Educators’ use of a digital content platform in accounting to improve learner performance in Gauteng

Abstract

The research in this mini dissertation investigated the educators’ use of the digital content platform in Accounting to improve learner performance in Gauteng. Educators using the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) digital content platform in six complete Information and communication technology (ICT) schools in Ekurhuleni North presented the phenomenological research study. This limited-scope study adopted a qualitative research approach. The Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework guided the research and analysis while understanding the concepts. The study first conducted an online questionnaire completed by six participants through Google Forms. Afterwards, a non-participant observation occurred in the six ICT schools, where an additional six educators participated in the study. Twelve individuals therefore participated in this study. The participants that participated in the research are all qualified educators that specialise in teaching Accounting in the FET phase. Responses were analysed using participants' characteristics, such as gender, age, number of years using the GDE digital content platform, and years teaching Accounting. A checklist was used to analyse the participants characteristics. The limited-scope study established that the GDE digital content platform assisted educators in teaching using this learning management system (LMS). It also saved them time as e-books and lesson plans were readily available. Learners interacted more effectively when they were taught using this LMS. The research findings indicate that educator-participants responded positively to the learning management system (LMS), recognising its potential for significantly improving learner performance. This innovative approach to teaching and learning was well-received. Educators actively used platforms, such as Siyavula, Google Classroom, and WhatsApp to facilitate teaching and information sharing. A decrease in learners taking Accounting encouraged the participants to use more teaching techniques and move away from the basic textbook use in the classroom. Based on the findings, several recommendations emerge. This includes the ICT department within the Gauteng Department of Education, should encourage educators to use the GDE digital content platform effectively. This could be achieved through regular workshops, ideally conducted once per term. Educators, especially novices who are less comfortable with technology, should support each other in adopting the LMS. ICT committees in schools should proactively update their ICT policies to keep pace with technological advancements. In summary, embracing technology in education requires collaboration, training, and policy adjustments to ensure effective implementation

In hierdie mini-verhandeling het die navorser onderwysers se gebruik van ’n digitale inhoudsplatform in Rekeningkunde gebruik om leerderprestasie in Gauteng te verbeter. Onderwysers wat die Gautengse Departement van Onderwys se digitale inhoudsplatform gebruik in ses Inligtings- en Kommunikasietegnologie-skole (IKTskole) in Ekurhuleni Noord, het aan hierdie fenomenologiese navorsing deelgeneem. Die studie met ’n beperkte omvang het ’n kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering aangeneem, terwyl die Tegnologiese, Pedagogiese en Inhoudskennis-raamwerk (TPACK framework) die navorsing en ontleding gelei het. Die navorser het ’n aanlyn vraelys opgestel wat ses deelnemers deur Google Forms voltooi het. Dit is gevolg deur nie-deelnemerwaarneming wat plaasgevind het by die ses geïdentifiseerde skole waar ses addisionele onderwysers deelgeneem het (n = 12). Die deelnemers se reaksies is ontleed deur te fokus op eienskappe soos hulle geslag, ouderdom, aantal jare wat hulle die Gautengse Departement van Onderwys se digitale inhoudsplatform gebruik, en die aantal jare wat hulle Rekeningkunde onderrig. Die navorsing het getoon dat die inhoudsplatform onderwysers gehelp het om deur hierdie leerbestuurstelsel te onderrig. Dit het hulle ook tyd gespaar, aangesien eboeke en lesplanne maklik beskikbaar was. Leerders het na bewering meer doeltreffend op mekaar gereageer wanneer hulle onderrig is deur hierdie stelsel. Die navorsing se bevindings het gedui dat die onderwyserdeelnemers positief gereageer het op die leerbestuurstelsel, en die potensiaal daarvan erken het om leerders se prestasie beduidend te verbeter. Hierdie innoverende benadering om te onderrig en te leer is goed ontvang. Die deelnemende onderwysers het platforms soos Siyavula, Google Classroom en WhatsApp aktief gebruik om onderwys en die deel van inligting te fasiliteer. Verskeie aanbevelings het aan die lig gekom gebaseer op die bevindings. Dit het ingesluit dat die IKT-departement in die Gautengse Departement van Onderwys onderwysers moet aanmoedig om die Gautengse Departement van Onderwys se digitale inhoudsplatform doeltreffend te gebruik, wat bereik kan word deur gereelde werksessies (ideaal gesproke eenkeer per kwartaal). Onderwysers – veral nuwelinge wat minder gemaklik met tegnologie is – moet mekaar ondersteun om die leerbestuurstelsel te gebruik. IKT-komitees in skole moet hulle IKT-beleid proaktief hersien om tred te hou met tegnologiese vooruitgang. Om tegnologie in onderwys aan te neem vereis samewerking, opleiding en beleidswysigings om doeltreffende implementering te verseker.

