This study explored students' perceptions of active learning strategies in the Child and Youth Care Program at Durban University of Technology (DUT), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Recommendations are made for future research and improvements to this active learning process within the Child and Youth Care program. This study focuses on independent study (self-study) and active learning strategies in the classroom with third year students in the Child and Youth Care Program at the Durban University of Technology.
The Child and Adolescent Care Program falls under the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Durban University of Technology. As mentioned above, the new pedagogical strategy was adopted by the Child and Youth Care program in 2006. What are students' views on certain active learning strategies used in the Child and Youth Care program at the Durban University of Technology.
Through this study, I hope to gain insight into how to improve independent study and active learning strategies in the classroom within the child and youth care program.
THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND LITERATURE REVIEW
Active learning on the other hand encourages the involvement of students in the learning process (Meyers & Jones, . 1993). Active learning enabled students to use higher order cognitive skills in the process of acquiring and retaining information (Woolfolk, 1995). Studies in the South African context, for example Buffler and Allie (1993) and Johnston et al (2006) have reflected the effectiveness of active learning strategies.
In a study conducted by Buffler and Allie (1993), an active learning approach was adopted using cooperative learning and problem solving, which was found to improve student performance. A study by Sivan et al. (2000) focuses on the implementation of active learning and its impact on the quality of student learning. Studies showing that active learning strategies promote responsibility for learning have been done by Johnson and Malinowski (2001), Salemi (2002), Ottewill (2002), Weimer (2003), and Keuker (2005).
Constructivism is consistent with a student-centered approach to teaching and the use of active learning strategies. The role of the educator and peers in independent learning and active learning strategies in the classroom are two of the research questions of the study, so social constructivism was the chosen perspective of this study. Second, turning to the role of peers, social constructivism attributes a central role to peers in active learning.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
The aim was to understand the meanings students had about independent study and active learning strategies in the classroom. I wanted to understand and describe their perspective by looking for patterns of meaning in the students' answers. I wanted to collect as many views on my topic as possible, and the third-year students had enough knowledge and experience in the subject area and were able to answer my questions appropriately.
Some participants did not want to share views in the group as they might have preferred to be socially desirable. According to Blaxter, Hughes and Tight (2001, p. 179) a questionnaire involves "formulating precise written questions about those whose opinions or experiences you are interested in." The data collected from the questionnaire served to complement the data from the focus group interviews. The five issues that formed the framework for the discussion were the differences in how participants were taught in the first year compared to the second and third years, the role that educators and their peers played in independent study and active learning strategies in class. and what they understood by learning, teaching, and knowledge.
The participants' elaboration and clarification was aided by the input, challenges and contributions of their colleagues in the group discussion. The third section contained questions related to the participant's understanding of the concepts of "knowledge, learning and teaching". The analysis from the first part of the questionnaire was used to describe the sample.
I then compared the data collected from the two focus groups and looked for labels that repeated themselves in each set of data. Data from the questionnaire were then compared with data from the focus group interviews. However, the uncommon opinions from both focus groups and questionnaires were also taken into account in the data analysis.
I can say that the study is reliable because the research questions were answered in the data analysis. The study was supposed to look at independent study and active learning strategies in the classroom, which it did.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
This therefore reinforced participants' comments that understanding had been increased. "We come back with researched information and we discuss it in class and then these are the notes that we are going to use in our test" (Self-study as an enhancement of learning) (group 2). However, despite positive comments that self-study would improve understanding and learning, almost all participants during the focus groups indicated that there was a need to revise classroom self-study. Some of the participants' comments, as outlined in the quotes below, indicate that some teachers provided tutorial for tutorial's sake and that the products of the tutorial were not used in the teaching activities.
