Research Articles (Science, Mathematics and Technology Education)

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Unpacking experienced and novice science teachers’ understandings of teacher talk in whole class discussions
(Routledge, 2025) Khoza, Hlologelo Climant; Magadlela, Nomhle; climant.khoza@up.ac.za
While there is a vast literature arguing that teacher talk in whole class discussions is a determinant of quality science teaching, teachers’ understanding of enacting teacher talk is under-researched. Using teacher cognition as a theoretical lens, the purpose of this study was to explore how experienced and novice science teachers in South Africa understand teacher talk in whole class discussions. Multiple case-study design was adopted and data was collected from thirteen science teachers through interviews. Six of these teachers were considered novices and seven were considered experienced. A thematic analysis approach was used to make sense of the data. The teachers’ nature of understanding was further categorised into authoritative, constructivist and transitional. A notable finding is that the majority of novice teachers displayed a constructivist profile while a majority of experienced teacher displayed an authoritative profile. Novice teachers seemed to understand a larger variety of ways to enact talk in whole class discussions regardless of their nature of understanding as compared with experienced teachers. However, the experienced teachers understanding revealed a distinct factor that influences talk, i.e. the sociolinguistic factor. In contrast, the novice science teachers emphasised their content knowledge as a contributing factor to teacher talk. We conclude that since the quality of science teaching is dependent on teacher talk, continued professional development to strengthen teacher talk is not only to be targeted at novice teachers but also at experienced teachers.
A quest to nurture creativity in technology classrooms : are physical factors a spanner in the works?
(OpenED Network, 2024-09) Magolego, Maokanyane Patricia; Mtshali, Isaaac Thokozani; Manto, Ramaligela Sylvia
Nurturing creativity in Technology classrooms will, potentially, prepare learners for adaptability to the sweeping transformations that the new industrial revolutions portend and equip them to maximise the opportunities inherent in these revolutions. This study examined the effects of physical factors on the development of creativity in Grade 9 Technology classrooms. A qualitative research design was employed to purposively sample three Grade 9 Technology teachers to participate in this study. Open-ended questionnaires and non-participant observations were used as the methods of data collection for the study and the data were analysed thematically. The research findings show that creative pedagogy and the resultant development of creativity in the classroom, to a significant extent, are influenced by physical factors – class size and availability of Technology equipment. The study contributes to the body of knowledge by outlining how unfavourable physical conditions hinder the development of creativity skills in Technology classrooms, which is a core objective of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) guiding Technology education in South Africa. The study outlines the importance of a conducive learning environment to the quest to enhance learners’ creativity. Furthermore, the study recommends solutions to the paucity of resources for the enhancement of creativity in the Technology classrooms.
Context in geometry in secondary school mathematics textbooks
(Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, 2024) Mthethwa, Halalisani Mzomuhle; Ogbonnaya, Ugorji Iheanachor; Van Putten, Sonja; sonja.vanputten@up.ac.za
Mathematics textbooks are commonly considered to be tools for efficient teaching and implementing change in mathematics classrooms worldwide, helping teachers to teach and learners to learn. When the content as described in the curriculum is not faithfully and relevantly represented in textbooks, learners’ opportunity is limited. Against this background, opportunity to learn Euclidean geometry was investigated by scrutinising four Grade 11 mathematics textbooks used in South African schools, using deductive content analysis. The Kurz Opportunity to Learn (OTL) Model was the theoretical foundation focusing on content coverage and the quality of tasks. In this paper, the embedding of context within geometry questions is investigated as one of the criteria in judging the quality of tasks. The study revealed that although the four textbooks covered almost all the Euclidean geometry topics in depth, contextualisation was absent, despite its ability to improve learners’ problem recognition, interpretation and understanding abilities. All the questions were intra-mathematical. With the use of contextualised tasks, possibly the real world can enter the mathematics classroom, so that the age-old learner question, “Why am I doing this?” may be answered with a demonstration of relevance.
