Learner mobility and learning and teaching : a case study at a secondary school in Pretoria

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the impact that learner mobility has on teaching and learning. Although many factors affect teaching and learning, these factors need to be looked at in the context of the present situation. In South Africa, parents have freedom of choice to quality schools for their children in any area. The quest for quality schools has led to an unexpected increase in learner mobility around the country. Despite this, learners have to travel long distances to and from school daily which has an effect on learning and teaching. The researcher applied a qualitative research approach using an exploratory case study. Data was collected at only one secondary school by interviewing learners, educators, a School Management Team member and parents. Findings indicate that learner mobility has a direct and indirect impact on learning and teaching. Directly it results in exhaustion, increased late-coming, poor effort, poor results and bad behaviour of learners as well as frustration and demotivation of educators. Indirectly management of the school becomes difficult and there is also a lack of parental involvement in learners schooling. The outcomes of this study provided valuable awareness of the effects learners mobility has on learning and teaching. For quality education to be effective, it needs to be available at the learner’s doorstep.

Die doel van hierdie studie was om die invloed van leerders se mobiliteit op hulle onderrig en leer te bepaal. Die talle faktore wat onderrig en leer tans beïnvloed, moet ondersoek word. In Suid-Afrika kan ouers hulle kinders na ʼn goeie skool in enige gebied stuur. Die gewildheid van goeie skole het landswyd ʼn onverwagte toename in leerdermobiliteit tot gevolg gehad. Die groot afstande wat leerders elke dag skool toe en huis toe moet reis, het ʼn uitwerking op hulle onderrig en leer. Die navorser het ʼn kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering gevolg en ʼn verkennende gevallestudie onderneem. Data is by slegs een sekondêre skool versamel deur onderhoude met leerders, onderwysers, ʼn lid van die skoolbestuur en ouers te voer. Daar is bevind dat hul mobiliteit leerders se onderrig en leer sowel regstreeks as onregstreeks benadeel. Hulle mobiliteit lei regstreeks daartoe dat leerders moeg is, meer en meer laat kom, hulle skoolwerk afskeep, swak gedrag openbaar, en dat hulle punte teleurstel. Dit frustreer onderwysers en maak hulle moedeloos. Die onregstreekse nadeel van leerdermobiliteit is dat dit die bestuur van die skool bemoeilik. Daarbenewens is ouers nie by hulle kinders se skoolopleiding betrokke nie. Hierdie studie bevorder ʼn bewustheid van die nadele wat leerdermobiliteit vir onderrig en leer inhou. Goeie onderrig raak ondoeltreffend as die skool ver van die leerder se huis af is.

Sepheo sa phuputso ene ele ho fumana tshusumetso eo ho kgona ho tsamaya habonolo le ka ka ho lokoloha ha baithuti ho nang le hona ho ithuteng le ho ruteng. Leha ele hore ho na le mabaka a mangata a amang ho ithuta le ho ruta, mabaka ana a lokela ho shejwa maemong a boemo ba hajwale. Mona Afrika Borwa, batswadi ba na le tokoloho ya ho kgetha dikolo tsa boleng bakeng sa bana ba bona sebakeng sefe kapa sefe. Tabatabelo ya dikolo tsa boleng e lebisitse ho keketseho e sa lebellwang ya ho kgona ho tsamaya habonolo le ka ho lokoloha ha baithuti ho potoloha le naha. Ho sa tsotellehe sena, baithuti ba tlameha ho tsamaya maeto a malelele ho ya le ho kgutla sekolong letsatsi le letsatsi, e leng se nang le phello ho ho ithuta le ho ruta. Mobatlisisi o sebedisitse mokgwa wa boleng wa dipatlisiso ka ho sebedisa phuputso e ikgethang e hlalosang. Datha e ile ya bokellwa sekolong se le seng se bohareng ka ho botsa baithuti, matitjhere, setho sa moifo wa tsamaiso ya sekolo le batswadi dipotso. Diphumano di bontsha hore ho tsamaya habonolo le ka ho lokoloha ha baithuti ho na le tshusumetso e tobileng le e sa tobang ho ho ithuta le ho ruta. Ka tsela e tobileng,e lebisa ho mokgathala, ho fihla kamora nako ho eketsehileng, boiteko bo fokolang, diphetho tse seng hantle le boitshwaro bo bobe ba baithuti hammoho le ho nyahama le ho fokotseha ha boikemisetso ho matitjhere. Ka tsela e sa tobang, tsamaiso ya sekolo e ba thata mme ho ba le kgaello ya bonkakarolo ba batswadi ho ithuteng ha baithuti. Diphetho tsa phuputso ena di fana ka tlhokomediso ya bohlokwa eo diphello tsa ho tsamaya habonolo le ka ho lokoha ha baithuti di nang le tsona ho ithuteng le ho ruteng. Hore thuto ya boleng e be e atlehileng, e lokela ho fumaneha monyako wa moithuti.