Nyarai Tunjera | Cape peninsula University of technology (original) (raw)

Papers by Nyarai Tunjera

Routledge eBooks, Apr 25, 2024

Routledge eBooks, Apr 25, 2024

Electronic Journal of e-Learning

Educators and students were unprepared for the suspension of face-to-face (f2f) educational activ... more Educators and students were unprepared for the suspension of face-to-face (f2f) educational activities due to Covid-19, specifically those less experienced in online teaching and learning. Students and educators were traumatised by the sudden switch to online teaching and learning. As such the transition from f2f to exclusive online learning prompted adjusted pedagogical methods and assumed measures of self-regulated e-learning (SRL). During this period researchers embarked on a longitudinal project in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) called the 21st Century Project (21CP). The purpose of the study was to explore the SRL behaviours of pre-service teachers in online learning and to understand the extent to which a curriculum for technology integration alongside contextual factors influences SRL. As such our conceptualisation of the SRL framework adds two moderating constructs, these are, context and intervention to the core constructs of SRL. The sample of sixty six (...

Electronic Journal of e-Learning

Mobile devices have penetrated all levels of society worldwide, including what are predominantly ... more Mobile devices have penetrated all levels of society worldwide, including what are predominantly considered inaccessible, low-income communities in developing nations. Mobile devices are frequently used for economic, political, and social interactions and even business transactions. In a similar fashion, teachers are slowly adapting to the use of mobile devices as a pedagogical tool in education. The aim of this study was to ascertain how a WhatsApp group, a messaging facility, could be used to enhance group interaction among pre-service teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moore’s Transactional Distance theory and Salmon’s five-stage model guided this qualitative study. Twelve pre-service teachers, out of a class of thirty-five, were purposely selected to work on a group task using the WhatsApp application during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also participated in a focus group interview. WhatsApp artifacts and focus group interview transcripts were analyzed deductively; the results...

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange

The 21st century coupled with the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic is indeed imposing new demands on t... more The 21st century coupled with the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic is indeed imposing new demands on teaching and learning. Higher education institutions affected extensively educational institutions are mandated with the responsibility of inclusiveness and preparing students for realities of the current and unknown future. There has been heightened attention to educational technologies to mitigate the COVID-19 instigated disruptions. To ensure inclusiveness during future pandemics, there is a need to pay attention to the forms of digital technologies that students have access to (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, as well as applications they are using) in their areas. The article reports the use of multiple applications platforms to circumvent digital divide and help accommodate students who were not able to access the conventional institutional learning management systems. Using a qualitative exploratory research method, the study used the Universal Design for Learning framework to guide t...

Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019

Journal of education (Durban), Oct 27, 2022

In this paper, we report on the use of multiple platforms to circumvent challenges associated wit... more In this paper, we report on the use of multiple platforms to circumvent challenges associated with nonattendance because of limited accessibility to conventional video conferencing digital tools such as Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) and Blackboard collaborate. One hundred and sixty-five participating pre-service teachers were given the autonomy to connect using any of the given platforms from a prescribed list that worked for them. The platforms' attendance tracking systems were used to gather data. The findings revealed that using multiple online platforms lowered the challenges associated with lack of access to high-end technological tools and resources. Most of the registered pre-service teachers attended an average 60% of the live classes and 50% of the students strongly agreed that they had followed the recorded sessions. Multiple platforms afford preservice teachers a choice on what works better for them based on the technology to which they have access to and with which they are familiar.

Innovate Learning Summit 2020, Nov 3, 2020

South African Journal of Education

Many South African educational institutions are adopting learning management systems (LMS) into t... more Many South African educational institutions are adopting learning management systems (LMS) into their daily teaching and learning practice. The Western Cape Education Department piloted Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle), an LMS for improving teaching and learning. The objective of the research reported on here was to determine whether Moodle improved Grade 10 learners’ conceptual understanding of the topic, functions, in mathematics. The research investigated two classes; one dependent upon a traditional chalk-and-talk teaching method (control), and another exposed to Moodle (experimental). It was found that learners constructed their own knowledge by drawing on resources embedded in Moodle and framed within a Social Constructivist theory. A hybrid e-learning framework was deployed; learners acquired knowledge by interacting with computers. Interaction was monitored and results were recorded using online surveys and tests. A quasi-experimental design was ...

