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Game-based learning has gained increasing attention globally. It is an effective pedagogical approach to promote students' engagement and improve learning outcomes. However, the literature reveals there is a need to strengthen game-based learning, as many students retain only fun of academic games. This study aimed to explore students' experiences on the integration of debriefing in game-based learning at an identified higher education institution in South Africa. The social constructivism theory was utilised as a theoretical lens in this study. The authors employed a qualitative single case study design within an interpretivist paradigm. A purposive sampling strategy was adopted. Six participants were recruited for this study. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. The findings of this study revealed that participants shared positive views and attitudes towards debriefing in game-based learning. They believed game-based learning significantly promoted their studies. The implementation of debriefing in game-based learning assisted them to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, the utilisation of debriefing in game-based learning enhanced collaborations and teamwork. This study also highlighted that there was a need to ensure that debriefing was well planned in advance, and that instructors should be competent to conduct debriefing sessions. This study concluded that debriefing is an effective method to advance game-based learning. Further research should be conducted at national and international levels with different research approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of assessments in education cannot be over-emphasised. The reason is that assessments not only promote students' learning but also evaluate students' competencies, particularly in the field of health sciences, such as acupuncture. Therefore, it is crucial for higher education institutions to ensure that assessments in their programmes are valid and reliable. However, there is a distinct lack of research focusing on assessments in acupuncture programmes. This study aimed to explore students' views and experiences of an acupuncture programme at a higher education institution within the South African context. The revised Bloom's Taxonomy was utilised as the theoretical lens to understanding students' views and experiences. A qualitative single case study design was employed in this study. The authors followed a purposive sampling strategy to recruit participants from a public university in South Africa. Ten participants were selected for this study. Thematic analysis was utilised in this study. The results of this study were: Participants stated that it was important to utilise multiple assessment tools for the educational evaluation of the acupuncture program, the frequency and continuity of the assessment motivated learning, each of the assessment tools was valuable and not superior to the other, and the assessment techniques used with the aims of the acupuncture program should be compatible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student engagement plays an important role in promoting student success at higher education institutions. It is of profound significance to improve student engagement through the utilisation of effective pedagogical approaches, such as game-based learning. However, there is a lack of study in the South African context focusing on game-based learning at higher education institutions. This study aimed to explore students’ views and experiences on game-based learning at an identified university in South Africa. The constructivism learning theory was anchored in this study as a theoretical lens. In this study, the authors adopted a qualitative single case study design within an interpretivist paradigm. A purposive sampling technique was followed to recruit participants from a public university in South Africa since it is the only university that provides acupuncture programmes in this country. Six participants were recruited for this study. The authors utilised thematic analysis to analyse the data. The findings of this study revealed that participants shared positive views and attitudes toward game-based learning. They believed that game-based learning significantly motivated them in the learning process. Furthermore, game-based learning also reduced their stress in learning compared to the learning in normal classrooms. They reported that game-based learning not only improved their engagement in learning but also enhanced their knowledge and skills. This study also highlighted that game-based learning should be well-planned to avoid demotivating students. It can be concluded that game-based learning is an effective approach to improve student engagement. Further studies should be conducted with diverse research approaches at different higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous professional development is an integral part of the professional life of teachers since learning is a life-long activity. Lesson study is a practical approach to promoting teachers' professional development. Lesson study refers to teachers' classroombased collaborative research to bring teachers together to work collaboratively to plan a lesson. In South Africa, there is a dire need for teachers' professional development due to many challenges in professional development in this country. However, there is very little documented research into the implementation of lesson study in South Africa. This study explored the Japanese Lesson Study to improve teaching quality and to learn in South Africa. The researchers adopted qualitative research with an interpretivist paradigm to explicit participants' experiences of lesson study. