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Exploring learner-centred approaches in Business Studies grades 10-12

 

 

Moffat Xolani Majola

University of South Africa, South Africa

 

 

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ABSTRACT

This is a literature review of different scholars on learner-centred approaches to teach Business Studies in grades 10-12. The researcher engaged and reviewed literature in order to identify and analyse learner-centred approaches of teaching Business Studies in grades 10-12. Documents such as CAPS, Business Studies books and articles have been explored and analysed for the purpose of identifying learner-centred approaches to teach Business Studies. The objective is to identify and analyse different approaches that teachers can use to teach learners which engage and acknowledge the learner as knowledge producer. The main focus today on teaching is how the learner learns the content rather than focusing on what they learn as well as how they will apply the content in real life situations such as a business environment whether owning or working in the business. Methodologies of teaching and learning are the primary focus now of teaching. You can be a content guru but it is useless if one does not have clear and usable strategies, approaches and methods of presenting the content to the learners to the extent that ensures learners understand and that they are able to apply the content. Constructivism theory is used to engage articles and elaborate on the learner-centred approaches. The author identified the following; oral presentation, learner-teacher (learner as a teacher), learners as designer of teaching and learning aids, question and answer method, group-discussion, problem-solving, project-based learning, case studies and simulation. It is recommended that teachers also make use of field trip in order to familiarise learners with their future environment (businesses as workplace, and/ or inviting successful entrepreneurs to motivate learners about business environment.

Keywords: learner-centred approach, oral presentation, case study, project-based learning, gaming

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INTRODUCTION

The teaching and learning of Business Studies in grades 10 to 12 has drastically changed from being a subject that the content can be memorised and reproduced during assessment. It requires a lot of understanding and application. Traditional instructional methods use too many facts and not enough conceptualization; too much memorizing and not enough thinking' (Snyder & Snyder, 2008: 92). Teaching is no longer about what you learn but how you learn. Some topics such as creative thinking and problem-solving teachers struggle to engage learners (Snyder & Snyder, 2008). It was often said that Business Studies is easy, you just need to memorise characteristics, advantages and disadvantages for assessment. Any teacher that has learnt it from high school used to be given the subject to teach. Other schools also made it a general subject where every learner took the subject because they wanted to improve pass rates. Now it is a big challenge because it is no longer about memorising the concepts but is more about application of the content through assessment activities. It requires a person to have taken business studies as a major at tertiary level given that there are a lot of challenges by the Department of Education involving changing curriculum, policies and assessment strategies. All these challenges require a teacher to be equipped with the new content, new teaching and assessment methods. Teachers need to be familiar with and use teacher-centred approaches but the nature and expectations of the content and learners require that the learner and the teacher work together in exploring material and content. Kirby (2004) propose changes in the content and the process of learning in order to develop entrepreneurs and achieve desired outcomes.

Classroom interactions are at the heart of pedagogy. Therefore, any effort to reflect on these interactions is important in improving education instruction. I have taught in different types of schools - public schools and independent schools. I have also used different teaching methods such as group discussion, oral presentations, charts, group work and role play to engage and interact with learners. Such teaching methods and design assists one to think about the learner at the end of the course (assessment, taking notes, and asking questions). Therefore, this article presents an analysis of learner-centred approaches in Business Studies that teachers should explore and apply in order to ensure that learners become equal participants into content discussion, exploration and application. The researcher wants to ensure that teachers involve the learners from the start of the lesson to the end. Many scholars have written a lot about a learner-centred approach on the literature but the methods and strategies are not clearly outlined for teachers to use in class.

