3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item How can experiences of environmental education at the Maretlwane Wilderness School result in transformative learning?(2018) Jones, Samantha3 Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which experiences of environmental education at the Maretlwane Wilderness School resulted in transformative learning for the participants. The research question was if the Wilderness School experience could result in changes in perceptions and behaviours toward the environment, in other words did transformative learning occur. The participants of this case study were 14 and 15-year-old boys from St. John’s College who attended a month-long Wilderness School in the Magaliesberg. The boys were asked to complete questionnaires and participate in focus groups. The staff at the Wilderness School and parents of the participants were also given questionnaires to complete. The findings of this case study are that environmental education can result in transformative learning, however, if the changes are to be long term then ‘bridges’ need to be built connecting the different places of environmental learning and living. The natural environment where environmental education experiences take place need to be linked to the urban schools and homes of the participants. This research is important as Environmental Education is often seen as a way of addressing the environmental challenges that society faces today, however, it needs to be environmental education of a particular kind if we want to see changes in the way that people interact with the world around them. It is hoped that this study will inform educators and practitioners of environmental education so that programs can be improved upon and result in environmentally literate citizens that can participate in their communities.Item Teachers’ use of iPads in the classroom in a South African public school(2018) Lupondwana, VuyoThis study examined the use of iPads by teachers in a public school in South Africa. The school is a public school located in a township East of Johannesburg. The majority of the learners are from for the surrounding townships. The school was part of the ‘Paperless Classroom’ project of the Gauteng Department of Education which equipped schools with smartboards in classrooms, iPads for the learners and teachers and additionally laptops for the teachers. The paperless classroom, is an initiative provides devices to learners and teachers, access to online educational content and classrooms are equipped with smart boards and Internet connectivity. The education department of Gauteng’s objectives is to encourage ICT adoption, skills development and improving the quality of education in townships. The project was rolled out in 2015 and schools were selected based on academic performance. The school was included in the project as they had achieved a one hundred percent pass rate of its matric class for three consecutive years. The study sought to explore how the teachers use iPads in the classroom in a township school context. The Affordance framework was applied in exploring how teachers use iPads in the classroom and the associated benefits and challenges. Qualitative data was collected through interviews with the teachers and at a single school. Seven teachers were interviewed including the principal. The findings of the study indicated that overall the effect of iPad use by the teachers has been positive. The use of iPads resulted in the teachers having access to quality multi-media and educational apps to teach their subjects which resulted in learners’ increased class involvement and independent learning. The study revealed that effective use of iPads requires teachers that are adequately trained to use the iPad technically and also on subject specific training. Additionally the study showed that a reliable wireless connection and reliable technical support and mitigation of learners’ distractions increased the effectiveness of using iPads in the classroom.Item The relationship between second language achievement and language learning strategies in English first and second language learners(2016) Lutz, NicoletteAll learners in the current South African setting, according to the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document and government legislation, have to learn a second language. Whilst taking this into consideration, this study aimed to look at the relationship between second language achievement and language learning strategies in English first and second language learners. The sample consisted of 128 English first and second language learners in Grade 6 and 7 from a Primary Government School in Johannesburg, Gauteng. The learners completed the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) which provided information on the language learning strategies they use most readily. The data collected from the SILL was then analysed in relation to the learners’ marks in the second language they were studying to ascertain the relationship that the strategy use may have with second language achievement. It was discovered that there were significant relationships between metacognitive, memory and affective strategy use and second language achievement. Alongside this, certain learning strategies were found to be correlated with each other and due to this relationship, may also impact on second language achievement. Given the role that language has played in South African society and the impact it has had on the schooling system, understanding what may impact on language learning may serve to enhance this setting.