Investigating measurement invariance in PIRLS 2021 across English and isiZulu language groups
(AOSIS, 2024-03-20) Mthimkhulu, Sinethemba; Roux, Karen; Mihai, Maryke Anneke; u21727393@tuks.co.za
BACKGROUND: PIRLS 2021 results revealed that South African Grade 4 learners performed significantly lower compared to other countries in reading comprehension and that they did not reach the standardised international mean score of 500. It was also evident from the results that English learners performed relatively higher than isiZulu learners. OBJECTIVE: This study was initiated to investigate whether possible measurement invariance can help explain the difference in the scores of English and isiZulu learners. Measurement invariance is concerned with the metric and functional equivalence of the items in the two languages examined. METHOD: A quantitative approach was utilised to reanalyse the PIRLS 2021 numerical data sets. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the mean and raw scores. Rasch analysis was conducted to look for any Differential Item Function (DIF) in the items. RESULTS: Statistics revealed that there is a significant difference in the mean scores of the two languages. Analysis of raw scores provided evidence that some of the items lacked metric equivalence. Rasch analysis displayed that some of the items lacked functional equivalence. CONCLUSIONS: The significant difference found in the scores implies that Grade 4 learners need more attention mastering the skill of reading literacy. The lack of metric and functional equivalence suggests that items in the passages need to be investigated and improved. CONTRIBUTIONS: This study has contributed to the International Large-Scale Assessment literature specifically relating to the equivalence of ILSA across languages. A significant gap in the learners’ scores was identified and measurement invariance helped explain the gap in the learners’ reading scores.
Exploring teachers’ use of technological pedagogical knowledge in teaching subjects in rural areas
(Informing Science Institute, 2024) Molotsi, Abueng; Van Wyk, Mari; mari.vanwyk@up.ac.za
AIM/PURPOSE : The current study explored how Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK) influences teachers’ delivery of subject content. BACKGROUND : The potential value of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) devices is lost if teachers do not integrate them into their instructional practices. Technological Pedagogical Knowledge is one of the components of Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK), and it can assist teachers in providing learn-ers with the best classroom learning environment while integrating digital de-vices in the delivery of lessons. METHODOLOGY : The descriptive qualitative multiple case study was conducted at five secondary schools in the rural Bojanala District. Five teachers from five schools voluntarily participated in semi-structured interviews and a document analysis. The thematic analysis of the collected data informed the results of this study. CONTRIBUTION : This study contributes to the identification and exploration of the role of TPK in enhancing the integration of 4IR devices into rural secondary schools’ in-structional practices. FINDINGS : The study reveals the limited integration of digital devices in teaching due to a lack of infrastructure, a lack of comprehensive understanding of TPK, and the absence of information and communication technologies (ICT) policies at the school level. By analyzing existing policies (or the lack thereof), the study could explain the disconnect between the integration of TPK.
Exploring student experiences of learning chemistry using holism evolution infused poetry
(Springer, 2024-02) Mirkin, Philip Joshua; philip.mirkin@up.ac.za
Holism evolution states that although energy, matter, life, consciousness and the human personality are independent and different substances/levels of evolution, they are holistically and intimately related. This paper presents the findings from teaching chemistry to high school science students and post-graduate university science-education students using poetry constructed from physical science ideas embedded in holism evolution. The research findings are based on observations of student behaviour and their written feedback from being taught chemistry using poems on the periodic table and acids and bases. Both poems demonstrate the holism intimacy between various substances/levels of evolution, with the periodic table poem also presenting groups of chemical elements as representing the characteristics of infant, teenager, adult and old age of matter, presenting a holistic relationship between matter and life. The findings indicate that using holism evolution-infused content led to a personally meaningful engagement with chemistry even among students with limited previous interest in the subject. Many post-graduate students expressed new levels of engagement with chemistry as well as new insights to enliven their teaching practice.
