Elsa Mentz

BELINDA BANTHAM — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 09:56:57 +0000

Elsa Mentz BELINDA BANTHAM Wed, 10/31/2018 - 11:56

Self-Directed Learning

Prof

Professor

Elsa

Research Director

Mentz

Other experts from

School of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education

I started my professional career as high school Mathematics teacher and have been involved with teacher training for the past 25 years. For the past 16 years I have been actively involved with the training of Information Technology teachers and have already published two books and several research outputs in this field.

I am the Director of the Research Focus Area Self-Directed Learning since 2014.

As professor in Computer Science education my passion is education and specifically the studying of teaching-learning strategies for effective teaching to promote self-directed learning among students. Self-directed Learning is a process where the individual takes initiative and responsibility for his/her own learning by consulting specific resources, formulating objectives and by continuously evaluating whether these objectives have been achieved. In a world that is notably characterized by rapid change in the field of knowledge and technology, the employees of the future should be equipped with skills to study independently and for life. Students should be empowered with skills to accept the responsibility for their own learning for life by diagnosing their needs for learning and to put plans into practice in order to realizing them. South Africa can only progress in the numeracy and literacy ranks if we think innovatively and pay attention to making students self-directed learners. The teacher or lecturer should facilitate this process.

One of the teaching-learning strategies that is the focus of my research is cooperative learning. Cooperative learning is a teaching-learning strategy that empowers students to share in each other’s learning, but at the same time, to enhance their own learning process and self-directedness. I was privileged to receive two big research project awards, of which one was international, of more than R1 million to research the above-mentioned aspects.

Other experts in

Natural Sciences

Google Scholar

Visit

Education and Human Rights in Diversity Research Unit

Media

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgijPwUF3V8

Visit

School of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education

Visit

Education

Physical Address

Campus, Building C6, Room 259

Telephone Number

018 299 4780

Fax

018 299 4238

E-mail

elsa.mentz@nwu.ac.za

Prof Elsa Mentz

Martha Sophia van der Walt

PERTUNIA THULO — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 09:41:01 +0000

Martha Sophia van der Walt PERTUNIA THULO Thu, 08/07/2014 - 11:41

Self-Directed Learning

Prof

Research Professor

Marthie

Van der Walt

Other experts from

Faculty of Education

Prof Marthie van der Walt completed both her MEd (2006) and PhD (2008) with Prof Kobus Maree (UP) as study leader/promoter. Both quantitative and qualitative research approaches are used in her research. Her research focuses on the possible value of meta-cognition for the teaching-learning of mathematics in the 21^st century to foster self-directed learning (SDL).

It is impossible for teachers/lecturers to impart all the knowledge needed by a particular age group of learners, pre- or in-service teachers, or might need in the future and, on the other hand: when they are equipped with meta-cognitive knowledge, strategies and skills – that cannot become obsolete – they are empowered to become independent lifelong learners who have a language to think about their own cognition and have skills to manage their own thinking/cognition.

She also adapted the Study Orientation questionnaire in Mathematics (Maree et al., 1997) with which Grade 7 to 12 learners, their mathematics and guidance teachers could be introduced to basic principles of the effective learning of Mathematics and on the basis of which their attention could be drawn to the important role of the environment, circumstances and background in which Mathematics is learnt and in which success can be achieved. The Basic Mathematics questionnaire in Mathematics (Primary) (BM(P)) and the Mathematics Vocabulary questionnaire (Primary) (MV(P)) were designed supplementary to the Study Orientation questionnaire in Mathematics (Primary) (SOM(P)). Three instruments (i.e., the simple yet useable SOM(P), the BM(P) and the MV(P) ( or TriMATHS) that dispose of good psychometric characteristics and for use among grade 4 to 7 learners, were developed. TriMATHS is available in Afrikaans, English, Setswana and Portuguese (Jopie van Rooyen Partners Psychological test providers in Africa info@jvrafrica.co.za)

She regularly peer-reviews manuscripts for publishing in national and international journals, and has published various articles and chapters in books herself nationally and internationally. She has also co-authored professional textbooks for school mathematics. She is/was study leader/promoter of several Master’s and PhD students.

She is/was project leader in several nationally and internationally funded research projects, for example an educational design research project: Using adapted lesson study to facilitate mathematics teachers’ meta-cognitive thinking skills (SANPAD project: 2011-June 2013). Her research also aims to contribute to theory building in Mathematics teaching and learning. Currently her focus is on metacognitive teaching-learning in higher education.

Blog or Website

http://www.nwu.ac.za/faculty-education-sciences

Other experts in

Visit

Visit

Physical Address

Senior Lector

Faculty of Education