 

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study are to:

1. Equip the teacher for Business Studies with clear teaching methods specifically designed for the learner to discover knowledge and learn

2. I dentify teaching methods and strategies that improve teaching effectiveness, motivate learning among learners and improve pass rates

3. Analyse the teaching methods that are learner-centred for Business Studies for grades 10-12.

 

LITERATURE REVIEW

Learner-centred teaching and the goal of education has shifted from memorising facts to building competences, taking on responsibility, working effectively in teams and promoting creativity. Learners employ these assets as they are relevant in business field of study and work. Learners want to learn, interact, grow personally and solve real, authentic problems, when offered a resourceful environment and guidance (Motshning et al., 2016). A teacher needs to adopt a holistic theoretical approach which respects learners and views them as constructive participants. It is important to understand constructive theory of learning if you are interested in using learner-centred approaches. Constructivist theory on learning emphasises the active role of the learner in helping them to understand and analyse given information (Gravett, de Beer & du Plessis, 2018). The importance of this theory for this study is that it gives us clear direction on what will be the role of the learner in teaching and learning and therefore, the new role of instructors as a facilitator of learning and training which they have to attract all learners, guide and emphasise on debate in the courses. The question is how about learners? As far as the learners are concerned, they have to be cooperative contributors not only listeners (Battou, 2017). The teacher can ensure that by choosing the right approach for a particular topic. Not all topics can be taught with one approach or method, each topic requires specific approach. The roles of learners and teachers will be clearly identified from each topic on the book, document analysis (lesson plan) and the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document.

What is a learner-centred approach?

A learner-centred approach is a teaching approach that focuses on the individual learner's experience and needs, as well as a focus on learning the content (Reigeluth, Beathy & Myers, 2017). It is a way of teaching that allows the learner to construct knowledge and skills in an environment where both the teacher and the learner learn together (Cheng et al., 2016). The role of the teacher is to guide the process of learning and to provide material so that learners can explore and discover knowledge and gain skills. This approach of teaching and learning nurtures active meaning makers: learners must process new material and experiences and make sense of how new knowledge and skills apply to their environments (Cheng et al., 2016). Learners develop learning programmes and devise learning objectives to drive their learning. The expectation is that the learner determines the learning goals as well as how and/or when to achieve them. Every topic has clear activities for learners. This does not take away the work of the teacher in the class as the teacher must initiate the whole process by providing learning material, guiding the process to discovery and learning. It is a process of having learners engage in some activity that makes them reflect on new ideas and how they can use them, (Cheng et al., 2016). From this definition one can deduce that a learner-centred approach emphasises the freedom of the learner to choose the knowledge they learn and to explore further. This will depend on the need and use for that information and knowledge.

Why learner-centred approach?

Experience is the basis for learning, we can only say learning took place if three levels of development have been consistently addressed - learner intellect, social skills and attitude - in a climate of realness, respect and encompassing, emphatic understanding (Motschning et al., 2016). How the learner interacts with other learners, and how he she responds to real issues discussed or elaborated on in class has an influence on learning. Corporate social investment as a topic in business studies encourages social responsibility and human values such as Ubuntu; in the long run it encourages learners to participate in community project design to uplift poor communities. Learners could be asked to identify a community problem, and design how they would assist, minimise negative impact and consider who could be involved. Learners must be exposed to practical experiences that respect their abilities, for instance a teacher can ask learners to role play a topic in business studies (Team Dynamics) in class. 'The ability to learn and understand something, and to form ideas, judgments, and opinions about what you have learned' (Cambridge Dictionaries online, 2019).

Within the learner-centred approach learners become more proactive, independent and responsible for both what they learn and how they learn (Battou, 2017). The teacher should allow learners to work independently with assistance from the teacher. Therefore, the lesson must provide a flexible framework, supportive environment and collaborative learning culture, with the focus on developing learners' critical thinking, problem solving and research skills (Snyder & Snyder, 2008). This enables them to become effective life-long learners. Learners are empowered to construct meaning through combining what they know with new information in order to creating new meaning (Cheng et al., 2016). This approach works better with a learner that believes that he/she has personal control of own learning and with a positive attitude towards new material and information as well as change. Before deciding that you will apply learner-centred approach to teaching, you must consider and understand the following principles as these will guide practice. Through answering the following questions, How learners learn? What motivates them to learn? Why do they learn? Metacognitive and cognitive factors, affective factors, developmental factors, personal and social factors, individual differences, need to be considered.

Theory and practice of learner-centred approach

Learning by doing and by learning from working on real projects.

