Doctoral Degrees (DAES)

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    'n metaleksikografiese ondersoek na konteksleiding in Afrikaanse vertalende woordeboeke
    (2006) Beyer, Herman Louis
    This study reports on a metalexicographical investigation into contextual guidance in Afrikaans translation dictionaries. The problem that gives rise to the need for such an investigation is demonstrated from a practical perspective, after which attention is paid to determining the genuine purpose of a dictionary by looking at the component parts of the concept, i.e. the typological placement and the target user group of the dictionary in question. The discussion of the target user group evolves into an in-depth look at the user aspect, which results in the development and presentation of the model of lexicographical parameters for user-friendly dictionaries. This model aims to provide a scientific description of lexicographical user friendliness. Existing proposed definitions of the genuine purpose of a dictionary coupled with the benefit of insights derived from the model of lexicographical parameters for user-friendly dictionaries make the presentation of a new definition of the genuine purpose of a (translation) dictionary possible, which is followed by defining a polyfunctional translation dictionary for Southern Africa. Attention is also paid to some macrostructural issues pertaining to standard translation dictionaries, among others vertical and horizontal alphabetical macrostructures and niching and nesting as manifestations of horizontal alphabetical macrostructures. With regard to nesting, the classification of first and second level nesting is expanded by the description of third and fourth level nesting. The influence of the organisation plan and the dictionary conceptualisation plan on the selection of lexical items for the macrostructure of a standard dictionary is touched upon. An in-depth evaluation of contextual guidance in Afrikaans standard translation dictionaries follows the exposition of the rationale for it and the definitions of the terms context, contextualisation and contextual guidance. The discussion produces the identification of the types of contextualising entries, among others meaning explanations, lexicographical labels and glosses, which fall under the main class of discriminators and which in turn functions alongside the main classes of cotext entries and inserted texts. Each type and subtype is studied meticulously, and distribution structures are determined and evaluated through the study of dictionary data. The study of the data also results in the identification of different levels of contextualisation as well as different types of translation equivalent paradigms. The discussion of lexicographical labels takes on the form of a critical overview of the existing literature on this topic and results in the presentation of a new and scientifically sounder model for the description of labelling in dictionaries in general, i.e. the deixis model. The study of contextualising entries is followed by a discussion of certain elements of the composition of dictionary articles that can support successful contextual guidance, i.e. types of microstructures and the rapid internal access structure. The in-depth study of contextualisation makes the revision of the definition for the term contextualising entry possible. Ultimately a practical model for more effective contextual guidance in polyfunctional Afrikaans translation dictionaries is presented in three main components, i.e. (i) standards for the application of contextual entries, (ii) the proposal of an adapted rapid internal access structure, and (iii) the effective application of functional types of microstructures. The requirements of lexicographical accountability and user-friendliness remain central motives throughout the study.
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    Teacher educators' interpretation and practice of learner-centred pedagogy
    (2008) Nyambe, Kamwi John; Smith, Clive; Wilmot, Dianne
    The objective of this study was to understand how teacher educators in a Namibian college of education interpret and practice the learner-centred pedagogy underpinning the Basic Education Teachers Diploma (BETD) program. In order to achieve this objective, a case study approach was adopted, qualitative-interpretive in orientation and drawing upon interviews, naturalistic non-participant observation and document analysis. Bernstein's theory of pedagogy - in particular his notion ofrecontextualization - offered ideas and concepts that were used to generate and analyse data. The data indicated that, at the level of description, teacher educators interpreted leamercentred pedagogy as a pedagogic practice based on weak rules of regulative discourse, or a weak power relation between themselves and their student teachers. The weakening of the rules of regulative discourse and the waning of educator authority were indicated in the interview narratives, which evoked a pedagogic context characterized by a repositioning of the student teacher from the margins to the centre of the classroom, where he or she enjoyed a more active and visible pedagogic position. Contrary to the dis empowering dynamic within classroom practice under the apartheid dispensation, the repositioning of the student teacher suggested a shift of power towards him or her. Similarly, the identification of the teacher educator as afacilitator, which featured prominently in the interview narratives, further suggested a weakening or diminishing of the pedagogic authority of the teacher educator. With regard to rules pertaining to the instructional discourse, the data revealed an interpretation of leamer-centred pedagogy as a pedagogic practice based on strong framing over the selection of discourses, weak framing over pacing, and strong framing over sequencing and criteria for evaluation. When