The impact of tablet devices on English teaching in intermediate-phase classrooms
(Forum Komunikasi Dosen Peneliti, 2024-03) Lowel, Jordan; Chinengundu, Tawanda
Research shows that mobile computing like iPads and tablets has gained popularity in classrooms. While prior research has explored technology in education broadly, this study specifically focuses on the impact of tablets on English language teaching within the intermediate phase. The study was underpinned by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge model. A qualitative approach was employed in this study for contextual inquiry, enabling a deeper understanding of the impact of tablet integration on English teaching and learning. The sample for this research consisted of five teachers selected through convenience sampling. These participants taught English within the intermediate phase at schools in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were used to inquire educators about their teaching methods, challenges, and how tablets have affected student learning. Data were analyzed by developing themes. The findings of the study revealed that tablet integration led to improvements in pedagogical practices, and increased student engagement. However, challenges such as limited technological infrastructure, the need for teacher training, and the potential for tablets to introduce distractions and hinder critical thinking among students were established. We argue that to be effective, tablet integration requires equitable access, curricular knowledge, teaching methodologies, technological skills, and individualized learning for every student.
Exploring the rationale for lesson design as a tool for developing and evaluating science pre-service teachers’ topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge
(University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2024) Khoza, Hlologelo Climant; climant.khoza@up.ac.za
The primary goal of initial teacher education programmes is to develop pre-service teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). In science education, there have been calls for programmes to help pre-service teachers develop this knowledge at a topic-specific level. In this study, I investigated how lesson planning using a specific guideline called the rationale for lesson design (RfLD) can be used as a tool to develop science preservice teachers’ topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge (TSPCK). This study is positioned within the collective PCK realm of the refined consensus model of PCK and the five components of TSPCK. The participants were six third-year Life Sciences pre-service teachers. Data were collected through lesson plans on the topic of evolution and narrative interviews. A 4-point scale rubric was adapted to score the quality of preservice teachers’ PCK in terms of the five components of TSPCK in each section of the RfLD. Results indicate that the pre-service teachers showed higher levels of PCK especially, in terms of learner prior knowledge and curricular saliency. I argue these scores can be attributed to the RfLD guidelines. I recommend that science preservice teacher programmes need to expose students to this guideline as a way of developing their PCK in teaching methodology modules. Furthermore, I argue for the value of the RfLD in tracking pre-service teachers’ PCK.
Greening TVET for sustainable skill development : opportunities and challenges in Botswana with a focus on quality education
(Creative Publishing House, 2024) Jerald, Hondonga; Tawanda, Chinengundu; Vijayaratnam, Phawani; Rajanthran, Subashini K.
The need to reorganise economies and the skill sets that individuals will need in the new order is urgent since climate change is impacting the entire planet. TVET systems are required to reskill and provide human capital with environmentally sustainable skills for green economies and jobs. This article investigates potential additional benefits that greening TVET education may offer to students, the employment market, and Botswana as a whole. The study examined current research on Botswana's preparedness for a green TVET industry. Results highlight the crucial role of greening TVET systems in supporting nations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in meeting their climate change commitments and ensuring quality education. Investments made concurrently in greening TVET, green industries, and green technology have the potential to prevent significant employment losses and to create a significant number of new jobs for recent graduates. The emphasis should be on occupational green skills and any support mechanisms that may establish a green TVET system to take advantage of the new prospects. Additional findings point to the need for strong labour market data and skills anticipation to pinpoint in-demand green talents and create fresh initiatives focused on the green economy. To lessen potential issues of fragmentation between TVET greening programmes, environmental legislation, and the green job market, countries must have professionals to perform quality assurance and monitoring of the novel synergies between the greening of TVET systems, learner skills, and the job market.