A teacher or an instructor gives learners case studies in order to experience practical cases and solve problems. A teacher or school can use project-based learning or collaborative learning which fit most with the criteria of the learner-centred approach. The learner voice is very important when planning and implementing a learner-centred approach. How the learners explore and engage these activities should be at their discretion with guidance and a resourceful environment; learner engagement with content, learner learning, and long-term retention of knowledge (Cheng et al., 2016). The content is given to learners by the teacher to explore and discover knowledge and skills as the researcher argues that the teacher must be on the side guiding the learning process.

Teachers need to recognise and use learners as sources of knowledge, especially in a subject such as Business Studies because it is mainly done by teenagers in grades 10-12. Kassem (2018) argued that learners have better performance when they are encouraged to think instead of the teacher doing the thinking for them. They are given the chance to take control of their learning and progress. 'Learner-centeredness creates a learning environment that promotes the highest levels of motivation and achievement for all learners' (Kassem, 2018: 850). A teacher can make of use of the collaborative and cooperative approaches to learning. Collaborative learning is when learners work in group projects, discussion and presentation, learn - it is learning by doing (Snyder & Snyder, 2008). It can also be used to develop skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and communication.

Theory behind learner-centred approach

Constructivism

'Constructivism is a notion based on the belief that during the teaching and learning process learners construct their own knowledge and meaning through active learning and mental processes of development' (Maphalala, 2016: 44). From this definition one can highlight the following terms; construct meaning, active learning and mental process. They clearly outline the activities of the learner during the lesson. This is asserting that classroom instruction will be learner centred and actively involve learners in the learning process (Maphalala, 2016). It is about generating knowledge without the teacher telling the learner what to do or by explaining concepts. This theory asserts that learners can construct knowledge and learn through social interactions with their peers but they must engage in an authentic task and have meaningful conversation about the task or topic (Reigeluth et al., 2017). Group work and discussion can facilitate this process and put this theory into practice. For instance, if you give learner a topic from Business Studies that is about contemporary socio-economic issues. Learners can discuss, HIV/Aids, unemployment, poverty and crime, etc. A learner must find resources in order to show that he/she is willing to learn. How learners respond to the work given shall give an indication of their willingness to learn. The teacher is expected to encourage critical thinking and to enable learners to explore and exchange information. A teacher can ask learners to design a poster with pictures that depict a particular topic on small, medium and large businesses, for instance. The teacher's role according to this theory is to provide guidance while learners are analysing, manipulating knowledge, as well as to assess learners learning in the context of teaching.

Learner-centred pedagogy

Learner-centred pedagogy is a view about the world, about the kind of people and the type of society we want to create through education, where education is seen as a commodity for the market (Carney, 2008). 'Learner-centred pedagogy (LCP) has become a global pedagogy or "best practice"' (Schweisfurth, 2011: 426). Every teacher is expected to apply this teaching style because learners become equal participants of the lesson. Countries like Namibia use LCP to improve access to equity, quality and democracy to education in schools (Nzabalirwa et al., 2019). In Rwanda after the genocide, work was done on reforming, evaluating and improving the education system including delivery. The new curriculum called 'competency-based' was introduced which explicitly promoted LCP as the preferred pedagogy.

This competency-based education focuses on the application of knowledge rather than on the definition of the content (Nzabalirwa et al. 2019). 'Learner-centred is understood as an approach that addresses learners' individual needs and background with active teaching methods that encourages learners to construct knowledge individually or in groups' (Nzabalirwa et al., 2019: 68). It is based on the learning theory called 'constructivism'. Constructivism within a learner-centred approach becomes a guiding philosophy that assumes that knowledge emerges through interactions, enabling learners to create new knowledge that interacts with their prior knowledge and experiences. A teacher is only tasked with steering the lesson in a particular direction but more especially creates the condition for learners to discover knowledge and interpret it (construct knowledge in the process). Classes become more participative through group discussion. This can also be said to for enquiry which can also be individual exercises.

