Choshi D. Kasanda

The Role of Everyday Contexts in Learner‐centred Teaching: The practice in Namibian secondary schools

This paper reports on the use of out‐of‐school everyday contexts in Namibian science classrooms. This use is portrayed against the backdrop of an explicit educational philosophy of learner‐centred teaching. Data were collected through audio‐taped teacher–learner interactions and non‐participant field notes in 29 junior and senior science classes taught by 12 teachers in six schools. An existing typology was applied to classify episodes of use of everyday contexts and identify teachers’ pedagogic strategies for their use. The results show that more everyday contexts are used in junior secondary than in senior secondary classes, that only a limited range of types of everyday contexts are used at both levels, and that their use often follows theoretical exposition or teacher questioning. These findings are related to three interpretations of learner‐centred teaching. Recommendations for a fuller implementation of learner‐centred teaching are made.

Teachers' Use of Textbooks: Practice in Namibian Science Classrooms.

Incidences of prescribed textbook usage in science classrooms in Namibia have been analysed using an approach adapted from linguistic analysis. Aspects of pedagogic purpose, text genre, and the social interactions between teachers and learners were used to characterise teacher and learner engagement with textbooks, and thus categorise their usage in relation to a national policy of learner-centred education. Results indicate a teacher dominated textbook use and a low frequency and restricted range of textbook references per lesson, with some 40% of the Senior Secondary classes observed making no use of their textbook in class. The major uses of textbooks in class were for diagrams and data, and to verify factual information. Occasionally, questions in textbooks were used as homework to test and/or consolidate knowledge. Pupils rarely initiated a reference to a textbook. It is suggested that if learners are to benefit fully from the investment in textbooks then their teachers need to be helped to use the resource in more constructive ways.

Experiences in the dissemination and utilisation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) research findings from three southern African Universities

Abstract The dissemination and utilisation of research knowledge produced at universities has been debated in recent times. Recent changes and developments at universities suggest an entrepreneurial model of academic research production in which universities have the responsibility not only to carry out research and teaching but also to disseminate research outputs directly to the users for economic growth of the society. In this paper, we present findings on the nature of ICT research studies conducted, the dissemination and utilisation of the research findings in the past five years at the three universities in Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. A major finding of the study was that many ICT studies conducted at these universities did not target particular community groups for dissemination of knowledge generated and consequently, research outputs from these projects were not delivered to their potential end-users. The ICT research knowledge findings remained located mostly in university departments, libraries, and donor or government ministry offices. The main challenge was that of effective dissemination and utilisation of research knowledge outputs by these academic institutions. The main recommendation emerging from the study was on policies and strategies to monitor research outputs and to intensify dissemination and utilisation of academic knowledge produced.

Provision of Mathematics Continuous Professional in Namibia

Abstract This paper reports on a pilot study that was carried out in the northern part of Namibia. The main purpose of the pilot study was to test the validity of the research instruments used among mathematics teachers to ascertain whether Mathematics Continuous Professional Development (MCPD) existed in the Namibian schools and what the status of MCPD is. The pilot results show that MCPD has not as yet taken root in Namibian schools as a formally established mode of improving the professional conduct and skills of mathematics teachers at the different education phases. Even though ad hoc professional development activities have taken place in the country, these have not been formalized. The newly established CPD Unit at the University of Namibia promises to be ushering the needed formalization of CPD activities and intends to provide CPD for knowledge enhancement and improvement of qualifications.

TEACHING SUBJECTS MATTER THROUGH ENGLISH AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN THE NAMIBIAN ENGLISH SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS

Cancer in general in Albania is an increasing problem and cervical cancer is the third most common gynecologic cancer among all women. Refer to European Code Against cancer an important action for women to help to prevent cervical cancer is to take part in organised cancer screening programmes. The study aims to identify in women health beliefs about cervical cancer. This is a transversal and analytical study with a sample of 210 healthy women from Vlora city with different socio-economic and educational levels. A selfadministered questionnaire that assesses the health beliefs components about cervical cancer was the data collection instrument. The results highlighted low risk perception relative to cervical cancer. Most of women believe that cervical cancer as dangerous as all the other cancers and uncertainties about the chances to recover from it exist among them. Misunderstandings and high sensitivity relate to cervical screening. Relationship between perceived benefits, emotional, economic barriers and Pap test uptake was found. Large numbers of women never screened. The results indicated that to improve the womens attitudes to health, to encourage adherence to cervical screening and to avoid misconceptions due to lack of information conversations with health operators and the designing of effective prevention strategies based on health beliefs are fundamental.

Challenges associated with curriculum alignment, change and assessment reforms in Namibia

Aligning curriculum change and assessment reforms has been a topic of great concern in Namibia for over the past 23 years. This is because during the pre-colonial period and continuing in post-independence Namibia, national examinations have been used mainly for the certification and selection of learners at Junior and Senior secondary school phases. Despite this, there is great need to align curriculum changes, standards and assessment in Namibia, since this is viewed as critical for the effectiveness of any education system. Hence, this paper attempts to cross-examine the challenges associated with curriculum alignment issues, changes and assessment reforms in Namibia. This was done by reviewing and analysing relevant documents such as curriculum, policies and examination results among others. Particular attention is paid to the Junior and Senior secondary school levels due to the fact that at these phases there are two major national terminal examinations.

The Status of Health Education in Namibian Schools

Namibia faces many challenges in its development as a democratic society. Improving the current situation will include tackling several interrelated issues pertaining to youth and education (UNICEF, 1995). Namibia has a young population, many of whom live in rural areas (National Planning Commission, 2001). Namibian youth are an integral part of the social changes that have accompanied the transition from colonialism to post-colonialism. They can be seen as agents of this transition from authoritarianism to democracy and from a racially divided society to a more integrated nation. Reconstructing education from what it has been to a system that brings equity of educational opportunity for all children is just one of the urgent challenges facing the Namibian government.