Research articles (Dept of Maths & Science Education)
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Koosimile, A.T. (Taylor & Francis, http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals, March 19, 2004)[more][less]
Abstract: This paper sets out to identify some key problems, issues and challenges relating to out-of-school experiences of learners in science teaching that emerged during classroom observations in schools in Botswana. Generally, there is evidence suggesting weak incorporation of learners’ experiences into teaching. The experiences seemed to have a lower teaching priority than did formal universally accepted canonical science concepts. The study revealed that the relative merits of the science curriculum also appeared undermined by lack of teacher preparedness to handle the learners’ out-of-school experiences. This paper also considers some of the implications of the research findings to science education in Botswana. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1113 Files in this item: 1
Koosimile_IJSE_2004.pdf (1.309Mb) -
Kesamang, M.; Taiwo, A.A. (Taylor & Francis, http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals, NaN, 2002)[more][less]
Abstract: The study was undertaken to find out whether there is a significant relationship between the socio- cultural beliefs held by beginning junior secondary school (JSS) students in Botswana and their attitudes towards school science on one hand and their achievement in school science on the other hand. Seven research questions were formulated. The nature of the study dictated the employment of descriptive research (survey) design. The sample for the study consisted of 395 JSS students randomly selected from eleven junior secondary schools within 120 kilometre radius of Gaborone, the state capital of Botswana. The collection of the data for the study was accomplished by the use of three constructed and validated research instruments. The findings of the study include the fact that Setswana1 (Botswana) mythology has a telling effect, to a large extent, on the thought processes of the average Botswana JSS student. This resulted in significant negative relationships between the students’ socio- cultural background and their attitudes towards school science on one hand and their achievement in school science on the other hand. But in spite of the negative effect of the elements of the students’ culture on the ease with which they learn school science, Botswana JSS students are found to be positively disposed towards school science in general. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1112 Files in this item: 1
Taiwo_IJSE_2002.pdf (1.468Mb) -
Taiwo, A.A. (Taylor & Francis, http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals, NaN, 1999)[more][less]
Abstract: The study was designed to elucidate the nature of the perception of the water cycle held by Botswana pupils in standards 4 to 7 of primary schools in three different areas (namely, remote area dwellers’ settlement, peri-urban and urban areas) of Botswana. The research design employed a survey method involving the administration of a structured instrument and interview sessions for data collection. Analyses of research data were carried out by both qualitative and quantitative methods. Among other things, the outcome of the study showed that the perception of water cycle held by the study sample was positively influenced by schooling but negatively impacted upon, to some extent, by the ’untutored’ ideas the children brought to school. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1111 Files in this item: 1
Taiwo_IJSE_1999.pdf (1.131Mb) -
Nkhwalume, A. (IJSRE, http://www.ijsre.com, June NaN, 2010)[more][less]
Abstract: This paper represents the voices of six Botswana girls in a case study that investigated social influences on their motivation in mathematics. Interviews were conducted and observations made to explore the girls’ experiences to shed some light on where their motivations were most influenced. The girls’ perceived motivational orientations and subsequent performance in mathematics as reflected in their case scenarios were used as a way of explaining their social implications. Their social experiential narratives were analysed for meaning with a focus on understanding them from an African context in contrast with Western cultural research perspectives. The study emanated from the fact that Botswana women are not vividly present at the post-secondary level in mathematics, science and technology. A compulsory mathematics at senior secondary school level, most young women opt out of mathematics and technology related programmes. The girls’ social experiential narratives were collected and analysed for meaning with a view to understand their implications in learning mathematics in the context of Botswana. The study adopted the Marxist social theory as its theoretical framework and used the concepts of contradiction, ideology, discourse and habitus as operational tools for the girls’ socialised orientation towards mathematic. It emerged that social environment, namely: the family (socioeconomic status, educational beliefs, attitudes, availability of books); the school system (schooling, teachers, textbooks, mathematics curriculum, and assessment) and peer groups (friends, classmates) were the key sources of influence. The interpretations of the girls’ narratives gave rise to the conclusions drawn and the recommendations made concerning social influences on their motivational orientations in learning mathematics. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1078 Files in this item: 1
Nkhwalume_IJSRE_2010.pdf (3.321Mb) -
Taiwo, A.A.; Tyolo, J.B. (Elsevier, http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/homepage.cws_home, January 8, 2002)[more][less]
Abstract: Evidence abounds in the literature of a direct link between pre-primary education and academic performance in the primary school. The salutary effect of the ‘Head start’ programme inaugurated in the United States of America in the early 1960s on the academic performances of its beneficiaries in the lower primary is such a piece of evidence. Premised on this commonality between pre-primary education and academic achievement in the primary school, the study aimed at finding out whether there were significant differences in the performances of Botswana grade one pupils with preschool education experience and their counterparts without such an experience on selected tasks in English language, mathematics and science. Using purposive sampling technique for school selection, a total of 120 grade one pupils were randomly selected for the study from four selected primary schools in Botswana. In addition, 20 grade one teachers from the study schools participated in the study. For data collection purpose, each pupil-subject was individually interviewed for about 20 min on the study tasks; and the opinions of the twenty teachers on the subject of the study was sampled by the use of a questionnaire. The results of the study indicated that pupils with pre-school education experience significantly out-performed their counterparts without such experience in all the three school subject areas surveyed by the study. This trend of the impact of pre-school education on academic achievement at the early primary school level was corroborated by the opinions of the primary school teachers. The paper concluded by observing that preschool education equips children with pre-requisite skills which make learning in grade one easier and faster for children so exposed. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/722 Files in this item: 1
Taiwo_IJED_2002.pdf (1.263Mb)