International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education

The study examined how teacher educators are appropriating technological, pedagogical, and conten... more The study examined how teacher educators are appropriating technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) and substitution, augmentation, modification, redefinition (SAMR) frameworks in their pre-service teacher preparation programmes. To ensure rigor, quality, and preparedness of pre-service teachers, there is a need to articulate expectations around effective use of these frameworks together with contemporary teaching and learning theories at the pre-service teacher preparation level. One-on-one in-depth interviews and participant observations were conducted with eight (8) teacher educators. The findings revealed that teacher educators are appropriating technology in ways harmonious with their prevalent traditional teacher-centred teaching strategies at enhancement levels. The researchers recommend the adoption of technology integration frameworks and teaching and learning theory at policy making levels in pre-service teacher training institutions.

The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa, 2015

It has been shown that teachers are reluctant to use technology despite the South African (SA) go... more It has been shown that teachers are reluctant to use technology despite the South African (SA) government’s huge expenditure on technological equipment. This might be the result of teachers being unable to select appropriate technology that will yield positive learning outcomes as well as being ill-equipped to integrate technology into their pedagogy. To this end, pre-service teachers at a University were trained on how to integrate digital storytelling (DST) effectively into their teaching. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the potential benefits of DST for teaching and learning and to determine factors that may prevent pre-service teachers’ uptake of DST during in-service practice. This is a qualitative study in which fifty pre-service teachers were divided into five groups for focus group interviews. Data were analysed, and the results show that pre- service teachers perceived DST to be beneficial in the classroom as it has the potential to (i) motivate and engage lea...

Human Development

The challenge of shortages of trained science teachers in Zimbabwe is amplified by the significan... more The challenge of shortages of trained science teachers in Zimbabwe is amplified by the significant numbers of untrained science teachers currently deployed in schools as relief teachers. These relief teachers need access to professional training opportunities urgently without disrupting their teaching activities, hence the birth of Bindura University’s Open Distance Learning programme. The authors designed a mobile application winksite.mobi/ntz/BUSEMOBI, which they intended to link with activity theory to mediate distance student teachers’ learning. The subject of the activity system was the distant students who engaged with the mobile application and the primary object is higher cognitive thinking and their ability to use the mobile application to increase collaboration, interaction and engagement. In order to achieve the primary object of higher cognitive thinking and the ability to use the mobile application, the distance student teachers were supported by use of the elements of ...

Greener Journal of Educational Research, 2013

Distance teaching and learning in most developing countries have met with high dropout (Kamau, 20... more Distance teaching and learning in most developing countries have met with high dropout (Kamau, 2001), because of lack of support, limited interaction & engagement and collaborations amongst distance learners. Most distance learners are scattered in very remote and poor areas and accessing high tech learning intervention is a challenge to the majority. These researchers explored the use of Short Messaging System (SMS), for Bindura University of Science (BUSE)'s Virtual Open and Distance Learning (VODL), student teachers' programme. Interview guides and questionnaires were used to collect data. SMS is 'anytime and anywhere', convenient, affordable and accessible. SMS is cheaper and accessible to almost all distance student teachers. It offers more affordances because the students own mobile phones and have the SMS facility. Distance student teachers raised concerns on the storage of spaces in messages received and sent. The distance student teachers applauded the SMS intervention.

South Africa International Conference on Educational Technologies, 24 – 26 APRIL 2016, Manhattan ... more South Africa International Conference on Educational Technologies, 24 – 26 APRIL 2016, Manhattan Hotel Pretoria, South Africa, “Empowering the 21st Century Learner” Proceedings

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, Mar 21, 2016 in ... more Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, Mar 21, 2016 in Savannah, GA, United States ISBN 978-1-939797-13-1 Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Chesapeake, VA

Conference of the South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists 2020

Routledge eBooks, Apr 25, 2024

Routledge eBooks, Apr 25, 2024

Electronic Journal of e-Learning

Educators and students were unprepared for the suspension of face-to-face (f2f) educational activ... more Educators and students were unprepared for the suspension of face-to-face (f2f) educational activities due to Covid-19, specifically those less experienced in online teaching and learning. Students and educators were traumatised by the sudden switch to online teaching and learning. As such the transition from f2f to exclusive online learning prompted adjusted pedagogical methods and assumed measures of self-regulated e-learning (SRL). During this period researchers embarked on a longitudinal project in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) called the 21st Century Project (21CP). The purpose of the study was to explore the SRL behaviours of pre-service teachers in online learning and to understand the extent to which a curriculum for technology integration alongside contextual factors influences SRL. As such our conceptualisation of the SRL framework adds two moderating constructs, these are, context and intervention to the core constructs of SRL. The sample of sixty six (...

