Department of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Phd Theses

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Department of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Phd Theses

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    Strategies for Achieving Equity-Based Education: Towards an Equitable Education System
    (2023) Sibanda, L.
    This chapter focuses on strategies for achieving equity-based education. The concept of equity-based education has been examined. Factors that influence equity in education which include funding, access to high-level curriculum, teacher quality and discipline have been discussed. The discussion revealed that funding is a distinct indicator of equity in education, hence, establishing sustainable partnerships between the government and other potential funders is advisable. The chapter also revealed numerous equity strategies such as free and compulsory primary and secondary education for children, providing access to excluded groups of learners, improving the quality of teaching, adopting various forms of assessment strategies, increasing resource allocation, creating equitable learning environments, and creating an equity framework. The chapter suggests solutions and recommendations, and provides future research directions. Finally, conclusion is drawn from the arguments posed by literature observations.
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    Issue-Based Learning and Transformative Pedagogies: Zimbabwe
    (2023) Sibanda, L.; Phuthi, N.
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    TEACHERS AND LEARNERS’ EXPERIENCES OF IMPLEMENTING BLENDED LEARNING DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN IN MANGWE DISTRICT, ZIMBABWE
    (2023) Moyo, Mncedisi; Sibanda, Lwazi
    Implementation of blended learning should be characterised by an array of strategies for effective instructional delivery to take place in the classroom. Hence, this study sought to explore the experiences of teachers and learners on implementation of blended learning in Mangwe District Secondary Schools, Matabeleland South Province during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. This qualitative study was hinged on the interpretivist paradigm and employed a case study design. The participants who comprised eight teachers and twenty-four learners were purposively sampled from four secondary schools. Data collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were thematically analysed. The findings indicated that the flipped classroom, self-blend, and flex approaches were mainly used to implement blended learning during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in selected schools. The study further found that these strategies were implemented through the use of WhatsApp social media platform. The study concluded that in spite of the challenges encountered, selected schools made efforts to ensure that blended learning was implemented through the cited strategies. The study recommended that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should capacitate teachers on various learning management systems and online assessment tools through in-service training sessions to support implementation of blended learning.
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    The Competence-Based Advanced Level Mathematics Curriculum: Implications for Students’ Enrolment in one University in Zimbabwe
    (2021) Chikusvura, N.; Sibanda, L.; Mathwasa, J.
    The study set out to examine the relevance of the competencebased Advanced Level mathematics curriculum for entry into university mathematics-related degree programmes. The study adopted a qualitative approach ingrained in the interpretive paradigm which employed a case study design. Four A-Level mathematics teachers, eighteen Lower Sixth and six Upper Sixth mathematics major students were purposively sampled to respond to semi-structured face-to-face interviews and focus group interviews. The study found that the implementation of the competence-based Advanced Level mathematics curriculum was negatively affected by incompetent teachers and supervisors, lack of resources and lack of support from other stakeholders. The study concluded that these impediments impacted negatively on students who aspired to pursue mathematics-related degree programmes at university and that there is a mismatch on the mathematics units in the competence-based Advanced Level mathematics curriculum and university requirements for mathematics-related degree programmes. The study recommends ministerial corroboration fostering university degree programmes requirements to be taught in high school, stakeholder involvement and continuous professional development for mathematics teachers and supervisors.
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    Provision of quality education in private schools: reflective practices in low-cost private secondary schools in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe
    (2021) Midzi, S.; Sibanda, L.; Mathwasa, J.
    Quality in education has become a cause for concern to every stakeholder in education. The study sought to assess the provision of quality education in low-cost private secondary schools in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. The study adopted the interpretivist paradigm in qualitative approach, using a case study design. Semistructured interviews and document analysis were used for collecting thematically analysed data from purposively sampled four school heads and six teachers from lowcost private secondary schools. The study established that in pursuit for quality education, selected schools employed qualified teachers who engage in continuous professional development programmes to sharpen their teaching skills. The findings revealed that the schools understudy are making efforts to offer practical science and computer lessons using the limited resources to ensure the provision of quality education. It emerged that selected schools use e-learning and multimedia resources which arouse learners’ interests and increase the retention rates. It came out that the schools understudy have environmental clubs which work together with school health departments in attending to sanitary issues. Whilst selected schools practiced heterogeneous grouping, the findings revealed that learners with physical disabilities are not enrolled in those schools due to lack of appropriate physical facilities and there are no teachers with relevant expertise to teach learners with special needs. The study revealed that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education provided guidelines in the form of policy documents and circulars to monitor the provision of quality education in the selected schools. Despite the efforts made by low-cost secondary schools in providing quality education, the study found that high staff turnover is negatively affecting the quality of education due to lack of continuity in learning. The findings indicated that inadequate learning resources and infrastructure such as libraries, computer and science laboratories, internet services, and lack of teachers with special needs expertise adversely affected the provision of quality education. The study concludes that lack of financial resources is a hindrance in the provision of quality education in low-cost secondary schools. The study recommends that a comparative study on provision of quality education should be conducted in private trust secondary schools.