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Implementing inquiry-based learning to enhance Grade 11 students' problem-solving skills in Euclidean GeometryResearchers conceptually recommend inquiry-based learning as a necessary means to alleviate the problems of learning but this study has embarked on practical implementation of inquiry-based facilitation and learning in Euclidean Geometry. Inquiry-based learning is student-centred. Therefore, the teaching or monitoring of inquiry-based learning in this study is referred to as inquiry-based facilitation. The null hypothesis discarded in this study explains that there is no difference between inquiry-based facilitation and traditional axiomatic approach in teaching Euclidean Geometry, that is, H0: μinquiry-based facilitation = μtraditional axiomatic approach. This study emphasises a pragmatist view that constructivism is fundamental to realism, that is, inductive inquiry supplements deductive inquiry in teaching and learning. Participants in this study comprise schools in Tshwane North district that served as experimental group and Tshwane West district schools classified as comparison group. The two districts are in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. The total number of students who participated is 166, that is, 97 students in the experimental group and 69 students in the comparison group. Convenient sampling applied and three experimental and three comparison group schools were sampled. Embedded mixed-method methodology was employed. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies are integrated in collecting data; analysis and interpretation of data. Inquiry-based-facilitation occurred in experimental group when the facilitator probed asking students to research, weigh evidence, explore, share discoveries, allow students to display authentic knowledge and skills and guiding students to apply knowledge and skills to solve problems for the classroom and for the world out of the classroom. In response to inquiry-based facilitation, students engaged in cooperative learning, exploration, self-centred and self-regulated learning in order to acquire knowledge and skills. In the comparison group, teaching progressed as usual. Quantitative data revealed that on average, participant that received intervention through inquiry-based facilitation acquired inquiry-based learning skills and improved (M= -7.773, SE= 0.7146) than those who did not receive intervention (M= -0.221, SE = 0.4429). This difference (-7.547), 95% CI (-8.08, 5.69), was significant at t (10.88), p = 0.0001, p<0.05 and represented a large effect size of 0.55. The large effect size emphasises that inquiry-based facilitation contributed significantly towards improvement in inquiry-based learning and that the framework contributed by this study can be considered as a framework of inquiry-based facilitation in Euclidean Geometry. This study has shown that the traditional axiomatic approach promotes rote learning; passive, deductive and algorithmic learning that obstructs application of knowledge in problem-solving. Therefore, this study asserts that the application of Inquiry-based facilitation to implement inquiry-based learning promotes deeper, authentic, non-algorithmic, self-regulated learning that enhances problem-solving skills in Euclidean Geometry.
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Strategies to enhance performance of foundation phase grade 3 learners in diverse mathematics classrooms in the Waterberg DistrictWorldwide, mathematics is regarded as one of the most important subjects, where ithas been recognised that basic mathematical and quantitative skills are becomingincreasingly important in all jobs and life skills, for tasks including budgeting and datahandling, and the changing nature of the international economy. The purpose of thisresearch was to explore the strategies that can enhance the performance ofFoundation Phase learners in diverse mathematics classrooms. The performance ofFoundation Phase learners in diverse mathematics classrooms is an issue of concernbecause teachers should identify different strategies that can accommodate theneeds of all learners in the Grade 3 class. The study was underpinned by theUniversal Design for Learning theory, which recognises the need of making educationmore responsive to learning differences between individuals, as well as increasing thepower of flexibility in teaching. The Universal Design for Learning also emphasisesthat the "what" of learning should be presented through a range of options, providingoptions for the "how" of learning, and providing multiple options for engaging the "why"of learning. The study infused ubuntu African philosophy because it focuses onhumanity, kindness, friendliness, respect, mutual communication, care, and supportduring teaching and learning. The research study followed a mixed-method researchdesign. Data collection techniques took place through conducting pre-test and post-test, using interviews and lesson observations. Excel was used for data management,and Stata Release 15 was used for statistical data analysis. A t-test was used tocompare the two study groups, the experimental and the control groups. The resultswere interpreted at 95% confidence limit (2-sided). In other words, the results weredeclared significant if the p-value was less than 0.05. The post-test results after theintervention strategy showed improvement for both experimental and control groups.In particular, the experimental group showed an improvement in the mean score(x̄ = 55.05455) as compared to the pre-test mean score of (x̄ = 40.70175). The results revealed that the experimental group improved significantly (x ̄= 0.0016) in pre-testand post-test, less than 0.05 at 95% confidence limit in the post-test, which suggeststhat the intervention strategy had a positive impact on learning numbers, operationsand relationships (NOR) concepts. From the qualitative data, different codes to formdifferent themes were identified and used to describe the collected data during lessonobservations and interviews. The group work had a positive impact on the changing ofP1's teaching practice, where the learners’ performance improved. It is envisaged that the findings of the study might provide teachers with strategies that can be used toenhance learners' performance in diverse mathematics classrooms.
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Parental involvement at mainstream schools admitting learners with mild intellectual impairment : a case of Sisonke DistrictThe main assertion in this dissertation is that there is a lack of adequate and appropriate parental involvement in the education of learners with mild intellectual impairment in mainstream schools in Sisonke District.
 Empirical research was conducted to understand the perceptions of parents and teachers of the involvement of parents in the education of learners with mild intellectual impairment in mainstream schools. The focus was on parents and teachers in an extreme poverty context in Sisonke District of KwaZulu-Natal. A qualitative investigation of parental involvement in five mainstream schools was conducted by collecting data through interview, observation and documents analysis with ten parents and five teachers.
 The literature that was reviewed focused on the factors that increase and hinder parental involvement, prevalence of intellectual impairment, theories related to family, school and community partnership and inclusive education.
 The research has revealed that the lack of adequate and appropriate parental involvement at mainstream schools admitting learners with mild intellectual impairment is influenced by factors such as poor socio-economic background, high illiteracy, cultural beliefs, and parents’ denial of intellectual impairment, diversity, lack of teacher training in parental involvement, lack of healthy inclusive climate characteristics, parents’ attitudes and perceptions. The investigation further found that there is an urgent need for teachers to acquire knowledge, skills and strategies for active involvement of parents in inclusive mainstream schools. Each School Management Team (SMT) should strive to create a climate of inclusion that displays healthy school characteristics in order to improve parental involvement in mainstream schools.