J.L. Van der Walt

The effect of incorporating cooperative learning principles in pair programming for student teachers

Based on their quantitative and qualitative investigations, the authors conclude that pair programming as a strategy for teaching student teachers could be made more effective through the incorporation of principles associated with cooperative learning. They substantiate this claim by referring to a literature study about the advantages and disadvantages of pair programming as a teaching-learning strategy, by then discussing five principles of cooperative learning, and by presenting the findings of their empirical study. Second year student teachers taking a Delphi programming module participated in an experiment conducted over a two year period. In 2005, the participants did computer programming in pairs without the application of principles associated with cooperative learning. In 2006, a similar group of participants also programmed in pairs, but in their case, certain principles associated with cooperative learning were incorporated in the strategy followed by the facilitator. According to a comparison of the module examination marks, the 2006 group outperformed the 2005 group. This finding was confirmed by qualitative investigations.

Teacher Education in, and for, a new Africa

Abstract Many Africans regard the twenty-first century as the epoch of the rebirth or reawakening of the African continent. An African Renaissance is currently taking shape in the form of various initiatives (such as the creation of the New Partnership for Africas Development) and of the structuring of organisations (such as the African Union). Teacher education in Africa cannot continue as in the past while all these initiatives are being taken. An agenda for the transformation of teacher education programmes in Africa is, therefore, proposed. Respect for the dignity of the human being, which is a feature of African philosophical anthropology for as long as human memory serves, forms the cornerstone of this agenda.

The Research Output of Female Academics at a South African University: Progress with Gender Equity?

Abstract Two pressing demands directed to the South African academy in the post 1994 environment, have been those of gender equity and of increasing research output. The progression of women to the higher academic ranks is a problem, not only in South Africa, but worldwide. In view of the importance attached to research output for purposes of academic promotion, raising the research output of female academics is therefore important beyond the reason of being an end in itself. This paper is a case study at one university of the intersection between these two issues. The aim is to assess the improvement of the research output of female academic members of staff relative to their male counterparts, in the post 1994 period. The data used in the study indicate a steady increase in the research output of female academics relative to their male counterparts. However, a significant gender discrepancy in this regards still remains. In conclusion some suggestions are made with regard to how to an increase in the research output of female academics may be facilitated.

Neoliberalism and education: a reformational-pedagogical perspective (part 1)

This article forms yet another link in a series of studies and publications from the pens (computers) of South African reformational educationists regarding the so-called –isms deemed to be threats to the Christian (Biblical) orientation to education (including teaching and learning). In this, the first part of the article, a brief overview is given of how these reformational educationists have so far attended to the various “-isms” that they perceived to be threats or challenges to Christian education. This is followed by an attempt to define the concept “neoliberalism” and to indicate what it means in general, and in particular, in educational context. This part of the article paves the way for a critical analysis of neoliberalism as a “philosophy of education” and of its transcendental preconditions in the second part. https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.82.1.2275

CAN UNIVERSITIES MEET THEIR MANDATE TO BE SOCIALLY CRITICAL AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTIVE

This article defends the claim that two conditions facilitate sustainable development, namely, a democratic citizenry, and social justice, and that in establishing these, the university is indispensable and ideally placed. With the use of an experiential, interpretive approach the article examines the social critique function of the university, as well as the role of the university in reinforcing a culture of democratic citizenry and thereby of promoting social justice. The last part of the article delineates the current global higher education revolution, and identifies the opportunities and threats posed by that revolution regarding the universitys discharge of these two functions. The article concludes with a warning to scholars to be aware of both the opportunities for consolidating their scholarship and the concomitant threats to their academic autonomy.

Leading and manage diverse schools in South Africa

All school populations are diverse in many ways. The diversity in South African schools has been compounded since 1994 with the migration of Black learners to former ‘white’ schools. Some schools and their principals have succeeded in coping efficiently with the new social and cultural makeup of their schools, while others have been struggling and even resigned under the pressures of all the conflicting demands from stakeholders. The theoretical and empirical investigation reported in this paper shows that principals and schools could benefit enormously from learning from the experiences of the more successful schools and their principals.

