Issue 1 (NCPDJE Vol.3)

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http://hdl.handle.net/11070/2159

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Investigating the relevance of preparatory mathematics in three selected kindergartens in the Zambezi region of Namibia
(University of Namibia, 2016) Ilukena, Alex M.; Musiba, Makando Autilliah; Simasiku, Muyumbano Bosman
This paper is based on a qualitative case study which investigated the relevance of preparatory mathematics in three selected kindergartens in the Zambezi Region of Namibia. A snowball sampling procedure was used, were each successive participant was named by a preceding individual. Eighty – three (83) kindergartens children aged 5 – 6 years old and four (4) kindergarten teachers took part in the study. The data was collected by means of two methods namely documents analysis and semi – structured interviews which provided a degree of cross checking of claims. The main findings of the study were that the preparatory mathematics is unique, interesting and relevant to the kindergartens and further has basic elements of mathematics that is appropriately connects to the mathematics taught at junior primary, senior primary, junior and senior secondary and the tertiary institutions.
Global simulation: Fostering students pro-activism in the learning of French in Anglophone countries
(University of Namibia, 2016) Zannier-Wahengo, Aurelie
Learning and teaching activities evolve together with the didactics research progress. In foreign language teaching, the communicative approach, developed in the 1970s, positioned learners at the epicentre of the learning-teaching process, exposing them to realistic and authentic communicative situations. New teaching activities and practices developed in order to answer the learner-centred approach needs, and simulation techniques found interest among many French foreign language experts. In the early 1980s, role-play activities were implemented in French foreign language classrooms and they became unavoidable activities in textbooks. They were eventually introduced as testing instruments in official certifications such as the French International Language Certificates DELF and DALF. The global simulation teaching technique, which appeared together with role-play, was more ambitious as it required learners to create and interact in a collective world of reference, in which they had to simulate fictional characters communicating with each other in a specific realist environment, and according to the on-going events and incidents occurring in this environment. In a global simulation, learners embark on a “realistic illusion” where they are actors as well as decision makers of the storyline. Unlike role-play, the global simulation teaching technique constitutes the core of the teaching content. This paper aims to define the Global Simulation process and its technicalities, and to analyse its potential pedagogical advantages and limitations. The paper will attempt to present origins and concepts of the Global Simulation in FFL to value its pedagogical advantages from teachers’ and learners’ points of view, and to underline the possible obstacles and/or limitations of this communicative tool.
Interrogating paradoxes in the multilingual provisions of the new 2013 Zimbabwean constitution
(University of Namibia, 2016) Mazuruse, Mickson
The general understanding that goes with ‘officialising’ a language is that, its status is raised and its functions are diversified so much that it may be used in all facets of life. This study interrogates the possibilities of translating this official recognition into actual practice. The main issues to be discussed are; respondents’ awareness of the multilingual linguistic provisions in the 2013 constitution, respondents’ attitudes towards the multilingual provisions of the 2013 Zimbabwean constitution and the dichotomy between separate development of related varieties and harmonising related varieties. The study further looks at the practical possibilities of implementing these provisions by examining the conduciveness of the situation on the ground in Zimbabwe for such a change. The study also questions the commitment of the Zimbabwe government in promoting linguistic pluralism given its failure to implement the provisions of the 1987 Education Act on languages to be taught and used in schools. The study found that there are contentious issues to be considered. The first contentious issue identified by this research is on the need to maintain the unity in the country. The study argues that there is need to balance the desires of unity in diversity without getting lost in idealism. Although this may give these varieties space in the education sector, the problem is that, only a handful of varieties were chosen from a cluster of several such varieties in a similar situation.
The role of rural school libraries on childrens exposure to literacy in the Namibian context
(University of Namibia, 2016) Lumbu, Simon D.
The link between libraries and reading development has been found to be a determining factor in literacy development by scholars the world over. Based on the findings of a study on the constraints encountered by teachers in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in rural combined schools in the Oshana region, this paper analyses the role of school libraries in rural schools in Namibia. The study made use of the qualitative approach to investigate some of the causes of ineffective teaching and learning in rural schools. Each year, the Directorate of National Examinations and Assessments (DNEA) reveals poor academic performance in the National Senior Secondary Certificate examinations, particularly in the English subject. This study found that poor learner reading skills coupled with learners’ limited access to reading materials constrained the teaching of ESL. Although there were libraries at each school that participated in the study, physical set-up of the libraries often did not qualify them to be libraries in a prototypical definition of a library. It is introspection worthy to examine the role of these rural school libraries on children’s exposure to literacy in an environment of limited reading materials.
Learners as leaders in Namibian schools: Taking responsibility and exercising agency
(University of Namibia, 2016) Grant, Callie; Nekondo, Linus
Educational leadership and management (ELM) research has, all-too-often, attributed a positional quality to leadership and equated school leadership with the principal at the top of the management hierarchy. We argue that leadership is not limited by formal authority and can be exercised by individuals and groups other than the principal. Of specific interest to us is the leadership of learners. However, research in this niche area is limited, and particularly so in African countries such as Namibia. Framed by the concepts of learner voice and democratic citizenship, this article focuses on the leadership development of Namibian school learners and argues that learners should be treated as people whose ideas matter. It draws on a Bachelor of Education Honours ELM elective which required Honours students (practicing teachers) to establish leadership clubs in their schools and involve learners in a change initiative in pursuit of leadership development. The research which informed this article was designed as a case study to explore learner voice and the development of leadership across extra-curricular leadership clubs in 32 Namibian schools. Data were generated from a number of different sources and analysed thematically. The purpose of this article is two-fold; first to give a broad overview of the 32 Namibian clubs and show, through the identification of the focus areas of their club projects for the year, ‘what mattered’ to learners, and second to discuss, in detail, one of these 32 clubs. On the basis of our findings, we argue that learners can indeed be developed as leaders through the introduction of learner leadership clubs in schools. Given the appropriate forum, learners are able to articulate what matters to them in schools; they are able to develop a voice. Given the right conditions and concomitant support, learners can enact leadership, particularly when they have conceptualised the school change initiative. Because learners are central to school life, they are well placed to bring about school change. Yet, we caution, the leadership development of learners is unlikely to be sustained without bold and continued leadership on the part of teachers and the school management team.
