Journal of Geography Education in Africa (JoGEA) Vol. 1 (2018)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/80400

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    The Green Box Project: Environmental Education in a Crate
    (Journal of Geography Education in Africa (JoGEA), 2018) Massey, Ruth; Pretorius, Anneri
    Although the quality of teaching and learning of geography in many schools is worrying, another more basic problem is that of teachers lacking basic resources to use in their classrooms. Higher education institutions are expected to engage with and be of service to society and its needs. The Green Box Project is reported on as a practical and sustainable solution to address the resource constraints that many teachers of geography contend with; a way of improving the quality of teaching and learning in schools; and a model to be used by higher education institutions for community engagement.
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    A GIS Integrational Framework for Poorly Resourced Schools
    (Journal of Geography Education in Africa (JoGEA), 2018) Fleischmann, Elfrieda; Van der Westhuizen, Christo
    This paper proposes an integration framework for an interactive GIS tutor (IGIST) application in poorly resourced schools. A content analysis of 35 countries, a national online survey (n=222) as well as teacher interviews (n=10) informed this study. Models such as the Technology Integration Planning model (TIP), Rogers’s diffusion model and the Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge model (TPACK) provided the theoretical background. After the said framework was theoretically evaluated, a quasi-experiment was performed in nine classes. Focus group interviews (n=6), teacher interviews (n=6) and evaluation forms (n=149) evaluated the viability of the IGIST integration framework.
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    ‘What is this curriculum doing to my subject?’ Using geographical questions to interpret the CAPS curriculum
    (Journal of Geography Education in Africa (JoGEA), 2018) Rusznyak, Lee
    An important aspect of preparing pre-service teachers is to develop their understanding of what constitutes meaningful learning in the study of Geography. This understanding is necessary for prospective and practising Social Science and Geography teachers to interpret existing and changing curricula as thinking professionals. This paper argues that there are several organising concepts that make classroom learning geographical in nature. These are place, spatial distribution, spatial processes, and human-environment interactions. The paper draws on the nature of geographical enquiry to consider what questions could steer classroom learning. This set of questions is then used as a lens to reflect on the way in which the current national curriculum (namely, CAPS) supports (and sometimes constrains) learners’ development of geographical thinking. To teach Geography effectively, Social Science teachers need to identify the central concepts they foreground in their lessons, as well as how to develop geographical thinking around those concepts. I suggest that teachers need to regard themselves first as subject experts, and then as interpreters of curricula, in order to be able to interpret the geographical nature of the content to be taught.
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    Perceptions, outcomes and attitudes experienced by scholars on stream bio-monitoring through the implementation of the mini-SASS method, using a social learning lens: KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
    (Journal of Geography Education in Africa (JoGEA), 2018) Singh, Samiksha; Dent, M.; Hill, Trevor
    One way of undertaking experiential learning is through the mini-SASS method used as an event of a larger social learning process. The mini-SASS method is used to indicate the ecological condition, at a point in a stream by identifying the macro-invertebrates found at that location. The macro-invertebrates are assigned a sensitivity score which indicates the taxonomic group’s tolerance to pollution. The averaged sensitivity scores of the macro-invertebrates identified are used to determine the ecological condition of the river. This method is said to be user friendly and can be carried out by civil society and scholars. The aim of the project was to determine the perceptions, outcomes and attitude experienced by 12-year-old learners when conducting mini-SASS. The research was guided by the Mintzberg model of learning, which involves a cyclic process including theoretical knowledge, practical implementation followed by reflection. The mini-SASS method was perceived in a positive light by the learners and teacher whose attitude was enthusiastic and the outcome was considered by the learners, teacher and researcher to be a success.
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    Integration of ICTs into the teaching and learning of Secondary School Geography: The Seychelles Experience
    (Journal of Geography Education in Africa (JoGEA), 2018) Constance, Suzanne Marle; Musarurwa, Charles
    This study aimed to establish the extent to which Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have been integrated into the teaching and learning of Geography in Seychelles Secondary Schools. The focus was on key issues such as policy provisions for the integration of ICTs into the Seychelles curriculum; teachers’ and students’ perceptions about the use of ICTs in teaching and learning of Geography; the types of ICTs used; and challenges faced in the integration of ICTs. Possible solutions are also explored. The researchers opted for a qualitative methodological approach to generate rich and in-depth data. The aim was to learn and understand from the case rather than to prove and establish cause and effect. Thus, various methodologies such as document analysis, focus group discussions and interviews were employed. Geography teachers and students were the main participants in the study, although other participants such as Ministry of Education officials were also interviewed. It is anticipated that the research findings and recommendations will benefit policymakers and practitioners in the Seychelles education system.
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    Advancing Geography Education in Southern Africa
    (Journal of Geography Education in Africa (JoGEA), 2018) Wilmot, Di
    The purpose of this article is twofold. Firstly, to affirm the establishment of the Southern African Geography Teachers’ Association (SAGTA) and the Journal of Geography Education for Southern Africa (JoGESA) , and secondly, to comment on how these two partner organisations can (and should) play a role in strengthening and advancing geography education in South Africa and further afield. The key challenges facing geography education in South Africa are also discussed. These include the strength of its scholarly voice, the state of school geography and teacher education. The article raises key questions and makes some suggestions of how they could be addressed in relation to the work of these two organisations. The insights provided by this article may provide talking points that help to set an agenda for strengthening and enhancing Southern African geography education.