Teaching and learning entrepreneurship in Business Studies

'Entrepreneurship is the ability to create and build something' (Kirby, 2004: 511). The primary aim is to satisfy needs in order to make profit. This chapter is taught from grades 10 to 12 in Business Studies, aiming to encourage learners to be entrepreneurs rather than workers. Somehow, teaching about the business environment, principles and management actually trains learners to be employees rather than employers. When you analyse the content structure for Business Studies from grades 10 to 12 the focus is on environments, principles management and challenges. The process of learning must enable the learner to develop their right brain rather than be taught about business and its environment (Kirby, 2004). Teaching should focus on developing learners' skills, attributes and behaviour of successful entrepreneurs. Teaching the content is important but there is no guarantee that it will per se equip the learner to meet the challenges of entrepreneurship. Therefore, teaching must develop a way of thinking and behaving that enhances entrepreneurial capabilities and equips learners to meet the challenges of business (Kirby, 2004). This suggests a move from the narrow paradigm whereby the content and teaching process must equip the learner to thrive in the business world. Teachers must adopt an approach to learning that gives learners ownership of their learning which includes negotiating objectives, involves learners in problem-solving real business world situations and encourages learners to formulate decision on given information (Kirby, 2004). Creative thinking and problem solving are a prominent feature of every topic; encouraging teachers to develop the skills to teach and use these tools. Learners must ask questions that can help to critically analyse information given, could be the project or a case study.

Teaching creative thinking and problem solving in Business Studies Grades 10 to 12.

The following are topics that grades 10, 11 and 12 Business Studies learners should learn as part of the syllabus for the subject. 'Creative thinking - process of putting facts, concepts, and principles together in new and original ways' (Bounds et al., 2012: 94). Creative thinking is essential for any business person as it makes a good contribution towards business success. Preparing skilled employees through Business Studies involves teaching creative thinking and problem-solving skills but the main challenge is to engage learners in the teaching process. Instructional methods and activities are the solution for the problem of engaging learners in the process of learning creative thinking and problem-solving strategies. Snyder and Snyder (2008) argue that these topics encourage and train learners to be problems solvers whereby during the lesson they are actively involved in the process. Therefore, the learner must be actively involved in the process and develop the capacity to conceptualise, analyse and apply the information at hand. Teaching these skills involves teaching the learner how to think while acknowledging that the content is important and that the process of learning is equally important.

Teachers' roles and responsibilities in the teaching and learning process of creative thinking include: design questions for discussion, identify case studies, design instructional material such as scenarios presenting problems, debate, guide learners towards a particular source of information rather than teaching the concepts (Snyder & Snyder, 2008). The next quote outlines how learners are included in the lesson with a clear intention of ensuring that they become users of information through questions. 'Modelling can be demonstrated in a discussion setting by asking a question and "walking students through" the process of critically thinking' (Snyder & Snyder, 2008: 90).

The main aim is to ensure that learners learn heuristically, where teachers let learners learn and discover information on their own. There are challenges with letting learners experiment, explore and analyse on their own; for instance, focusing on test scores because it detracts from the learning process and places the emphasis on the content which is rote learning (Snyder & Snyder, 2008). Another challenge is time constraints with a great deal of content to cover within a short time. This makes it difficult for teachers to focus on teaching methods and approaches that involves learners.

Concepts

Kirby (2004) proposes changes to the content which must include the following concepts in the subject Business Studies; oral presentation, application of knowledge learnt through oral presentation, group discussion, project-based learning methods, case studies, business games and simulations.

Oral presentation

Communication skills and interpersonal skills are being nurtured and tested through this teaching and assessment method. 'Oral presentation skills are essential for employability and true academic study as they lead learners to enter into debate and sustained reasoning' (Morley, 2006: 412). Business studies learners will be expected to use their communication skills when they interact with different people in the real business world. Communication skills are very important in each and every level of the business, e.g. an employee interacting with a customer, communication skills will be required to convince the customer to buy. Teaching learners to design effective oral presentations presupposes two goals, namely, enabling learners to function successfully in the future professional surrounding, and, preparing them for their possible further academic career (Zivkovic, 2014). This skill is embedded within the school and university curriculum (more especially for training teachers), which also improves language usage. Learners must learn the skills of presenting business reports which are the key to decision making in a business (Chanderdeo et al., 2016). Through this topic in Business Studies, grade 10 learners develop support materials (charts, graphs, handouts) for the presentation, learn how to prepare for the verbal presentation and use audio-visual aids.

