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Item Fostering self-directed learning in blended learning environments: A constructivist perspective in higher education(Wiley, 2024) Adigun, Olufemi Timothy; Mpofu, Nhlanhla; Maphalala, Mncedisi ChristianHigher education (HE) is considered to be the apex of all educational endeavours. Therefore, it is expected that student in various institutions of higher learning should be self-motivated for individualized synchronous and asynchronous learning. Lamentably, it seems that such expectation within the HE spaced is yet to be achieved. While stakeholders in HE are in search for an approach to ensure that students have sufficient self-directed learning (SDL) capacities needed for blended learning (BL), this article advance and propose the use of the constructivist framework to foster SDL to ensure that students develop their own understanding of learning, its meaning according to the context, and the ways to acquire it using BL as a mediator. Using the constructivist theory as a theoretical lens, we proposed the use of a three-ring-drag-in approach as a model to fostering SDL among students in various institutions of higher learning. We, therefore encourage the adoption or adaptability of the three-ring-drag-in approach as it promise to address and resolve the concerns and agitation of enthronement of SDL among students within the HE spacesItem Issues influencing inclusive curriculum management in selected secondary schools in South Africa(Sabinet, 2024) Maphalala, Mncedisi Christian; Adigun, Olufemi TimothyThe 2001 White Paper 6 on Special Education commits to ensuring that all learnershave equal opportunities to be educated and welcomed in all schools, irrespective oftheir abilities. Consequently, the inputs and contributions of educational leaders suchas principals and school management teams (SMTs) are critical in leading andmanaging schools that accommodate and provide for learners with diverseeducational needs. It is important to note that when managing the curriculum forinclusion, leadership is not confined to the principal but is also delegated to theSMTs and teachers tasked with the academic programme of the school. This studysought to examine the nature of curriculum management for inclusion in secondaryschools. A qualitative research design was adopted for the study and a purposivesampling technique was used to draw a sample of ten SMT members and 10teachers from 10 secondary schools in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The mainresearch instrument for data collection was a focus group discussion with the studyparticipants. Thematic analysis was subsequently applied to analyse the qualitativedata gleaned from the transcribed focus group discussion. The findings revealed thatbarriers to implementing inclusive education included inadequate teacherpreparation, curriculum inflexibility, unfavourable classroom learning environmentsand weak support structures. Based on the findings, some recommendations were madeItem Understanding pre-service teachers' intention to adopt and use artificial intelligence in Nigerian inclusive classrooms(Frontiers, 2025) Adigun, Olufemi Timothy; Tijani, Faisat Adeniran; Haihambo, Cynthy K.; Limbo, Simasiku EnockThis study applies the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to provide an understanding of the behavioral intentions of pre-service teachers in the adoption and utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for educational engagement in the inclusive classroomItem Examining the intersections between emotional intelligence and leadership practices in higher education institutions to improve institutional success(Innovare Journal of Education, 2025) Mbangula, Daniel K.The purpose of this paper is to look into how emotional intelligence (EI) and leadership practices help to improve higher education institutions’ success. The paper explored ways in which emotional intelligence can promote resilience and long-term success in educational settings by looking at how leaders with high EI contribute to institutional success. Furthermore, the paper emphasized how EI can be used to develop long-term leadership strategies that promote the welfare of faculty, students, and the higher education community at large. A crucial aspect of leadership practice is EI, which is the capacity of leaders to recognize how their behavior and feelings impact those around them within the institutions. This study’s results show that emotional intelligence is a crucial and highly relevant prerequisite for academic leadership practice in higher education institutions. Furthermore, the study determined that the emotional intelligence qualities most relevant to academic leadership were those linked to empathy, motivating and directing others, and appropriately handling oneself. Emotional intelligence becomes apparent as a crucial leadership competency, highlighting how crucial it is for leaders to comprehend and control both their own and others’ emotions. Finally, there is a constant emphasis on the symbiotic relationship between leadership and a positive school culture, emphasizing the roles that leaders play in creating cooperative, trustworthy, and ever-improving learning environments. The researcher reviewed the existing literature based on the research questions. This study employs a systematic review approach by reviewing existing qualitative