Volume 2 (NCPDJE)

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Exploring staff involvement in an organization development intervention in a school in the Kavango region, Namibia: A case study
(University of Namibia, 2015) Rengura, Demetrius K.
The study is to explore staff involvement in organization development (OD) intervention in one of a rural junior secondary school in Kavango region, Namibia and aimed at determining the level of participation in change initiative and probing in participants’ perception and experience of the intervention process. In a democratic country such as Namibia every citizen is expected to bring change and participating in activities to improve their own institution for example School. It is a common practice among teachers of Ntokota School that they are passive to take action in change initiative for improving working relationship and Organization. This study introduced an OD intervention to a School in order to inspire the mindset of staff to be active in change initiative for School improvement by using bottom-up approach strategy of staff participation in series of activities that would enable them to improve and eventually moving the School to the intended goal. OD concept Model of seven steps was used for intervention and it is a participant driven that encourages staff to release their potential to initiate change for improvement. The study is located within qualitative interpretive and critical paradigm. Observation and semi-structured interviews were the main data collection tools used in the study. The researcher transcribed, grouped similar data into category, coded and translated data into a real meaning and identifies themes that address the research goal. The paper reveals that the absence of staff cooperation, involvement in the decision making processes, democratic leadership were the main factors perceived retarded the staff activeness in change initiative and participation. Staff viewed OD intervention as the most significance approach to change as it offers significant understanding and conception of change and embraced new approach of fostering democracy, inclusion of staff in the decision-making process, taking a decentralized decision and enhancing cooperation among staff. The study is of potential significance to educators and educational leaders to use OD approach for change to improve human working relationship and behavior in their own organization. It may motivate researchers to pursue OD studies and conduct OD projects with any organization of their choice.
Lesson planning for teacher effectiveness
(University of Namibia, 2015) Manyarara, Barbra C.
Well planned lessons enable learners to learn better and to develop better attitudes towards their work. The paper emanates from formal observations of the University of Zimbabwe Graduate Diploma in Education (Grad. D. E.) student teachers on three months teaching practice attachment. Many student teachers were found to be clearly on the path to becoming effective teachers but a sizeable portion, about 20-25%, were thought to be experiencing problems. In their planning of lessons, a wide range and variety of problems were noted. These include lack of real appreciation of the need to plan lessons, lack of the understanding that in order to be effective teachers they had to deploy different pedagogic approaches to meet the learning needs of the subject, inability to address lesson objectives and to match the maturity and social milieu of the learners in their care. Thus it is hoped that this paper may stimulate more interest in educators and student teachers alike beyond these student teachers passing or failing the teaching practice component to preparing really effective practitioners.
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.
The effect of relentless monitoring and grading on teaching writing: An example from two South African schools
(University of Namibia, 2015) Julius, Lukas Homateni
This study investigated the way in which two Grade 5 teachers employed at different primary schools in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa taught writing to their English first additional language (EFAL) learners. A qualitative interpretive approach was used to identify factors that shape the ways these teachers handle the teaching of writing. Data collection methods consisted of interviews, classroom observations and document analysis. Analysis of the data reveals that both teachers focused primarily on ensuring that their learners completed their written work so that it could be marked and graded in response to demands from their superiors, rather than on engaging deeply with the processes of writing (brainstorming, drafting, revising etc). Not only does this run counter to the writing pedagogy recommended in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS), but it also denies learners the scaffolding needed to help them develop the self-regulation skills needed to become independent writers. These findings demonstrate the need for assisting teachers to shift away from focusing only on learners’ performance (testing and grading) towards a stronger emphasis on the process of writing. This would require that teachers develop a deeper understanding of the process/genre approaches to teaching writing advocated by CAPS.
Investigating factors that lead to school dropout in Namibia
(University of Namibia, 2015) Nekongo-Nielsen, Haaveshe; Mbukusa, Nchindo R.; Tjiramba, Emmy; Beukes, Florida
Although schools report a variety of reasons why learners leave school prematurely, these reasons do not reveal the underlying causes, especially multiple factors that influence learners’ attitudes, behaviours, and performance prior to dropping out. In order to understand the underlying causes behind learners’ decisions for dropping out, using a quantitative approach through document analysis this study first analysed the Education Management Information System (EMIS) reports for 2005 to 2009. The findings revealed that Kavango, Kunene and Omaheke regions were the regions with the highest dropout rates in the country. Using a qualitative approach, with a phenomenological design, the researchers interviewed school principals, school counsellors and teachers at randomly selected 20% of schools with the highest dropout rate for each region. This resulted into 58 schools in the Kavango region, 10 schools in the Kunene region and 5 schools in the Omaheke region. At the same schools, and using the snowball sampling procedure, the researchers selected and interviewed learners who have dropped out at some point during their schooling days but came back to school. The study found that, for all the learners interviewed, 50% of learners dropped out due to pregnancy, 20% dropped out due to economic factors, 15% due to system factors, 11% due to lack of parental involvement, and 4% due to cultural factors. On the basis of the findings a number of recommendations are made to mitigate the dropout phenomenon.
