UWCScholar :: Browsing by Author "Holtman, Lorna"

Browsing by Author "Holtman, Lorna"

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Alternative assessment strategies within a context-based science teaching and learning approach in secondary schools in Swaziland
(University of the Western Cape, 2007) Kelly, Victoria Louise; Meerkotter, Dirk; Holtman, Lorna; Mikalsen, Øyvind; Faculty of Education
The aim of this study was to use a case study approach to explore and describe how students and teachers perceived performance assessment and context-based assessment models that were used within a real world context teaching and learning approach. The topics Electricity and Air and Living Things formed the science knowledge base for the study. Four junior secondary school science teachers and their students in four schools participated. Participants; experiences of the assessment models were achieved through teachers administering and scoring performance assessment tasks and context-based unit tests to their students. Perceptions were obtained through questionnaires and interviews from students. Interviews and informal discussions were used to elicit teachers; perceptions. Observations during the administration of performance assessment tasks were also used for triangulation.
A case study of practical work in a cell biology course at the Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique
(University of the Western Cape, 2007) Cossa, Eugenia Flora Rosa; Holtman, Lorna; Faculty of Education
This study was carried out with the assumption that practical work does contribute to the teaching and learning of cell biology at Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique. In this regard, the main purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of practical work in the teaching and learning of cell biology concepts, specifically focussing on cell divisions concepts. It also aimed at determining the students' perceptions of the role of practical work in the learning of cell biology. On the other hand, the study sought also to understand the lecturers' practical work teaching experiences and views regarding the cell biology practical work.
Challenges of postgraduate students at the University of the Western Cape 2009 - 2013
(University of the Western Cape, 2019) Lewis, Priscilla-Anne; Holtman, Lorna
In South Africa, postgraduate education is a catalyst in national development and poverty alleviation that is widely acknowledged by the state and higher education institutions, such as the University of the Western Cape (UWC). Previously disadvantaged universities in South Africa were systematically moulded by apartheid planning and the prevailing social-economic-political order of the time. The structural legalised differences between historically white and historically black institutions created the key inequities between them. Unjust laws and institutionalised racism caused historical black universities (HBUs), such as the University of the Western Cape, also known as the University for the left, to lag behind with the intake of postgraduate students. Prior to 1994, students, who were fortunate enough to attend university, were mostly limited to studying towards an undergraduate degree, diploma or a certificate course, in the fields of teaching, nursing or law enforcement. The dawn of democracy opened up new possibilities; however, a major sphere of concern, was the need to speedily transform the education system, to make it inclusive for all. Systematically, institutions of higher learning focussed more on postgraduate education, as it was a stepping stone to improve enrolment growth research output, and collaborative partnerships, at national and international level. However, socio-economic factors, such as the lack of funding, were major constraints, as most postgraduate students were challenged to pay registration fees, or accommodation deposits, upon registration.
Decentralized health care services delivery in selected districts in Uganda
(University of the Western Cape, 2005) Mayanja, Rehema; Meerkotter, Dirk; Holtman, Lorna; Oluka, Silas; Faculty of Education
Decentralization of health services in Uganda, driven by the structural adjustment programme of the World Bank, was embraced by government as a means to change the health institutional structure and process delivery of health services in the country. Arising from the decentralization process, the transfer of power concerning functions from the top administrative hierachy in health service provision to lower levels, constitutes a major shift in management, philosophy, infrastructure development, communication as well as other functional roles by actors at various levels of health care. This study focused its investigation on ways and levels to which the process of decentralization of health service delivery has attained efficient and effective provision of health services. The study also examined the extent to which the shift of health service provision has influenced the role of local jurisdictions and communities. Challenges faced by local government leaders in planning and raising funds in response to decentralized health serdelivery were examined.
