod, ZaytoonEvery aspect of parenting becomes magnified when caring for a child who experiences special educational needs, especially during a pandemic. Despite the wide recognition that the pandemic intensified existing stressors for caregivers of children who experience special educational needs as indicated by reports of significant declines in mental health, there is a scarcity of research exploring caregivers’ experiences during the pandemic, and especially within the South African context. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the experiences of South African caregivers, their available support structures, coping strategies, and support needs. An exploratory qualitative research design was employed, in which twelve caregivers of children who experience special educational needs participated in semi structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, and subsequently, the researcher developed five intersecting themes and fourteen subthemes. Notably, the five themes were, “exhausted to the bone”, twice as isolated, finding the light in the dark, soldiering on and learning to cope, and a wish for change and advocacy. Critically, the results of the research study suggest that despite the difficulties experienced by caregivers, there were opportunities for growth and development. However, there is a deep desire for there to be more understanding and tolerance of differences.