articles on intersections between emotional intelligence and leadership practices in higher education institutions to improve institutional success. Findings were obtained from the reviewed articles by forming themes to make a thorough analysis and draw conclusionsItem An assessment on the effect of leadership styles on the employee performance: A case of Namibia Dairies in Namibia(International Journal of Learning and Development, 2024) Pedro, Rosalina Esperanca; Viola, Unengu; Mbangula, Daniel K.The paper examines the effect of leadership styles on the employee performance a case of Namibia dairies. From the study, it was discovered that the type of leadership style that managers use influences the morale of the employees. This study adopted a qualitative research approach using a case study design. A case study is a qualitative research method that allows a deep exploration within a natural context and hence provides a full and through understanding of the particular and lived experience of a participant. The study has 15 participants who were selected using non-probability sampling method. The results also highlighted that some of the leadership styles that are used by managers stifles employee morale thereby affecting the employees’ efficiency in an organisation. The study findings also indicated that there was significant positive relationship between democratic leadership and employee performance. The study findings furthermore indicated that there was significant positive relationship between democratic leadership and employee performance. Whilst the study results revealed that laissez-faire leadership style and individual performance has a negative relationship. The study recommends that democratic leadership style should be encouraged, for the fact that it would further empower their subordinates by developing teams and accord some measure of responsibility and authority to their employees. Therefore, workers would ignite their potentials, realize job satisfaction, and execute their tasks maximally for organization survivalItem Rethinking a framework for contextualising and collaborating in MOOCs by higher education institutions in Africa(Journal of learning for development, 2021) Kadhila, Ngepathimo; Haipinge, ErkkieMassive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are online courses that are open to anyone with Internet access. Pioneered in North America, they were developed for contexts with broader access to technology and wider access to the Internet. As globally networked learning environments (GNLEs), MOOCs foster collaborative communities and learning in ways not conceived as feasible until recently. The affordances of MOOCs, such as the ability to access learning beyond one’s immediacy, exemplify their benefits for open and distance learning, especially in developing countries that continue to consume rather than produce online courses. However, the globality of MOOCs and their delivery mode pose a challenge of contextualising learning content to the local needs of educational institutions or individual students that choose to use the courses. This theoretical paper used a desk-research approach by revising literature to investigate and propose ways of contextualising MOOCs to the African higher education setting. It applied the principles of reuse and repurposing learning content, while suggesting the use of mobile learning as a technological delivery solution that is relevant to the local context. The paper also suggests a framework for inter-institutional collaboration for higher education institutions to guide future efforts in the creation and sharing of credit-bearing MOOCs.Item Using digital technology in transforming assessment in higher education institutions beyond COVID-19(Creative education, 2022) Haipinge, Erkkie; Kadhila, Ngepathimo; Josua, Lukas MatatiPurpose: This paper explores the dominant practices by integrating the use of technology to enhance assessment practices to better respond to the learning needs of the 21st century and the imperatives of the 4th industrial revolution. Objectives: 1) To explore how digital assessment could support diagnostic assessment in post-COVID-19 assessment practices. 2) To develop a digital assessment tool that supports the uptake and appropriate use of diverse digital assessment techniques. 3) To strengthen lecturers’ awareness of Constructive Alignment and implement it in digital-assisted assessment to promote the integration of graduate attributes in students. Method: The paper adopted the three elements of criticality, reflexivity, and praxis to address the use of digital technology to transform assessment of and for student learning within an institutional context. Criticality was used to provide a constructive reflection aimed at transforming the context; reflexivity enabled introspection and self-awareness regarding assessment as a pedagogical component that enhances student learning, and praxis helped to relate theories, concepts, and ideas to practice. The three elements informed the development of the model for enhancing and transforming digital enhancement assessment at the University of Namibia. Findings: The main findings revealed that higher education institutions could benefit from the forced COVID-19 migration to digitally-enabled assessment. The paper also revealed that for the digitally enabled assessment to be enhanced it requires collaboration