Influence and Impact
Cognitive Fitness to Science Academic Performance View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Marita Parobrob
This study aims to determine the influence of cognitive fitness on students’ academic performance in science, particularly in selected topics in Mechanics. The respondents of the study involved 80 students in the Teacher Education program who were selected through purposive sampling. Pre-test and post-test were applied to gather data measuring the students’ academic performance before and after engaging in cognitive activities. Cognitive fitness activities were identified effective including musical and simulation games activities. The pedagogical implications of the study suggest that teachers can integrate localized fitness based in their classroom instruction to create an engaging and stimulating learning process and design evidence-based interventions that can help enhance the students’ cognitive fitness and academic performance. Results show that the importance of developing cognitive fitness activities tailored to students’ specific needs and characteristics benefit students, teachers and program heads in the teaching–learning process.
Re-engineering Post Pandemic Pre-service Curriculum View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Dyan Grace Crespo
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Philippines in 2020, the curriculum and instruction in several learning institutions were affected. Teachers in basic education and higher academic institutions’ instructors were unprepared for the indefinite suspension of classes. This paper looks for the gap and assess the pre-service curriculum that was “derailed” during the pandemic. Mixed methods research was applied to gain the comprehensive results of the study. Preliminary results show that the pandemic's effect on the study's respondents and participants pushed them to re-engineer the pre-service curriculum to attune with new hybrid learning.
The Influence of Digital Infrastructure on Learner’s Choice of School: Social Justice Perspective
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Prof Sylvia Sepeng
COVID-19 has been a game changer, it pushed the inequality in schools further. It has plunged South African schools further into crisis, exposing how the country’s education system continues to be shaped by the legacy of apartheid. Among others, access to appropriate teaching and learning digital infrastructure is a social justice issue and one of the important factors in improving the quality of teaching and learning is access to digital infrastructure. It is now clear that schools need flexible and resilient education systems as we face unpredictable futures. These digital infrastructures must not only be accessible but used effectively as well. Central to this paper is the argument that the lack of digital infrastructure is an injustice in the South African system of education and it hampers the quality of education and influences learner’s choice. Pertinent literature was visited to capture the essence of continued learning during these unprecedented times. In doing so qualitatively this paper investigated the influence of digital infrastructure on learner’s choice of school in seven selected schools in the District of Tshwane West (D15) located in Soshanguve area in South Africa. The study found that there is insufficient digital infrastructure. Parents and learners therefore choose to attend schools that have better e-resources. The study concluded that the Department of Education should ensure that adequate support and services are provided to the schools, and that an effective system of distributing e-resources is in place. Furthermore, principals need to take responsibility for raising funds and developing their schools.
Building Lateral Capacity with the Schoolwide Pedagogy: Privileging the Voice and Agency of Teachers View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Wendy Mockler, Shane Giles
Innovating in a school using top down or bottom-up strategies is problematic. There needs to be proactive roles for teachers, recognising the power of the collaborative capacity of the organisation by investing in the suprastructure of coexisting communities of practice in a developmental, generative model. The schoolwide pedagogy (SWP) is a visible and discoverable “articulation of shared values, beliefs and pedagogical practices within a school community in support of the school’s vision” (Conway & Abawi, 2013, p. 3) that strengthens identity within the community. It is shared understanding of a learning community's pedagogical priorities and is anchored in authoritative pedagogies. It highlights the commonalities in this domain, drawing the community all together in a community of practice. School cultures are not usually resistant to collaboration and a shared understanding of practice but neither do they seek it. The SWP breaks the isolation and plateauing, and can move a school towards a constructive reflexive practice. Critical in that change is the Gifts program that supports teachers to be innovative. The Gifts program builds authentic relationships as teachers become conscious of who they are as a teacher and how they contribute to a schoolwide pedagogy. Conway, J., & Abawi, L. (2013, July). Creating enduring strength through commitment to schoolwide pedagogy. Improving Schools , 1-11.
