Angela James

Teacher training for mathematical literacy: A case study taking the past into the future

With the advent of the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications policy (MRTEQ), higher education institutions (HEIs) are rethinking curricula for teacher training in order to enable entree for in-service teachers to reskill, retrain and have access to higher qualifications. In the field of mathematical literacy (ML), most teacher training has been offered via government-funded Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) qualifications, which have now largely been phased out. In this article we examine two ACE ML programmes offered in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in order to present some lessons that have been learnt. We put forward some elements that we consider to be essential for training ML teachers and also raise concerns about future training of ML teachers.

Selected teachers' understanding of assessment four years after the implementation of the New Assessment Policy

Abstract The New Assessment Policy was introduced in 2003. Teachers were expected to implement this policy in the various fields that they were teaching. It is more than four years since the implementation of this policy. We explored selected teachers’ understanding of the policy, including factors that influenced their understanding. We were particularly interested in what Grade 7 and 9 Mathematics and Natural Sciences Learning Areas teachers’ understanding of this policy was and when, how and why this understanding was influenced. A naturalistic, qualitative case study approach was used. Three teacher education students were trained to collect data from a convenient, small sample of twelve Grade 7 and Grade 9 teachers. The findings suggest that many of the participating teachers’ understanding is still linked to assessing learners’ knowledge only. Some teachers included skills in their understanding of assessment, but only one Grade 7 teacher mentioned values. Furthermore, it was possible to draw a distinction between the teachers’ personal understanding and their policy understanding of the Assessment Policy. We conclude that, after more than four years, many teachers’ understanding of assessment is still restricted mainly to the assessment of knowledge. We suggest that teachers’ knowledge, skills, attitudes and values of assessment as well as of the assessment process should be given due consideration for effective implementation of the Assessment Policy.

Teacher Professional Development Programmes in MST for Developing Contexts.

ABSTRACT Since 1994, the democratic South African government has introduced change in all spheres of South African life in a bid to address some challenges such as the redundant, racialised curriculum, the poor results achieved by learners in Grade 12, and the fact that few black matriculants were entering science based careers. A key feature of these poor results was the large group of teachers who were inadequately ‘trained’ during the apartheid era: trained, that is, to teach for subservience and not for critical thinking. Current actions to address this crisis are being undertaken in a collaborative relationship between the Department of Education and Higher Education Institutions. Current initiatives in the professional development of Mathematics, Science and Technology teachers at a South African university are explored. The purpose of this article is to explore the challenges of designing an MST professional development programme in a developing context. The discussion is elaborated with reference to MST programmes run by one particular university. The rationale, foundational principles, model of delivery, programme structure and assessment for the specialisations within the teacher professional development programmes at the university are described. The discussion foregrounds the role of teachers as professionals, the role of context and of content knowledge, as well as the role of pedagogic content knowledge in the professional development of teachers.

Tracing the impact: A case of a professional development programme in Mathematical Literacy

Abstract The introduction of the subject Mathematical Literacy (ML) as part of the education reform process, led to the development of many large scale in-service programmes designed to train practising teachers to teach the new subject. The purpose of the study is to examine the challenges associated with providing in-service training for teachers of ML, by focusing on one district. We present a case study of one programme that was offered by two different universities in three large-scale funded cohorts in the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Data for the study was generated by student records, questionnaires and follow up surveys with each school in the district. By considering the success rate as the number of actual qualified teachers in relation to the number that was needed, we quantified the rate at 13%. Some of the factors which were responsible for this low rate are related to the processes of recruitment and selection of the appropriate teachers for the programme; the low pass rate as well as the deployment and management of the graduates at the end of the programme. It is recommended that future large scale teacher training initiatives be jointly managed by the universities and the education authorities, to ensure higher rates of success.

Connecting – Gender equality for girls

No poverty, Quality education, Gender equality For whom, what, where, how? Sustainable development and women, Tertiary, school, community organisations Transformative, meaning-making in interaction, Students, learners, grandmothers and mothers No poverty, quality education, gender equality Who decides, for whom and how and where? How will young girls access quality education? For poverty eradication and gender equality How mothers will make decisions about Sex, child birth and food security Young girls, mothers, grandmothers Who decides, for whom and how and where?

A Snapshot of Action Research in and by Higher Education in Southern Africa

In this brief overview of action research in higher education in southern Africa, the authors, all of whom are academic leaders in action research in this region, report on the successes and challenges of conducting action research in settings where its methodological validity and rigor are still questioned by many mainstream academics. This chapter provides rich evidence of the transformational potential of action research to make a difference in the lives of both researchers and participants, particularly within contexts of poverty and disadvantage. Much of the work being done is the result of various networks and partnerships with international academics and global funders, an important factor that needs to be developed to advance action research in this region, while retaining an African flavor.

Enabling Teacher Learning in Rural Districts:: A Focus on Classroom Support

Abstract This study is focused on a professional development program for rural mathematics and science teachers, which included a classroom support component. The purpose was to explore the teachers’ and mentors’ perceptions of the nature of the learning they experienced. The participants in the study were eight teachers and eight mentors. Data was generated from questionnaires, interviews and written reflections. The findings reveal that the intervention resulted in learning gains for both teachers and mentors. The teachers were pleased with the level of support and encouragement they received, which improved their confidence, and teaching skills. The mentors too extended their own content understanding while they learnt more about the realities of the teachers. However, the mentors were external to the teachers’ situations, which limited future support. It is recommended that the education department should explore possible ways to sustain such classroom support because of the value it offers to teachers.

Towards Socially Responsible Biology: Two Cases in a Teacher Education Programme

Abstract Science teacher education has traditionally presented science as a body of knowledge to be mastered, along with the methods that may be used to help learners to master this body of knowledge. With pressure mounting on higher education institutions to engage more actively with communities, avenues have opened up to facilitate the development of teacher education courses that incorporate education for the empowerment of communities. This paper reports on two cases of socially responsible biology courses which enable students to interact with their communities. The two cases were applied in two biology education modules, using education for sustainable development (ESD) as a concept to define the content and activities incorporated in the above-mentioned modules. The first case incorporates ESD in a method module where students are required to develop an environmental policy for a school in collaboration with the school. The second case incorporates ESD in a biology education research module where students are required to direct their research activities in such a way that their research contributes to communities living healthier and more sustainable lives. By incorporating this approach in science education courses, the opportunity arises to promote personal growth and social responsibility through science learning. While developing their knowledge and skills pertaining to science education, they are able to reflect on their roles as educators in a broader community and in particular their roles of agents of change in that community.