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select three participants in a school from Gauteng Province, South Africa. The findings revealed that participants appreciated the workshop and gained knowledge of a good understanding of the lesson study. All the participants acknowledged the awareness of their professional development as a motivating factor for them to continue to plan and work together. The researchers recommended that lesson studies be implemented with teachers from different grades and phases. School leaders should become ambassadors for setting up communities of practice within their schools, districts and provinces. Further studies should be carried out with similar grades in a phase and also in phase planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional education (IPE) is a practical pedagogical approach to strengthening teaching and learning in higher education to improve students' competencies. These competencies include an enhanced understanding of content knowledge and skills from different professions. To ensure quality teaching and learning, it is envisaged that IPE will strengthen and advance the knowledge and skills of students. The COVID-19 pandemic offered the opportunity to adopt multiple approaches to support students in acquiring the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes towards the programme through the support of interprofessional educators and resources. However, there is a lack of research to explore students' experiences and views on IPE in an acupuncture programme within the South African context, particularly with technologies. This study was anchored in the Technological, Pedagogical, Content Knowledge model as a theoretical lens to explore students' experiences of the IPE using technologies. The authors employed an interpretivist paradigm within a qualitative case study design. They used purposive sampling as a technique since the participants in this study were acupuncture students at a South African university. The researchers interviewed six (6) undergraduate students for this study. The findings revealed that students showed positive attitudes towards IPE. They believed the IPE would improve their competencies in clinical practice. Results also suggested that specific programmes should allocate sufficient time for IPE. Institutions should provide professional training to academics since IPE require more comprehensive content knowledge and pedagogical approaches. To promote effective teaching and learning, IPE should be the norm at universities. Universities should provide relevant support for the appropriate implementation of IPE from policy and resource perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Department of Education introduced the policy on e-Education in 2004, encouraging all teachers to implement technology for teaching and learning. Despite this encouragement, most South African teachers are experiencing many challenges to effectively use technology for teaching and learning in the foundation phase. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools had to adapt to the use of technology for teaching and learning. This placed most teachers in a compromising situation since teachers were now forced to engage and use technology for education. For this reason, this study promoted us to explore the challenges experienced by foundation phase teachers in using technology for teaching and learning in two schools in one district in Gauteng Province: South Africa. The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework was used as a lens to understand the challenges experienced by foundation phase teachers. The authors applied a qualitative research approach within the interpretivist paradigm to explore and understand participants' lived experiences of their challenges. Purposive sampling was used to select eight foundation phase teachers from two schools in Gauteng Province. The findings revealed that most teachers experienced challenges due to lack of knowledge and understanding of how to use technology effectively for teaching and learning; a lack of support from management to promote the use of technology and inadequate, inappropriate and outdated technological resources and equipment. Teachers also indicated that they did not enjoy the support from their senior managers and education officials. They recommended that all teachers undergo focused training and development on the use of technology for teaching and learning and that the education department should consult teachers and ensure that all systems are in place prior to mandating the implementation of technology in the foundation phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students' competencies in clinical practice is vital in health sciences. Clinical simulation is one approach used to support students' learning in clinical practice. There is a lack of research on clinical simulation in acupuncture programmes in the African context. This paper explored the experiences of students' views towards clinical simulation in the acupuncture programme to strengthen clinical teaching using the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework as a theoretical lens. A qualitative research approach with an interpretivist paradigm was adopted. A single case study design was selected. Six undergraduate students voluntarily agreed to participate. The data were analysed inductively using the thematic analysis approach. Findings revealed that students were optimistic about clinical simulation because it assisted them in their practice. The findings highlighted students' views regarding the lack of knowledge and skills among instructors and poor infrastructure. The study also found that students gained more confidence in the clinical simulation since they were aware that the patients are not harmed. It is recommended that clinical simulation should be included and standardised in the acupuncture curriculum. To improve clinical simulation, the authors recommended that clinical simulations should be carefully planned and coordinated; training facilities needed upgrading to accommodate Covid-19 regulations and a detailed handbook on clinical simulation should be developed to standardise the simulation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaders and teachers are exploring ways to organise their learning spaces as well as their methods of teaching and learning. We aim to explore leaders and teachers' experiences of an invitational learning environment in culturally diverse Foundation Phase classrooms in the South African context. In this study, the Invitational Learning Theory was used as a theoretical framework. An interpretivist research paradigm was used to portray the lived experiences and personal responses of the participants. Interviews were undertaken with Foundation Phase teachers and School Management Team to elicit in-depth information on their experiences on the creation of a conducive learning environment. Additionally, observation and visual data formed the data collection instruments. Data were coded, examined and emerging themes identified. Findings highlighted the need to improve the '5Ps" as advocated by Novak and Purkey. The learning environment is a qualitative determiner for success. It is the responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure leadership for learning is conducive to teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]