An investigation of how a visual teaching approach can possibly address issues of mathematics anxiety at a selected school in the Oshikoto region of Namibia
- Ngonga, Daniel Nghifikepunye
- Authors: Ngonga, Daniel Nghifikepunye
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Visual learning Namibia , Math anxiety Namibia , Mathematics Study and teaching Namibia , After-school programs Namibia , Mathematics Study and teaching Activity programs
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/290637 , vital:56770
- Description: This Namibian case study aimed to explore a visual teaching approach (VTA) used by three selected teachers to address issues of mathematics anxiety (MA). The three teachers took part in an intervention program that was looking at how a VTA could be grown in the context of an after-school club (ASC) at my school. The selected teachers were the senior primary teachers at my school. The focus of the research was on how they taught mathematics using visuals after participating in an intervention programme. Their VTA made use of manipulatives, visuals, and concrete materials. The learners of the participating teachers completed a big MA pre-test, small MA tests, and a big MA post-test to determine their levels of MA as the teaching programme unfolded. The study hoped to create awareness amongst teachers and education researchers about the significant use of a VTA in the teaching and learning of mathematics to address issues of MA among the learners. It aimed to answer three research questions. One was on teachers’ use of a VTA in the context of an ASC; the second one was on comparisons of learners’ MA big pre and post-tests to detect any change of MA, and the last was on the enabling and constraining factors encountered when using a VTA. The main argument was that a VTA can encourage learners to be more confident and less anxious about doing mathematics. This study was framed by a constructivist perspective and its design and methodology were underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. This mixed-method research study employed video-recorded observations and stimulated recall interviews, learners’ MA test results, and the teachers’ focus group interviews as the means of collecting data. To generate rich data and support validity, four lessons per selected teacher were observed and video recorded; 54 learners completed the MA tests of 16 questions, and three teachers answered seven questions each in the focus group interview (FGI) after the stimulus recall interviews (SRI) which were done immediately after the lesson presentations. The study found that the participating teachers incorporated a variety of visuals into their lessons to make the mathematics fun, inspiring, visible, hands-on, and activity-oriented. They engaged the learners and also found that the use of visuals motivated learners and reduced their MA. , Thesis (MED) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
- Authors: Ngonga, Daniel Nghifikepunye
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Visual learning Namibia , Math anxiety Namibia , Mathematics Study and teaching Namibia , After-school programs Namibia , Mathematics Study and teaching Activity programs
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/290637 , vital:56770
- Description: This Namibian case study aimed to explore a visual teaching approach (VTA) used by three selected teachers to address issues of mathematics anxiety (MA). The three teachers took part in an intervention program that was looking at how a VTA could be grown in the context of an after-school club (ASC) at my school. The selected teachers were the senior primary teachers at my school. The focus of the research was on how they taught mathematics using visuals after participating in an intervention programme. Their VTA made use of manipulatives, visuals, and concrete materials. The learners of the participating teachers completed a big MA pre-test, small MA tests, and a big MA post-test to determine their levels of MA as the teaching programme unfolded. The study hoped to create awareness amongst teachers and education researchers about the significant use of a VTA in the teaching and learning of mathematics to address issues of MA among the learners. It aimed to answer three research questions. One was on teachers’ use of a VTA in the context of an ASC; the second one was on comparisons of learners’ MA big pre and post-tests to detect any change of MA, and the last was on the enabling and constraining factors encountered when using a VTA. The main argument was that a VTA can encourage learners to be more confident and less anxious about doing mathematics. This study was framed by a constructivist perspective and its design and methodology were underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. This mixed-method research study employed video-recorded observations and stimulated recall interviews, learners’ MA test results, and the teachers’ focus group interviews as the means of collecting data. To generate rich data and support validity, four lessons per selected teacher were observed and video recorded; 54 learners completed the MA tests of 16 questions, and three teachers answered seven questions each in the focus group interview (FGI) after the stimulus recall interviews (SRI) which were done immediately after the lesson presentations. The study found that the participating teachers incorporated a variety of visuals into their lessons to make the mathematics fun, inspiring, visible, hands-on, and activity-oriented. They engaged the learners and also found that the use of visuals motivated learners and reduced their MA. , Thesis (MED) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
The role of angling-guides in promoting pro-environmental catch-and-release attitudes and behaviours in the recreational angling community
- Authors: Farthing, Matthew William