between various institutional stakeholders. Conclusion: The paper concluded that there are opportunities for further collaboration among different institutional departments such as the faculties, quality assurance, innovation in learning and teaching, and research units, towards investigating, improving, and implementing new ways of assessing that are forward-looking and more supportive of student learning beyond their university careersItem Reconceptualising teaching for quality learning at University of Namibia(African Perspectives of Research in Teaching & Learning, 2017) Kadhila, Ngepathimo; Nyathi S.F.; Shanyanana R.N.; Iipumbu N.Teaching approaches in contemporary universities around the world need to be underpinned by new theories of how students learn, and the role of academic developers in shaping and influencing institutional culture in this regard cannot be overemphasised. This study investigated the methods used by lecturers at University of Namibia (UNAM) in their teaching and what informs the choice of these methods. The study also gauged lecturers’ views on their involvement in academic development activities. This study employed a phenomenological research design; and a mixed-method approach was used whereby qualitative and quantitative approaches were combined. Structured interviews were conducted with at least 49 lecturers at various levels across 12 UNAM campuses. Participants were purposefully approached to be interviewed because we knew they have experience of the phenomenon explored. The study revealed that lecturers were more comfortable with using traditional lecturer-centred approaches in their teaching. They expressed the need to be equipped with skills that would enhance their ability to facilitate, manage and assess student learning using approaches that have been proven to be effective. Furthermore, they acknowledged the academic development interventions provided by the Centre for Professional Development Teaching and Learning Improvement (CPDTL) in the form of short courses and the recently implemented Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education for Academics. Only a handful of participants did not support the idea of offering a full academic programme through short courses. The study recommended that CPDTL should capitalise on the willingness of most of academics to engage in academic development activities to intensify its operations and make such activities compulsory in order to promote their effectiveness and fast track their impactItem Sustainable teaching professional ethics in the post-digital Era(OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2023) Katjiteo, Ancia; Awodiji, Omotayo AdewaleSustainable teaching professional ethics in the post-digital era encompasses the principles and practices that educators must uphold to ensure responsible and ethical utilisation of technology while promoting sustainability and environmental consciousness. As technology plays a significant role in education, teachers must integrate sustainable teaching practices into their methods and incorporate digital tools ethically and responsibly. This paper explores policy and practices' implications for fostering sustainable teaching professional ethics in the post-digital era. It emphasises the importance of environmental awareness, digital citizenship, equity and access, privacy and data protection, ethical use of technology, critical thinking, and balancing digital and analogue learning. The paper also highlights the need for policy development, teaching profession and professional development, curriculum integration, access to technology, ethical use of data and privacy protection, collaboration, and ongoing evaluation and feedback. By addressing these aspects, educational systems can create an environment that fosters sustainable teaching professional ethics, preparing students to become responsible global citizens who prioritise sustainability and the ethical use of technology. Further research is warranted to investigate the challenges and effective strategies for integrating sustainability and digital ethics into teaching practices in the post-digital eraItem A systematic review on the fourth industrial revolution: African basic schools' readiness(Jurnal Bidang Pendidikan Dasar, 2023) Awodiji, Omotayo Adewale; Katjiteo, AnciaThis systematic review's primary goal is to determine how prepared African basic schools are for implementing 4IR tools and how well-versed in 4IR the teachers in African basic schools are. A systematic review approach was adopted. Data base such as Johannesburg e-library, ProQuest, and Google scholar was used to search for relevant study used. It was determined that the findings were valid and rigourous through the use of PRISMA. Out 106,859 resource generated, the review included 18 studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study highlights the necessity for African basic schools to enhance their preparedness for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Funding is crucial to provide the necessary 4IR infrastructures, suggesting the allocation of resources by the African government for procurement and deployment of 4IR tools. Additionally, implementing a program to train teachers and school leaders in 4IR technologies is recommended to enhance their capabilitiesItem Strengthening internal quality assurance as a lever for enhancing student learning