Exploring childhood experiences and family contexts as risk factors for drug use in the lives of young drug users in the Western Cape, South Africa
(Taylor & Francis, 2023) Rich, Edna Grace; Londt, Marcel; Holtman, Lorna
The use of drugs amongst adolescents and youth has become a global phenomenon and South Africa is no exception. This paper aims to explore the familial contexts and childhood experiences leading up to the drug-taking pathways of young drug users. A qualitative approach was utilized to gather demographic from a purposive sample of 41 young (14–19 years) drug users, at five drug treatment centres in the Western Cape of South Africa. Additionally, participants could agree to participate in an in-depth interview or to provide a written life history account. A thematic data analysis was applied, and the results uncovered a range of family-related risk factors such as family structure (single motherhood and absent fatherhood), and other negative family functioning and practices such as troubled parent-child relationships, poor family communication/interactions, parental/family substance abuse, and conflict-ridden, stressful and often violent and abusive family situations. The findings suggest that prevention initiatives should focus on strengthening family functioning by reducing high conflict, stress, violent and abusive family situations, as well as aim to enhance the caregiver-child relationship. Prevention strategies should encourage live-in and non-live-in fathers to be actively involved in the lives of their children and should aim to reduce parental/caregiver substance abuse.
Factors influencing the in-service programmes: Case study of teachers with learner-centred strategies in Blue Waters setting
(Education Association of South Africa, 2018) Holtman, Lorna; Martin, Jennifer; Mukuna, Robert
Key policies on teacher development emphasise the necessity of a teaching force that is competent to apply learner-centred practices. Barriers to learning, like poverty, present huge classroom challenges and have implications for in-service programmes intended to develop learner-centred practices. This study endeavoured to determine factors that influenced the effective implementation of in-service programmes to assist teachers with learner-centred teaching in the Blue Waters area of the Western Cape. It was anticipated that identifying these factors would assist teachers in poverty-stricken schools in an area like Blue Waters to effectively deal with poverty-related challenges of individual learners. A qualitative case study approach was applied with convenience and purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews and a document study were used as tools to collect data. The participants of this study consisted of one principal, one social worker, and one district officer from the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). Qualitative data was analysed through thematic analysis. The competencies of teachers, Department of Education (DoE) and Department of Basic Education (DBE) policy intentions, socio-economic issues, and the types of in-service development programmes were revealed as factors inhibiting the In-Service Development Programmes at schools. This study recommended that the application of this strategy needed the holistic development of teaching skills at schools in Blue Waters.
Incorporating technology into the Lesotho science curriculum: investigating the gap between the intended and the implemented curriculum
(University of the Western Cape, 2007) Ntoi, Litšabako; Holtman, Lorna; Sjoberg, Svein; Ogunniyi, Meshach B.; School of Science and Mathematics Education; Faculty of Education
The inclusion of technology in the school curriculum has been a concern in many countries following the 1990 Jomtien World Conference on Education for ALL (Jenkins, 1996). However, there are different perspectives and views about technology education. As a result technology has been included in the school curriculum in varied ways.In recognition of the importance of technology in economic development, Lesotho has attempted to include technology in the school curriculum by incorporating science and technology. This study evaluated the Lesotho science curriculum which incorporates technology. The evaluation study is based on the framework first proposed by Stake (1967). Stake’s model addresses the relationship between the intended curriculum and the implemented curriculum (Stenhouse, 1988). In this study the intended curriculum is defined as the curriculum plan as depicted in the curriculum materials such as the syllabus, the examinations questions papers and the textbook which was used as an exemplary material for teaching the science-technology curriculum. The implemented curriculum is viewed as what actually happened at school level as teachers tried to interpret the curriculum developer’s plan. Although Stake’s model served as a guide in the collection and analysis of empirical data, other theoretical areas supported it. These included Gardner’s (1990) approaches to the incorporation of science and technology; the constant comparative approach (Merriam, 1998); and some aspects of curriculum theory, particularly curriculum development and curriculum evaluation as espoused in the works of certain scholars (e.g. Ornstein and Hunkins, 2004; Stenhouse, 1988). The study was designed as a multiple-site case study (Merriam, 1998). The sites where in-depth study of the implemented curriculum was done were four high schools in Lesotho. The intended curriculum was mainly examined by analysing the curriculum materials such as the syllabus, the examinations question paper and the textbook. The methods that were used for collecting the data were interviews, classroom observations, document analysis, and the achievement tests.