Interaction of initiating prompts and the patterns of student engagement in higher education biology classrooms
(Octagon Education Services, 2024-04) Khoza, Hlologelo Climant; Makgata, Thato I.; climant.khoza@up.ac.za
The purpose of this study was to understand the interactions of prompts used to initiate engagement and the resulting student engagement using video-data from one biology lecturer in a semester-long module. This study was informed by the socio-cultural perspectives on learning. The transcripts from video data were divided into interactive episodes. In these episodes, we looked for how the prompts (classified as verbal and non-verbal) interacted to bring student engagement. Findings indicate that the prompts interacted in a variety of ways. Findings indicate that the use of verbal prompts like questions resulted in minimal student engagement. Student engagement was heightened when the lecturer initiated whole-class discussion using both verbal prompts as well as non-verbal prompts in an interactive manner. We discuss the significance of these findings and argue how our approach to looking at student engagement helped us to unpack these succinct findings.
Dialogue with students as a valuable tool in teacher inquiry for professional development : a self-study of a novice science teacher educator learning about student interaction in biology classrooms
(Indiana University Office of Scholarly Publishing, 2024-03) Khoza, Hlologelo Climant; climant.khoza@up.ac.za
There is a consensus amongst scholars that learning from student feedback depends on how the feedback is sought and used by the individual teachers. Using Hand and Rowe’s (2001) framework of eliciting and using student feedback, the purpose of this self-study was to investigate how I, as a novice teacher educator, can use dialogue with my students to learn about and how to foster student interaction in my biology classroom. I collected data through multiple sources including students’ written feedback, my reflective journal, focus-group interviews with the students, and video recordings of my teaching. Data were analysed through a narrative approach. Findings indicate that the continuous dialogue with my students helped me learn about student interaction and fostering it in my classroom through a variety of ways. This study also illustrates that the teacher needs to establish trust with students from the onset such that the dialogue cannot only be of professional value to the teacher but also improve the students’ learning. These insights are discussed, and recommendations are made in the article
Ubuntugogy as a viable pedagogical construct in African education : a literature review
(OpenED Network, 2024) Mthimkhulu, Sinethemba; U21727393@tuks.co.za
Ubuntugogy as a method of teaching and learning emerged from the African theory and philosophy called Ubuntu. Ubuntugogy was introduced by Bangura (2005) as a proposed strategy for teaching and learning in the African classroom. For almost three centuries Africa has been subjected to and/or implementing Western methodologies, thus suppressing the notions of Ubuntu in African classrooms. This paper aims to critically analyse the literature and attempt to portray the viability of Ubuntugogy as a feasible pedagogical construct in education. It is also important to take note of the limitations that come with Ubuntugogy as a pedagogical construct. Utilising the SWOT analysis framework, this paper discusses the strengths and limitations that come with the practice of Ubuntugogy in the African context. Literature has revealed that Ubuntugogy has the potential to promote communalism, collaboration, respect in the classroom and appreciation of African knowledge systems. In contrast, literature has also indicated that Ubuntugogy can face challenges like individualism, stereotypical mentalities, and lack of interest from the stakeholders. Taking into account the analysis, it is safe to mention that Ubuntugogy is a viable pedagogical construct to be utilised in the African classrooms. This paper recommends a change in stakeholders’ mindsets, the practice of collaborative instruction and collaborations between the stakeholders and students. Taking into consideration the literature presented in this article, it is proposed that the teaching and learning paradigm should change from nonAfrica philosophies to African-based theories and philosophies.
Leveraging teacher educators' pedagogical approaches for biology terminology instruction : a South African case study
(Tishk International University, 2024-12) Khoza, Hlologelo Climant
Biology education in South Africa faces challenges, as matric students continue to underperform. Diagnostic reports attribute this issue not only to teacher knowledge but also to students' limited comprehension of biology terminology. This study aimed to investigate the pedagogical approaches used by biology teacher educators in addressing terminology during their content module lectures and to suggest ways to enhance the development of pedagogical scientific language knowledge among pre-service and in-service biology teachers. Four biology teacher educators were observed teaching various topics in their content modules. These observations were transformed into vignettes and analysed inductively to uncover different methods of addressing biology terminology. The findings revealed that educators utilized diverse pedagogical approaches, such as representations, to address terminology effectively. This study emphasizes how these pedagogical approaches in initial teacher education programs can be optimized, offering recommendations for equipping both pre-service and in-service teachers with essential pedagogical scientific language knowledge.
