Browsing by Author "Nyathi, Sifiso F."

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    A critical analysis of using student evaluation feedback to enhance students’ experience of teaching and learning: Closing the loop
    (University of Namibia, 2015) Kadhila, Ngepathimo; Nyathi, Sifiso F.
    Internationally, higher educational institutions have adopted students’ evaluation of teaching as a normative practice. Such student evaluations are normally used for ma king decisions on monitoring teaching and course quality as well as staff promotion. This paper critically reviews reports available on collecting, analysing and using student feed back to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. The review was combined with research findings from experiences and perspectives of Namibian higher education institutions. The paper established that in many higher educational institutions, there was a missing link between obtaining feedback from students and using this information to close the quality loop. The paper therefore recommends that in order to close the quality loop, there is a need for higher educational institutions to implement systematic approaches for collecting, analysing and using feedback; and for improving the communication of actions arising from results to all key stakeholders involved.
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    The essence of English Literature in communicative based ESL classrooms: Reflections on Namibia’s state of affairs
    (University of Namibia, 2015) Nyathi, Sifiso F.; Simataa, Agnes A.
    This study is a depiction and portrayal of the views of Namibian Grade 11 and 12 teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) on the use of English literature in ESL classrooms. The study also presents the rationale and conceptualisation underlying the significance of the use of English literature in the quest to improve English proficiency levels of students. The study was premised on a Humanistic Communicative Approach which is anchored in the Learner Centered Philosophy; a vanguard of Namibia’s epistemology for language learning and teaching. A questionnaire that contained both qualitative and quantitative items was used to gather data. The respondents in general agreed that the study of literature could be used to enhance learner proficiency in the ESL classroom. They agreed that the benefits of literature in an ESL classroom are multidimensional. These benefits include among others; attainment of pragmatic skills, grammar and vocabulary expansion, extensive reading motivation, intercultural awareness, language skills and critical thinking skills.
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    The essence of English Literature in communicative based ESL classrooms: Reflections on Namibia’s state of affairs
    (University of Namibia, 2015) Nyathi, Sifiso F.; Simataa, Agnes A.
    This study is a depiction and portrayal of the views of Namibian Grade 11 and 12 teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) on the use of English literature in ESL classrooms. The study also presents the rationale and conceptualisation underlying the significance of the use of English literature in the quest to improve English proficiency levels of students. The study was premised on a Humanistic Communicative Approach which is anchored in the Learner Centered Philosophy; a vanguard of Namibia’s epistemology for language learning and teaching. A questionnaire that contained both qualitative and quantitative items was used to gather data. The respondents in general agreed that the study of literature could be used to enhance learner proficiency in the ESL classroom. They agreed that the benefits of literature in an ESL classroom are multidimensional. These benefits include among others; attainment of pragmatic skills, grammar and vocabulary expansion, extensive reading motivation, intercultural awareness, language skills and critical thinking skills.
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    The rights of the dead: A case of the Ovahimba people of Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2014) Nyathi, Sifiso F.
    This paper stems from a research study conducted to explore the conceptions of Namibia’s Ovahimba tribe about the rights of the dead. Among other disciplines, the study locates itself under customary law, sociology and anthropology. The study employed a qualitative approach to data collection and analysis. The population of this study was all the Ovahimba speaking people living in the Kunene Region. A combination of the convenience, the purposive and the homogeneous sampling techniques were used to select the sample. The study established that Ovahimba people believe that the spirits of the dead (ancestors) live and communicate with them all the time through the sacred fire. Therefore, they believe that the dead have equal rights as the living. It is therefore recommended that the Namibian nation be wary of importation of Western values that impose themselves on indigenous African cultures in the name of law and justice. The paper also recommends that the school curriculum for the Ovahimba people be vetted to ascertain cultural fairness and neutrality to avoid elements of ideological hegemonic impositions and/or brainwash.
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    The study of literature as a resource for second language acquisition
    (University of Namibia, 2016) Simataa, Agnes A.; Nyathi, Sifiso F.
    This paper emanates from an earlier study, which examined the views of Namibian Grade 11 and 12 teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) on the use of English literature in ESL classrooms. The aim of the paper is to present the rationale and conceptualisation underlying the significance of the use of literature to improve general language proficiency levels of students. The study is based on the Learner Centred approach which is related to the communicative theory to learning and teaching. The implication of the paper is that literature should be taught conscientiously by language educators to enhance learner proficiency in language classrooms. The benefits of literature in an ESL classroom are multidimensional; which include, among others; attainment of pragmatic (social language use) skills, grammar and vocabulary expansion, extensive reading motivation, intercultural awareness, language skills and critical thinking skills. This was also supported by the findings of the study in which a significant number of the respondents agreed that the study of literature had an important role to play in language acquisition.