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There is a national need for the integration of technology during the process of teaching and learning because, technology creates and promotes a constructivists’ learning environment (Worthington, 2008). Technology plays a very important role in involving the learners in their learning. Benjamin Franklin as cited by (Sharma, 2014) stated that if you tell me I will forget, if you teach me I may remember but, involve me and I will learn. This tells you that once a learner is involved in his or her learning he or she will learn and understand what is being taught. Regarding the use of visualisation during teaching and learning, the use of technology is relevant to be introduced for the interest of the technologically advanced generation we are currently grooming. Stols, Ferreira, Pelser, Olivier, Van Der Merwe, De Villiers and Venter (2015) were concerned about the South African teachers having internet access but refraining from using online materials to improve teaching and learning to these technology inclined learners. This may be the results of not being trained by the institutions they come from or the department is not providing enough resources or introducing workshops to train teachers to use visualisation in teaching and learning.
Many studies (Skinner, 2016, Venkatesh, Croteau, & Raba, 2014; Henderson, Selwyn, &
Aston, 2017; Kirkwood & Price, 2014; Ertmer, Ottenbreit- Leftwich, & Tondeur, 2014) have emphasised the use and the importance of technology during the process of teaching and learning to engage with students and enrich their learning experience in a meaningful and effective way. This suggests that technology must be part of teaching and learning to encourage and support construction of own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiences and reflection (Bull, 2013).
According to Johnston- Wilder, Lee and Pimm (2016) the use of digital technology is an important aspect in visualisation because digital technology scaffolds and motivates learning by observing patterns, seeing connections and working with dynamic images in geometry.
The use of technology makes it easier for learners to see what is being taught and will enable them to keep the concepts for a long time (Visser, 2015).
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Aizikovitsh- Udi and Cheng (2015) mentioned that these acquired skills and abilities are essential for analysing, understanding, identifying applicable mathematical concepts and procedures, reasoning, generating solutions and expressing mathematical results properly to be competent and be able to make sound judgement when solving mathematical problems. I support the CAPS document which emphasises gradual movement of content in geometry so that learners will be able to move from each grade with a solid foundation of mathematical content. However, it has been noted that as much as teaching and learning can take place according to what the department has stipulated there are challenges that learners experience during teaching and learning and one of them is misconceptions. These challenges occur when learners show tendencies of deriving their own notion of certain mathematical concepts when learning mathematics. Learners lack the basic knowledge and basic skills which include critical thinking skills, problem solving skills including the high levels of geometric thinking skills.
The other challenge is the language used to teach, which affects learners’ ability to construct geometrical conceptual understanding and the ability to visualise what is being taught. I have concluded that there is a gap regarding Grade 8 learners learning geometry and most of the above-mentioned scholars were focusing on the learners doing FET level at school taken from the literature. Hence this research study will cover the gap by integrating all other scholars’ findings and conclusions to explore the challenges Grade 8 learners experience when learning angles associated with parallel lines in geometry.
41 CHAPTER 3
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 3.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter will discuss the theoretical framework within which this research study is framed. Green and Piel (2015) stated that, a theory is an integrated set of statements consisting of internal principles, bridge principles and identifiable body that is used to explain any phenomena.
Figure 3.1: Schematic relationship between internal principles, bridge principles and phenomena to be explained adapted from Green and Piel (2015, p. 28-29)
Green and Piel (2015, p. 28-29) explained the schematic relationship between internal principles, bridge principles and phenomena as follows:
Internal principles refer to the primary concepts and core explanatory principles employed by the theory.
Phenomena to be explained refers to the essential data the theory attempts to explain.
Bridge principles are concepts that are used to connect abstract theoretical principles and the real world experiences of human phenomena.
Bridge principles
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Before I relate my theoretical framework for this research study, there is a need for me to briefly provide the reader with the importance of theoretical framework. According to Grant and Osanloo (2014), the theoretical framework provides a grounding support to the literature review, methods and analysis of the research study. Essentially, the theoretical framework provides an outside and inside view to the entire research study. In addition, it supports, provides important personal beliefs and gives guidance to the whole research study.
Linderman (2015) defines the theoretical framework as the tool to justify the importance and significance of the research study. Thus, a researcher cannot continue his or her research study without having the theory that will justify the topic of the research study.
Grant and Osanloo (2014) outlined that, the outside view given by the theoretical framework is the structure on how the research study will be entirely approached using a specific theory.
They further explained that the inside view of the research provided by the theoretical framework is when the researcher explains his or her beliefs in relation to the choice of his or her theory and the topic of the research study, identification of the suitable theory, the guiding principles and concepts of the theory, the conflicts and controversies from other scholars regarding the theory and how the identified or chosen theory connects the research study which will be further discussed in this chapter. According to Green and Piel (2015) having a theory to guide your research study is like looking through a window at human nature to observe record and assess their experiences. The aim of any theory is to respond to the research questions focussing on the nature of a selected researched sample and its development.
A theoretical framework guides and examines any systematic explanation of human development by following certain principles outlined by the selected theory. Green and Piel (2015, p. 23-27) further identified the 5 basic principles to look for when identifying suitable theory for research:
1. Explain what facts mean- the theory must explain facts because, facts cannot explain themselves and the theory must organise, shape and interpret facts differently according to its principles.
2. Represent public knowledge- the theory must represent public knowledge in order to explain human nature in a less biased and more defensible way.
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3. Principled and testable- the theory must be principled and testable in order to provide an element of self- correction and the extent to which its claims can be objectively verified.
4. Less complex than people- the theory must be understandable and be simple than the phenomena it attempts to explore.
5. Generalisable- the theory must be able to explain characteristics of human nature that are common to all individuals.
In the previous chapter, I discussed the research conducted by other scholars in relation to learner’s challenges in learning. Having reviewed other scholar’s literature and the significance of a theory in the research study, it was within the researcher’s suggestion that social constructivist theory is a suitably identified theory to guide this research study.
3.2. IDENTIFICATION OF THE SUITABLE THEORY- SOCIAL