Inducting BEd Hons students into a research culture and the world of research: the case of a research methods course in the BEd Hons programme
(Unisa Press, 2013) Thaver, Beverley; Holtman, Lorna; Julie, Cyril
It has become a policy imperative that the training of future researchers in Education should start at the Honours level. This training presents particular challenges as students entering the Bachelor of Education Honours (BEd Hons) programme have diverse professional backgrounds and personal motivations for pursuing the programme. Moreover, the majority of the students have fairly substantial experience in schools, one of the primary empirical sites for educational research. This diverse student profile yields several challenges in relation to the teaching of a Research Methods course. In this article, the authors reflect on their experiences of offering a BEd Hons course to induct students into research against the traditional, literature-renditioned components which comprise the practice of research in the Social Sciences. Working with the notions of critical aspects and encounters, the authors found that students experience a tension between their desire to solve their identified research problems in a common-sense way and a teaching interaction that moves them to an abstract/theoretical level. In light of this, the authors identify that students experience difficulty with shifting their strong beliefs about knowing the answers (in terms of their research), to notions of doubt. Each of these beliefs marks different academic cultures that respectively refer to, on the one hand, a teaching practice-supervisor and, on the other, a participant observer inquirer. The depth and richness of their experiences in the former tends to constrain the transition from predetermined answers to a curiosity driven mode.
Investigating the effect of role play on Grade 10 learners’ conception about the human circulatory system, at a selected township school in the Western Cape
(University of Western Cape, 2021) Mlauzi, Edith; Holtman, Lorna
Role-play is a teaching strategy which is very useful in enhancing the acquisition of knowledge and conceptualisation of some topics in Life Science. According to the theory of constructivism, learning science is a process in which learners construct understanding of the materials. Role-play and constructivism are intertwined, yet role-play as a teaching strategy lacks classroom application in the teaching of Life Sciences. Role-play is not often used in the teaching of Life Sciences, and to be specific, in the teaching of the circulatory system. The study is motivated by learners’ misconceptions of the circulatory system. The study is undertaken to determine the effect of role play on the learners’ conception about the human circulatory system. Random sampling resulted in the selection of one out of 6 grade 10 classes with 49 learners in each from one school in the Metro East District in Cape Town.
An investigation into how school governing bodies can assist with the performance of underperforming and dysfunctional schools in less advantaged urban communities in the Western Cape
(2012) Andrew, Daniel Nicolaas; Holtman, Lorna
After 15 years in the democratic dispensation of South Africa, having access, equity and redress in educational provision have not yet been achieved. Instead, the reality speaks of underperformance (schools with a less than 60% national matric pass rate) as well as dysfunctional schools (with a less than 20% pass rate) continue in the Western Cape amidst a 7% increase in the Matric pass rate nationally.The intention of the Western Cape Education Department (hereafter referred to as the WCED) to reduce the number of dysfunctional schools from 85 to 55 resulted in a decrease to 78 schools. The overall increase of the 2010 matric pass rate in the Western Cape from 75.7% to 76.8% does not reflect an increase of quality educational provision to children from less advantaged urban areas. The aim of this study is to determine how and why some formerly identified dysfunctional and underperforming schools in less advantaged urban areas improved their performance while others did not. Also looking at, the role played by the School Governing Body in improving performance as a stakeholder, especially the role of the parental entity. It is clear that there are particular challenges facing parents from disadvantaged communities that directly influence their involvement and contribution to the improvement of performance in dysfunctional and underperforming schools. This research project focuses entirely on education but it is done within the field of development studies, trying to address certain developmental issues that impact educational provision and performance The theory of Structuration is used in the theoretical framework to understand the relationship between the agent (learners, parents, educators) and the structure (education system, society). It is useful to understand and address the challenges that prevent/delay improvement in the performance and function of schools in certain less advantaged urban communities. The Humanistic paradigm is used as a theory to emphasise the importance of a grassroots/ bottom up approach to development and to bring better understanding of parental involvement in educational provision. The mixed method approach (using both qualitative and quantitative research methods) that is widely acceptable in the field of educational research and in the development milieu is applied to address the question at hand. The use of a literature study, semi-structured interviews with focus groups and questionnaires to participating schools provide useful data for the research. The findings from this research will benefit the participating schools, the WCED and the education system.