Visualization techniques for proofs : implications for enhancing conceptualization and understanding in mathematical analysis
(Universitas Papua, 2024-08) Muzangwa, Jonatan; Ogbonnaya, Ugorji Iheanachor; ugorji.ogbonnaya@up.ac.za
Visual images are frequently utilized to elucidate concepts in general mathematics and geometry; however, their application in mathematical analysis remains uncommon. This paper demonstrates how visual imagery can enhance the proof of certain theorems in mathematical analysis. It emphasizes the importance of visualization in the learning and understanding of mathematical concepts, particularly within mathematical analysis, where diagrams are seldom employed. The paper focuses on the reasoning processes used by mathematicians in proving selected fundamental theorems of mathematical analysis. It provides illustrative examples where visual images are instrumental in performing specific subtasks within proof development and in completing the proofs. The proofs discussed include the sum of the first n natural numbers, the sum rule of integration, the mean value theorem for derivatives, the mean value theorem for integrals, and Young’s Inequality. This paper underscores that visual images serve not only as persuasive tools but also as bridges between symbolic representations and realworld understanding.
Pre-service science teachers' knowledge and skills backlog perpetuated by emergency remote teaching
(Scientific Methodical Center, 2024) Khoza, Hlologelo Climant; climant.khoza@up.ac.za
The adoption of Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) during the COVID-19 Pandemic brought a shift in how lecturers teach in higher education, posing a threat to the usual development of competencies in students. This study aimed to uncover the knowledge and skills backlogs experienced by pre-service teachers. The study is framed within various concepts that characterize an ideal science teacher. Using a qualitative case-study design, data were collected through interviews with nine pre-service teachers who were subjected to the ERT. Transcripts of the interviews were analyzed thematically using the established framework as a lens. The findings indicate that while the science pre-service teachers acquired some technological knowledge, there was a concurrent loss of sufficient content knowledge, a crucial prerequisite for the development of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). Additionally, the pre-service science teachers highlighted a lack of knowledge in practical work and the specific pedagogies essential for teaching science. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of moving forward.
Opportunities for Grade 11 students to learn euclidean geometry in some South African schools
(University of Limpopo, 2024) Ogbonnaya, Ugorji Iheanachor; Bogoshi, Maria M.; ugorji.ogbonnaya@up.ac.za
This research paper investigated the opportunities for Grade 11 students to learn Euclidean geometry in some South African schools. The study aimed to examine the Euclidean geometry curriculum covered in these schools and the instructional time used in teaching this content. The research was conducted within a single education district in the Gauteng province and involved six secondary schools. Data collection relied on teaching and learning materials. Results revealed that the depth of content coverage varied across schools, with two schools notably lacking in comprehensive instruction. Furthermore, concerning instructional time, three schools fell short of the recommended duration for teaching the content. These findings suggest that students may not have received adequate learning opportunities on the topic. The paper discussed the implications of these findings and proposed recommendations for addressing the observed shortcomings.
Measuring the mathematical maturity of students in an academic development programme
(Springer, 2024-08) Simelane, Bridgette Makhosazana; Engelbrecht, Johann; johann.engelbrecht@up.ac.za
This study focuses on students who are registered for the University of Pretoria’s academic development programme, the Four-year Programme (FYP). The programme was introduced as a gateway for students who are under-prepared but have the potential to succeed. This programme helps them to then continue their studies in mainstream science programmes. Our research focuses on measuring the change in the academic maturity of these students. In the theoretical framework that we developed, academic maturity is subdivided into two components, namely, non-subject based maturity, and subject based maturity (mathematical maturity). A mathematics test was also administered twice (at the beginning of the year and after the first semester) and was used to measure the subject based maturity of students. The results of the pre- and post-tests were compared to measure the improvement in students’ mathematical skills. The results showed that in all of the topics and constructs, there was an improvement in students’ mathematical abilities. The study also shows that students still struggle with the fundamentals of some mathematics topics, even after a semester of tuition in the FYP.