Teachers’ perception and awareness of Shona dialects vis-à-vis Standard Shona in the Zimbabwean classroom: Implications for teaching and learning
(University of Namibia, 2015) Gora, Ruth B.
Shona is a heterogeneous language in that a number of tribes use different dialects namely Karanga, Ndau, Manyika, Zezuru and Korekore. However, in educational circles the Zezuru dialect is regarded as ‘the language’ while the other speech forms are erroneously seen as deviations from the norm, and are therefore stigmatised. This means that learners come to school with a win-lose package depending on the dialect or variety they speak and that impacts on the teaching-learning process. The basic aim of this paper is to show that language variation, especially in Shona, can be an interesting area of study for educationists in indigenous languages. If a learner is given the opportunity to study in a context where language diversity is either discouraged or encouraged, consequently the gap between home and school can be either widened or narrowed depending on which variety of Shona the learner speaks. In light of that, this paper examines the problems faced by, what the layman calls, ‘non-standard’ dialect speakers of Shona in the Zimbabwean classroom. The paper also explores ways that can improve dialect awareness amongst teachers of Shona. The paper then concludes by arguing that dialect diversity should not be seen as a problem but as a resource to be utilised in the language classroom.
Parent-teacher empowerment and early years quality literacy development for lifelong learning
(University of Namibia, 2015) Ngwaru, Jacob Marriote
Children’s’ literacy development starts very early in life through participation and experience in the home well before school. It grows more consistently during pre-school and school years as children explore their socio-cultural world more and more. Early years represent children’s important formative stages of growth when they learn the language and the world that they will grow to establish a life-long relationship with. When children learn and develop their Mother tongue or primary language therefore, they are learning the foundation of learning itself, a process of language and meaning making that is a continuous process from birth, through infancy and childhood to adolescence an d adult life. The majority of young children in Sub-Saharan Africa are unable to readily access sustainable early literacy development and childhood care and education and their educational achievement trajectories are hugely compromised. Lack of viable parental participation in their literacy development, encouragement and support from teachers and availability of learning materials at school are some of environmental factors that make up their early social world. Meanwhile, rural homes and communities are well endowed with cultural resources and a stock of practices, knowledge, and skills relevant to the promotion of literacy development waiting to be tapped into. This paper uses analysis of data from two qualitative and one mixed methods studies in three different countries to discuss the factors that influence literacy development based on the interplay of language (learning), literacy (development) and school education out comes in low resource communities and how best they could be overcome. The paper concludes that low performance in general is a result of a combination factors that require concerted efforts at all levels if the situation can be reversed.
High school teachers’ perceptions on reflective practice in teaching at one selected school in Khomas region, Namibia
(University of Namibia, 2015) Villet, Charmaine B.; Kapenda, Hileni M.; Simasiku, Limbo Enock
This paper presents a case study of high school teachers’ perceptions on reflective practice in teaching at one selected school in the Khomas region. A qualitative approach was used in this study and fourteen teachers were purposefully selected to participate in the study. Three types of data tools were used to gather information, namely; the lesson observation schedule, the interview schedule and an open-ended questionnaire. The data from the questionnaire was thematically analysed. The views of the teachers on reflective practice were transcribed, analysed, and presented in the descriptive form and the data from classroom observations? The findings revealed that most teachers at the selected school were familiar with the concept of reflective practice and they used reflective journaling and reflective supervision. Based on the study findings, it can be concluded that the teachers had different views on reflective practice in teaching. The majority indicated that reflective practice is a crucial component of teaching and learning and should be incorporated in daily teaching, while few teachers were of the opinion that reflective practice takes time away from valuable teaching time and as such, it should not be a component of the teaching process. It is recommended that further studies are needed to get a broader view of teachers’ perceptions in Namibia on reflective practice.
The evolution of management theories: Implications for supervisory practices on the early childhood development programme in Zimbabwe
(University of Namibia, 2015) Tafirenyika, Joice; Mandizvidza, Christopher
This paper examines critically the evolution of management theories and how they have informed the supervisory practices of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Programme in Zimbabwe. The paper identifies a number of management theories that have influenced the supervision of the ECD Programme in Zimbabwe. Theories that have been found to have greatly informed the supervision of the ECD Programme in Zimbabwe include Scientific Management, Systems and Contingency. However, the Bureaucratic Management, Administrative, Human Relations, Total Quality Management, Learning Organisation and Re-engineering theories have had some influence on the supervision of the ECD Programme. The paper was a desk review. Unlike others, the study established that the Quantitative Theory of Management was not as influential in the supervision of ECD because of the view held by most supervisors that managerial decisions and the nature of the ECD Programme itself cannot be quantified. The paper concludes that supervisory practices at any given point in time are indicative of the influences of the management thought prevalent during such a period and the human element in place. An important issue that emerged is that, even when and where new theories tend to be more pervasive, the influences of the already existing ones remain visible and influential to some extent.
