A reflection on the ‘non-place’ character of German foreign language (GFL) courses and coursebooks in South African higher education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17159/g40nf324Keywords:
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), science education, beginning teachers, enablers and constraintsAbstract
The ability of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve teaching and learning explains its inclusion in policy prerogatives in countries around the world. Efforts to realise ICT’s potential in the teaching of science across the world are ongoing. In this qualitative study, we purposively sampled six beginning teachers with up to two years’ teaching experience to unpack the enablers and constraints they encounter when using ICTs to teach science in South African schools. The participants responded to semi-structured interviews, wherein they narrated their experiences on the teaching of science using ICTs. We used a thematic mode of analysis. Findings indicate a range of enablers and constraints that influence beginning teachers’ abilities to teach science using ICT tools. Despite exposure and competence, beginning teachers are unable to integrate ICTs effectively in teaching as indicated in the country’s education policies due to certain constraints. The paper recommends, among others, that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) should activate its monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that would assist in identifying context-specific challenges. In addition, it is recommended that the government relook its budget allocation to schools in the domain of technology to enhance school capacity to purchase internet data on a regular basis and to repair broken computers timeously. These findings call for more interdisciplinary studies to provide additional information relating to the use of ICTs by beginning teachers to teach science across a variety of classroom contexts.
References
Adnan, M. & Tondeur, J. (2018) Preparing the next generation for effective technology integration in education: Teacher educators’ perspective. Age 25(34) pp.1-9.
Aikins, M.V. & Arthur-Nyarko, E. (2019) Challenges facing information and communication technology implementation at the primary schools. Educational Research and Reviews 14(13) pp.484-492. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5897/ERR2019.3751
Alhojailan, M. (2012) Thematic analysis: A critical review of its process and evaluation. West East Journal of Social Sciences 1(1) pp.39-47.
Ameen, K.S., Adeniji, S.M. & Abdullahi, K. (2019) Teachers’ and students’ level of utilization of ICT tools for teaching and learning mathematics in Ilorin, Nigeria. African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences 15(1) pp.51-59 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.5
Amuko, S., Miheso, M. & Ndeuthi, S. (2015) Opportunities and challenges: Integration of ICT in teaching and learning mathematics in secondary schools, Nairobi, Kenya. Journal of Education and Practice 6(24) pp.1-6.
Arends, F., Winnaar, L. & Mosimege, M. (2017) Teacher classroom practices and mathematics performance in South African schools: A reflection on TIMSS 2011. South African Journal of Education 37(3) pp.1-11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v37n3a1362
Batane, T. & Ngwako, A. (2017) Technology use by pre-service teachers during teaching practice: Are new teachers embracing technology right away in their first teaching experience? Australasian Journal of Educational Technology 33(1) pp.48-61. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.2299
Beisel, C.A. (2017) New or novice teacher integration of mobile learning instruction. Doctoral thesis, Walden University, Florida, USA.
Bester, S.J. (2016) Challenges in the integration of multimedia by history teachers in the North West province of South Africa. Africa Education Review 13(3-4) pp.32-48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2016.1202572
Buatip, S., Chaivisuthangkura, P. & Khumwong, P. (2019) Enhancing science teaching competency among pre-service science teachers through blended-mentoring process. International Journal of Instruction 12(3) pp.289-306. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2019.12318a
Compton, L. & Jordan, K. (2019) Not as easy as ICT: A case study about the roles of the teacher mentor. In E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education, Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). 4 November 2019, Orleans, Louisiana, United States, pp.262-265.
Chisango, G., Marongwe, N., Mtsi, N. & Matyedi, T.E. (2019) Teachers’ perceptions of adopting information and communication technologies in teaching and learning at rural secondary schools in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Africa Education Review 17(2) pp.1 19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2018.1491317
Cloete, A.L. (2017) Technology and education: Challenges and opportunities. HTS Theological Studies 73(4) pp.1-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v73i4.4589
Daya, A. & Laher, S. (2020) Exploring the influence of educators’ access to and attitudes towards educational technology on the use of educational technology in Johannesburg schools. Africa Education Review 17(1) pp.159-180. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2018.1490154
De Freitas, G. & Spangenberg, E.D. (2019) Mathematics teachers’ levels of technological pedagogical content knowledge and information and communication technology integration barriers. Pythagoras 40(1) pp.1-13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/pythagoras.v40i1.431
Department of Basic Education (DBE). (2014) Report on annual national assessments of 2014. Pretoria: Department of Basic Education.
Dixon, K. (2020) Searching for mermaids: Access, capital, and the digital divide in a South African rural primary school. In E. Morrell & J. Rowsell (Eds.) Stories from inequity to justice in literacy education: Confronting digital divides. New York: Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367031138-3
Dlamini, R. (2018) A multi-site study of ICT pedagogical practices in schools: The South African case. In Proceedings of the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). 26 March 2018, Washington, D.C., United States of America, pp.2139-2154.