correlated with the interview data, the data generated through lesson observation and teacher educator prepared documents such as lesson plans revealed a disjuncture between teacher educators' ideas about leamer-centred pedagogy and their practice of it. Contrary to the interviews, lesson observation data revealed that teacher educators implemented leamer-centred pedagogy as a pedagogic practice based on strong internal framing over rules of the regulative discourse. Data further indicated strong internal framing over the selection, sequencing, pacing and evaluation. The study concluded that while some teacher educators could produce an accurate interpretation oflearner-centred pedagogy at the level of description, most of them did not do so at the level of practice. Findings revealed structural and personal-psychological factors that constrained teacher educators' recontextualization of the new pedagogy. A narrow understanding of leamercentred pedagogy that concentrated only on changing teacher educators' pedagogical approaches from teacher-centred to learner-centred, while ignoring structural and systematic factors, tended to dominate not only the interview narratives but also official texts. Learner-centred pedagogy was understood as a matter of changing from teachercentredness to leamer-centredness while frame factors, for instance regarding the selection, pacing or sequencing of discourses, still followed the traditional approach. The study recommends the adoption of a systematic and deliberate approach to address the multiplicity of factors involved in enabling teacher educators to interpret and implement leamer-centred pedagogy at the micro-level of their classrooms.
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    The incorporation of environmental education for sustainability in the Namibian Colleges and Education
    (2009) Kanyimba, Alex T.
    Environmental education (EE) as an approach to all education is needed to be incorporated in all the subjects of the school curriculum. In Namibia, there are Ministerial documents that support the incorporation of education About, In/ Through and For the environment within the curriculum. Even though there are documents that support this, EE continues to suffer barriers that hinder its effective incorporation into the curriculum. The findings reveal that EE in Namibia is incorporated into the traditional environmental subject homes only. The barriers that prevent the incorporation of EE into the Namibian broad curriculum for secondary schools are, amongst others, the lack of adequate teacher education programmes and the lack of interdepartmental collaboration at school level. These barriers and many others have been identified and discussed in detail in this investigation. Measures are recommended to ensure effective incorporation of EE in the Namibian broad curriculum for secondary schools.
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    'Weaving the past with threads of memory': Narratives and commemorations of the colonial war in southern Namibia
    (2012) Biwa, Memory
    This study seeks to contribute to the literature on the colonial war, genocide and memory studies in Namibia. I review the way in which communities in southern Namibia have developed practices in which to recall and re-enact the colonial war by focusing on narrative genres and public commemorations. I also document how these practices in southern Namibia and the Northern Cape, South Africa symbolically connect and cut across colonial and national borders. I have used the idea of re-constructed and sensorial memory practices within which to view the various narrative genres which display a range of performance repertoire projected onto persons, monuments and land. The study also focuses on the ways in which these memory practices are engaged in order to develop strategies within which to historicise practices of freedom. These have been inserted in the dialogue on national reconciliation through the debates on reparations and the repatriation of human bodies exported to Europe during the colonial war. I argue that these practices depart from a conventional way in which to view an archive and history, and that these memory practices point to the ways in which the logic and acts of the colonial war and genocide were diametrically opposed through acts of humanisation.
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    Examining the potential of ethics of care for inclusion of women in Africa higher education discourses
    (2014) Shanyanana, Rachel N.
    This dissertation argues that women on the African continent experience moments of internal exclusion in higher education discourses. Although women are statistically represented in higher education discourses, they remain subjected to internal exclusion on the grounds that their contributions are evidently unsubstantive. Through a conceptual analysis of women’s experiences of African higher education, the study reveals that internal exclusion can be attributed to patriarchy, male chauvinism, authoritarianism and a gendered view of equality, mostly generated in people’s social, political and cultural practices. I contend that a ‘non-gendered’ ethics of care can undermine the debilitating effects caused by the internal exclusion of women in higher education discourses. By examining the implications of a reconstituted ethics of care for teaching and learning at higher education institutions on the continent, the study offers some ways in which exclusionary higher education practices can be remedied. This dissertation contends that, if higher education in Africa were to halt the dilemma of internal exclusion and move towards engendering a reconstituted ethics of care, both conceptually and pragmatically, then it stands an authentic chance of cultivating compassionate, imaginative and responsible citizens who can reason, not only for themselves, but for humanity as well.