ICTs in teacher education: Enhancing quality language teaching and learning in Zimbabwe
(University of Namibia, 2016) Gora, Ruth B.; Manyarara, Barbra C.
113 Rapid advances in the development of ICT have been seen to offer new opportunities for enhancing the quality and effectiveness of language teaching and learning. The computer offers educators immense possibilities, and has been widely used, in computer assisted language learning (CALL). CALL has made significant advances towards finding a solution to and changing the way that language courses are conceived and taught. Although CALL developments tended to follow behaviouristic pedagogies that produced electronic imitations of drill and practice, for example, CALL now provides endless opportunities for interaction with a rich set of media types, characters and cultural information. However, educational institutions have lagged behind in fully recognising such opportunities. This prompts a call for re-orientation of education and training of language teachers. The paper therefore intends to guide teachers’ colleges on integrating ICT into their language learning and teaching activities. The guide is specifically aimed at language lecturers, lecturers-in-charge (LICs), heads of departments (HODs) and administrators in Zimbabwean teachers’ colleges while exploring the challenges of introducing ICT driven language education in traditionally face-to-face tertiary institutions in developing African countries.
The perceptions and practice of learner centred teaching in Namibia. The case of Physical Science teachers in the Omusati eucation region
(University of Namibia, 2016) Awe, G.A.; Kasanda, Choshi D.
This study sought to find out the practice and problems encountered by Physical Science teachers in the Omusati Education Region in Namibia. It was found that there was a discrepancy between the teachers’ perceptions of their practice of learner-centred teaching and their actual practice in the classroom. It was also found that a number of problems hindered their practice of learner centred teaching. Possible solutions to these problems were also indicated.
An investigation of the awareness and exposure of young transport and logistics professionals to continuous professional development in Namibia
(University of Namibia, 2016) Madejski, E.A.; Shangheta, L.B.
This paper investigates the awareness and exposure of the young professionals in the Transport and Logistics to Continuous Professional Development (CPD). The young professionals are students who are studying the Transport and Logistics professional qualification at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). This investigation is shaped by the school of thought that CPD should become integrated into the learning curriculum, before professional degrees are obtained and should be progressed after successful professional attainment. The purpose of this paper is to identify the key motivational factors why professionals need continuous improvement, and to understand exactly why a single qualification without further development no longer suffices. This paper further investigates whether CPD should be implemented in workplaces and made compulsory. Quantitative research will provide for more comprehensive findings, CILT students that have registered at the Namibian-German Centre for Logistics (NGCL) were chosen for this research. The sample size of 129 students studying part time at CILT were given questionnaires to complete. The results show that the majority of the young professionals at CILT were familiar with what CPD is. The investigation revealed that the students are aware that they are participating in CPD in one way or another. This study however shows that the students confuse professional bodies with universities, law and physical training institutions. The study shows that the intrinsic motivation for participation in CPD will propel Namibia forward as the students positively associate continuous learning with increasing skilled work force, reduce poverty and enhance innovative thought. Overall our research found a solid basis for the promotion and extension of a CPD culture and its principles in Namibian company HR departments, and the paper includes recommendations for in-company best practice in this respect.
Social media in education contexts: Implications for critical media literacy and ethical challenges for teachers and educational institutions in Namibia
(University of Namibia, 2016) Haipinge, Erkkie
The proliferation of social media and its use by students has raised a lot of research interest in attempts to seek ways of appropriating these new technologies for instructional and learning purposes. Critical media literacy deals with the critical analysis of various popular culture media in terms of their ideological and power implications, as well as the meaning of their messages. Although critical media literacy views new media as beneficial in their democratised nature, concerns remain about students’ ability to decipher and analyse the content that they both consume and create through social media. The two can be termed critical consumption and creation respectively. Similarly, social media poses potential ethical challenges for the teaching profession and for educational institutions. This is a qualitative research that employed the Phenomenography method where data was collected through focus group interviews. The paper sheds light on student teachers’ current social media practices. Analysing student teachers’ social media practices through the lens of critical media literacy, the paper highlights potential ethical challenges that are encountered while using social media in educational contexts. Recommendations include critical and ethically considerate approaches to using social media in educational contexts, as well as methods of incorporating the teaching critical media literacy skills in teacher education curricula.
Addressing factors that contribute to indiscipline in secondary schools in Namibia: A case study
(University of Namibia, 2016) Mushaandja, John; Likando, Gilbert N.; Upindi, Ndapewa M.
The study examined factors that contribute to secondary school learner indiscipline in Namibia and ways how to mitigate them. We employed a qualitative case study design. The population comprised of all teachers and parents in the Khomas Region in Namibia. A stratified purposeful sampling was used to select the respondents. Standardized semi-structured interviews and document analysis were used to collect data. The findings of the study identified five categories of factors that contribute to indiscipline in secondary schools namely psychosocial factors, professional factors, learner performance, societal/environmental factors, and parental support. In order to mitigate the situation the study identified four strategies that could be employed in secondary schools, namely the point system, involving parents, counseling, and learner suspension and expulsion.

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