The purpose of this study, conducted with 44 participants, was to explore their experiences of learning linear algebra using the online content and materials during COVID-19. The conceptual framework was guided by the notion of social presence and connectivisim in the context of remote learning. The study used a questionnaire comprising closed and…

This paper reports on a case study of South African Grade 12 learners' views about scientific inquiry. The study focuses on a non-fee-paying government school that receives curricular support and resources to specifically develop Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teaching in a low socioeconomic setting. Data were collected…

Software is a vital resource for modern life. For software to be successful, programming skills are of the utmost importance. These skills are used both by programmers and also by systems analysts and designers during the phases of software development. Therefore, both technical and non-technical stakeholders within the software development…

The literature shows that the integration of technological tools, like "GeoGebra," has the potential to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics. The aim of this study was to see whether "GeoGebra" could be used to address identified, systematic misconceptions that National Certificate Vocational (NCV) students hold…

The divide between theory and practice is an enduring challenge commonly attributed to disconnection in teacher knowledge between 'knowing what to do' (planning) and 'doing what you know' (enacting in class). We re-visited this divide from the new perspective of pedagogical content knowledge with the purpose of examining the ways in which…

Debates continue about assessment methods and tasks in higher engineering education that would enable assessment of cognitive learning attributes and attainment of graduate attributes. This study explored the students' perceptions of the conventional and alternative assessment methods that are relevant and could be used to assess cognitive…

In this study, action research was used over two years to refine the implementation of process-oriented guided inquiry learning for chemistry students in an academic development programme at a research-intensive South African university. Students' responses to guided inquiry were collected based on a three-pillar framework underpinned by cognitive…

Students' approaches to learning have a significant impact on the outcomes of any educational programme. In the light of the documented concerns about the quality of students' engagement with academic work, this study sets out to determine and explain preservice teachers' (PSTs) approaches to learning. This was based on the premise that, while…

Various reasons for underperformance in physical sciences have been found, such as a lack of teachers' content knowledge and a lack of resources. This study looks into the extent of alignment between the various levels of the curriculum on circuit electricity (intended, implemented and attained levels). The research took place in Mpumalanga…

This article presents balanced views of Mathematical Literacy (ML) and Mathematics (M), from both an analytical perspective and the subjective perspectives of teachers and learners. From the analytical perspective, policy documents and the literature spanning the period from the inception of ML to date are reviewed. Glimpses into the subjective…

In this article, we report on findings from a study that explored perspectives of Grade 10-12 learners from two rural secondary schools in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa on the nature of mathematics prior to and at the end of a year-long mathematics mentorship programme. We use Ernest's (1994) orientations about the nature of…

The underperformance of South African learners in literacy and numeracy is a cause of concern, especially at the transition from Grade 3 to Grade 4. At Grade 4 in South Africa, the majority of learners begin learning in English, which to them is an additional language posing transition challenges of a linguistic nature. The sustained poor…

Learners' attitude to learning science plays a vitally important role with respect to career choices. This study reflects on the nature of the learners' attitude towards science and the effect of gender. A total of 547 Grade 7 learners from an urban district of Gauteng Province (South Africa) were administered a questionnaire to probe their…

Black women scientists are living in an important time in South Africa as the socio-political landscape is changing rapidly, effecting changes in many dimensions of identification, particularly "race", gender and class. This paper draws data from in-depth interviews with a cohort (n = 10) of Science scholarship students to explore…

The Khanya Maths and Science Club (KMSC) is an afterschool science/maths enrichment programme for learners in Grades 7-12 supported by postgraduate students and academic staff volunteers. This research seeks to explore the relationship between participating learners' attitude toward learning science and the characteristics of this afterschool…