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    Maternal role in daughters' sexual health development in Khomas region: Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2018) Akpokiniovo, Funmilayo S.
    A continuum of prevention that provides information and support to very young adolescent girls throughout their lifecycles is central to their healthy sexual development. Crucial to this continuum is the family, especially the mothers. Hence, the study explored the role of mothers in their daughters ' sexual health development, specifically within the Khomas region, Namibia. In addressing this phenomenon, the study was carried out in four phases. Firstly, focusing on the needs assessment, secondly on programme development, thirdly and fourthly on programme implementation and programme evaluation respectively. The fmdings from the needs assessment showed that there was still a paucity of attention to this issue, by some mothers, for various reasons; such as not knowing what to say, or when and how to initiate discussions about sex with their daughters. This necessitated the design of an intervention programme for mothers. The overall outcome of the study showed that when mothers ' natural role as primary sexual health educators is supported through intervention programmes, it has the potential for improving mothers' beliefs, communication, knowledge and ability to engage in discussions about sex and sexrelated topics with their daughters in timely and meaningful ways, which indirectly impacts on their daughters ' ability to delay sexual activity.
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    Academic resilience in Mathematics amongst at-risk Grade 10 learners in Namibia: A phenomenology study
    (University of Namibia, 2018) Neshila, Kashinauua Faustina
    Demands for technical and scientific expertise in many countries including Namibia made the Namibian government emphasise the need for effective teaching of mathematics and science in schools to enable learners to excel in these subjects. Despite that, school failure at Grade 10 level remains a challenge in Namibia. Learners continue to perform poorly, especially in mathematics over the past years. One intriguing manifestation of this record of performance is that there are some learners who may be considered to be at risk of school failure yet they excel in mathematics. These are learners of a low social economic status, who come from poverty-stricken families and communities ravaged by crime, violence, parental unemployment and substance abuse, just to mention a few. The focal point of this study is to understand the conceptual, experiential and practical ramifications of resilience displayed by such learners. Thus, a study on protective factors which contribute to academic resilience in mathematics might provide a stepping stone to success in learning mathematics and to the development of a subject/section in the school curriculum to foster academic resilience amongst Namibian learners. A phenomenological research methodology was chosen with the aim of describing the lived experiences of those Grade 10 learners who are at risk of school failure yet have resilient outcomes in mathematics. A sample of eight learners who obtained a B grade/symbol or better in mathematics in the national Grade 10 formal examinations in 2014; and were considered at-risk of school failure; were selected with the help of their mathematics and life skills teachers. The research participants were interviewed using a three-phase approach. The standardised open-ended interview in the first phase focused on the context of the participants’ experience with resilience. In the second phase the participants were asked to describe details of their lived experiences of resilience in the school context. Lastly in the third phase participants were encouraged to reflect on the meaning of their experiences of resilience. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. The transcripts were analysed thematically to identify core commonalities and meanings. The results of this study have provided evidence that academic resilience in mathematics was displayed through the strong social bonds learners shared with both adults and peers/friends who promoted their desire to participate in the life of school and to achieve. Furthermore, findings showed that the context in which learners had/have to learn mathematics was best described as not being favourable for learning mathematics. Most of the participants were orphans born to un-educated/under-educated parents and lived in crowded homes in poverty-stricken neighbourhoods. These neighbourhoods were characterised by a high number of cuca shops/bars which emitted so much noise that it was challenging for the learners to study at home. Learners reported exposure to violence, alcohol and substance abuse in their streets. In addition, owing to low levels of parental education they receive/d little or no family support with their learning of mathematics; consequently, their home background failed to provide them with role models in mathematics. Instead, some of the participants live/lived with siblings who dropped out of school, parents who failed grade 10 and peers who disliked mathematics. These participants relied on their own self-determination, self-efficacy, self-help and optimism for learning mathematics. Because of these qualities learners were able to adapt to the challenges in their environment and achieve good results in mathematics. Bearing of these findings in mind the study developed a theoretical model for promoting academic resilience in mathematics herein referred to as the triple I (I-I-I) model for promoting academic resilience in mathematics through the perspective of the learner informed by the learners’ lived experiences of the phenomenon. The study provided some suggestions which if implemented might enable learners from disadvantaged backgrounds to succeed in mathematics. It is recommended that the Ministry of Education should revise the life skills syllabus to add a section aimed at promoting academic resilience. Another suggestion is that parents should be encouraged by school principals and teachers to show interest in their children’s education. For example, schools should also inform parents about school activities through the local media such as local radio stations. Schools should strengthen the parents’ relationship with the school through the school board and encourage parents to attend school meetings by highlighting the importance of parental attendance to the learners.
