Browsing by Author "Shava, George, N."

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    Educational leadership and learner achievement: contemporary issues
    (National University of Science and Technology, 2015) Shava, George, N.
    The context of school leadership in Africa has been changing, which is reflected particularly in numerous past and ongoing educational reforms and school restructuring movements. At the macro level, the main trend of educational reforms include re-establishment of new national vision and new educational aims for schools, restructuring educational systems at different levels for new educational aims and market driving, privatizing, cost sharing, greater self management and self governance and diversifying school education throughout the world. At the meso level, there is increased parental and community involvement in school leadership. At the school site level, the major trends consist of ensuring educational quality, standards and accountability. At the operational level, the main trends include the use of Information and Technology (ICT) in learning and teaching and applying new technologies in management, and making a paradigm shift in learning, teaching and assessment. This paper examines educational leadership and learner achievement in schools. In this article I argue that, in many parts of the world, including both developed and developing countries, there is increasing recognition that schools require effective leadership schools are to provide the best possible education for learners. I conclude that the combined direct and indirect effects of school leadership on learner achievement may be small but educationally significant.
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    Professional Development, a Major Strategy for Higher Education Student Success, Experiences from a University in Zimbabwe.
    (Zimbabwe Journal of Science & Technology, 2015) Shava, George, N.
    In the academic circuit, Professional Development (PD) has proved a vital source for quality and success in teaching and learning in Universities. PD provides academics with job satisfaction and in the process helping to build better universities with competent lecturers. The key personnel in universities who play an important role to bring about transformation and quality products are the lecturers. The academic staff is a crucial element in any university educational program. Academic staff is mainly responsible for the implementation of all educational processes in a university set up. Effective PD in universities has become more crucial in this rapidly changing teaching and learning environments. Significant PD is required in universities to provide academics with the skills to use current methods and will enhance their pedagogical skills. The development of pedagogical skills in university academics in Zimbabwe and the entire Sub Sahara region cannot be addressed simply by running workshops at university level, more sophisticated integrated models like PD are most appropriate. PD is therefore imperative for the currency and relevance of a professional teaching force and in turn the quality of programs delivered in the university. The changing context of higher education in Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole presents new challenges for academics which should be addressed through effective PD. Consequently the goal of this study was to explore challenges faced by university academics in their participation in PD at a university in Zimbabwe which is currently offering a Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDHE) to higher education academic staff. The program for PD at the university covered by this study seeks to enhance the professional skills set as well as the overall experiences that can position academics for greater academic success in teaching, research and community services. The qualitative study which was framed within a Realist philosophy of culture, structure and agency by Roy Bhaskar and Margaret Archer was used. In this article I argue that academics in universities are overwhelmed by the demands of PD innovations which are also associated with university quality assurance processes but they face challenges in participating in the programs.
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    Re-Thinking Diversity in Engineering Education: Implications for Everyday Socio – Economic Issues.
    (NUST, 2014-09) Dlodlo, Mary; Shava, George, N.
    There are many ways of understanding the gap in engineering and achievement separating female and male students studying engineering. This paper offers our perspective. First, the paper discusses in broad terms the relationship between everyday engineering knowledge and ways of acquiring knowledge and ways of knowing as viewed in the field of engineering education. The paper also considers two perspectives on the question of engineering practice. One perspective examines the relationship within the early period of engineering practice and the other perspective looks at ultimate continuity. We locate our own work within the latter tradition and suggest a framework for understanding the everyday socio – economic practices of female and male practices from diverse backgrounds as a resource in engineering learning and teaching education. We conclude with a discussion of implications of this new conceptualization for research in engineering education and learning.