Malawian secondary school students' learning of science: historical background, performance and beliefs
(University of the Western Cape, 2006) Dzama, Emmanuel Nafe Novel; Kolstoe, Stein Dankert; Holtman, Lorna; Mikalsen, Oyvind; School of Science and Mathematics Education; Faculty of Education
This study explored the problem of poor performance in science among students who are provided secondary school places on merit in Malawi. Existing studies of the problem are inconsistent suggesting that these studies may have shed light on some parts of a complex problem. Questionnaires, interviews and analysis of documents were used to obtain information concerning students’ conceptions of science, science learning and events that eventuated into the problem in the past. The population for this study was 89 government and governmentassisted secondary schools. From that population eighteen schools were randomly selected from each of the six education divisions in the country. One thousand five hundred secondary class 3 students drawn from randomly selected schools participated. The participating students completed a 31item learning beliefs and practices questionnaire with items drawn from the science education literature and adapted to the local situation and a selfefficacy and attribution of failure questionnaire. Forty students were interviewed about their concepts of science and science learning. Relevant documents found in the Malawi National Archives were analyzed to determine the origin of the problem.
Preferred contexts of Korean youth for the learning of school mathematics (grades 8-10)
(2012) Kim, Sun Hi; Julie, Cyril; Holtman, Lorna; Mbekwa, Monde
This study investigated real life situations which learners in South Korea grade 8-10 learners would prefer to be used in school mathematics.This thesis is based on the ROSMEII (Relevance of School Mathematics ducation) questionnaires and interviews, which was used to examine the preferred mathematical learning contexts for South Korean grade 8-10 learners. The study investigates the affective factors that pupils perceive to be of possible relevance for the learning and teaching of mathematic; and is aimed at providing data that might form part of a basis for a local theory of the mathematics curriculum. The standardized ROSMEII survey questionnaire of 23closeended items that relate to some aspects of mathematics on a 4-point Likert-type scale was administered to Korean grade 8-10 learners at the end of compulsory schooling, and mainly 14 to 16 year old cohorts. The data for this study were collected from a sample of 1839 learners drawn from 26 South Korean schools in the year 2009. Interviews were conducted to gauge the pupils‘ preference of the ROSMEII questionnaire contexts and used to validate learners‘ responses. In analyzing their responses, it became clear that, on the average, views expressed were common to all groups of pupils in South Korea (whether male or female, or from the metropolitan, city, or countryside). The clusters of the most preferred mathematical learning contexts are linked to youth culture, which learners are usually and easily engaged with in one way or another. These clusters include the sports, leisure and recreation cluster; planning a journey/popular youth culture cluster the technology cluster; the making of computer games, storing music and videos on CD‘s and Ipods. The lowest preferred mathematical learning contexts are: an agricultural cluster which focuses on agricultural matters and traditional games (yut). In conclusion, this study suggests that teachers should use contexts that increase learners‘ interest in classroom activities. Therefore mathematics curricula and textbooks which are appropriate to this context must be provided in order to provide more efficient mathematics education. It is imperative that the Korean school system must develop a particular program for nurturing learners‘ mathematical power. Furthermore, mathematics education policy makers must reconsider whether the current education system is appropriate, and also listen to learners‘ preferences when designing appropriate mathematics curriculum and textbooks.
