The concept of imperfect market structures enables learners to develop mathematical and graphing skills that are needed for them to be critical thinkers and to be able to solve problems faced in their daily lives. It also provides opportunities for learners to acquire economic knowledge, which enables them to make informed economic decisions on economic events and issues they will experience as they enter the world of business and work. In spite of the importance of imperfect market structures in cultivating these skills and knowledge, learner academic achievement in economics, particularly where mathematical and graphing skills are concerned, has been regrettably poor in most countries around the globe. Hence, this qualitative study investigated the opportunities to learn mathematical and graphical skills in imperfect market structures in three selected Grade 12 economics classes. The study intended to investigate what it is that teachers do in the name of teaching and learning of mathematical and graphing skills and the reasoning behind their actions. Opportunities to Learn (OTL) is the conceptual framework which was used to determine what teachers do in the classroom that enables learners to make sense of imperfect market structures. Using the case study approach, the study was operationalised by three conveniently selected economics teachers in the Galeshewe township in South Africa. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with each of the three teachers before they conducted their classes which the researcher observed. The findings of the researcher show that little or no opportunities to learn are provided in an imperfect market structure class.
This empirical study sought to investigate the grade 12 economics learners’ perceptions of opportunities to learn imperfect market structures in selected schools in the Francis Baard District of Northern Cape. A quantitative research approach was employed, where a questionnaire was administered to 253 Grade 12 economics learners from three schools in Galeshewe. The questionnaire was based on four Opportunities to Learn (OTL) variables; content exposure, content emphasis, quality of instruction, and instructional resources. Data were analysed through excel 365 and then through SPSS. Overall, the study showed that little or no opportunities to learn were being created for learners to master the concept of imperfect market structures. This study is significant because it helps to make known to both the learners and teachers, the factors influencing learners’ learning outcomes related to imperfect market structures. Learners must also be encouraged to exhibit a positive attitude towards the subject, while the economics teachers should put in the required effort to improve the learning outcomes in schools.
High school economics academic achievement has been poor or at best, mediocre in the Frances Baard District and in South Africa at large. This empirical study explores lesson planning, resources and pedagogical content knowledge as the challenges experienced by Frances Baard Economics teachers in their endeavour to implement the Economics curriculum. Curriculum implementation can be defined as how teachers plan and deliver instructions through the use of specified resources provided. Curriculum implementation is reliant on the teacher's ability to plan, choose and use available resources. This study makes use of Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) parameters of intentionality, reciprocity and mediation as a theoretical framework. These parameters act as a guide for how Economics curriculum should be implemented. Anchored in the qualitative phenomenological multiple case study, the study is operationalised by three purposefully selected Economics teachers, with varying levels of qualifications and experiences, from different schools which belong to different quintiles. Document analysis, observations and semi structured interviews were used to gather data after which the data were thematically analysed while member checking was used for validation. Although an effort was made to get a representative sample of schools in the Frances Baard District, the results of this study should be generalised with caution since only three schools formed part of this study. The findings of this exploration reveal that some Economics teachers encounter challenges with lesson planning, content knowledge, availability and use of resources. In mitigation to these challenges, the study recommends that the Department of Education should periodically organise workshops where teachers are empowered in terms of the Economics curriculum content, and use of various teaching strategies. It is also recommended that the Department of Education provide current and relevant resources and collaborate with different economics stakeholders.
This empirical study explored how Economics teachers mediate Economics curriculum implementation through the use of meaningful assessment. Assessment plays a significant role in learner academic achievement, and it is, therefore, imperative that teachers’ practices produce creative learners, problem solvers, and reflective scholars. Despite increasing realization of the importance of assessment, teachers are either not using assessment or failing to use it meaningfully to mediate economics curriculum implementation. Assessment is a process of collecting data to have a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of learners’ learning. If the assessment is used meaningfully, it has the power to inform how teaching and learning can be modified to enhance learners’ understanding of concepts as opposed to being used just for certification and eligibility for further education studies. Effective Economics curriculum implementation is dependent on the teachers’ understanding of the role and use of meaningful assessment. This interpretivist study was couched in Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) theory and made use of a qualitative multiple case study. Three teachers from three different schools in the Northern Cape Province were purposefully selected to generate data through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. Data was analyzed using a constructivist approach of thematic analysis. The findings of this study showed that, although there are pockets of good assessment practices within the research sites, there is still a lack of understanding of the role and use of meaningful assessment in mediating Economics curriculum implementation. In light of the findings, the study suggested the need for training Economics teachers on how to use assessment meaningfully. Keywords: Curriculum implementation, Mediated Learning Experience, Meaningful assessment, Teaching, and Learning.
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