South African Journal of Education
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje
<p>The <em>South African Journal of Education</em> (SAJE) publishes original research articles reporting on research that fulfils the criteria of a generally accepted research paradigm; review articles, intended for the professional scientist and which critically evaluate the research done in a specific field in education; and letters in which criticism is given of articles that appeared in this Journal.</p> <p>Indicate the relevance of the study for education research where the education system is characterised by transformation, and/or an emerging economy/development state, and/or scarce resources. Research articles of localised content, i.e. of interest only to specific areas or specialists and which would not appeal to the broader readership of the Journal, should preferably not be submitted for consideration by the Editorial Committee.</p> <p>Ethical considerations: A brief narrative account/description of ethical issues/aspects should be included in articles that report on empirical findings.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">SAJE is ISI accredited (in the Social Sciences Citation index), with an impact Factor is 0.560 (in 2015). </span></p> <p>Other websites related to this journal: <a href="http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/</a> and <a title="http://reference.sabinet.co.za/sa_epublication/educat" href="http://reference.sabinet.co.za/sa_epublication/educat" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> http://reference.sabinet.co.za/sa_epublication/educat</a></p>Education Association of South Africaen-USSouth African Journal of Education0256-0100<p align="left">If the article is accepted for publication, copyright of this article will be vested in the Education Association of South Africa.</p><p align="left">All articles published in this journal are licensed under the <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International</a> (CC BY 4.0) license, unless otherwise stated.</p><p align="left"> </p>A humanitarian contribution: An effort to improve rural education and social transformation?
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263539
<p>Due to the inequalities of the past in the apartheid era in South African, many communities, particularly in the rural areas, are still improvised. Children in these rural areas have no access to education – especially in the early childhood development (ECD) phase. To bridge this gap of unequal education, the Greater Edendale Muslim Society (GEMS) adopted a philanthropic approach and has applied a system of providing quality education in creches of excellence in the ECD phase in the community of Edendale. Built on the foundation of the theories of prosocial behaviour and the need to belong, this study stands testimony to the mindset that prosocial behaviour spurs on and triggers more helping behaviour that benefits a community and society and may, therefore, be effective in contributing to the development of a country as well as assist in eradicating years-old social ills and imbalances. Philanthropy is a diversification of organisational choices and actions as it is of wider social and community concerns. With this study we aimed to demonstrate that prosocial and helping behaviour fulfil an individual need and snowballs to contribute to a wider good, which in this case, is ECD and building a nation, economy, a country and its future. Clearly, since the 1994 democratic elections in South Africa, there has been a remarkable improvement of education in all sectors of society. There is still much to be done to improve the quality of life for all South Africans, particularly those previously disadvantaged who reside in the rural areas. From a developmental perspective, using a quantitative, positivist approach, through the use of structured questionnaires, we aimed to assess whether parents and teachers believed that the GEMS programme was providing unique education and promoting social transformation. The study was undertaken in 10 rural areas in Edendale (Pietermaritzburg) and consisted of a sample of 13 teachers and 293 parents using the cluster sampling method. Data were collected using a self-developed questionnaire of which the psychometric properties were statistically assessed and evaluated using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results show positive parent and teacher perceptions of the programme and its positive contribution to education and the transformation of society. Evidently, altruistic behaviour and the psychological need to belong has the potential to contribute to ECD and improving the ethical growth of the community, society and an emerging economy like South Africa.</p>Ghamiet AysenSanjana Brijball Parumasur
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2024-01-292024-01-29434The impact of education tailored for critical listening on the critical listening skills of seventh-grade students
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263540
<p>Critical listening is not only a complex whole that covers different skills but also 1 of the skills areas we mostly need in today’s society. The aim of this research was to determine the effects of education tailored for critical listening on the critical listening skills of 7th-grade students. For this purpose, we applied the relevant education in two 7th-grade classes in Sakarya, Türkiye. This was a quasi-experimental study and it was completed in 40 course hours. The experimental group received training on critical listening skills and critical listening texts and questions were used to collect quantitative data. We found a significant difference in the post-test scores of the experimental group in terms of total critical listening scores.</p>Nahide İrem AzizoğluAlparslan Okur
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2024-01-292024-01-29434Teacher perspectives on the use of augmentative and alternative communication systems for learners with complex communication needs
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263541
<p>For learners with complex communication needs (CCN), teachers in special schools are encouraged to use a variety of communication techniques to help them participate in various classroom activities. Studies show limited data on the use of effective augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies in special schools. The primary purpose of this study was to describe teacher perspectives on the use of AAC devices that they use in their classrooms in rural areas. We employed a qualitative methodology that included in-person interviews and focus groups. The focus group and face-to-face sessions each had 3 and 8 participants, respectively. Three main themes, namely modes of communication, training, and challenges and 12 subthemes were identified. We found that teachers employed pictures to improve communication of learners with CCN. We also discovered that since teachers didn’t use speech generating devices (SGD) frequently, they had trouble using them. The use of SGDs, one of the assistive technology tools that could be used to improve communication of learners with CCN, requires extensive teacher training, according to research. Further research is required to establish the efficacy on the use of AAC devices in special schools in rural areas.</p>Sondaha Petrus Mudau Dumisani Russel Nzima