What do reflection and emotion got to do with it? My journey as a novice researcher
(University of Namibia, 2015) Freeman, Rachel J.
In this manuscript I am attempting to provide insight into my journey as a novice researcher completing my Master’s research that explored Working Women's Perceptions of Power, Gender-Based Violence and HIV-infection (Freeman, 2010). I considered reflexivity as it relates to the analysis of qualitative data by drawing and reflecting on my master’s studies in the field of sociology. The study explored working women’s perceptions of power, gender-based violence and HIV-infection risks within intimate relationships. This problem was addressed by conducting an exploratory study with five female employees in an airline business who participated in in-depth, face-to-face interviews. This manuscript covers a brief introduction to reflexivity in qualitative data analysis, provides a reflective account, Theoretical Perspective, Interpersonal and Institutional context of research, the Emotional Response to Methodology and concludes with some lessons learned and recommendations for other novice researchers.
Challenges faced by student teachers when teaching through the medium of mother tongue during school based studies: a case for Katima Mulilo campus bachelor of Education 4 (Pre & Lower Primary) students
(University of Namibia, 2015) Nzwala, Kenneth
This paper reports on a study that investigated challenges faced by Bachelor of Education (Pre and Lower Primary) final year University of Namibia students at Katima Mulilo Campus when they taught through the medium of mother tongue during School Based Studies (SBS). The study is located in the interpretive paradigm and is an intrinsic case study. It is shaped by the school of thought that supports the use of mother tongue as the medium of instruction in lower primary classrooms. Two students at two different School Based Studies support schools were studied. Data were collected by using interviews and classroom observation. One student teacher taught in Grade 2, and the other one taught in Grade 3. Both were interviewed and their lessons were observed. Interviews and observations were transcribed and translated into English. The results of the study show that Pre and Lower Primary Bachelor of Education final year student teachers faced various challenges with regards to the use of mother tongue as medium of instruction during SBS. The challenges ranged from their inability to express themselves fluently in the target language (Silozi in this case); difficulties in translating concepts from English into Silozi (mother tongue) since the curriculum is in English; writing words; planning lessons in the target language; a lack of materials in line with topics, more especially topics of integration. The study recommends that the Silozi orthography should be made available to all the schools in the region; teachers should receive intensive training on how to teach through the medium of Silozi; lessons that are taught through the medium of Silozi should be planned in Silozi and not in English; there should be Silozi dictionaries to assist teachers with translation. Finally, there should be relevant Silozi teaching and learning materials.
Teachers’ use and integration of ICT in the teaching of Life Science: A case of two urban high schools in Namibia
(University of Namibia, 2015) Simon, Wilhelmina Etuna; Ngololo, Elizabeth Ndeukumwa
Many developing countries recognised the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education for teaching and learning. In Namibia, ICT use and integration in the classrooms remains limited. This study has sought to investigate how Life Science teachers with access to technologies use and integrate ICT into their classroom through collaborative and creative teaching. The study was designed as a qualitative research using a multiple case study approach. The study was guided by activity theory as a theoretical framework. Two Life Science teachers were observed and semi-structured interview were conducted. The findings of the study revealed that Life Science teachers demonstrated use of ICT in their classrooms through smart boards connected to e-Learning Management Systems and collaborated with each other by sharing notes but did not co-teach nor developed their own teaching materials. The study recommends that teachers be provided with the necessary tools and be trained to develop teaching materials, and to co-teach for purposes of enhancing collaborative teaching.
Teachers’ understanding of the use of everyday contexts in the teaching of Mathematics at three selected urban junior secondary schools in Windhoek, Namibia
(University of Namibia, 2015) Kapenda, Hileni M.; Kasanda, Choshi D.; Naweseb, Fillemon T.
The primary aim of this study was to gain insight into how effectively BETD teachers used everyday contexts to facilitate a meaningful understanding of the Mathematics content by the learners. The study used a qualitative research approach conceptualized within a constructivist framework. Nine Mathematics teachers from three junior secondary schools were purposively selected for the study. The data were collected using questionnaires, and interviews with the teachers. The results revealed varying levels of integration and effectiveness of everyday contexts used by the teachers to facilitate meaningful conceptual understanding of mathematics by the learners. The findings suggested that preference of procedural mathematical skills over conceptual understanding impeded the effective integration of contextual teaching. The teachers also regarded the use of everyday contexts as time consuming. From this study, it can be concluded that the teachers had a clear understanding of the essence of contextual teaching of Mathematics and its advantages. Nonetheless, several factors seemed to affect their use of everyday contexts in the teaching of Mathematics. There is a need to change the perceptions of the Mathematics teachers toward the use of everyday contexts as a waste of time if teachers are to use everyday experiences in their Mathematics classrooms.

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