This paper examines the change drivers and challenges involved in the transitioning of the Water Research Commission’s Amanzi for Food training of agricultural educators and farmers’ face-to-face co-engaged course to an online course aligned with Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) (www.amanziforfood.co.za). The study drew on system thinking to analyse components within the course development activity system. Insights from stakeholder engagement and expansive learning processes fed into key emergent themes which informed the e-learning processes. The research highlights how the development and implementation of a sustainable training programme using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools bring together learning processes occurring within different interconnected dimensions and in complex and unpredictable ways. It became clear that to utilise e-learning as a mediating artifact capable of facilitating social transformation towards suitability expansively, certain conditions needed to be in place. The drivers that impacted the development of e-learning as a mediating tool included the need to find an alternative learning platform for broader dissemination of Rain Water Harvesting & Conservation (RWH&C) knowledge and alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study concludes that this transition requires specific tools, adequate time, an understanding of e-learning pedagogical processes and learning platform functionalities (requiring upskilling of the digital literacy of the development team and other actors), and workable data-efficient or data-free, smartphone-friendly training and communication platforms.
This work on STEAM and education for sustainable development was undertaken across a series of collaborative case studies as formative research on the inclusion of Indigenous technologies and knowledge practices in teacher education. We noted that, despite the current academic imperative to decolonise southern African education, one seldom finds the inclusion of Indigenous technologies and Indigenous heritage practices in the contemporary classroom. Teachers we worked with were highly interested in their Indigenous knowledge heritage. Yet, they reported that they, and the young teachers they work with, simply do not have the heritage knowledge capital to include Indigenous knowledge systems in their teaching. Other challenges they face are the time it takes to engage community knowledge holders, and to find knowledge relating to school subject disciplines. The teachers observed that students prioritise modernity over Indigenous heritage and technologies, often undervaluing the latter as a forgotten past. Three exploratory cases delved into teacher education's response to challenges through co-engaged work, and this paper synthesises the emerging evidence-aiming to refine pedagogical tools for integrating Indigenous knowledge into STEAM education. A cultural-historical approach was used to frame the study and to derive insights and inferences in co-engaged lesson design research with teachers.
This paper examines the development of e-learning mediating tool(s) for an online professional development programme, focusing on sustainability and teacher education, implemented across 11 countries in the southern African region. The paper focuses on how we approached the design and development of an online mediating tool(s) for interactive, situated learning that seeks to support sustainability practices and engagement of teacher educators at a local level while learning together with others across national borders. Using cultural historical activity theory, we elaborate on our understanding of mediation and then focus on the design and the development of the e-learning mediating tool, which we describe as an expansive learning process in our research and practice community. Our main finding is that to establish an interactive learning environment for situated, transformative learning in teacher education settings requires a comprehensive complex process of collaborative learning supported by a range of e-learning mediation tools, that are complemented by on-site engagement and support in communities of practice. We conclude that the successful deployment and use of an e-learning mediating tool depends on interconnected learning systems that is supported by the development of digital literacy skills, continuous online support, and similar communication tools.
Abstract For the Fundisa for Change initiative that responds to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) curriculum strengthening imperatives, we realised that we needed a curriculum-aligned and course-supported series of subject-based teacher professional development programmes. This paper reports on the design of an online course of co-engaged lesson design research work with teachers that integrates Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Indigenous Knowledge (IKS) and Sustainable Livelihoods as cross-cutting concerns. The course design was framed as a knowledge-mediated teacher professional development process to strengthen the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) with curriculum-activated ESD. A Vygotskian action learning schema was used to inform the course, and an associated lesson design research process was designed to mediate and assess ESD lesson planning with teachers. Drawing on these conceptual tools, a 'theory of change' evaluation framework was developed to research and report the course against the Department of Basic Education curriculum strengthening policy and programme.
This work on STEAM and education for sustainable development was undertaken across a series of collaborative case studies as formative research on the inclusion of Indigenous technologies and knowledge practices in teacher education. We noted that, despite the current academic imperative to decolonise southern African education, one seldom finds the inclusion of Indigenous technologies and Indigenous heritage practices in the contemporary classroom. Teachers we worked with were highly interested in their Indigenous knowledge heritage. Yet, they reported that they, and the young teachers they work with, simply do not have the heritage knowledge capital to include Indigenous knowledge systems in their teaching. Other challenges they face are the time it takes to engage community knowledge holders, and to find knowledge relating to school subject disciplines. The teachers observed that students prioritise modernity over Indigenous heritage and technologies, often undervaluing the latter as a forgotten past. Three exploratory cases delved into teacher education's response to challenges through co-engaged work, and this paper synthesises the emerging evidence-aiming to refine pedagogical tools for integrating Indigenous knowledge into STEAM education. A cultural-historical approach was used to frame the study and to derive insights and inferences in co-engaged lesson design research with teachers.
This work on STEAM and education for sustainable development was undertaken across a series of collaborative case studies as formative research on the inclusion of Indigenous technologies and knowledge practices in teacher education. We noted that, despite the current academic imperative to decolonise southern African education, one seldom finds the inclusion of Indigenous technologies and Indigenous heritage practices in the contemporary classroom. Teachers we worked with were highly interested in their Indigenous knowledge heritage. Yet, they reported that they, and the young teachers they work with, simply do not have the heritage knowledge capital to include Indigenous knowledge systems in their teaching. Other challenges they face are the time it takes to engage community knowledge holders, and to find knowledge relating to school subject disciplines. The teachers observed that students prioritise modernity over Indigenous heritage and technologies, often undervaluing the latter as a forgotten past. Three exploratory cases delved into teacher education's response to challenges through co-engaged work, and this paper synthesises the emerging evidence-aiming to refine pedagogical tools for integrating Indigenous knowledge into STEAM education. A cultural-historical approach was used to frame the study and to derive insights and inferences in co-engaged lesson design research with teachers.
The dissemination and uptake of climate-smart practices and concepts within the South African education, training and extension services within the agricultural system is still an ongoing and challenging process.The aim of this study was to develop a curriculum review tool to assist agricultural trainers to evaluate and innovate their teaching and learning practices towards climate-smart responsiveness.The review tool is an innovative tool to prioritise climate-smart practices and to support the development of climate responsive extension education.A curriculum review study at Taung Agricultural College revealed variations in the extent of alignment between the curriculum and climate-smart agriculture practices and concepts amongst the departments.The tool assisted staff to identify the climate responsive topics and concepts that were relevant to the subject under review, as well as the climate-smart responsive status of the subject.The study showed that the tool was beneficial for curriculum alignment review and thus for charting out the start of reflexive learning and change processes that are needed to support the incorporation of climate responsive practices into the agricultural systems.The tool also supports agricultural trainers as a climate-smart learning platform for agricultural trainers that introduces new practically applicable concepts and information that fosters the change necessary for community-orientated innovative action.
The type material of Cymbella kappii (Cholnoky) Cholnoky has never been photographed or documented under LM or SEM and at one time was thought to have been lost. This taxon is one of the most commonly occurring Cymbella species in Southern Africa and thus is of great value in biomonitoring studies. The original material from the Hennops River (South Africa) has been re-examined and a lectotype slide is also designated. This species has been found to occur throughout South Africa in moderately alkaline waters of good quality and with low to moderate electrolyte content. It seems also to be more widely distributed in Southern Africa, with some additional records from elsewhere in Africa. Records of this species from New Zealand are considered questionable because it may have been confused with Cymbella novazeelandiana Krammer.
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