Ekici, F.T. & Pekmezci, S. (2015) Using ICT-supported narratives in teaching science and their effects on middle school students. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET 14(4) pp.173-186.
Fairchild, J., Meiners, E.B. & Violette, J. (2016) ‘I tolerate technology—I don't embrace it’: Instructor surprise and sensemaking in a technology-rich learning environment. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 16(4) pp.92-108. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v16i4.19995
Garegae, K.G. (2016) Teachers’ professed beliefs about the nature of mathematics, its teaching and learning: Inconsistencies among data from different instruments. Philosophy of Mathematics Education Journal 30 pp.1-18.
Genlott, A.A. & Grönlund, Å. (2016) Closing the gaps: Improving literacy and mathematics by ICT-enhanced collaboration. Computers & Education 99 pp.68-80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2016.04.004
Ghavifekr, S., Kunjappan, T., Ramasamy, L. & Anthony, A. (2016) Teaching and learning with ICT tools: Issues and challenges from teachers’ perceptions. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology 4(2) pp.38-57.
Gui, M., Parma, A. & Comi, S. (2018) Does public investment in ICTs improve learning performance? Evidence from Italy. Policy & Internet 10(2) pp.141-163. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/poi3.170
Hilton, A. (2018) Engaging primary school students in mathematics: Can iPads make a difference? International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education 16(1) pp.145-165. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-016-9771-5
Jimoyiannis, A. (2010) Designing and implementing an integrated technological pedagogical science knowledge framework for science teachers’ professional development. Computers & Education 55(3) pp.1259-1269. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.05.022
Kamal, M. & Diksha, D. (2019) Investigating ICTs for education in marginalized communities. In Proceedings of the Fourteenth Midwest Association for Information Systems Conference, 21-22 May 2019, Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Kaur, S. & Singh, K. (2020) A comparative study of learning outcomes in elementary education of three developing countries: India, South Africa and Cuba. Studies in Indian Place Names 40(3) pp.3484-3495.
Mailizar, M. & Fan, L. (2020) Indonesian teachers’ knowledge of ICT and the use of ICT in secondary mathematics teaching. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 16(1) pp.1-13, doi:10.29333/ejmste/110352 DOI: https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/110352
Masango, M.M., Van Ryneveld, L. & Graham, M.A. (2019) Electronic textbooks in Gauteng public schools: Pros and cons. International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education (IJICTE) 15(4) pp.41-57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/IJICTE.2019100104
Masitsa, M.G. (2011) Exploring safety in township secondary schools in the Free State province. South African Journal of Education 31(2) pp.163-174. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v31n2a477
McLain, C. & Kim, J. (2018) Ethical issues in qualitative data collection. In C. Sibinga (Ed.) Ensuring research integrity and the ethical management of data. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, pp.112-126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-2730-5.ch007
Meyer, I.A. & Gent, P.R. (2016) The status of ICT in education in South Africa and the way forward. National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT). http://nect.org.za/publications/technical-reports/the-state-of-ict-in-education-in-south-africa/ (Accessed 14 August 2019).
Michos, K. & Hernández-Leo, D. (2020) CIDA: A collective inquiry framework to study and support teachers as designers in technological environments. Computers & Education 143 pp.1-26, doi:10.1016/j. compedu.2019.103679 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103679
Mikeska, J.N., Holtzman, S., McCaffrey, D.F., Liu, S. & Shattuck, T. (2019) Using classroom observations to evaluate science teaching: Implications of lesson sampling for measuring science teaching effectiveness across lesson types. Science Education 103(1) pp.123-144, doi:10.1002/sce.21482 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21482
Mlachila, M. & Moeletsi, T. (2019) Struggling to make the grade: A review of the causes and consequences of the weak outcomes of South Africa’s education system. IMF Working Paper 19(47) pp.1-61. https://doi.org/10.5089/9781498301374.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781498301374.001
Mlambo, S., Rambe, P. & Schlebusch, L. (2020) Effects of Gauteng province’s educators’ ICT self-efficacy on their pedagogical use of ICTs in classrooms. Heliyon 6(4) pp. 1-14, doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020. e03730 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03730
Munje, P.N. & Maarman, R. (2017) Do school resources matter? The effects of school resources on learner performance in poor school communities. Journal of Educational Studies 16(1) pp.34-51.
Ndlovu, M.C. (2011) Re-envisioning the scholarship of engagement: Lessons from a university-school partnership project for mathematics and science teaching. South African Journal of Higher Education 25(7) pp.1397-1415.