The second stage of the active learning process included the in-class activities, which included role plays, case studies and crossword puzzles. The responses to the questionnaires showed that 70% of the students believed that class activities helped them learn. During the class activities, students were exposed to different interpretations from their peers regarding the self-study material that was brought to the class for discussion." Researching information gives you an idea of what the topic is about and you understand what is needed and then everyone discusses it because people come with different views and opinions" (group 2).
According to Brown and Palinscar (1989) and Johnson and Johnson (1979 in Ge & Land, 2004, p. 10), “when students work together, they may experience cognitive conflicts that prompt them to explain and justify their own positions, and recognize uncertainties about beliefs. , seek new information to resolve disagreements and acknowledge alternative points of view. This idea suggests that peers worked together and then reached consensus on what part of the information to share with the class. Boud in Gwee (2001, p.l) stated that “students learn a lot by explaining their ideas to others and by participating in activities where they can learn from others.”
Many of the participant comments indicated that interaction, collaboration, and mutual learning were evident during independent learning and classroom activities. Despite the positive role of peers, a fifth of participants believe that the role of peers in the learning process is not helpful. Some members of the group were too dependent on others and took on the role of weaklings.
The teacher must also clarify the information that has been researched and discussed by the students." Sometimes the teacher forgets to be responsible. We control the quality of learning through our choice of activities and our structure determination."
RECOMMENDATIONS
- P R O F O R M A LETTER REQUESTING C O N S E N T F R O M STUDENTS
- PROFORMA CONSENT FORM
- APPENDIX 3 : F O C U S G R O U P SCHEDULE
- Learner's role
- Educator's role
- Peers' role
- QUESTIONNAIRE
- What is your present age? (Years)
- How often did you usually do self study during the week?
- How often did your lecturers give you self study work to do?
- What were your feelings about doing self study?
- Indicate from the list below the number of resources you used to undertake self study tasks?
- PERMISSION LETTER FROM THE DEAN TO CONDUCT RESEARCH
The data analysis also showed that the teacher played a key role in the self-study and active learning process in the classroom. In view of this, the recommendation is that teachers within the Child and Youth Care program meet to discuss and decide on consistency in terms of the implementation of self-study and active learning strategies in the classroom. Furthermore, when developing independent study and classroom strategies, teachers must consider the resources to be used, be willing to experiment with different active learning methods, and take into account the abilities of the students.
Evidence of student feedback on independent study and active learning strategies in the classroom can be through questionnaires, focus groups, and student-staff liaison committees. Educators can observe each other and provide feedback on how they implement independent study and active learning strategies in the classroom. Although none of the data from my study directly referred to course assessment, the accompanying literature just mentioned lends weight to the recommendation that academic staff should continually review self-study and active classroom learning strategies.
I believe that future research should be done within the Durban University of Technology to determine the extent to which active learning strategies are implemented across faculties. In addition, further research needs to be done in terms of which active learning strategies are particularly more effective in improving learning and. If the higher education system (especially the Durban University of Technology) wants to effectively prepare students for their future roles in society and their workplace, then it seems essential that active learning strategies should be in place.
The value of independent study and active learning strategies in the classroom is that learning becomes meaningful for students. From the findings in this research, it became clear that the power of independent study and active learning strategies in the classroom is that they deepen students' understanding of concepts and provide opportunities for. However, it is important to note that the teacher plays a key role in guiding and facilitating independent study and active learning strategies in the classroom and that students must be taught how to work effectively in groups before attempting to use group work.
34; Child and youth care students' perceptions of active learning strategies at the Durban University of Technology." The focus of the study is to hear students' experiences of independent study (self-study) and the active learning strategies used in class Topic: Child and Youth Care Students' perceptions of active learning strategies at the Durban University of Technology CHILD AND YOUTH CARE STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DURBAN.
This survey is being conducted to better understand the experiences of students in the Child and Youth Care Department in terms of independent study (self-study) and active learning strategies used in the classroom.
UKZN ETHICAL CLEARANCE LETTER
UNIVERSITY OF
KWAZU1U-NATA1
