Integrating social networks in the teaching and learning of mathematics in rural secondary schools

Abstract

In rural secondary schools, usage of social networks is still lagging, yet the persistence of poor performance is still concerning. This study explored integrating social networks in teaching and learning mathematics in rural secondary schools, in uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa. Data were collected from participants using semi-structured interviews, online discussions, non-participating classrooms observations, focus group interviews, and document analysis. Connectivism theoretical framework as the lens was used together with social constructivism, cognitivism, and constructionism. Three rural secondary schools opted to use WhatsApp as the out-of-school learning platform due to affordability and easy accessibility. Data were analysed thematically. WhatsApp as an emerging technology offered participants new forms of engagement that made sense to the participants. Given the historic cultural and economic stratification of the South African public schools, findings confirmed poor communication in rural secondary schools which has aggravated poor performance of learners in mathematics. The findings of the study suggest that using social networks should be recommended in rural secondary schools, considering heterogeneous needs, ease of use, and affordability. Adopting a connected networked learning perspective in educational settings enhances participants technologically. Despite teachers’ skepticism and poor technical skills, their beliefs and leading role could not be underestimated. Their responsibility paved epistemological access to the ways of knowledge construction that sustained mathematics knowledge. Further, teachers’ facilitation of out-of-school teaching and learning using WhatsApp created networks that became the source of consistent engagement about mathematics. The learners’ cognitive and social presence were observed to be in a transactional space, i.e., WhatsApp out-of-school context. Lastly, findings presented the projection of communicative codes, such as the educational emojis, which are anticipated to expand networking and articulate quick teaching and learning responses.

Ezikoleni zamabanga aphezulu, zasemakhaya, ukusetshenziswa kwezinkundla zokuxhumana kuseyivelakancane, ekubeni ukungenzikahle kwezomnotho kusagqamile. Lolu cwaningo luhlole ukuhlanganisa izinkundla zokuxhumana ekufundiseni nasekufundeni izibalo ezikoleni zamabanga aphezulu zasemakhaya, esifundeni uMkhanyakude KwaZulu-Natal, eSifundazweni saseNingizimu Afrika. Idatha yaqoqwa kubahlanganyeli kusetshenziswa izingxoxo ezingahleliwe, izingxoxo ze-intanethi, ukubonwa kwamakilasi angahlanganyeli, izingxoxo zamaqembu okugxilwe kuwo, nokuhlaziywa kwemibhalo. I-Connectivism theory framework njenge-lensi yasetshenziswa kanye ne-social constructivism, cognitivism, kanye ne-constructionism. Izikole ezintathu zasemakhaya zamabanga aphezulu zikhethe ukusebenzisa i-WhatsApp njengenkundla yokufunda ngaphandle kwesikole ngenxa yokufinyeleleka kalula. Idatha ihlaziywe ngokwetimu. I-WhatsApp njengobuchwepheshe obusafufusa inikeze ababambiqhaza izindlela ezintsha zokusebenzelana ezizwakalayo kubahlanganyeli. Uma kubhekwa umlando wokuhlukaniswa ngokwesiko nezomnotho kwezikole zikahulumeni waseNingizimu Afrika okutholakele kuqinisekise ukuxhumana okungekuhle ezikoleni zamabanga aphakeme zasemakhaya osekubhebhethekise ukungenzi kahle kwabafundi ezibalweni. Okutholwe kulolu cwaningo kudalula ukuthi ukusebenzisa izinkundla zokuxhumana kungase kunconywe ezikoleni zamabanga aphakeme zasemakhaya, kucatshangelwa izidingo ezihlukene, ukusebenziseka kalula, kanye nokuthengeka. Ukwamukela umbono wokufunda onenethiwekhi exhunyiwe ekulungiseleleni imfundo kuthuthukisa ababambiqhaza kwezobuchwepheshe. Naphezu kokungabaza kothisha kanye namakhono angamafuphi ezobuchwepheshe, izinkolelo zothisha kanye nendima eholayo akubukelwanga phansi. Umsebenzi wabo wavula ukufinyelela kwe-ephistemologi yendlela yokwakha ulwazi olusekela ulwazi lwezibalo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukugqugquzelwa kothisha ekufundiseni nokufunda ngaphandle kwesikole besebenzisa i-WhatsApp kwakha amanethiwekhi aba umthombo wokuxhumana mayelana nezibalo. Ukuqonda kwabafundi kanye nokuba khona komphakathi kuhlonzwe endaweni yokushinthiselana ngolwazi, umongo wosizo lwe-WhatsApp ngaphandle kwesikole. Okokugcina, okutholiwe kwethule inhlolo yamakhodi okuxhumana, ama-emoji okufundisa, okulindeleke ukuthi andise inethiwekhi futhi aveze izimpendulo ezisheshayo zokufundisa nokufunda.