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Fishing , Fishing Catch effort , Fishing guides , Fishers , Human behavior , Role models
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/294583 , vital:57235 , DOI 10.21504/10962/294585
- Description: Angling-guides are respected as opinion leaders of the recreational angling community, but nothing is known of their influence on angler behaviour. Given their social-standing, angling-guides may be perceived as role-models by angling-clients – thereby promoting the adoption of best and/or poor catch-and-release (C&R) practices, depending on their individual knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. It is critical to understand their potential influence, their knowledge and their behaviours to inform effective intervention strategies which could exploit their extensive networking potential. The aim of this thesis was to better understand the potential utility of angling-guides in efforts to improve angler behaviour. Firstly, this was done by investigating whether angling-guides are perceived as role-models by angling-clients (Chapter 2). Secondly, it was done by assessing the current level of knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of angling-guides from around the world (Chapter 3). Thirdly, it was done by exploring the relationship between angling-guide knowledge, attitudes, intentions and actual behaviour in a case-study of guided-angling trips (Chapter 4). Lastly, it was done by exploring intervention frameworks and incorporating insights into potential strategies for promoting pro-environmental angling behaviours to angling-guides (Chapter 5). To understand if angling-guides are perceived as role-models by the recreational angling community (Chapter 2), a digital survey was designed to assess previous angling-clients’ attitudes towards angling-guides serving the three role-model functions proposed in the Motivational Theory of Role-Modelling, namely as Behavioural models, Representations of the Possible and Inspiration. Of the 492 angling-clients (27 countries), most agreed that angling-guides were competent, skilled, and worth emulating (91.1%), suggesting they are perceived as Behavioural Models. Less agreed that angling-guides were Inspirational or Representations of the Possible (54.8%), suggesting they are less likely to motivate anglers to adopt and/or pursue new goals. As Behavioural Models, angling-guide C&R practices are likely to be emulated, which is of both utility and concern to managers. As angling-guides are likely to be emulated, a digital survey was designed to assess their knowledge, attitudes and behaviours (particularly C&R best-practices) (Chapter 3). Of the 342 angling-guides (47 countries), few had accredited training (9.4%). However, most were deemed “knowledgeable of best-practices” (69.0%), but pervasive misconceptions of key C&R best-practices were observed. Attitudes towards best-practices were generally pro-environmental, and those deemed knowledgeable had significantly more pro-environmental attitudes (p = 0.003). Most angling-guides had pro-environmental attitudes towards their environmental responsibilities (87.1 - 89.5%), but these broad attitudes cannot predict specific pro-environmental behaviours during guided-angling trips where angler satisfaction is often at odds with best-practice. Angling-client satisfaction has important financial implications for angling-guides, and even those with pro-environmental intentions may struggle to adhere to C&R best-practices with inherent sacrifices for the angling-client’s enjoyment. Observation of behaviour in context is critical for understanding the behaviour to be changed. To explore the relationship between angling-guide knowledge, intentions and actual behaviour (Chapter 4), five angling-guides were observed (and filmed) interacting with groups of angling-clients during their guided-angling trips over a 30 day period. Five angling behaviours of interest were identified, and a survey focussed on these behaviours was disseminated (18 months later) to the five angling-guides previously observed to assess their knowledge, attitudes, reported behaviours and perceptions of the norm. Generally the subjects’ reported behaviours aligned well with their knowledge of best-practice, but their actual behaviour was not well aligned (24.4%). Instead, their actual behaviour aligned better with their perceptions of the norm (80.9%), which was generally a “worse” practice than what they reported. Angling-guides appeared to favour client-satisfaction over pro-environmental behaviour. Gaps between angling-guides’ knowledge of best-practice and their actual behaviour indicate that there may be obscure and complex barriers to pro-environmental angling-guide behaviour. Many barriers are seemingly impossible to overcome, such as economic limitations and financial disincentives. These barriers may limit the efficacy of traditional knowledge-attitude-behaviour (KAB) change interventions. The strong alignment of angling-guide behaviour with social norms, and the strong community orientation of recreational angling suggests that the Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM) approach may be a more effective framework for interventions that aim to promote pro-environmental catch-and-release behaviours at angling-guide level. The CBSM approach allows interventionists to leverage a larger suite of cognitive biases than KAB approaches, provided that sufficient understanding of the context, barriers and benefits for a given segment of the angling-guide community (likely defined by style-of-participation) are obtained. Furthermore, the success of the CBSM approach will depend on the ability of interventionists to effectively recruit and incentivise disjunct and isolated communities of angling-guides to participate in training and workshops in order to achieve the important in-person contact on which the CBSM approach depends. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