experiences and academic success: Lessons from Namibia(2019) Kadhila, Ngepathimo; Iipumbu, NangulaHigher education plays an important role in the social, eco-nomic and political development of any given nation. In the Namibian context, quality assurance systems have been put in place at both national and institutional levels through the establishment of national quality assurance agencies and units responsible for quality in institutions. A critical literature analysis of quality assurance systems in higher education shows that although they claim to strike a balance between improvement and accountability, external quality assurance mechanisms tend to have an accountability and compliance focus and to promote managerialisation and bureaucratisation of academia. This article argues that internal quality assurance systems, built on a strong quality culture, tend to be more effective in enhancing the quality of student learning experience and academic success than externally driven quality assurance. Thus, to promote genuine quality, more energy must be invested in external quality assurance capacitating and strengthening internal quality assurance systems.Item Teachers’ experiences with online teaching during COVID-19 in Kenya and Namibia(Studies in learning and teaching (SiLeT), 2023) Ngololo, EN; Nekongo-Nielsen, H; Odhiambo, JDuring the COVID-19 pandemic across sub-saharanAfrica, the sudden closure of schools has interrupted and brought physical learning to a standstill. The rapid transition to emergency remote teaching posed many challenges and required innovative approaches to ensure continuity of teaching through information technology tools in Kenya and Namibia. Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) theory supports an effective teaching strategy for teachers to adopt appropriate technologies and clear educational goals, develop clear instructions for influencing students’online behavior, prepare and orientate students adequately, and select pertinent discussion topics.The study used a cross-sectional survey of secondary school teachers in both countries. The results show that teachers continued to provide education during the pandemic without proper guidance from the school leadership. Teachers had no knowledge and support in developing appropriate online content, motivating students, and delivering quality teaching. Also, the results show no evidence-based online collaborative learning amongst teachers and/or schools. Similarly, schools lacked knowledge practices and digital resources, especially those in rural settings. The study recommends the improvement of continuing professional development in the respective countries covering aspects of the school vision, leadership, practices of the teaching community, pedagogical approaches, school-level knowledge practices, and increased digital resources.Item Language ideologies and the use of mother tongues as the medium of instruction and learning in junior primary schools: A case study of parents and teachers in a Namibian school(University of Namibia, 2023-07-03) Katukula, Kelvin Mubiana; Set, Beatha; Nyambe, JohnIn the Namibian education system, teaching in the junior primary is supposed to be done in the learners’ mother tongue. However, there is always controversy on adopting a language to be used as a medium of instruction (MoI) due to the multi-ethnic and multilingualism of the Namibian society. To make matters worse, parents equally cast doubt on enrolling their children in schools that uses mother tongue as an MoI. Framed within the qualitative case-study orientation, this research investigated: parents’ and teachers’ language ideologies and beliefs; the factors that informed the embodied and expressed language ideologies and beliefs of parents’ and teachers’; and how these dominant language ideologies and belief systems informed parents’ and teachers’ choice of language of instruction and the general implementation of the language policy in a Namibian school. The study found that both parents and teachers harbored monolingual ideological belief systems that did not only construct and perpetuate an “English-only” language zone but also banished all mother tongue languages from the school premises. Not only do the findings point to the hegemonic positioning of the English language in the minds of parents, teachers, and school principals as the only language that can lead to success, but its violation was punishable in a derogatory manner. The study concludes that, among others, parents, teachers, and school principals’ language ideologies and beliefs were shaped and informed by the prevailing English language hegemony. The liberal and duality stance of the Namibian language policy, and its decentralization, partly resulted in parents, teachers, and school principals’ neglect of the multilingualism and heterogeneity that the very same policy purports to advocate. The study recommends raising parents’ and teachers’ awareness of embracing the heteroglossia of language practices and for the ministry of education to consider a more inclusive language policyItem Investigating Mathematics teachers’ understanding and practices of learner-centered teaching in junior secondary schools within the Katima circuit in the Zambezi region of Namibia(University of Namibia, 2023-07-01) Katukula, Kelvin Mubiana; Mwazi, Richard Salufu; Kambeyo, Linus; Garegae, Kgomotso GertrudeThis