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2024-01-292024-01-29434Child rights education in Serbian schools
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263542
<p>In this article we report on a study in which we examined the opinions and attitudes of teachers and learners on child rights education in Serbian schools. The participants included teachers and learners of primary schools from 7 municipalities in Serbia. The results show that teachers and learners held similar views on certain issues about child rights in school. Teachers held a positive attitude toward child rights education and recognised the importance of school in this process. They assessed their competency as insufficient, believing that child rights education was not sufficiently realised in schools, and supported training programmes in this area. The results also show teachers’ views and suggestions for different areas of improvement. Learners, on the other hand, regarded teachers as the most responsible factor in child rights education, and their homeroom teachers as the greatest support in the protection of their rights. This study points to the need for a systematic approach to the implementation of child rights education in schools.</p>Jelena StamatovićSnežana MarinkovićJelena Žunić Cicvarić
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2024-01-292024-01-29434Life orientation teachers’ experiences of providing psychosocial support to high school learners in the Johannesburg West district
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263543
<p>In this article we report on a study in which we explored life orientation (LO) teachers’ experiences in providing psychosocial support to high school learners in the Johannesburg West district. High school learners are in the adolescent developmental stage, which is marked by major shifts in physiology, cognition, and social interactions, rendering them vulnerable to psychosocial problems. To cope with these challenges, they need sufficient age-related guidance and support. However, there is a shortage of social workers, registered counsellors and psychologists who are trained to provide psychosocial support for these issues in South African educational settings. As a result, LO teachers are frequently left with the responsibility of providing these services. Semi-structured telephonic interviews were conducted with 15 LO teachers from 11 schools (Quintiles 1 to 4) in the Johannesburg West district. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings show that LO teachers play a critical role in providing psychosocial support to learners. They are, however, exposed to stressful experiences, which make them vulnerable to vicarious trauma, implying that they require support. It is thus recommended that they be provided with opportunities for debriefing and counselling.</p>Lerato Pamela MahwaiEleanor Ross
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2024-01-292024-01-29434Instructional leadership practices: Exploring deputy principal’s instructional leadership practices – A Zimbabwean case study
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263545
<p>School reform efforts have focussed on the principal as the major determinant of students’ outcome without saying much on the contribution of deputy principals. Deputy principals are 2nd on the school’s hierarchical structure. The distributed leadership construct advocates more actors in instructional leadership. In this study we examined whether deputy principals were engaged in instructional leadership practices for overall student performance. The study was carried out in high schools of the Gutu district of the Masvingo province in Zimbabwe. A qualitative research approach and a case study design were adopted for the study. Three deputy principals, 1 deputising at a government-run school, another at a church-run school and the other at a rural district council-run school were purposively sampled for document analysis, observation and multiple interviews. The findings reveal that deputy principals were engaged in instructional leadership practices cursorily and to a limited extent. Deputy principals performed instructional leadership tasks through vision statement formulation, supervision of lessons, monitoring students’ progress and modelling good teaching behaviour. In the era of accountability and distributed leadership, pressure mounts for more engagement of deputy principals as instructional leaders. We, therefore, recommend a collective approach to vision development by all stakeholders and the development of protocols that encompass pre- and post-observation conferences that mainly focus on the teacher.</p>Norman ChitambaLoyiso Jita
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2024-01-292024-01-29434Implementing the flipped classroom model in mathematics class teaching
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263546
<p>The aim with this research was to examine how the implementation of the flipped classroom model (FCM) impacted the quality and durability of 4th grade students’ knowledge in the field of measuring and measures when compared to traditional teaching (TT). The research was conducted in Serbia on a sample of 135 students, divided into 3 groups. The 3 groups were a control group (C) which was taught mathematics content using the TT model, an experimental group 1 (E1) which was taught using the FCM, while the students in experimental group 2 (E2) were taught using the FCM – the teacher also provided them with feedback regarding their work and made recommendations for their further development. The results show that the students from the E2 group surpassed those from the C and E1 groups regarding the quality and durability of their knowledge in the field of measuring and measures. There was a statistically significant difference in the knowledge of students in this field at the lower cognitive level among all the groups, while the statistically significant difference at the higher cognitive level was seen between the C and the E2 and between the E1 and the E2 groups.</p>Sonja OrlićMia MarićAleksandar Petojević