Nelson, M.J., Voithofer, R. & Cheng, S.L. (2019) Mediating factors that influence the technology integration practices of teacher educators. Computers & Education 128 pp.330-344, doi:10.1016/j. compedu.2018.09.023 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.09.023
Nelson, M.J. & Hawk, N.A. (2020) The impact of field experiences on prospective preservice teachers’ technology integration beliefs and intentions. Teaching and Teacher Education 89 pp.1-12, doi:10.1016/j. tate.2019.103006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2019.103006
Nkadimeng, M.P. & Thaba-Nkagimene, K.L. (2019) Implementation of e-learning in rural Limpopo secondary schools: Are teachers and schools ready for a new pedagogy? In Digital Innovation and Transformation Conference, pp.59-63, 29 August 2019, Birchwood Hotel, Boksburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
Ojo, O.A. & Adu, E.O. (2018) The effectiveness of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in teaching and learning in high schools in Eastern Cape province. South African Journal of Education 38(1) pp.1-11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v38ns2a1483
Olika, M., Moses, M. & Sibongile, S.M. (2019) Teacher professional development in the integration of digital technologies for teaching and learning at selected South African schools. Online Journal for TVET Practitioners 4(1) pp.1-7.
Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A., Liao, J.Y.C., Sadik, O. & Ertmer, P. (2018) Evolution of teachers’ technology integration knowledge, beliefs, and practices: How can we support beginning teachers’ use of technology? Journal of Research on Technology in Education 50(4) pp.282-304. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2018.1487350
Overaa, J.M. (2014) Website blocked: Filtering technology in schools and school libraries. School of Information Student Research Journal 4(2) pp.1-18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/2575-2499.040204
Padayachee, K. (2017) A snapshot survey of ICT integration in South African schools. South African Computer Journal 29(2) pp.36-65. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18489/sacj.v29i2.463
Pholotho, T. & Mtsweni, J. (2016) Barriers to electronic access and delivery of educational information in resource constrained public schools: A case of Greater Tubatse Municipality. In IST-Africa 2016 Conference Proceedings, pp.1-9, 13-14 May 2016, Durban, South Africa. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/ISTAFRICA.2016.7530626
Ramorola, M.Z. (2018) Transforming teaching and learning through technology integration. Inaugural Lecture, 3 May 2018, College of Education, Department of Science and Technology Education, University of South Africa, South Africa. https://www.unisa.ac.za/static/corporate_web/Content/News%20&%20 Media/Articles/Documents/TECHNOLOGY%20INTEGRATION%20IN%20TEACHING%20AND%20 LEARNING_FINAL(27).pdf (Accessed 8 January 2020).
RSA. Department of Education (DoE). (2003) Draft white paper on e-education: transforming learning and teaching through information and communication technologies (ICTs). http://hdl.voced.edu. au/10707/100951 (Accessed 15 December 2019).
RSA. Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services. (2016) National Integrated ICT Policy White Paper. https://www.dtps.gov.za/images/phocagallery/Popular_Topic_Pictures/National_Integrated_ ICT_Policy_White.pdf (Accessed 15 December 2019).
Sormunen, K., Lavonen, J. & Juuti, K. (2019) Overcoming learning difficulties with smartphones in an inclusive primary science class. Journal of Education and Learning 8(3) pp.21-34. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v8n3p21
Spaull, N. (2013) South Africa’s education crisis: The quality of education in South Africa 1994-2011. Johannesburg: Centre for Development and Enterprise.
Steiner, D. & Mendelovitch, M. (2017) “I’m the same teacher": The attitudes of science and computer literacy teachers regarding integrating ICT in instruction to advance meaningful learning. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 13(5) pp.1259-1282. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00670a
Sudha, S. (2019) Does ICT influences rural government school teachers beliefs? Exploring teachers opinion on usage of ICT as teaching and learning tool. Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development 10(2) pp.163-167. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5958/0976-5506.2019.00279.1
Tachie, S.A. (2019) Challenges and opportunities regarding usage of computers in the teaching and learning of Mathematics. South African Journal of Education 39(1) pp.1-10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v39ns2a1690
Tomljenović, K. & Zovko, V. (2016) The use of ICT in teaching mathematics: A comparative analysis of the success of 7th grade primary school students. Croatian Journal of Education | Hrvatski Časopis za Odgoj i Obrazovanje 18(2) pp.215-221. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v18i0.2177
Umugiraneza, O., Bansilal, S. & North, D. (2018) Exploring teachers’ use of technology in teaching and learning mathematics in KwaZulu-Natal schools. Pythagoras 39(1) pp.1 13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/pythagoras.v39i1.342
Venkat, H. & Mathews, C. (2019) Improving multiplicative reasoning in a context of low performance. ZDM Mathematics Education 51(1) pp.95-108. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-018-0969-6
Wilson-Strydom, M., Thomson, J. & Hodgkinson-Williams, C. (2005) Understanding ICT integration in South African classrooms. Perspectives in Education 23(1) pp.71-85.
Yang, D. & Baldwin, S.J. (2020) Using technology to support student learning in an integrated STEM learning environment. International Journal of Technology in Education and Science (IJTES) 4(1) pp.1-11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46328/ijtes.v4i1.22
Zakaria, N.A. & Khalid, F. (2016) The benefits and constraints of the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching mathematics. Creative Education 7(11) pp.1537-1544. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2016.711158
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 The Independent Journal of Teaching and Learning
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
.png){kind=spacer}