Representation of National Leaders in History Books and Textbooks in South Africa: A Transitiological Study

South African history books and textbooks have undergone a radical change, in step with the socio-political change and restructuring of education that occurred in 1994. On the basis of a transitiological perspective, this chapter contrasts the depiction of national leaders in pre- 1994 school history textbooks with that of post-1994 school history textbooks. The pre-1994 depiction was informed by an ideology of White supremacy, a paradigm of Euro-centrism and an Afrikaner ethnocentric perspective on history. In contrast, the post-1994 depiction is informed by an Africanist ethnocentric perspective. This shift is illustrated with a discussion of how former State President F. W. de Klerk and his successor President Nelson Mandela have been portrayed in history textbooks after 1994. The portrayals of national leaders in the pre- and post-1994 textbooks are then assessed in terms of the criterion that while history should be used for the development of the critical faculties of students, history textbooks should also nurture a respect for the history and the contributions of all segments of the diverse population of a country such as South Africa.

Blended learning, and open and distance learning: implications for best practice in higher education

The provision of higher education in South Africa and in many parts of the world is challenged by the enrolment of large numbers of students, many of whom cannot attend classes or afford conventional face-to-face tuition. This has forced institutions of higher education to resort to various forms of non-traditional teaching and learning, among others, open distance learning and blended learning. In South Africa, as elsewhere, official government policy provides for approaches that make extensive use of teaching technologies. This article highlights two problems in connection with blended learning as such and attempts to address both. The first is the fact that, in view of the dynamic and fluid nature of the field, ‘blended learning’ cannot be defined conclusively, and the other is that ‘best practice’ has not been examined in connection with blended learning. After offering a working definition of blended learning, the authors unpack what they think has to be discovered in an effort to describe best practice in blended learning. The discussion forms the background for the findings regarding best practice in open distance learning and blended learning proffered in the ten research articles in this journal. In the process, authors outline certain implications of distance learning and blended learning for the practice of higher education.

The case for an adapted community college model for South Africa to address the problem of NEETS

A serious problem in South Africa is the existence of 2.8 million people we can refer to as NEETs. This term refers to youths between the ages of 18 and 24 years who are neither in employment nor in education or training in South Africa (Cloete and Butler-Adams 2012). This article argues for the institution of community colleges to fill the niche between colleges for further education and training and universities. This niche represents a model of higher education that has already internationally proven its value for steering NEETs into worthwhile careers. After a conceptual clarification of the term ‘Community College’ and an overview of its track record, it is argued that the South African context dictates for the model to be adapted in two ways. Firstly: a South African community college should fully utilise ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and offer education of a blended type. Secondly, as a result of this, the concept of ‘community’ needs to be redefined more broadly than has traditionally been the case with community colleges abroad.

Education from a post-post-foundationalist perspective and for post-post-foundationalist conditions

Viewed from a Western historical-philosophical perspective, there seem to be at least three broad philosophical orientations on the basis of which Christian educators could approach their pedagogical task. The first is to approach it from a modernist (foundationalist, rationalist) perspective in terms of which the principles and guidelines gleaned from the Bible are cast into a coherent and all-embracing theory that is deterministically applied to ensure certain pedagogical outcomes. The second is just the opposite, namely to operate post-foundationalistically on the basis of a loose collection of Biblical principles and values, and hence to expect the child or young person to muddle through in the postmodern maze in which they are growing up nowadays. The third, referred to in this article as a post-post-foundationalist orientation, an orientation that arguably also can respond appropriately to post-modern conditions, allows the educator to effectively steer through between these two extremes. Opsomming Opvoeding vanuit ‘n post-post-foundationalistiese perspektief, en vir post-post-foundationalistiese toestande. Daar is, gesien vanuit Westerse histories-filosofiese perspektief, ten minste drie bree filosofiese orientasies op grondslag waarvan die Christenopvoeder sy or haar pedagogiese taak kan uitvoer. Die eerste is om vanuit ’n modernistiese (foundationalistiese, rasionalistiese) perspektief die beginsels en riglyne wat uit die Skrif verkry word te giet in ’n samehangende en alomvattende teorie wat deterministies toegepas kan word ten einde sekere uitkomste met die opvoedingshandeling te verseker. Die tweede is presies die teenoorgestelde hiervan, naamlik om post-foundationalisties op te voed aan die hand van ’n losse versameling Bybelse beginsels en waardes, en in werklikheid te verwag dat die kind of die jongmens maar deur die hedendaagse postmoderne doolhof moet voortstrompel. Die derde orientasie, waarna in hierdie artikel verwys word as post-post-foundationalisties en wat dalk ook gepas is vir die huidige postmoderne omstandighede, laat die opvoeder toe om effektief tussen hierdie twee uiterstes deur te stuur. https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.80.1.2211