Mo tlhamong e khutshwane e, modiradipatlisiso o batlisisitse ka tiriso ya barutabana ya tshedimosetso ya dijithale mo go ruteng Palotlotlo, go ka tokafatsa maduo mo Gauteng. Barutabana ba ba dirisang tshedimosetso ya dijithale ya Lefapha la Thuto la Gauteng (GDE) mo dikolong di le thataro tsa Thekenoloji ya Tshedimosetso le Tlhaeletsano (ICT) kwa Bokone jwa Ekurhuleni, ba tsere karolo mo patlisisong e e gakgamatsang e. Patlisiso ya mothamo o o lekanyeditsweng e, e dirisitse mokgwa wa patlisiso wa khwaletheithifi mme fa letlhomeso la Mokgwa wa go ruta wa Thekenoloji le Kitso ya Tshedimosetso (TPACK) lone le kaetse patlisiso le thanolo ya yone. Modiradipatlisiso o dirile dipotsopatlisiso tsa mo mafaratlhatlheng, tseo batsayakarolo ba barataro ba di tladitseng ka go dirisa Google Forms. Se se latelang ke gore ga go temogo e e diragetseng mo bao ba sa tsayang karolo kwa dikolong di le thataro tse di supilweng, koo barutabana ba bangwe ba barataro ba tsereng karolo le bone (n = 12). Dikarabo tsa batsayakarolo di ne tsa ranolwa ka go tsepamisa mogopolo mo dibopegong jaaka bong, dingwaga, palo ya dingwaga ka go dirisa tshedimosetso ya dijithale ya GDE, gammogo le dingwaga tsa go ruta Palotlotlo. Patlisiso e fitlhetse gore tshedimosetso ya dijithale ya GDE e thusitse barutabana ka go ruta ka mokgwa wa thulaganyo ya botsamaisi jwa go ithuta (LMS). Mokgwa o, o ba boloketse le nako ka ntlha ya gore dibuka tsa seeleketoroniki le dithuto di ne di fitlhelega bonolo. Baithuti bone ba fitlhetswe fa ba tsaya karolo e e tseneletseng fa go diriswa mokgwa o wa go ruta o. Diphitlhelelo tsa patlisiso di supile fa batsayakarolo ba barutabana ba amogetse LMS ka diatla tse di phuthulogileng, ebile gape ba lemoga le bokgoni jwa go tokafatsa maduo a baithuti segolo. Mokgwa o wa tlhamosešwa wa go ruta le go ithuta o amogetswe sentle. Barutabana ba ba tsayang karolo ba dirisitse ka mafolofolo manane a thekenoloji jaaka Siyavula, Google Classroom le WhatsApp go ka ruta gammogo le go ka neelana ka tshedimosetso. Go tswa diphitlhelelong, dikatlanegiso tse di mmalwa di dirilwe. Tsone di akaretsa Lefapha la ICT la kwa GDE leo le tlhokang go rotloetsa barutabana go ka dirisa sentle tshedimosetso ya dijithale ya GDE. Se se tla diragala ka tiriso ya dithutano (diwekeshopo) tseo di tla tshwarwang gangwe mo pakeng. Barutabana – bogolojang bao ba ba retelelwang ke go dirisa thekenoloji sentle – ba tshwanetse go tshegetsana mo tirisong ya LMS. Dikomiti tsa ICT tsa dikolo di tshwanetse tsa ntšhafatsa dipholisi tsa ICT tsa tsone gore di tswelele go nna maleba mo ditlhabololong tsa thekenoloji. Go tlamparela tiriso ya thekenoloji mo thutong go tlhoka tirisanommogo, ikatiso le paakanyo ya dipholisi gammogo le go netefatsa tsenyotirisong e e tlhomameng.