UTILISATION OF EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES BY PRIMARY SCHOOL LEARNERS DURING INSTRUCTION By Makhube Ralenkoane Student, School of Education at UCT Contacts:

Malawi Zambia Namibia Lesotho Zanzibar Uganda South Africa SACMEQ average Mozambique Botswana Swaziland Mauritius Tanzania Kenya Seychelles SACMEQ II Reading Scores

Mode of Analysis in Achievement Studies (common features) Resources supply vs educational outcomes Input → → Output → Outcome Education quality Learners’ test scores Neglect sense-making capabilities of learners Input → learner → Output → Outcome (resources) → (cognizing agent) → (performance/quality) ?

Main Research Question How do primary school learners utilize educational resources that they have access to in class?

Activity Theory Principles Human activity is collective and social Mind is cultural, historical and social Tools mediate our psychology Studies development and change People are cognizing agents but their behaviour is constricted Use contextualist methodology Activity systems are dynamic (Cole, 1996; Cole & Engeström, 1993; Engeström, 1987 and Russell, 2002)

Tools Mediating artefacts both physical (material or human) and psychological Examples: –language –works of art –mnemonic techniques –books and exercises writing; systems, diagrams, maps, and mechanical drawings mathematical symbol systems –instructors, peers and community (Vygotsky, 1981a)

Activity System An integrated system of (a)cognitive, (b)motivational and (c) behavioural components organised as a system of mental and behavioural actions directed to attain conscious goals. (Kuutti,1996; Daniel, 2004; Engeström, 1999)

An Activity System (Engeström, 1987:75)

Subject the actor who acts with a particular purpose in mind always involved in collective activity though may literally appear as an individual or a group

Rules processes which require the tools to perform the tasks Examples –teacher’s expectations in class –school regulations –national education policy and/or –a country’s constitution

Community Examples classmates peers other teachers and staff e.g., librarian, school counsellor etc parents and relatives

Division of Labour teachers’ tasks allocation learner’s intra-personal roles, e.g., reader, duster boy, bell ringer etc Learner’s inter-personal roles, e.g., group leader, captain, mentor etc

Object “a material thing, but it can also be less tangible (such as a plan) or totally intangible (such as a common idea) as long as it can be shared for manipulation and transformation by the participants of the activity” (Nardi, 1996:27)

The End of the Beginning!