Learners must be trained on how to present and analyse content, but oral presentation learning will help them understand how to prepare, organise, and deliver information successfully (Zivkovic, 2014). Therefore, learning how to present will help the teacher to know how to teach oral presentation and nurture the communication skill of learners which is important for their future academic and work life. Hedge (2000) argues that teachers must offer learners many opportunities in order to improve their communication skill that will help them communicate their needs, ideas and opinions. This is achieved through presentation.

Application of knowledge learnt through oral presentation.

Why is oral presentation regarded as the learner-centred approach? It is because learners are involved in their own learning process as active participants; they are engaged in real-world experience, and they build creative and critical thinking and problem-solving skills as important characteristics for success in the 21st century (Zivkovic, 2014). The learners create an oral presentation with visual aids, following the guidelines of the presentation. They can also use handouts, pictures, charts. The main aspect of presentation is how they will handle questions and negative feedback. Zivkovic (2014) outlined the following benefits of oral presentation:

• Learn communication skills especial in marketing

• Improve language usage

• Improve interaction between learners

• Help learners to collect, inquire, organise and construct information

• Enhance team work

• Help learners become active and autonomous learners.

Group discussion

Teachers give learners a topic to discuss and present in class and that is why Zivkovic (2014) stated that the mastery of the subject topic and the good will to interact with others would allow them to actually, enjoy sharing their knowledge in a constructive way both for their audience and for themselves with structured planning and organisation. In Business Studies, learners can be given different topics for discussion in groups, which they can debate in teams or prepare for the presentation as a group. They are also advised to use visual aids as we know that there are two types of presentation (verbal and non-verbal). They can combine the chart, handouts with their oral presentation.

Project based learning methods

This method is a unit which involves various types of selected activities. The project is completed in a social environment and through co-operation, and by performing objective based activities. 'Individual or cooperative work that combines investigating the topic and present information in written form using photos, pictures, diagrams, etc.' (Isman et al., 2011: 8). One of the formal assessment activities prescribed by CAPS for Business Studies grades 10, 11 and 12 is a project, where learners are expected to go out to the local business and investigate how they conduct their businesses. Normally learners are given this task during the winter holidays to complete and submit it when schools are opening in mid-July. The project for Business Studies is learner centred because the learner is expected to reproduce knowledge. During this process they develop research skills, discover new knowledge, have exposure to the 'real world' environment and develop confidence as well as independence (Isman et al, 2011). They further argue that it is authentic because learning takes place when the learner plans, implements and evaluates projects that have real world application beyond the classroom. Snyder and Snyder (2008) call it 'work-based learning' where learners learn through hands-on activities that require critical thinking and apply knowledge on a specific task. The learners themselves select the real business to study and on which to collect information. This method is based on two principles, self-study and learning by doing, the learner realises the dignity of labour since they themselves work. Jagtap (2015) capture this method correctly by acknowledging that the attitude for cooperative work is developed. Learners learn through doing. It develops the habit of accurate observation. Scientific thinking for problem-solving is developed. It also develops constructive and creative thinking. The teacher can facilitate learning content for the learner through the project based learning method in order to help learners understand the content on their own.

Case studies

Case studies in business studies

Case studies are stories that present realistic, complex, and contextually rich situations and often involve a dilemma, conflict, or problem that one or more of the characters in the case must negotiate (Beckisheva et al., 2015). The peculiarity of this active method of teaching is that it develops practical and critical thinking as well as assists the learners not only to memorise and render the material which was given by the teacher but also involves them in the process of active thinking and practice. Snyder and Snyder (2008) argue that case studies teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Learners practice identifying the parameters of a problem, recognising and articulating positions, evaluating courses of action, and arguing different points of view with the case study (Beckisheva et al., 2015). In business studies, a case study could be, for example, about the success of a particular business in a community.

The main characteristic of a case study is that the scenarios apply the concepts learned in the classroom in the 'real life' situation which are presented in narrative form, and often include problem solving, links to some course readings or raw materials, and discussions by groups of learners or the whole class. Case studies serves as a vehicle for real information brought into the classroom to be explored by the teacher and the learner (Herriet, 2014 cited by Beckisheva et al., 2015). This information can be more helpful if it is presented sequentially so that the learners are able to analyse or criticise the situation or the problem.