Searching for research results to inform the design of an initial professional teacher education programme for the foundation phase: A systematic review
(AOSIS, 2016) du Plooy, Lucinda; Zilindile, Mphumzi; Desai, Zubeida; de Wet, Benita; Holtman, Lorna; Julie, Cyril; Moolla, Nadine; Nomlomo, Vuyokazi
This article reports on a systematic review conducted to inform the development of a professional teacher education programme for the foundation phase of schooling. The research question was: What do quality research studies identify as the components and/or characteristics of quality teacher education for the foundation phase programmes that allow new teachers to begin to teach for epistemological access. A search for systematic reviews on educational programmes related to foundation phase for initial teacher education was conducted for the period between 1980 and 2011. The researchers added Stage 0 as a fifth step to the traditional four-step systematic review process. Stage 0 or quasi-tertiary review allowed us to present substantive findings of the identified systematic reviews and to explore their methodological quality. From the initial 2876 hits (mostly health and medical studies), only 19 studies were related to the educational field. Only three of the 19 studies were finally accepted as eligible at Stage 0. None of the reviews directly addressed programme design but contained elements that were considered as useful when designing programmes. The present study makes it clear that there is a dearth of research on entire programmes related to initial teacher education for foundation phase teachers.
A teaching strategy to enhance mathematical competency of pre-service teachers at UWC
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) May, Bruce Mathew; Julie, Cyril; Holtman, Lorna
In this study a mixed methods approach was employed to investigate how exposure to a teaching strategy based on spiral revision, productive practice and a mainly direct expository instructional method would influence the mathematical competencies of procedural fluency and conceptual understanding of pre-service mathematics teachers at a South African university. A secondary concern of the study was how retention and transfer abilities of participants would be influenced if they experience mathematics through a teaching strategy underpinned by spiral revision and productive practice. A revised version of the taxonomy table of Anderson et al (2001) was utilized to classify learning and instructional activities in the study in terms of mathematical reasoning and knowledge requirements. In this revised taxonomy the cognitive processes are understood to operate on knowledge structures during the process of cognition (i.e. reasoning categories based on knowledge categories.). The categories of the revised taxonomy table were the main measuring instrument for the study. The findings of the study indicate that the competencies of procedural fluency and conceptual understanding were positively enhanced by the teaching strategy. Some categories however did not show the same level of positive enhancement. Arguments are presented as to why this might be the case and possible solutions are mooted. Findings also indicate that retention and near transfer abilities of participants were positively enhanced. Far transfer abilities were unchanged post intervention. Explanations are offered for this finding and possible resolutions are suggested.