Electronic Journal of e-Learning

Mobile devices have penetrated all levels of society worldwide, including what are predominantly ... more Mobile devices have penetrated all levels of society worldwide, including what are predominantly considered inaccessible, low-income communities in developing nations. Mobile devices are frequently used for economic, political, and social interactions and even business transactions. In a similar fashion, teachers are slowly adapting to the use of mobile devices as a pedagogical tool in education. The aim of this study was to ascertain how a WhatsApp group, a messaging facility, could be used to enhance group interaction among pre-service teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moore’s Transactional Distance theory and Salmon’s five-stage model guided this qualitative study. Twelve pre-service teachers, out of a class of thirty-five, were purposely selected to work on a group task using the WhatsApp application during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also participated in a focus group interview. WhatsApp artifacts and focus group interview transcripts were analyzed deductively; the results...

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange

The 21st century coupled with the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic is indeed imposing new demands on t... more The 21st century coupled with the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic is indeed imposing new demands on teaching and learning. Higher education institutions affected extensively educational institutions are mandated with the responsibility of inclusiveness and preparing students for realities of the current and unknown future. There has been heightened attention to educational technologies to mitigate the COVID-19 instigated disruptions. To ensure inclusiveness during future pandemics, there is a need to pay attention to the forms of digital technologies that students have access to (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, as well as applications they are using) in their areas. The article reports the use of multiple applications platforms to circumvent digital divide and help accommodate students who were not able to access the conventional institutional learning management systems. Using a qualitative exploratory research method, the study used the Universal Design for Learning framework to guide t...

Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019

Journal of education (Durban), Oct 27, 2022

In this paper, we report on the use of multiple platforms to circumvent challenges associated wit... more In this paper, we report on the use of multiple platforms to circumvent challenges associated with nonattendance because of limited accessibility to conventional video conferencing digital tools such as Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) and Blackboard collaborate. One hundred and sixty-five participating pre-service teachers were given the autonomy to connect using any of the given platforms from a prescribed list that worked for them. The platforms' attendance tracking systems were used to gather data. The findings revealed that using multiple online platforms lowered the challenges associated with lack of access to high-end technological tools and resources. Most of the registered pre-service teachers attended an average 60% of the live classes and 50% of the students strongly agreed that they had followed the recorded sessions. Multiple platforms afford preservice teachers a choice on what works better for them based on the technology to which they have access to and with which they are familiar.

Innovate Learning Summit 2020, Nov 3, 2020

South African Journal of Education

Many South African educational institutions are adopting learning management systems (LMS) into t... more Many South African educational institutions are adopting learning management systems (LMS) into their daily teaching and learning practice. The Western Cape Education Department piloted Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle), an LMS for improving teaching and learning. The objective of the research reported on here was to determine whether Moodle improved Grade 10 learners’ conceptual understanding of the topic, functions, in mathematics. The research investigated two classes; one dependent upon a traditional chalk-and-talk teaching method (control), and another exposed to Moodle (experimental). It was found that learners constructed their own knowledge by drawing on resources embedded in Moodle and framed within a Social Constructivist theory. A hybrid e-learning framework was deployed; learners acquired knowledge by interacting with computers. Interaction was monitored and results were recorded using online surveys and tests. A quasi-experimental design was ...

International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education

The study examined how teacher educators are appropriating technological, pedagogical, and conten... more The study examined how teacher educators are appropriating technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) and substitution, augmentation, modification, redefinition (SAMR) frameworks in their pre-service teacher preparation programmes. To ensure rigor, quality, and preparedness of pre-service teachers, there is a need to articulate expectations around effective use of these frameworks together with contemporary teaching and learning theories at the pre-service teacher preparation level. One-on-one in-depth interviews and participant observations were conducted with eight (8) teacher educators. The findings revealed that teacher educators are appropriating technology in ways harmonious with their prevalent traditional teacher-centred teaching strategies at enhancement levels. The researchers recommend the adoption of technology integration frameworks and teaching and learning theory at policy making levels in pre-service teacher training institutions.