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2024-01-292024-01-29434Eliminating student misconceptions regarding the unit, Adventure of Democracy, in sixth grade social studies lessons
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263547
<p>Misconceptions are judgments formed in the mind of an individual about a concept that contradicts scientific principles. Identifying and correcting existing misconceptions in students’ minds is an important part of education. To help students properly grasp the concepts covered in the curriculum, any existing misconceptions should be identified and eliminated first, which will ensure that they will better learn the concepts that they encounter in the future. Adopting an action research design, we aimed to examine whether the misconceptions of 6th grade students regarding the study unit, The Adventure of Democracy, have been resolved. The study group consisted of 24 students in classes 6/A and 6/B at the Havuz Secondary School in the Kangal district of the Sivas province of Turkey in the 2017/2018 academic year. Certain methods were used to produce activities aimed at teaching concepts and eliminating misconceptions – audio recordings and field notes were used as the data collection tools. The data were analysed through descriptive analysis. The analysis revealed that the action research activities were effective in teaching the targeted concepts and eliminating the misconceptions held by students.</p>Tekin ÇelikkayaMutlu Kürümlüoglu
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2024-01-292024-01-29434Comparing the technological pedagogical content knowledge-practical proficiency of novice and experienced life sciences teachers
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263549
<p>The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the technological pedagogical content knowledge-practical (TPACKPractical) proficiency of novice and experienced South African life sciences teachers. A quantitative design was followed and 155 life sciences teachers participated. A 17-item questionnaire was administered to establish the TPACK-P proficiency levels of the life sciences teachers. Five TPACK-P proficiency levels were identified based on the questionnaire responses, namely: level 0 (lack of use of information communications technology [ICT]); level 1 (basic understanding of ICT use); level 2 (simple adoption of ICT use); level 3 (infusive application of ICT); and level 4 (reflective application of ICT use). The ANOVA test showed that there was no significant difference between the TPACK-P proficiency of novice and experienced teachers. Based on responses to the questionnaire, the majority of the teachers who participated in the study demonstrated level 3 proficiency. A small percentage of teachers displayed levels 1, 2, and 4 proficiencies across the groups. We conclude with a recommendation for professional development to support the teachers’ TPACK-P better. The purpose of such a professional development programme should be to instil a deeper appreciation of ICT within life sciences teachers and to capacitate them to integrate ICT during their classroom practice, ultimately conducting lessons that are more meaningful to the learners.</p>Umesh RamnarainMemory Malope
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2024-01-292024-01-29434An analysis of the effects of history in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission poetry
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263550
<p>Scholars raise 2 salient questions regarding poetry in post-apartheid South Africa. One is whether new poetry emerged in the post-apartheid South Africa, and the other is whether poetry produced during and after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is capable of capturing the imagination of the reading public without resorting to the bigotry of Black versus White. Literature highlights the need for South African poets to move away from using historical facts as the basis for making literary representation. We acknowledge that the use of historical facts as the basis for literary representation of societies may be seen as insensitive to the victims of the injustices of the past practices in highly politically polarised communities. At the same time, we argue that historical narratives with positive ideological intent can heal wounds and unite a nation. To justify this position, we adopted a 2-fold perspective: firstly, we investigated the effects of using history as the basis for literary representation and, secondly, we examined the extent to which post-apartheid South African poets may use history as a necessary tool to enforce unity and a sense of forgiveness.</p>Magezi MabundaCindy Ramhurry
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2024-01-292024-01-29434Teacher learning and collaboration in a life sciences cluster in South Africa
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263553
<p>There is increasing focus on collaborative teacher learning in South Africa. In the Mpumalanga province, the Department of Education uses cluster meetings as a model of teacher development. Clusters are groups of teachers from different schools who teach the same subject. In this article we focus on the learning activities that took place in 1 cluster of life sciences teachers during 2016 and 2017. Data were generated by observing 6 cluster meetings (at provincial, district and circuit level), and by interviewing 11 members of the cluster and 2 departmental officials. Wenger’s concepts of mutual engagement, shared repertoire and joint enterprise were used to analyse the data. The findings show that the professional learning activities that took place in the cluster meetings were mostly directed at improving the Grade 12 learners’ results. The subject advisors, rather than the teachers, initiated the learning activities. The routines and resources used also focused on improving learner results. We thus argue that a managerial discourse of professionalism underpins the cluster model of professional development, primarily providing strategies intended to improve the pass rate of the Grade 12 learners and to monitor school-based assessment, rather than supporting collaborative professional learning.</p>Ntombekhaya MxengeCarol Bertram
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2024-01-292024-01-29434Teachers’ mathematics pedagogical content knowledge and quality of early mathematics instruction in Turkey
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263554