Kwizikolo zamabanga aphakamileyo ezisemaphandleni, ukusetyenziswa konxibelelwano lwezentlalo lusadodobala, ukanti ukuqhubeka kokuqhuba kakubi kusengundoqo. Olu phononongo luphonononge ukudibanisa amanethiwekhi oluntu ekufundiseni nasekufundeni imathematika kwizikolo zasesekondari ezisemaphandleni, kwisithili saseMkhanyakude Kwa-Zulu Natal, kwiPhondo loMzantsi Afrika. Idatha yaqokelelwa kubathathi-nxaxheba kusetyenziswa udliwano-ndlebe olulungelelanisiweyo, iingxoxo ze-intanethi, uqwalaselo lwamagumbi okufundela angathathi nxaxheba, udliwano-ndlebe lwamaqela ekugxilwe kuwo, kunye nohlalutyo lwamaxwebhu. Isakhelo sethiyori ye-Connectivism njengoko ilensi yasetyenziswa kunye nonxibelelaniso loluntu, icognitivism, kunye nolwakhiwo. Izikolo ezithathu zamabanga aphakamileyo ezisemaphandleni zikhethe ukusebenzisa i-WhatsApp njengeqonga lokufunda ngaphandle kwesikolo ngenxa yokufikeleleka nokufikeleleka lula. Idatha yahlalutywa ngokwemixholo. I-WhatsApp njengobuchwephesha obuvelayo inike abathathi-nxaxheba iindlela ezintsha zothethathethwano ezinengqiqo kubathathi-nxaxheba. Ngenxa yokuhlelwa ngokwembali ngokwenkcubeko noqoqosho kweziphumo zezikolo zikarhulumente zaseMzantsi Afrika zaqinisekisa unxibelelwano olulambathayo kwizikolo zasesekondari ezisemaphandleni nto leyo ethe yayenza mandundu indlela yokuqhuba kakubi kwabafundi kwiMathematika. Iziphumo zophononongo zidiza ukuba ukusebenzisa iinethiwekhi zoluntu kunokucetyiswa kwizikolo zasesekondari zasemaphandleni, kuthathelwa ingqalelo iimfuno ezingafaniyo, ukusebenziseka ngokulula, kunye nokufikeleleka. Ukwamkela imbono yokufunda enxibeleleneyo yothungelwano kwiindawo zemfundo kuphucula abathabathi-nxaxheba ngokwethekhinoloji. Ngaphandle kokuthandabuza kootitshala kunye nezakhono zobugcisa ezisezantsi, iinkolelo zootitshala kunye nendima ephambili ayinakujongelwa phantsi. Uxanduva lwabo lwavula ufikelelo lwe-epistemological kwiindlela zolwakhiwo lolwazi olugcina ulwazi lwemathematika. Ngaphaya koko, ukuququzelelwa kootitshala ekufundiseni nasekufundeni ngaphandle kwesikolo besebenzisa i-WhatsApp yenze unxibelelwano oluye lwaba ngumthombo wothethathethwano olungaguqukiyo malunga nemathematika. Ubukho babafundi ngokwasengqondweni nangokwentlalo bachongiwe kwindawo yetransekshini, imeko kaWhatsApp yangaphandle kwesikolo. Okokugqibela, iziphumo zibonise intelekelelo yeekhowudi zonxibelelwano, i-emojis yezemfundo, ekulindeleke ukuba yandise uthungelwano kunye nokucacisa ukufundisa nokufunda okukhawulezayo iimpendulo.