Six steps to be followed when using the case study in class

1. Give the group enough time to read and think about the case.

2. Introduce the case and give some instruction for how to approach it, how you want learners to consider this problem.

3. Form groups and monitor them to be convinced that all the learners are involved in discussion.

4. Make groups present their solutions.

5. Ask questions for clarification and to move discussion to another level.

6. Synthesise issues raised.

Business games and simulations

Active learning is a process through which the educator and learners engage in a frank and open learning environment (Farashahi & Tajeddin, 2018). Through simulations learners get to experiment learned knowledge, as well as to communicate and reinforce understanding of the concepts (Jameson, 1993). Simulation is the learning process through which the learner is the main player while the teacher is the provider of content. Learners are provided with an opportunity to experience the outcome of their decisions. The teacher is expected to spend time helping learners understand how to apply acquired knowledge (Jameson, 1993). The success of the game depends on the preliminary planning by the teacher. Learners integrate what they have learned, address complex problems, and get actively involved in the process of making decisions and experiencing consequences of their decisions. A good example for this narrative is a market day at school, where learners will design posters to advertise, place orders and sell different products for a day. Games can be used, such as 'Ba Fa Ba Fa' where learners from different cultural groups are grouped together and given a task to present ideas through a cocktail party. This game offers good opportunities for communication and creativity (Jameson, 1993). Diversity will offer different cultural backgrounds and set a stage for discussion and sharing of different ways of doing things. Learners will be able to learn with their feelings and their intellect as they use their cultures (Jameson, 1993). By putting this game into practice, a teacher can have each sector of the business represented and have class discussion about the way forward in a cocktail party simulation.

Document analysis

According to the CAPS document (2013), the national curriculum statement grade R-12 is based on a number of principles but for the purpose of this article one principle has been identified to provide the basis for a learner-centred approach. 'Active and critical learning: encouraging an active and critical approach to learning, rather than rote and uncritical learning give truths' (CAPS, 2013: 4). Learners should be taught and learn to question and analyse given facts (content) and be active during the lesson. The CAPS document outlines the aims of the national curriculum statement grade R-12; which are to produce learners that are able to

identify and solve problems an make decision using critical and creative thinking; work effectively as individuals and with others as members of a team; organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively; collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information (CAPS 2013: 4-5).

Problem solving and creative thinking is a prominent feature in Business Studies. Learners are expected to use creative thinking to solve problems, work in groups and take responsibility of their learning. Learners must take the initiative to discover knowledge and to analyse it; teaching them to be independent and become effective.

After analysing lesson plans for Business Studies designed by subject-advisors, one can clearly differentiate the roles of the teacher and learners for every lesson. Each step of the lesson has clear activities for the teacher and learners. These activities are determined and linked with learning goals, as well as designed to help learners achieve desired outcomes. The table below adapted from the Department of Education, Eastern Cape Lesson Plan Business Studies 2009 outlines the activities of the teacher and learners that will be done during the lesson. This clearly shows how the teachers plan to incorporate learners in the lesson and make sure that they have work to do from the beginning to the end.

 

 

DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Themes

The following themes are derived from a thorough literature review, document analysis and the experience of the author.

A teacher as a facilitator

Teachers are no longer expected to stand in front and talk while learners listen and take notes, after which they give learners assessment activities. With the term 'facilitator' famously used to describe a teacher, we can intertwine with a learner-centred approach of teaching because the teacher is only expected to provide opportunities for learners to explore, discover, engage and interpret information with given resources and favourable environment. The role of teacher is changing in smart and active learning methodologies; the teacher is a facilitator in learning (Jagtap, 2015). With the growth of technology in South Africa and communities are developing so the teachers' roles need to be developed in order to meet the expectations of the economy, community, politics and education.

A learner as knowledge constructor

Constructivism theory allows the learner to discover, to interpret but more especially construct knowledge. The learner-centred approach of teaching democratises learning (education), and facilitates the creation of knowledge through group discussion and enquiry. This process of learning is called 'discovery learning'. A learner can do this individually and/or in group.