- Authors: Farthing, Matthew William
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Fishing , Fishing Catch effort , Fishing guides , Fishers , Human behavior , Role models
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/294583 , vital:57235 , DOI 10.21504/10962/294585
- Description: Angling-guides are respected as opinion leaders of the recreational angling community, but nothing is known of their influence on angler behaviour. Given their social-standing, angling-guides may be perceived as role-models by angling-clients – thereby promoting the adoption of best and/or poor catch-and-release (C&R) practices, depending on their individual knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. It is critical to understand their potential influence, their knowledge and their behaviours to inform effective intervention strategies which could exploit their extensive networking potential. The aim of this thesis was to better understand the potential utility of angling-guides in efforts to improve angler behaviour. Firstly, this was done by investigating whether angling-guides are perceived as role-models by angling-clients (Chapter 2). Secondly, it was done by assessing the current level of knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of angling-guides from around the world (Chapter 3). Thirdly, it was done by exploring the relationship between angling-guide knowledge, attitudes, intentions and actual behaviour in a case-study of guided-angling trips (Chapter 4). Lastly, it was done by exploring intervention frameworks and incorporating insights into potential strategies for promoting pro-environmental angling behaviours to angling-guides (Chapter 5). To understand if angling-guides are perceived as role-models by the recreational angling community (Chapter 2), a digital survey was designed to assess previous angling-clients’ attitudes towards angling-guides serving the three role-model functions proposed in the Motivational Theory of Role-Modelling, namely as Behavioural models, Representations of the Possible and Inspiration. Of the 492 angling-clients (27 countries), most agreed that angling-guides were competent, skilled, and worth emulating (91.1%), suggesting they are perceived as Behavioural Models. Less agreed that angling-guides were Inspirational or Representations of the Possible (54.8%), suggesting they are less likely to motivate anglers to adopt and/or pursue new goals. As Behavioural Models, angling-guide C&R practices are likely to be emulated, which is of both utility and concern to managers. As angling-guides are likely to be emulated, a digital survey was designed to assess their knowledge, attitudes and behaviours (particularly C&R best-practices) (Chapter 3). Of the 342 angling-guides (47 countries), few had accredited training (9.4%). However, most were deemed “knowledgeable of best-practices” (69.0%), but pervasive misconceptions of key C&R best-practices were observed. Attitudes towards best-practices were generally pro-environmental, and those deemed knowledgeable had significantly more pro-environmental attitudes (p = 0.003). Most angling-guides had pro-environmental attitudes towards their environmental responsibilities (87.1 - 89.5%), but these broad attitudes cannot predict specific pro-environmental behaviours during guided-angling trips where angler satisfaction is often at odds with best-practice. Angling-client satisfaction has important financial implications for angling-guides, and even those with pro-environmental intentions may struggle to adhere to C&R best-practices with inherent sacrifices for the angling-client’s enjoyment. Observation of behaviour in context is critical for understanding the behaviour to be changed. To explore the relationship between angling-guide knowledge, intentions and actual behaviour (Chapter 4), five angling-guides were observed (and filmed) interacting with groups of angling-clients during their guided-angling trips over a 30 day period. Five angling behaviours of interest were identified, and a survey focussed on these behaviours was disseminated (18 months later) to the five angling-guides previously observed to assess their knowledge, attitudes, reported behaviours and perceptions of the norm. Generally the subjects’ reported behaviours aligned well with their knowledge of best-practice, but their actual behaviour was not well aligned (24.4%). Instead, their actual behaviour aligned better with their perceptions of the norm (80.9%), which was generally a “worse” practice than what they reported. Angling-guides appeared to favour client-satisfaction over pro-environmental behaviour. Gaps between angling-guides’ knowledge of best-practice and their actual behaviour indicate that there may be obscure and complex barriers to pro-environmental angling-guide behaviour. Many barriers are seemingly impossible to overcome, such as economic limitations and financial disincentives. These barriers may limit the efficacy of traditional knowledge-attitude-behaviour (KAB) change interventions. The strong alignment of angling-guide behaviour with social norms, and the strong community orientation of recreational angling suggests that the Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM) approach may be a more effective framework for interventions that aim to promote pro-environmental catch-and-release behaviours at angling-guide level. The CBSM approach allows interventionists to leverage a larger suite of cognitive biases than KAB approaches, provided that sufficient understanding of the context, barriers and benefits for a given segment of the angling-guide community (likely defined by style-of-participation) are obtained. Furthermore, the success of the CBSM approach will depend on the ability of interventionists to effectively recruit and incentivise disjunct and isolated communities of angling-guides to participate in training and workshops in order to achieve the important in-person contact on which the CBSM approach depends. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