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    A framework for the integration of graduate employability attributes in the vurricula of Management Sciences at higher education institutions in Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2018) Shivoro, Romanus S.
    The industry in Namibia has persistently expressed dissatisfaction about the quality of graduates from institutions of higher learning, alleging that graduates are not adequately prepared for the world of work. They claim that graduates need other attributes apart from discipline specific knowledge and skills. Graduate attributes are the skills, personal attributes and values which should be acquired by all graduates regardless of their discipline or field of study. The aim of the study was therefore to investigate the present state of enhancing graduate attributes in the curricula of management sciences in Namibia, and to suggest a framework for the integration of graduate employability attributes in curricula. The study was carried out using a mixed-methods research approach and applying a sequential explanatory design. The research design consisted of two distinct phases, firstly to collect and analyse quantitative data, and secondly to collect and analyse qualitative data. During the quantitative phase, a survey method with questionnaires was employed to determine perspectives of employers, management sciences graduates and lecturers regarding graduate employability. Survey questionnaires were distributed to graduates who have completed Bachelor degree in management sciences discipline at higher education institutions in Namibia, a similar questionnaire was administered higher education staff in Namibia that is teaching courses in management sciences. Furthermore, a similar questionnaire was administered to the employers of graduates. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics with SPSS statistical software. The qualitative phase employed a strategy of content analysis to assess the integration of graduate employability attributes in management sciences curricula of two universities in Namibia. Qualitative data – content analysis was done using Atlas ti. Analysis software. The findings of the quantitative phase indicated that there is mismatch between opinions of employers, higher education institutions, and graduates regarding which attributes are most important for the labour market. However, all three stakeholders have indicated, graduates’ preparation for the labour market should include innovation, and professional accountability, in addition to other attributes such as critical thinking, leadership, management, information communication technology, systems thinking, work ethics, and literacy and numeracy. Therefore, a list of ten priority attributes has been generated from this phase. The results of the qualitative phase illustrated a weak position of targeted higher education institutions’ provisions for enhancing employability attributes. The study found inadequate emphasis on employability attributes in programme documents in terms of programme outcomes, content, delivery, and assessment of student learning. The study also found lack of provision for work-based learning, which could provide a golden opportunity and exposure for students to develop employability attributes. However, substantial attributes related to graduate employability were found to be inadvertently and implicitly embedded in discipline specific modules. Finally, based on the findings of the two study phases, and literature on best practices for enhancing graduate employability, the study produced four publications. The publications focus on a variety of aspects, namely, perspectives of stakeholders, critical analysis on literature, how others have embedded employability graduate attributes in the management sciences curricula and also a proposed framework for integrating employability attributes in the curricula.
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    Perceptions of teachers, learners and parents regarding multigrade teaching: Development of an intervention programme for selected multigrade primary schools in Kunene region, Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2018) Siririka, Gisela
    The primary goal of this study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of Grades 2 and 3 multigrade teachers, learners and their parents with regard to multigrade teaching. Secondly, the study aimed at developing an intervention programme for multigrade teachers for effective teaching. Key theories and models of multigrade teaching served as cornerstones for this study. This research was a qualitative study embedded within an interpretive case study. Data were collected from a purposively selected sample through in-depth face-to-face semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews using an audiotape recorder, and analysis of relevant policy documents. The interviews were conducted after class observations at the schools and recorded digitally using an interview guide, transcribed verbatim, translated and coded. Data collected from interviews and focus groups were first transcribed in Otjiherero and then translated into English. Fifteen classroom observations were carried out in order to understand the nature of multigrade teaching classroom practices. A video camera was used to capture classroom activities and interactions between teachers and learners. The video recorded lessons were analysed verbatim. The data were analysed using the Tech’s data analysis method. The four criteria of trustworthiness, namely, credibility, transferability, confirmability and dependability were used to establish the trustworthiness of this study. The findings of this study revealed that teachers in rural Namibian multigrade schools in the sample, faced common challenges. Some of the challenges were attributed to lack of resources, lack of infrastructure, lack of appropriate lesson planning and classroom management skills and competencies, poor socio-economic background, differentiated teaching, lack of continuous support both at school level and at national level, and lack of training. The results further showed that teachers, learners and parents are in favour of multigrade teaching if support is provided. This study developed an intervention programme for multigrade schools. The major recommendations are that multigrade teachers need training and support. The study further recommends that policy makers and curriculum developers should develop policies and a suitable curriculum for multigrade teaching. The study also made recommendations for further research. Finally, the study concludes that providing support to multigrade teachers will change their attitudes towards multigrade teaching.
