Browsing by Author "Kok, Petrus Jacobus"

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    Attitudes of University of Zululand students towards technology
    (2010) Kok, Petrus Jacobus; Khuzwayo, H.B.; Nzima, D.R.
    The study investigated the attitudes of in-service, teacher education students at a South African University. The study is set in a rural context with participants drawn from the University of Zululand, situated on the north coast of KwaZulu¬Natal province. Data was collected from 88 teachers, enrolled for a National Professional Diploma in Education (NPDE) in technology education at the University. The study aimed at generating information from respondents in an open, qualitative research framework. The study utilized a confirmatory survey approach and the data collection instrument used for the study was adapted from the "Pupils' Attitude Towards Technology" (PATT) instrument used successfully in other countries e.g. Netherlands, United States of America and Thailand. The results of the study indicated that, teachers showed a strong conceptual understanding of technology, and they assigned a great level of importance to knowing how technologies work. Similarly, the study's findings showed that teachers are aware of the positive and negative impact of technology, and that they showed a keen interest in wanting to know more about different technologies. In contrast with their interest, teachers showed a moderate to low level of knowledge and understanding concerning technologies used in their everyday lives. Teachers also felt that they have some influence when it comes to making decisions about technology, but they have very low confidence in leaders of their communities to make decisions about technology. Teachers were also unanimous in their view that technology must play an important role in the school curriculum, and they placed very high expectations on what they believed a high school learner should know about technology.
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    Effects of prior spatial experience, gender, 3d solid computer modelling and different cognitive styles on spatial visualisation skills of graphic design students at a rural-based South African university
    (University of Zululand, 2018) Kok, Petrus Jacobus; Bayaga, A.
    Studies pertaining to the relationship and effect of prior spatial experience, gender and how they influence three-dimensional (3D) solid modelling as well as different cognitive styles on the spatial visualisation skills has little to no evidence, especially in graphics design students at rural–universities. Additionally, graphics design students often struggle to understand, process and convert multi-faceted objects from orthographic two-dimensional (2D) views into isometric projections (3D). However, ongoing study established a strong link between spatial visualisation skills and the effective completion of graphics design content. Moreover, conventional teaching and learning practice using textbooks, physical models, and pencil drawings were found to be insufficient for improving spatial visualisation skills among pre-service teacher students at a rural-university. These challenges formed the basis of the present study which focused on the relation and effect of prior spatial experience, gender, three-dimensional (3D) solid modelling software and different cognitive styles on the spatial visualisation skills of graphics design students at a rural–university. Students at this university are from disadvantaged and under-resourced schools and they arrive at university with little or no computer-based experience. Underpinned by Piaget’s perception and imagery theory, the study determined the effect of 3D solid computer modelling on students’ spatial visualisation skills. The study was carried out at the University of Zululand (UNIZULU) a rural-based university, comprising 200 pre-service teachers undertaking a graphics design module. Research method included mixed methods sequential research design. The study employed a spatial experience questionnaire, the Purdue Spatial Visualisation Test and semi-structured interviews to evaluate students’ prior spatial experiences, gender differences, spatial visualisation skills and cognitive styles before and after a 3D solid computer modelling intervention. Based on the research focus, the findings showed no relation between prior spatial experience, gender and spatial visualisation skills, however, mathematics and sketching activity emerged as strong predictors for spatial visualisation. The findings also showed that there was a significant difference with a moderate positive effect in the spatial visualisation skills between the students in the experimental group and those in the control group. As a consequence, a model was developed, aimed at improving rural-based instruction and learning for 2D to 3D drawing.