The use of smartphones and visualisation processes for conceptual understanding of mensuration: a case study of the Mathcitymap Project in Namibia
- Authors: Shimakeleni, Liina
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Mathematics Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia Oshana , Smartphones , Visual learning , Measurement , Concept learning , MathCityMap (MCM) project
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/290649 , vital:56771
- Description: The aim of this study was to investigate and analyse the potential use of smartphones as visualisation tools by learners to enhance conceptual understanding through mathematics trails developed using the MathCityMap (MCM) project. This research study is part of the VIPROmaths project which seeks to research the effective use of visualisation processes in mathematics classrooms in South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Switzerland and Germany. This study adopted a case of twelve purposively selected Grade 9 learners from a school in the Eheke circuit of the Oshana region, Namibia. This study was framed within a social constructivist perspective and sought to investigate visualisation processes as well as conceptual understanding of learners as they conceptualised the MCM tasks in new, outdoor and collaborative learning situations. The MCM app was installed on selected learners’ smartphones to access and to walk the MCM trails located in various places in the schoolyard. Three MCM trails based on three key themes of mensuration (perimeter, area and volume) were created. Each consisted of four tasks that were sourced and developed in line with the Grade 9 Namibian mathematics syllabus. This study is oriented in an interpretive paradigm and employed video-recorded observations and focus group interviews as qualitative data collection methods. Data collected were analysed first using the themes developed from Ho’s (2010) work on visualisation processes and Kilpatrick, Swafford, and Findell’s (2001) conceptual understanding. During analysis, some themes emerged from the data and were considered. Findings from this study revealed that smartphones afforded learners ample opportunities to enhance the visualisation processes that they went through as they learned the concepts of measurement. In addition to this, some learners were initially pessimistic regarding the use of smartphones for learning purposes. This study recommends that resources such as MCM be effectively be used in formal school settings. The learning of measurement can be advanced in outdoor settings where learners have physical and spatial access to the learning content. Smartphone technology can be used as an additional tool to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in learning mathematics within the Namibian context. , Thesis (MED) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
- Authors: Shimakeleni, Liina
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Mathematics Study and teaching (Secondary) Namibia Oshana , Smartphones , Visual learning , Measurement , Concept learning , MathCityMap (MCM) project
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/290649 , vital:56771
- Description: The aim of this study was to investigate and analyse the potential use of smartphones as visualisation tools by learners to enhance conceptual understanding through mathematics trails developed using the MathCityMap (MCM) project. This research study is part of the VIPROmaths project which seeks to research the effective use of visualisation processes in mathematics classrooms in South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Switzerland and Germany. This study adopted a case of twelve purposively selected Grade 9 learners from a school in the Eheke circuit of the Oshana region, Namibia. This study was framed within a social constructivist perspective and sought to investigate visualisation processes as well as conceptual understanding of learners as they conceptualised the MCM tasks in new, outdoor and collaborative learning situations. The MCM app was installed on selected learners’ smartphones to access and to walk the MCM trails located in various places in the schoolyard. Three MCM trails based on three key themes of mensuration (perimeter, area and volume) were created. Each consisted of four tasks that were sourced and developed in line with the Grade 9 Namibian mathematics syllabus. This study is oriented in an interpretive paradigm and employed video-recorded observations and focus group interviews as qualitative data collection methods. Data collected were analysed first using the themes developed from Ho’s (2010) work on visualisation processes and Kilpatrick, Swafford, and Findell’s (2001) conceptual understanding. During analysis, some themes emerged from the data and were considered. Findings from this study revealed that smartphones afforded learners ample opportunities to enhance the visualisation processes that they went through as they learned the concepts of measurement. In addition to this, some learners were initially pessimistic regarding the use of smartphones for learning purposes. This study recommends that resources such as MCM be effectively be used in formal school settings. The learning of measurement can be advanced in outdoor settings where learners have physical and spatial access to the learning content. Smartphone technology can be used as an additional tool to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in learning mathematics within the Namibian context. , Thesis (MED) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04-08
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