study investigated mathematics teachers’ understanding and practices of learner-centered teaching (LCT) in junior secondary schools within Katima Circuit in the Zambezi Region of Namibia. A qualitative study method was used and purposeful sampling procedures were used to select participants. Research instruments included open-ended interviews and recordings from twenty mathematics teachers in selected junior secondary schools in the Zambezi Region. Results of the study indicate that teachers understand the concepts of LCT and have adequate training and knowledge on the benefits and teaching approach in LCT due to the inclusion of the LCT methods in teacher education and other training workshops. However, the study also found that most mathematics teachers use only cooperative learning during teaching and learning mathematics. The study also identified significant challenges teachers face in implementing LCT, including overcrowded classrooms, lack of resources, and learners’ lack of motivation. Considering the above findings, the study recommends that the government and stakeholders support teachers with resources and further staff development opportunities.Item Scaffolding epistemological access in the context of forbidden discourses: A case study of a grade 4 Natural Science class in a Namibian school(Innovare Academic Sciences Pvt Ltd, 2023) Katukula, Kelvin Mubiana; Set, Beata; Nyambe, JohnQualitative in orientation and using the case study methodology, the research drew upon Margaret Archer’s theory of agency to examine how, at the point of confluence of culture, structure and agency, the teacher’s agency was enabled or constrained in attaining the agential project of scaffolding epistemological access in a Grade 4 Natural Science classroom. The study found that when positioned into a face-to-face relationship, or a direct relationship, with the structural, cultural, and agential causal powers, the teacher’s agential project of scaffolding epistemological access in a Grade 4 Natural Science classroom was constrained than enabled. The teacher was placed into a pedagogical dilemma where on the one hand, structural causal powers (e.g., the curriculum, syllabus, school authorities) demanded the teaching of topics on human sexual reproduction and human excretory systems. At the same time, causal cultural powers exerted by cultural properties, which include values, norms, and taboos, render conversation with young children over sexual reproduction matters and human excretory system forbidden discourses. The study concluded that cultural factors are among the myriad factors that potentially lead to poor performance in Natural Science by Namibian learners and African learners in general. The study recommends that in teacher education programs, it is essential to interrogate the school curriculum regarding its sensitivity and responsiveness to the cultural contexts of both teachers and learners. Similarly, such programs should investigate developing appropriate agential powers of aspiring teachers to resist or circumvent causal cultural powers that obstruct or hinder meaningful science learning.Item An analysis of a teacher education programme at a Namibian tertiary institution(Creative Education, 2022) Junias, Kristofina; Kambeyo, Linus; Katukula, Kelvin MubianaTeacher quality is a crucial element of quality education, and it is dependent on the quality of teacher education. Thus, this study analyses the teacher training programme at a Namibian university to determine its quality. Four quality determining components were analysed: students and teacher educator qualities; curriculum materials; teaching and learning process; and teaching practice. This qualitative study employed a single case study design. Four research instruments were used to collect data: document analysis, focus group interviews, questionnaires, and observations. The sample comprised one hundred and sixty (160) pre-service students, one (1) focus group of fifteen (15) graduates, sixteen (16) teacher educators, and three (3) focus groups with a total of thirty (30) pre-service students. The significant findings of this study were that average students enroll in the teacher education programme because of extrinsic and other motives other than intrinsic and altruistic reasons. In addition, the teacher education curriculum was found to be overcrowded with fragmented modules. Further, the subject matter content was not aligned with the school curriculum; students exit with little subject matter knowledge. The study also found that the assessment of pre-service students lacked authenticity as assessment questions do not test the understanding and application of knowledge. Additionally, the lecture method dominated the pedagogies employed, promoting rote learning. Another factor was poor teaching practices characterised by inadequate time allocation and lack of mentoring support from the school. Thus, a lot is desired from the teacher education programme; hence, the study recommends a longitudinal study to be carried out involving all higher education institutions in Namibia that offer a teacher education programme to see if the findings would be the sameItem Children’s early encounters with literacy in Windhoek urban preprimary schools in Namibia(International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2021) Hengari, Job UazembuaThis paper takes a socio-cultural approach as it