This article explores the way in which values education is incorporated in the Life Orientation (LO) curriculum of the Senior Phase (Grades 7–9)i in South Africa. Researchers agree that in the light ...of the current need to regenerate morals and re-norm the nation, values are critical. From the moment they are born, children learn by observing adults; they mimic what they see, and repeat the words they utter. Parents and teachers have the greatest influence on a child’s upbringing and therefore have a responsibility to teach them about the core values that help them become well-rounded citizens. Theoretically, the study on which this article is based was located in the literature on approaches to implementing values education. The study employed a qualitative perspective, with a descriptive case study design. Participants include purposively selected school principals, school governing body (SGB) members, and LO teachers. The data was collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The analysis revealed that the values in the school LO curriculum were incorporated eclectically through explicit, implicit and critical approaches. On the basis of these findings, it is recommended that the school community sustain an eclectic approach to values education that covers learners’ holistic experiences.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use of online learning and self-directed learning to motivate and engage students. Therefore, this study sought to determine how online learning fostered ...self-directed learning at a South African university during this period. Higher education institutions worldwide had to shut down indefinitely following guidance from health experts to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since education is regarded as a pillar of development for all countries, some means had to be found to keep teaching and learning going irrespective of the ongoing health crisis. Hence, online learning made it possible for university students to continue learning during the emergency university closure. This was a period of reckoning, however, as many students began experiencing challenges related to poor internet connectivity and accessing digital learning devices. Despite these challenges, the solution was to reach out to all students to ensure that they were not excluded from the learning process. The sudden transition to online learning meant that students could no longer follow a well-coordinated, structured learning schedule that was guided and supervised on campus; rather, online learning meant they had to become more independent in their learning. Independent learning encourages students to be proactive and independent, a philosophy aligned to self-directed learning (SDL). This study explored the experiences of third-year student teachers in navigating SDL through online learning platforms. The study was underpinned by self-directed learning theory and adopted a qualitative case study research design, generating data from ten student teachers using a Zoom App focus group discussion. Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis framework. The study found that although SDL is appropriate because it promotes learning independently, the majority of student teachers encountered several challenges when adopting online learning, catching them off guard because they were not formally introduced to it.
The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the academic programme of most higher education institutions. To counter this disruption, universities moved from contact to emergency remote teaching. To understand ...the process of this move, the study explored the experiences of academic staff at a South African university with a transition from contact to emergency remote teaching and the lessons that were learnt for the future. The study was underpinned by Online Collaborative Learning theory (Harasim 2012). A qualitative exploratory case study was conducted to answer the research questions. We generated data from eight academic staff members using focus group discussion and analysed it using an inductive thematic framework. From the analysis, the participants held divergent ideas on digital equity and access to technology, creating online interactive content and teaching modalities, proficiency with the technology and training, limitations with the Learning Management System (LMS) Moodle. The findings indicate the need to prepare academic staff and students for emergency remote teaching before a disruption occurs. The COVID-19 pandemic taught the university that was the research site several lessons about technology-enhanced learning, including the importance of flexibility, technology, student engagement, access and equity, and collaboration. Universities have learned that online learning can be effective but requires careful planning, investment, and ongoing evaluation to ensure success. Importantly, the findings acknowledge that the success of online teaching during the pandemic was influenced by a wide range of factors, including technological infrastructure, pedagogical approach, faculty training and support, student readiness, and the culture of innovation within the community and university.
This study explored the multifaceted landscape of secondary education following the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic brought about a shift in education worldwide, necessitating a rapid transition from ...traditional classroom teaching to remote and blended learning modalities. This conceptual paper explores the emerging landscape of blended teaching and learning in South African secondary schools in the post-COVID-19 era. While South Africa's educational system was not immune to the disruptions caused by the pandemic, unique challenges and opportunities also presented themselves. This study reviewed journal articles and book chapters focused on the nature of blended teaching and learning in South African secondary schools following the COVID-19 pandemic. First, to ensure an in-depth exploration, we conducted a generic search on the challenges posed by transitioning to blended learning, supportive measures to mitigate these challenges and the benefits of a blended learning environment. This resulted in more than 90 journal articles being found. We then customised our search, subsequently identifying 14 reports that satisfied our inclusion criteria. Our analysis of these studies highlighted a multifaceted and dynamic landscape characterised by teachers' technological adaptation, pedagogical shifts, challenges posed by the digital divide and the pursuit of student engagement. The paper underscores the critical importance of ongoing professional development, equitable access to technology, as well as pedagogical support in shaping the future of education in South Africa and addressing broader issues of equity and inclusivity in a post-pandemic world. The insights from this research offer valuable guidance for educational policymakers, institutions and educators seeking to enhance the quality and accessibility of education in a digital age.
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic on a global scale has had a significant impact on all aspects of human activities. The integration of digital technologies has led to a substantial transformation ...of the worldwide education system. The primary objective of this investigation was to examine the transition from traditional face-to-face instruction to virtual instruction in South African institutions of higher learning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The research utilised content analysis to conduct a scoping review of existing literature pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. The research investigated the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on tertiary education establishments in the Republic of South Africa. The study reviewed journal articles and book chapters focused on the shift from conventional classroom learning to online learning in South Africa’s Higher Education to answer two research questions raised in the study. To ensure an in-depth search, the researcher searched 67 journals articles and identified 58 reports/studies satisfying the inclusion criteria. The findings of the analysis of these studies highlighted that the educational establishments were not adequately equipped for the abrupt shift from traditional face-to-face instruction to remote digital learning. Despite the expeditious efforts made by numerous institutions of higher education to incorporate online learning into their curricula, several obstacles were encountered during this technological shift towards the perpetuation of educational instruction. Consequently, it is recommended that institutions provide sufficient learning technologies, consistent internet data subscriptions for students, and technical support for lecturers to improve the effectiveness of online learning. On the other hand, the research has demonstrated that educational establishments have undergone a significant transformation from traditional in-person instructional settings to virtual learning environments.
This study sought to explore the experiences of academics with the use of e-learning to support teaching and learning at a South African university. The theory underpinning the study was the Unified ...Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). The study adopted a qualitative design using ten purposively selected academic staff and one IT specialist at a South African university. Semi-structured interview was used to gather the data that were used to answer the research questions. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The following themes resulted from the analysis: technical support and training for e-learning; Information Communication Technology infrastructure and internet accessibility; uptake of e-learning and the use of the Learning Management System; content development for e-learning; and evaluation of teaching effectiveness using e-learning. Based on the findings, periodic updates and training on the new changes should be made to the university's e-learning platforms, provision of timely technical support to academics in order to sustain positive user experiences of e-learning were recommended.
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