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    An evaluation of the implementation of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) policy for education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2018) Kazondovi, Collins Mbatjiza
    The purpose of this evaluation study was to determine the extent to which the teacher educators in the Faculty of Education at the University of Namibia implemented the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Policy for Education. This study employed both the quantitative method in the form of questionnaires and the qualitative method in the form of interviews and classroom observations. From the 100 participants surveyed 73 respondent, which was a 73% response rate to the questionnaire. The data were analysed by using the Likert Scale, Pearson-Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, Kruskal-Wallis H Test, Eigenvalue: Factor Analysis and Eigenvalue: Cluster. A purposive sampling was then conducted on the teacher educators at each University of Namibia campus who were tasked to teach with ICTs. These teacher educators were interviewed and classroom observations were conducted. The findings of the study indicated that the participants had a good understanding of the ICT Policy for Education. However, the findings further indicated that the respondents lacked training in ICT pedagogy, lacked technical know-how in ICT applications; lacked technical support at their campuses; lacked the time to learn and incorporate ICT skills and tools into lessons; and lastly exposed insufficient budget allocation in place for use in procurement of ICT tools such as hardware and software. The findings of the study may inform the teacher education institutions and the Ministry of Education on the extent to which the objectives identified in the ICT Policy for Education are being achieved. The findings may also inform stakeholders about factors that hinder effective implementation of the ICT Policy for Education in teacher training institutions. Finally, based on the findings of the study, the researcher proposed a model on how to implement the ICT Policy for Education at the tertiary level.
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    Anti-bullying intervention programme and guidelines for secondary schools in Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2020) Sam, Aune Ndeumona
    For several decades, bullying has been highlighted as one of the threats to effective teaching and learning. Many research studies have been conducted in developed countries, especially in Norway and the USA, with the aim of preventing and managing bullying at school level. In Namibia, research conducted by Sam (2011) revealed that the prevalence of bullying in both rural and urban schools was high, but that there was no intervention programme to assist victims and perpetrators, as well as witnesses of bullying. The study found a gap in knowledge regarding a programme that could be utilised for anti-bullying purposes; existing anti-bullying programmes available were not suitable for the Namibian context as they had been developed in the western world where the school set up was different. One of the recommendations suggested in that study was that a programme aiming at combating bullying in Namibian schools should be developed. The present study arose from that recommendation, as well as reports from local media indicating the serious state of bullying in schools. Based on that, the development of an anti-bullying programme employed in this study was given birth. This study zoomed in on the current status of bullying activities with the purpose of creating awareness about bullying, developing resilient skills among bullied learners, as well as finding prevention and management strategies to combat bullying at secondary school level in Namibia. Employing a mixed methods quasi-experimental design, the researcher conducted the study in four urban/town secondary schools in Namibia. Twenty-six key informants, consisting of Life Skills teachers and Learners' Representative Council members participated in the development of an anti-bullying programme which was later employed in the Life Skills lessons. Eighty-one learners in Grade 9 participated in the implementation of the programme, and they participated in pre- and post-tests by completing questionnaires. The evaluation on the programme was done by the Life Skills teachers who implemented the intervention programme in their lessons. The findings of the study revealed that a large number of learners were experiencing bullying every day in Namibian secondary schools. All types of bullying identified were recorded in all the schools where the study was conducted. The reasons for bullying were different from school to school, but the most common ones were identified as poor school rules regarding bullying and a lack of anti-bullying programmes. It was identified that schools had no prevention and intervention mechanisms in place in order to combat bullying, other than their school rules which did not address bullying. The impact of bullying was felt by the majority of learners. Learners highlighted that bullying did affect teaching and learning, and bullied learners were more likely to drop out of school. Bullying led to poor academic performance, criminal activities and suicidal thoughts for some learners. After the intervention of the anti-bullying programme, there was a clear decrease in physical bullying activities experienced by victims but other types of bullying perpetrated against victims either increased or remained the same. The findings also indicate that more learners became aware of the different types of bullying and were able to identify them in the post-test as opposed to pre-test findings. Cyber bullying remained a major concern due to internet access by many learners and the many social media sites or platforms which allow bullying to thrive. Some learners indicated that they were able to deal with bullying after the intervention of the programme as they had learnt new skills and knowledge regarding the ways in which to handle bullying. Despite the new skills learnt, the well-being of learners at schools was still at stake as bullying continued unabated, and it continued causing short and long term social and emotional, as well as academic damage to learners.