analyze ways in which reading and writing is taught and learnt to define what counts as literacy in Windhoek urban preprimary schools in Namibia. The study explores data of a larger ethnographic-style research that followed three children in three Windhoek urban pre-and primary schools in Namibia. The writer examines their early encounters with literacy and the implications of these encounters for their later development as readers and writers in schools. As teachers and learners occupy the classroom as a social space, they engage each other in literacy events, during which literacy development is scaffolded and encouraged as a culturally valued activity. This paper presents a „slice‟ of that larger study that followed three preschool classrooms literacy encounters over a period of six months. The writer suggests that this “school literacy”, defines what counts as literacy, a specific kind of literacy that is planned and offered to learners in a classroom setting. In Windhoek urban preprimary settings, the „traditional‟ conception of literacy as a largely psychological ability – something true to do with our intellect, and thus a private possession – remains dominant. Literacy learning is taught as a mechanical activity by focusing on breaking the code rather than as sense-making and engagement. I argue that this approach helps learners to cope with early primary school curriculum while missing to lay the foundation necessary for literacy forms and practices demanded in later years of schooling.Item The resources available at home in Windhoek urban settings in Namibia and their implications for early literacy learning at school(International Journal of Social Policy and Education, 2020) Hengari, Job UazembuaThe study explores data of a larger ethnographic-style research that followed three children in Windhoek urban pre-and primary schools and at home in Namibia to examine their early encounters with literacy and the implications of these encounters for their later development as readers and writers in schools, at home and in their communities. As parents and older siblings occupy home as a social space, they engage each other in literacy events, during which literacy learning is encouraged as a culturally valued activity. This paper presents a ‘slice’ of that larger study that followed three pre-and primary school home literacy encounters over a period of one year, focusing on the primary school phase. The writer suggests that the reading and writing practices of literacy are only one part of what children are learning at home in order to be literate. Home creates other literacy practices that cut across reading, writing and other forms of semiotic forms of communication. I want to suggest that Namibia endorse the sociocultural approach to literacy learning by way of a paradigm shift in order to create room for other literacy practices outside of school, in homes and in communities, to become recognized and made legitimate as they already are broadening what counts as literacy.Item Factors impacting the implementation guidance and counselling services in secondary schools in the Ohangwena region of Namibia(2016) Mbongo, Emilia Ndapandula; Mowes, Andrew D.; Chata, Charles C.The study aimed to establish teacher counsellors’ views on the factors impacting the implementation of guidance and counselling services in the Ohangwena region of Namibia. The study was quantitative in nature and used a non-experimental design that involved a survey. The population of the study comprised of teacher counsellors in all senior secondary schools in Ohangwena region. Data were collected using questionnaires which were administered to a sample of twenty-six (26) teacher counsellors. Teacher counsellors were purposively sampled. The data was analysed by use of descriptive statistics using The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Based on the findings of this study teacher counsellors viewed inadequate training, high teaching loads and time constraints, lack of support given to teacher counsellors and lack of resources and facilities as key factors impacting the successful implementation of school guidance and counselling. It was thus recommended that the training of teacher counsellors in school guidance and counselling be improved, reduced work load for teacher counsellors, better resources and facilities for guidance and counselling, and for teacher counsellors to be supported in order for guidance and counselling to be successfully implemented in schools.Item Reasons for code switching in upper primary classes in the Khomas Educational Region(Namibian Educational Research Association (NERA), 2011) Mouton, B.D.; Mowes, Andrew D.; Zealand, DonovanIn this article, the views of upper primary school teachers in the Khomas educational region regarding code switching were investigated. A questionnaire and interviews were administered to a stratified sample of 13 schools with 44 participants that were aware of the occurrences of code switching within their classes. It was found that the main reasons for code switching were due to its usefulness in the teaching environment, such as transmitting of knowledge, clarifying concepts or meanings, and assisting learners who had a deficiency in the competence of the English language. Code switching was furthermore used in the classrooms when discipline problems arose and when learners were not paying attention.