The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa, 2015

It has been shown that teachers are reluctant to use technology despite the South African (SA) go... more It has been shown that teachers are reluctant to use technology despite the South African (SA) government’s huge expenditure on technological equipment. This might be the result of teachers being unable to select appropriate technology that will yield positive learning outcomes as well as being ill-equipped to integrate technology into their pedagogy. To this end, pre-service teachers at a University were trained on how to integrate digital storytelling (DST) effectively into their teaching. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the potential benefits of DST for teaching and learning and to determine factors that may prevent pre-service teachers’ uptake of DST during in-service practice. This is a qualitative study in which fifty pre-service teachers were divided into five groups for focus group interviews. Data were analysed, and the results show that pre- service teachers perceived DST to be beneficial in the classroom as it has the potential to (i) motivate and engage lea...

Human Development

The challenge of shortages of trained science teachers in Zimbabwe is amplified by the significan... more The challenge of shortages of trained science teachers in Zimbabwe is amplified by the significant numbers of untrained science teachers currently deployed in schools as relief teachers. These relief teachers need access to professional training opportunities urgently without disrupting their teaching activities, hence the birth of Bindura University’s Open Distance Learning programme. The authors designed a mobile application winksite.mobi/ntz/BUSEMOBI, which they intended to link with activity theory to mediate distance student teachers’ learning. The subject of the activity system was the distant students who engaged with the mobile application and the primary object is higher cognitive thinking and their ability to use the mobile application to increase collaboration, interaction and engagement. In order to achieve the primary object of higher cognitive thinking and the ability to use the mobile application, the distance student teachers were supported by use of the elements of ...

Greener Journal of Educational Research, 2013

Distance teaching and learning in most developing countries have met with high dropout (Kamau, 20... more Distance teaching and learning in most developing countries have met with high dropout (Kamau, 2001), because of lack of support, limited interaction & engagement and collaborations amongst distance learners. Most distance learners are scattered in very remote and poor areas and accessing high tech learning intervention is a challenge to the majority. These researchers explored the use of Short Messaging System (SMS), for Bindura University of Science (BUSE)'s Virtual Open and Distance Learning (VODL), student teachers' programme. Interview guides and questionnaires were used to collect data. SMS is 'anytime and anywhere', convenient, affordable and accessible. SMS is cheaper and accessible to almost all distance student teachers. It offers more affordances because the students own mobile phones and have the SMS facility. Distance student teachers raised concerns on the storage of spaces in messages received and sent. The distance student teachers applauded the SMS intervention.

South Africa International Conference on Educational Technologies, 24 – 26 APRIL 2016, Manhattan ... more South Africa International Conference on Educational Technologies, 24 – 26 APRIL 2016, Manhattan Hotel Pretoria, South Africa, “Empowering the 21st Century Learner” Proceedings

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, Mar 21, 2016 in ... more Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, Mar 21, 2016 in Savannah, GA, United States ISBN 978-1-939797-13-1 Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Chesapeake, VA

Conference of the South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists 2020

Pre-service teachers' e-skills are important for instruction in the 21 st century digital classro... more Pre-service teachers' e-skills are important for instruction in the 21 st century digital classrooms. One hundred final year Intermediate / Senior phase (ISP) pre-service teachers participated in a digital story telling project. Ten student facilitators were appointed and trained to assist pre-service teachers throughout the digital story telling video production process. One facilitator was assigned to work with ten pre-service teachers. The facilitators used Microsoft Photo Story 3 to demonstrate how to put together a digital story into a video-recorded story. The pre-service teachers worked individually to produce their own digital story which they showcased on " Show day " to peers and families. The purpose of this article is to assess pre-service teachers' technology skills of producing a multimedia video for a digital story telling project. A qualitative methodology was used to understand and interpret pre-service teachers' technology skills acquisition throughout the project. An observation of the finished videos was followed by a focus group discussion to assess the technology skills gained during the project. Fifteen pre-service teachers were randomly selected to participate in the focus group discussion. The pre-service teachers generally found the video making process easy, although others sought assistance from the knowledgeable peers and family. The study highlighted the need for teacher training institutions to innovate digital literacy skills to prepare pre-service teachers for the 21 st century learners.