Group discussions

A teacher can give learners a topic to discuss in groups, where a teacher uses cooperative learning. Learner Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD), jigsaw and group investigation are techniques used to divide learners into groups. Jagtap (2015) argues that this is an active learning classroom method whereby teachers provide active learning opportunities such as exciting experiments in groups. Learners doing Business Studies can be given a task to visit a business and to conduct research and write a report on this business. This task is part of the requirements by the CAPS document as a formal assessment task. A teacher can also ask learners to debate a particular topic in class. There are contesting topics in the curriculum of Business Studies such as management and leadership styles and theories, professionalism and ethics and citizenship roles and responsibilities.

Learner as a teacher

A teacher will give one or two learners a topic a day before the lesson to explain to other learners and facilitate learning by providing and illustrating examples. They can ask other learners a question or vice versa. The learner answers the question but the teacher can also come in and further explain the points (content). Learners enjoy this opportunity of becoming knowledge producers and analysts. Learners get easily bored when the teacher applies the lecture method every lesson.

Learner as a designer of teaching and learning aids

A teacher can ask learners to choose a topic from the book and design a chart with a mind-map with the use of pictures. Pictures must be relevant to or explain the chosen topic. The chart must summarise the whole topic without being explained. Most of the teachers will ask learners to design a poster for the market day at school.

ICT as an aid to teaching and learning

Historically, school was a place to teach and learn; whereby the teacher facilitates learning through books. The availability of books allowed the learner to take responsibility for his or her learning at a school and/or home but information and communication technology (ICT) makes it more convenient for the learner to learn anywhere at his or her convenience (Moursund, 2015). It has become a pedagogy and tool for discovering, translating and exploring knowledge for both teachers and learners. ICT as curriculum content has an impact on other disciplines such as languages, arts, maths and social sciences. It is therefore important because learners gain so many skills when doing or using presentation media (Moursund, 2015). Computers with internet connections are becoming household items, therefore as teachers we need to embrace that and use it to our advantage in ensuring that learners learn. More and more learners are being exposed to gadgets and the internet. Learner-centred approaches encourage the exploitation of the opportunities that are provided by ICT and the Internet. A teacher can use technology and create instructional videos and interactive lessons. According to Jagodič and Dermol (2015), learners can use some of the following tools in order to learn a subject such as Business Studies which are used in private and religious independent schools, such as computers, internet connections, interactive whiteboard and software. These tools offer learners an opportunity to search information on their own. The internet as a software is used to search information. The interactive whiteboard can be used to present information, supporting oral presentation. Van Wyk (2015) argues that the effectiveness of ICT in teaching and learning depends on the access to the above-mentioned tools, and/or the advantage of the internet is that it is accessible anywhere ay anytime. Business people use ICT to run the business; therefore, learners must learn how to use these tools in school in the way of preparing them for future jobs. 'Computer use during lessons motivates learners to continue using this means of learning outside school hours' (Van Wyk, 2015: 82). It encourages learners to learn independently and become responsible for the school work. Examples of this are discovery and research learning, whereby they use the internet and learn more about a topic.

 

CONCLUSION

This paper has identified project-based learning, discussion, simulations, learner as a teacher, oral presentation, the use of ICT in a learner-centred approach that teachers can use to involve learners actively in Business Studies. Analysis of why and how to use the above-mentioned instructional methods has been done in terms of how to teach certain topics in Business Studies. Document analysis provided a clear outline of teacher and learner activities done during every lesson. Gray (2010) argues that communication skills must be transferred from the classroom to the workplace. One could ask how the teacher can do this? A field trip or excursion is a good example where the teacher organises with different companies to allow learners to do a research project. Learners can visit the companies and shadow the managers for a day. Learning through a project can be very helpful if teachers can design it correctly and ensure that learners understand what is expected of them when they go out and collect information about a particular topic. Teacher must perceive learners as users of information rather than receivers of information. The success of this proposal of perceiving learners as users of information depends on teachers adopting instructional methods that involve the learners evaluating and applying information.

 

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Date of submission 14 May 2019
Date of review outcome 15 August 2019
Date of acceptance 6 March 2020