Teachers' perceptions of the factors influencing rural school Grade 12 Business Studies learner performance in the National Senior Certificate

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine teachers’ perceptions of teacher factors affecting the dwindling Grade 12 learners’ performance in Business Studies National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations at the rural Umbumbulu circuit of Umlazi district, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study employed a qualitative research methodology to explore teachers’ perceptions. Five Grade 12 teachers were purposively selected from five rural secondary schools that offered Business Studies as a subject of teaching and learning in the Umbumbulu circuit. The case study research design was used to focus on a few participants who had lived experiences of teaching Business Studies at Grade 12 in rural schools and could relate to dominant factors influencing learner performance in this subject. Data were generated through faceto- face, semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis was used as a method of analysing qualitative data with the purpose of identifying salient traits in data that could develop into themes. The study found that teacher factors influencing learner performance in Grade 12 Business Studies were teacher approaches to teaching Business Studies, timetabling and impediments to innovative teaching and assessment in the form of rural contextual factors such as large classes and a shortage of textbooks. The study nurtures awareness of teacher factors influencing rural school learners’ performance in Grade 12 Business Studies, so that Business Studies teachers in emerging economies can think of ways to address these factors to improve learner performance.

Adopting Learner-Centred Pedagogy to Develop Business Studies Learners' Problem-Solving and Creative Thinking Skills in Selected Schools in South Africa

“…The findings revealed that most teachers who participated in the study understood and implemented learner-centred pedagogy in their classrooms. This finding is contrary to the finding of the study that was conducted by Mtshali et al (2022), which found that business studies teachers implement teaching approaches that do not promote learner-centredness. Most teachers who participated in the current study adopted teaching methods that promoted learner involvement in their classrooms.…”

“…One would, therefore, expect business studies learners who graduate from South African secondary schools to easily adapt to the current business environment because of the supposedly responsive business studies curriculum taught in schools, but this is not the case in many instances. Scholars suggest that the teaching methods that are adopted by teachers to teach business studies do not create a learning environment that allows learners to acquire the necessary skills (Khoza, 2019;Mtshali et al, 2022;Pihie & Sani, 2009). This is despite the common notion among scholars that learner-centred pedagogy plays an important role in facilitating learning that enables learners to acquire such skills (Ho & Dimmock, 2022;Majola, 2020).…”

Exploring the trajectories of preservice teachers' preparation in Business Studies and its impact on their teaching practice experience in South Africa

“…Sometimes, it is believed that Business Studies teachers were found incompetent in delivering content effectively (Mtshali et al, 2022), affecting pre-service teachers under their supervision while on TP. According to Akerman (2012), high school learners who take BS complained of being loaded with too much homework and projects and that BS is comprehensive in content.…”