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    The effectiveness of the University of Namibia Oshakati campus Science Foundation programme in preparing students for degree programmes
    (University of Namibia, 2020) Nghipandulwa, Leena Lahja
    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the Oshakati campus Science Foundation, Programme (SFP) in preparing students for degree programmes at the University of Namibia (UNAM). The study was situated in qualitative and quantitative research paradigms. The population of the study consisted of all the former students who went through the UNAM SFP from 2005 to 2016 at the Oshakati campus (approximately 1298). as well as all SFP lecturers. The sample consisted of I 00 former SFP students and five SFP lecturers. Out of the I 00 former SFP students, 50 were selected by using the stratified random sampling method according to the degree programmes they had enrolled in. Snowball sampling was further used to select 30 SFP graduates who had completed their studies and 20 who were not enrolled in any of the degree programs at UNAM. The I 00 participants completed a questionnaire with open and closed-ended items. Convenience sampling was then used to select five SFP lecturers for individual interviews. The research tools for data collection were a questionnaire, an interview guide, and document analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data. Qualitative data were coded into common themes that emerged from the findings. The findings of the study showed that 80% of the students had successfully completed the SFP. The results also revealed that 80% of former SFP students had furthered their studies at tc11iary institutions. Sixty-three percent of those who passed the SFP were still studying with different tertiary institutions. The remaining 37% had already completed their further studies and were all employed. It also emerged from the findings that from 2006 up to 2016, more former SFP students passed their first year at UNAM and progressed to the second year of their studies. Al l five SFP lecturers were or the view that the SFP was very effective in preparing students to take up further studies in science-related fields because more students managed to pass the I st year of their studies. The lecturers further indicated that there was no specific model used in the teaching or the SFP. The researcher therefore has designed and suggested the use or the Foundation Programme Outcome Based Approach (FPOBA) as a possible teaching model for the SFP. This model is informed by the programme evaluation theory and incorporates the teaching and learning strategies that were reportedly effective. It is hoped that by using this model, the SFP could become more efficient and effective in preparing students for tertiary education in science-related fields of study at UNAM.