<p>It is a well-known fact that societies today need to provide quality mathematics education to individuals from their early years in order to compete on a global scale. Although there is a growing interest in early mathematics, there are still some obstacles regarding quality mathematics instruction. Two of the most important obstacles are the mathematics pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK) and early mathematics teacher qualification of pre-school teachers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between pre-school teachers’ classroom mathematics practices and their MPCK. The study included 55 pre-school teachers. Classroom Observation of Early Mathematics – Environment and Teaching (COEMET) was adapted into Turkish. The teachers’ MPCK was assessed using the Survey of Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Early Childhood Mathematics (SPECKECM). The results show that the teachers’ MPCK was at a medium level, being most successful regarding shapes and least in patterns. The COEMET scores were positively and statistically significantly correlated to the total score of the SPECKECM. Moreover, teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) scores successfully predicted the total COEMET scores.</p>Maide Orcan-KacanNeslihan Dedeoglu-AktugMuhammet M. Alpaslan
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2024-01-292024-01-29434Single parenting and students’ academic performance
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263557
<p>The need for strength-based research that highlights the way forward on the phenomenon of single parenting and its antecedent effect on students’ academic performance was the motivation for this study. With this study we addressed the direct effect of single parenting on students’ academic performance, while also accounting for the indirect effect of personal achievement motivation and the moderating role of perceived community support. A sample of 379 secondary students from 12 schools in 6 states in Nigeria participated in the survey. The partial least square structural equation model was used for the analysis of the study data through the aid of SmartPLS. We found that single parenting does not have a significant negative effect on students’ academic performance. We also found that personal achievement motivation mediates the relation between single parenting and students’ academic performance; community support was also found to moderate this relationship. When compared to 2-parent homes, single parenting has the greatest effect on students’ academic performance. We support the Self-determination Theory as a contribution to knowledge.</p>Magdaline Agbu Abe HikoAyhan Cakici EsEngin Baysen
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2024-01-292024-01-29434School infrastructure challenges in South Africa: Experiences of high school principals and teachers
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263558
<p>There is growing concern regarding the inadequate infrastructure in South African schools leading to unsafe environments for teachers and learners. This qualitative single case study involved interviews with 18 participants, including 6 high school principals and 12 mathematics teachers that were sampled purposively and conveniently. The interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed. Additionally, school premises were observed, and field notes were recorded. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theoretical Framework guided the study. The findings highlight the urgent need for attention to school infrastructure. Educators expressed a lack of knowledge regarding school safety policy procedures, which hindered their effective implementation. Poor safety conditions were found to be detrimental to teaching and learning. We emphasise the necessity for policymakers, principals, teachers, and stakeholders to gain a deeper understanding of safety aspects in South African schools, particularly regarding infrastructure deficiencies. Recommendations include providing training sessions on school safety policy procedures for principals and teachers. Additionally, newly appointed teachers should receive induction on school safety policies during their initial days at a new school, addressing the identified absence of such inductions.</p>Mathelela Steyn MokgwathiMarien Alet GrahamJohannes Jozua Rian de Villiers
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2024-01-292024-01-29434Financial management in fee-paying public schools in South Africa: How responsible is the school governing body?
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263559
<p>The South African Schools Act, No. 84 of 1996, stipulates how schools should manage and involve stakeholders in financial management. The literature suggests that stakeholders at non-fee-paying schools in the township and rural areas do not play a dominant role in their schools’ financial management decision-making processes, which is contrary to the dictates of the South African Schools Act. However, in the study on which this article is based, we focused on the financial management decision-making processes in fee-paying public schools. We followed a qualitative research approach with a multiple case study design. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and document analysis, and were analysed thematically. The findings reveal that members of school governing bodies in Quintile 5 fee-paying public primary schools were educated professionals who, as required by the South African Schools Act, exerted a strong influence on the financial management responsibilities in their schools.</p>A AinaA du Plessis
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2024-01-292024-01-29434Teacher voice: A balancing act?
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/263561
<p>This qualitative case study set out to explore how teacher voice was manifested in their practices in curriculum change contexts, utilising the meta-theoretical paradigm of social constructivism and the theoretical framework of social cognitive theory. Data capture comprised a mix of semi-structured interviews and classroom observations conducted over a period of 1 year. Data were analysed using the content analysis method. The findings reveal that perceptions of structural suppression influenced teachers’ sense of agency, which led to a unique construction of teacher voice. The range and scope of teacher agency was underpinned by subservience to the “legislated policy” and predetermined teacher voice, which influenced teachers’ cognitive processes of their capacity to satisfy both internal and external requirements. The central position in this article, however, holds that some teachers can find space to explore possibilities within limitations, which enable and circumscribe subaltern subjectivity and agency, to develop a balanced teacher voice.</p>Bernice BadalSaloshna Vandeyar
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2024-01-292024-01-29434