Sammy Khoza

In a nation like South Africa, where the GDP and economic development are among the lowest, the lack of skilled workers has a noticeable impact. Skilful workers continue to be imported into the country in fields that are critical to economic development. To have an economic sector that can compete with the current global market conditions and the changing technology, qualified manpower is needed. This study explored the effectiveness of the Practical Assessment Task in Mechanical Technology in secondary schools around Gauteng province. A qualitative research approach was employed whereby a case study research design was used. The study purposively sampled nine teachers from seven different schools located in three districts of Gauteng Province. The study deployed two data collection instruments where face-to-face semi-structured interviews and workshop observations were administered. The results of this study show that the lack of resources in Mechanical Technology and the time allo...

The transformation of agricultural programmes warrants that Technical and Vocational Education, and Training (TVET) lecturers use innovative strategies to integrate technology into their teaching. Currently, most training programmes have shifted from the traditional methods of teaching to integrate technology; hence, the strategies for training using these technologies are required. In this study, 20 lecturers from three TVET college campuses were interviewed and their teachings were observed. The ultimate purpose of this qualitative study was to propose innovative strategies for integrating technologies into the agricultural programmes. The research participants who were regarded as being knowledgeable and experienced in agricultural programmes were selected using the purposive and convenient sampling method. Data was thematically analysed and presented using categories such as the exploration of technology integration; the experimentation with technology integration; the adoption ...

The study investigated the significance of hand tool skills in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) era in teaching the construction concept in a civil Technology subject. The construction concept is one of the most practical concepts in civil Technology that is learnt in the Further Education and Training stream in the South African education curriculum. It deals with issues that cut across bricklaying and plumbing among others. Purposive sampling was used to select six teachers to take part in the study. Classroom observation and semi-structured interviews were used as instruments for data collection. The Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge framework was used to support the study. Data were analysed descriptively for classroom observations and through verbatim quotes for interviews with teachers. The study's findings discovered that teachers lack knowledge and understanding of 4IR and that they fail to use instructional practices that prepare learners for the 4IR...

Domestic installation and wiring are still a concern among the secondary central district schools of Johannesburg. Students reach the to Grades 11 and 12 with signs of inadequate knowledge on the domestic installation and wiring concepts taught in 10. This is a qualitative research study involving six electrical technology teachers from schools within the central district of Johannesburg, South Africa. The teachers were purposively selected to take part in the study. The pedagogical content knowledge construct was used as a theoretical framework to underpin the study. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews with the teachers and by observing the classroom when teachers were teaching domestic installation and wiring concepts. Data were analyzed using verbatim quotes for face-to-face interviews and descriptively for classroom observations. Findings of the study revealed that teachers are being negatively affected by lack of resources and of adequate training. The study recom...

This study investigated Grade 8 teachers’ challenges in Graphical Communication. The study made use of a qualitative research approach to conduct. A total of 10 Grade 8 teachers were planned to be purposively sampled for the study. However, due to COVID 19 restrictions, we ended up having eight Grade 8 teachers offering Technology subject. The Pedagogical Content Knowledge notion that was coined by Shulman was used to underpin the study as a framework. Data was collected through face to face interviews with the teachers as well as classroom observation during Graphical Communication concept teaching. Interview data was analysed using verbatim quotes whereas classroom observation was analysed descriptively. Findings of the study revealed that teachers are not adequately trained to teach Technology subject. Issues of classroom overcrowding and poor infrastructure also was a challenge. Teachers’ instructional strategies were also a concern and the use of traditional method is still wid...

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges continue to struggle to fulfill their mandate of skills development among the youth. This is so because TVET colleges still lag behind in integrating information and communications technology (ICT) in their classrooms, which has made inroads in industries. Qualitative approach was used to investigate the TVET college lecturers' instructional practices in their classrooms. Four TVET colleges as well as eight lecturers were purposefully and conveniently selected for the study. The technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework was used as an underpinning framework. Findings reveal that lecturers are not keen in integrating ICTs in their teaching and some are not encouraged to do so. It was also found that not all lecturers are adequately qualified to teach in the vocational field. The study recommends that teaching resources be sought in order for colleges to align their practices with industrial practi...

Engineering Graphics and Design is a technological subject which is offered in
the Bachelor of Education degree from third to fourth year of the degree course. Fourth
year pre-service teachers find EGD difficult to teach because of various reasons. Therefore
the aim of the paper was to investigate fourth year pre-service teachers’ pedagogical
content knowledge gaps in teaching EGD during their teaching practice. The study was
conducted using a qualitative approach and eight pre-service teachers were purposefully
selected to take part in the study. Findings of the paper found that pre-service teachers
found teaching practice very short to do all the teaching tasks that is required of them.
Some pre-service teachers did not have drawing models to make learning concrete to their
learners. Assessment was done partially just to impress the university tutors and to conform
to the schools’ rule and not to evaluate the learners’ understandings and their teaching.
Keywords Engineering graphics and design  Pedagogical content knowledge 
Subject matter knowledge  Teaching practice

Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD) is a technological subject that the students of South African universities take when they enroll for their four-year degree course in Technology Education. Most students enter into the programme without having studied EGD at secondary school level. As soon as they take EGD in their first year of study they become reluctant to continue with it up to their degree completion. This study therefore seeks to show the effects of diagnosis towards learning EGD in a first year degree course in South Africa. The study made use of a qualitative approach where focus group interviews were conducted with 65 first year degree students learning EGD. A total of three universities offering EGD in South Africa took part in the study. Findings revealed that after students were taken through a bridging programme, students realized that line-work was very useful in EGD and the bridging programme provided them with the necessary skills to visualize drawings when drawing. Lecturers also had a better plan to prepare students for the academic year and the students’ performance in EGD concepts was better than in previous years.

Spatial skill is a contantious issue in the learning of Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD). Authors have described it as the best skill needed by anyone in an engieenring field. Often in the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree course, pre-service teachers struggle with the design process in their Technology subject. When they are given a task that needs technical planning in the workshop, they struggle to executive the design process because they lack spatial skill. Fourty-one (41) pre-service teachers were part of the study where the researcher tested their spatial skill before the commencement of the academic year and upon realising that they do lack spatial skill, an intervention was put in place in the form of a short course. After the intervention, the same test was run and the students' results improved which proved that spatial skill can indeed be trained to an individual.