To prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the pandemic has necessitated new ways of teaching that favour online learning. Emergency online teaching (EOT) was adopted to address various challenges, such as a lack of competence in teachers for teaching online using digital learning management systems, shortcomings regarding internet connectivity, and resistance by teachers to using EOT. Relational leadership couched the study, with an emphasis on constructing positive relationships to forge sustainable learning conditions. A Whatsapp group was created to facilitate focus group discussions. The study found that EOT and learning is desirable and doable, even though various challenges need to be overcome, especially in rural schools. Therefore, there is a need for teachers to adjust their subject teaching plans, assessment details and teaching materials, and to adopt new ways of interacting with learners through EOT during the COVID-19 pandemic. The argument of the paper is that, in the context of COVID-19, education stakeholders should invest in healthy relationships to facilitate the adoption of EOT, in order to construct conducive learning conditions in rural contexts. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.6.23

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by SMTs in dealing with poor academic performance in the Mopani-West District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Studies have indicated that schools in rural areas fail to meet their full potential due to a combination of factors including insufficient instructional resources, shortage of qualified educators, insufficient infrastructure, and poverty and inequality. The study adopted a qualitative approach following an interpretative case study design. Using purposive sampling a total of 18 participants, comprising six principals, six departmental heads, and six learners who met the research criteria were selected. The study sample included one principal, one departmental head, and one learner from each of these six schools in the Mopani-West District. Three schools from the sample were identified as high-performing, while the other three were identified as underperforming. Data were elicited using semi-structured interviews, followed by thematic data analysis to unveil rich narratives and patterns within the research inquiries. The findings of the study revealed that resource scarcity in schools significantly hampered the quality of education. Issues such as insufficient teaching materials, a shortage of teachers, and the absence of technology create stark disparities between less and more privileged schools. The study also highlighted the impact of inadequate infrastructure on learning as one of the pressing concerns that compromise quality teaching and learning. Recommendations were made accordingly.

Exploring the Content Knowledge of Accounting Teachers in Rural Contexts: A Call for a Decoloniality Approach

This study sought to examine the challenges experienced by Economics and Management Sciences (EMS) teachers during Continuous Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) in the Thabo-Mofutsanyane Education District, South Africa. This study adopted a relational leadership theoretical framework, which supports the need for school leadership to prioritize relationships when implementing CPTD. This study used a qualitative research approach, which is more interested in analyzing data with the aim of finding the truth than a statistical narrative. Within this study, a case study methodology involving six participants was selected through purposive sampling and snowballing from one school in the Thabo-Mafutsanyane district. The collected data through semi-structured interviews with those six participants was subjected to thematic analysis. This study is important as it shows that healthy school relations are gravely significant for the success of CPTD and that there is a dire need for subject advisors to harmoniously work together with teachers to ensure CPTD programs are effectively implemented. Keywords: Healthy School Relations, Quality Teaching, Continuing Professional Development, Relational Leadership

In South Africa, the movement towards a decolonised curriculum is gaining traction. In contrast to the Western-centric emphasis of school curricula, indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) highlight and utilise indigenous materials and knowledge processes. Several research works have emphasised the importance of IKS and the necessity of incorporating them into South African educational practices in an effective manner. This study aims to assess the pedagogical competency of instructors in integrating IKS into the teaching of economics. The pedagogical competency of economics teachers regarding the incorporation of IKS into economics education was investigated through a qualitative literature review. Sixteen studies were selected following a search conducted in electronic resources such as ResearchGate and Google Scholar. The results of the literature review synthesis were analysed using the content analysis approach in light of the framework for culturally responsive pedagogy. This review identified aspects, including IKS incorporation guidelines, policy reviews, teacher professional development on IKS, development of specific IKS study materials, and IKS knowledge strands, that influence teachers' integration of IKS in economics education. The study's recommendations, based on the findings, suggest that professional development, appropriate content selection training, instructors' competency in using IKS, and IKS integration policies all affect their pedagogical proficiency in the subject. According to the study's findings, the CAPS curriculum document ought to specifically specify which economics topics can be taught using IKS in order to prevent teachers from relying on their own judgment when deciding how to incorporate IKS into their lessons.

South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) lecturers and student development practitioners are not sufficiently equipped to address psycho-social challenges encountered by students, and that negatively affects learning and teaching. The main aim of the study was to examine the impact of psycho-social support services on students’ development at a South African TVET college. The study used a qualitative phenomenological research technique. The participants of the study comprised a total number of 9 participants. The participants included 2 lecturers (one from NCV and the other from Report 191 programmes), 3 students from National Certificate Vocational (NCV) programme (L2-L4), 3 students from Report 191 programme (N4-N6), and 1 Student Development Practitioner of a South African TVET college who were selected through a simple random technique. Face-to-face interviews were used for data collection. Thematic analysis was adopted as a tool to analyse the data and findings revealed inadequate provision of counselling and the unavailability of peer tutoring as psycho-social support services that had a negative bearing on their development. The participants' low socio-economic level and the restricted availability of specialised psycho-social assistance for student development from a South African TVET institution were additional factors that negatively impacted their relatedness, competence, and autonomy. Future research is needed to examine the impact of psycho-social support services on students’ development at South African TVET colleges by using a larger sample of participants. The paper's findings indicate that the provision of counselling to students, understanding the impact of socio-economic status, and the availability of peer tutoring could develop students psychosocially at the South African TVET college in question. Furthermore, empowering lecturers and SDPs with psychosocial support skills helps them respond to the psychosocial challenges to student development.