Using semantic profiling to characterize pedagogical practices and student learning : a case study in two introductory physics courses
(University of the Western Cape, 2016) Conana, Christiana Honjiswa; Marshall, Delia; Case, Jenni; Holtman, Lorna
Framed by the South African imperative of widening epistemological access to undergraduate science studies, this research takes the form of a case study to investigate the educational affordances of an extended introductory physics course. Using theoretical tools from Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) (Maton, 2014a) – in particular, semantic gravity and semantic density – the study characterizes the pedagogical practices and student learning in this Extended course, in relation to a Mainstream course in the same Physics Department. Data was collected through classroom observations, observations of student groups working on Mechanics physics tasks, and interviews with students. Two external languages of description were developed in order to translate between the LCT concepts of semantic gravity and semantic density and the empirical data from the physics context. The first language of description was used to characterize the semantic shifts in pedagogical practices, using a Concrete-Linking-Abstract continuum. The second language of description drew on physics education research on representations (Knight, 2007; Van Heuvelen, 1991a) tasks. Semantic profiles (Maton, 2013) were then constructed to show the semantic shifts in the pedagogical practices and in lecturers’ and students’ approaches to physics tasks. The study has shown that the extra curriculum time enabled different pedagogical practices. The Extended course showed a steady progression in pacing, initially with a less compressed semantic profile, while the Mainstream course showed a consistent compression. The Extended course showed a greater prevalence of the Linking level, with more time spent at the Concrete level and greater semantic flow. The courses also exhibited different communicative approaches, with students in the Extended course more engaged in making the semantic shifts together with the lecturer. The Extended course used more real-life illustrations as a starting point, whereas the Mainstream course tended to use verbal problem statements. Looking particularly at how problem tasks were dealt with, the study suggested that the lecturers’ pedagogical practices in dealing with physics tasks influenced the way in which the students tackled these tasks. The semantic profiles showed a more rapid shift up the semantic continuum in the Mainstream pedagogy and student work, while in the Extended pedagogy and student work, the semantic profiles indicated that more time was spent initially unpacking the concrete problem situation and explicitly shifting up and down the semantic continuum. In terms of methodological contribution, this study has demonstrated the usefulness of LCT tools for characterizing pedagogical practices and student learning in a physics context. Furthermore, the study has linked LCT to physics education literature and to research on epistemological access and academic literacies in a novel way. It has modified Maton’s form of semantic profiling, through introducing the following: a more detailed time scale, gradations of semantic strength on the semantic continuum, and coding for interactive engagement in pedagogical practices. The study thus has important implications for how curriculum and pedagogical practices might better support epistemological access to disciplinary knowledge in the field of physics, not only at the Extended course level but for introductory physics courses more generally.
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) teacher in-service development programmes with the emphasis on teaching and learning and the holistic development of learners
(2013) Martin, Jennifer Priscilla; Holtman, Lorna
There is global interest in teacher education as a strategy for national development. More specifically, emphasis is placed on teachers as the driving force behind educational provision which is central to achieving high standards of learner achievement. This study focused on teacher in-service development and its role for effective teaching and learning towards the holistic development of learners. Extensive social inequalities, along the lines of race, still exist in South Africa almost twenty years into the new dispensation. This is evident by the vast majority of impoverished schools in previously disadvantaged areas. Learners at these schools experience a range of barriers to learning which impede teaching and learning. Consequently, teachers at these schools are confronted with a tensionfilled task: having to be sensitive to the needs of these learners, whilst at the same having to ensure their success. This is reflected in Department of Education (DoE) policies which emphasises principles of social transformation for redress and equity, coupled with the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills for the benefit of individuals in South Africa, as well as global trends. As a quantitative data collection method in this mixed method study, 55 teachers (of which 26 responded) from two schools, were asked to complete a questionnaire on the effectiveness of teacher in-service development programmes towards the holistic development of learners. Qualitative data collection methods entailed interviewing a principal of one of the schools; a social worker from the area; as well as a district officer from the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). In addition, relevant DoE policies were reviewed. Findings reflect that teachers at impoverished schools are confronted with a range of challenges presented by learners in the classrooms. The findings also indicate that even though DoE policies reflect a commitment to teacher development, the in-service programmes offered to teachers mostly do not reflect the needs of teachers for the holistic development of learners. In instances where inservice programmes do assist with the holistic development of learners, findings indicate that the implementation thereof is challenging due to the high teacher: learner ratio and limited resources. Thus, recommendations include the periodic monitoring and review of long-term DoE teacher development initiatives whilst short term measures incorporate giving attention to impediments like lack of parental support and behavioural challenge. Long term measures, which are strongly recommended, encompass systemic change that facilitates the working together of a number of governmental departments. In so doing, educational reform takes on a society wide form, as it is evident that on its own it cannot abate poverty and the related effects. Thus, the DoE’s vision of education for social transformation towards redress and equity, as well as economic growth for individuals and South Africa is more plausible. These recommendations create a vital space for future research.

Browsing by Author "Holtman, Lorna"

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