Exploring an assessment module in distance education at the University of Pretoria
(North American Business Press, 2024-12) Mihai, Maryke Anneke
The study aimed to describe many aspects of a Distance Education (DE) assessment course at the University of Pretoria. The researcher wanted to examine how the course evolved from pre- to post-COVID-19. This included looking at the content and assessment of the module, as well as the pedagogy and technology used, using the TPACK framework. The researcher used a descriptive qualitative case study, with semi-structured interviews with the tutors and administrators of DE and Google Form surveys for the 30 students that took part. They commented on the DE management, the Blackboard LMS, the tutors' pedagogy and the course’s content and assessment. The management of DE was described as successful, and the students liked the content of the assessment module as well as the assignments and pedagogy of the tutors. The students and tutors suggested possible improvements in the content and assignments. The Blackboard LMS was described as easy to use, but some students experienced problems with connectivity and lack of data.
Support strategies life orientation teachers use to enhance high school to tertiary education transition
(Unisa Press, 2024-07) Modiba, Matabe Rosa; Eloff, Irma F.; Mathabathe, Kgadi; kgadi.mathabathe@up.ac.za
The transition from high school to tertiary education is reported to be a challenging journey for learners. In the South African context, teachers who are appointed to teach Life Orientation (LO) as a fundamental and compulsory subject are closest to the task of supporting learners in the move towards accessing tertiary education. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the support strategies LO teachers use to enhance high school to tertiary education transition. A qualitative phenomenological research methodology was used. The study was conducted in four high schools around the Ngaka-Modiri Molema district in the North West province of South Africa. Four LO teachers were purposively selected to generate data through semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using thematic data analysis. The findings indicate that support strategies utilised by LO teachers are predominantly informational, and include assisting prospective students with online applications, providing information about career options, funding and pass requirements, providing guidance and motivation, and coordinating career guidance and career information-sharing activities. This study recommends that LO teachers engage in refresher training and proactive engagements with tertiary institutions aimed at supporting prospective learners with up-to-date information to enhance their transition from high school to tertiary institutions, as well as assist LO teachers with information and knowledge to provide holistic support to learners.
A tutorial for integrating generative AI in mixed methods data analysis
(Discover, 2024) Combrinck, Celeste; celeste.combrinck@up.ac.za
The current article used real data to demonstrate the analysis and synthesis of Mixed Methods Research (MMR) data with generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI). I explore how reliable and valid Gen AI data outputs are and how to improve their use. The current content is geared towards enhancing methodological application regardless of field or discipline and includes access to a prompt library and examples of using outputs. The demonstration data used emanated from a study done in South Africa, with a quantitative sample size of 969 first-year engineering students and, for the qualitative part, 14 first-year students. In the current article, I compare my original analysis to ChatGPT results. Generative AI as a mind tool is best used with human insight, and I found this to be especially true when coding qualitative data. ChatGPT produced generic codes if asked to do inductive coding, and the results improved when training the Gen AI on human examples, which led to moderate and significant correlations between human and machine coding. The quantitative analysis was accurate for the descriptive statistics, but the researcher had to use best judgment to select the correct inferential analysis. Quantitative and qualitative analysis should be conducted separately in generative AI before asking the Chatbot for help with mixed methods results. In the current paper, I give guidelines and a tutorial on how to use chatbots in an ethically responsible and scientifically sound manner for research in social and human sciences.

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