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    The effects of authentic learning activities on achievements and attitude towards Natural Science among Grade 7 learners in Khomas and Omusati educational regions
    (University of Namibia, 2020) Uugwanga, Jafet Shikongo
    Teaching and learning Natural Science for conceptual understanding requires appropriate and effective teaching approaches and inquiry-based learning activities. The problem of teaching and learning Natural Science for deeper understanding is global and Namibia is not an exception. The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture’s reports on the National Standardised Achievement Tests (SATs) results of Grade 7 Natural Science showed that learners scored under basic achievement category over the past years. These poor SATs results might affect learners’ academic achievements and attitude towards science subjects. It is therefore a concern that many teachers seem to teach Natural Science excluding authentic learning activities in their teachings. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of authentic learning activities on achievements and attitude towards Natural Science among Grade 7 learners in Khomas and Omusati educational regions. The study was a mixed research approach which used a case study and quasi-experimental designs. Data were analysed using SPSS and thematic data analysis. Eight schools and 221 learners participated. Schools and learners were randomly selected and assigned into experimental and control groups. The experimental group had 124 learners and 97 were in the control group. Experimental groups received authentic learning activities and control groups received traditional lectures. The pre-test and post-test were used. The experimental group’s mean scores on the pre-test and post-test were 18.91 and 31.72 respectively, while the control group had 17.28 and 23.07. This indicated a significant difference in the performance of the experimental group at 0.05 significant level and proved that authentic learning activities improve learners’ achievements in Natural Science. The STAQ-R was given to learners in the experimental group to establish whether authentic learning activities influence their attitude towards Natural Science. Respondents indicated that the self-directed effort factor among others, attracted them to Natural Science and positively influenced their attitude towards the subject. Focus-group interviews with 22 learners from the experimental group were randomly selected to gauge their views on authentic learning activities. Learners appreciated the use of authentic learning activities as the activities helped them to understand concepts of science better and they could easily remember what was taught. Based on these findings, the usage of authentic learning activities in schools to enhance learners’ conceptual understanding, improve learners’ achievements, and positively influence learners’ attitude towards the subject should be advocated. Nonetheless, the study developed the CPSR domain model for the teaching and learning of Natural Science using authentic learning activities in classrooms to prepare learners for the 21st century. The study recommended that curriculum developers in the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture should incorporate more fun and enjoyable activities in the national curriculum, syllabus and other teaching and learning support materials where the use of authentic learning activities is required. Schools should procure appropriate authentic materials for the effective teaching and learning of concepts of science. In addition, Natural Science teachers should incorporate authentic learning activities in all their lessons.
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    A study on Grade 12 teachers' understanding and application of reflective teaching and learners' performance in the Zambezi region
    (University of Namibia, 2021) Simasiku, Limbo Enock
    Grade 12 learners’ academic performance remains a concern in the Zambezi Region since 2010. The Region has lagged to the bottom of the national rankings in the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) level results consecutively in four academic years: 2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016 (Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, 2010 - 2016). The (NSSCO) level results of 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were not different from this observed trend. This study identified the lack of reflective teaching as one of the factors that contributes to poor performance of leaners, among others. Reflective teaching should be viewed as a teachers’ tool for professional growth and development, rather than a stumbling block in the day to day teaching / learning activities. Though there are other variables that are known to influence learners’ academic performance, this study focused on the teachers’ understanding and application of reflective teaching and its influence on learners’ academic performance. Literature indicates the need for teachers to engage in reflective teaching in order to enhance learning and the academic performance of learners. The study followed a mixed methods case study design. In this study, the target population were all senior secondary school (Grade11-12) teachers in the Zambezi educational region. A purposively selected sample of five senior secondary schools out of ten was considered for this study. Stratified purposive sampling was applied in selecting the fifteen teachers to participate in this study. The school principals automatically constituted the sample of the study which implied that the inclusive sample of this study was twenty participants (teachers and principals included). In this study, the theoretical premises and the methodological solutions are influenced by three theories that align closely with reflective teaching, learners’ performance and view learning and teaching as a constructed phenomenon; namely the social constructivism theory, cognitive constructivism theory and the metacognition theory. Instruments that were used to identify teachers’ reflective teaching skills were: Reflective Teaching Closed and Open - ended Questionnaire (RTCOEQ) Appendix A for teachers, Reflective Teaching Lesson Observation Checklist (RTLOC) Appendix B for teachers and the Reflective Teaching Interview Schedule (RTIS) Appendix C for teachers and principals. In this study, common trends in the data collected were analysed by adapting the steps developed by Creswell and Clark (2018) for data analysis. The findings of this study revealed that teachers were not well trained to effectively execute reflective teaching in their classes. Teacher who endeavoured to apply reflective teaching complained that lack of time and equipment prevented them from effectively applying reflective teaching. Some school principals’ definition of reflective teaching confirmed the need to equip teachers with skills and knowledge in reflective teaching. This led to the conclusion that the current observed poor performance of grade 12 learners in the NSSCO examinations in the Zambezi region is directly or indirectly related to the absence of effective reflective teaching in that region. It was therefore recommended that opportunities be availed where teachers can upgrade their skills and knowledge on reflective teaching. In response to the identified needs of teachers’ in reflective teaching, this study produced a tool (a teacher’s guide in reflective teaching) to help guide teachers in executing reflective teaching. Further research is recommended into what evidence and criteria shape judgements about reflective teaching and how the school based staff may effectively incorporate reflective teaching in their daily learning and teaching activities.