An exploration of the teaching and learning experiences of learners from single and two-parent households In rural schools in the Limpopo province of South Africa.

Abstract

Research findings indicate that rural school learners from single-parent households often endure challenging schooling experiences compared to those from two-parent households. This study explores home and school variables that influence the teaching and learning experiences of secondary school learners in rural areas. Its focus is specifically on examining those living in biological single-parent and biological two-parent households in the Vhembe District of South Africa's Limpopo Province. Employing a mixed-methods sequential explanatory research design with quantitative and qualitative approaches, the study explores the case of a sample from secondary school learners in Grades 8 to 12. The school was selected as it is considered representative of the broader community's secondary schools. During the quantitative phase, a questionnaire survey was administered to 200 sampled learner respondents. The quantitative data analysis informed the qualitative phase where 10 selected learners participated in the semi-structured focus group interviews and 4 purposively selected educators participated in the semi-structured individual interviews. The theoretical framework draws on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, focusing on the three most immediate systems - the Microsystem, Mesosystem, and the Exosystem – as well as Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. Quantitative data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 28, employing descriptive statistics and regression analysis, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The study findings reveal no correlation between learner households (biological single-parent and biological two-parent) and rural school learners' teaching and learning experiences, suggesting that the household structure does not notably impact learners' schooling experiences. However, academic support or assistance emerged as a crucial factor influencing schooling experiences in rural South African contexts (p<0.05). Academic support in this context refers to assistance provided by educators, parents, and the broader community specifically in school subjects and effective utilisation of available resources to enhance schooling experiences. Highlighted in the study is the importance of educators and the impact they have in the classroom setting in fostering positive schooling experiences for learners irrespective of their home backgrounds. This implies establishing an environment conducive to seeking and receiving academic support from educators without apprehension is paramount for that support to be effective.