Diverse educational contexts and research on metacognition and motivation to enhance self-directed learning

Alviné Petzer is an accounting lecturer at the North-West University, South Africa, where she also leads the Economic Management Sciences (EMS) subject group in the School for Commerce and Social Studies. Her educational journey began with a BCom degree in 1996 and a Higher Education Diploma in 1997 from the former Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education. Further enhancing her qualifications, she earned a BEd Honours in 2007, an MEd in Teaching and Learning in 2010 and a PhD in 2019, all from North-West University. With a combined experience of 19 years in higher education and eight years teaching in the Senior and FET phases, she focuses on teaching accounting. Her research currently centres on enhancing teaching and learning strategies in accounting education, aiming to foster cognitive development in both learners and aspiring teachers.

Bernadette Geduld is an associate professor at North-West University (NWU). As a curriculum studies lecturer with an interest in self-regulated learning, she found her research home in the unit for self-directed learning (SDL) at the North-West University where she is an active member and a sub-area leader for the sub-area cognition and metacognition for self-directed learning. She serves on the Scientific and Executive Committees of the Research Unit Self-Directed Learning. Her research interests are the development of self-regulated learning, metacognition and self-directed learning in school environments and in open distance learning contexts. She has published at national and international levels and presented papers at national and international conferences. She acts as a supervisor for postgraduate students. She is a C2 National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated researcher.

Byron Bunt is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education of the NWU, South Africa, and is part of the Research Unit Self-Directed Learning. He is the subject leader for History Education. His research niche encompasses cognitive education and game-based learning (GBL), specifically focusing on developing students’ creative and critical thinking via gamification approaches. He has published in the fields of History Education and GBL. He is the author of several chapters in scholarly books and articles in renowned academic journals. In addition, he has begun a project involving a self-developed trading card game called ‘Dogs of War’, which will be used within his history classroom to develop his students’ SDL abilities. Another research project focuses on using open educational resources (OERs) and games to develop board and card games in the history class, eventually culminating in uploading them as OERs to an online repository. He also completed a project that used a mobile gaming app called ‘Habitica’, which involved an intervention where students had to role-play in the history classroom to form habits of mind.

Christine-Marie van der Westhuizen is a seasoned educator and curriculum manager with over 15 years of dedicated service in the intermediate phase classroom. Currently, she is serving as the curriculum manager for Afrikaans and Social Sciences at Curro Head Office. Her journey in education reached a significant milestone with the completion of her master’s degree in Curriculum Management, providing her with a comprehensive understanding of curriculum design and implementation. Over the past three years at Curro, she has been instrumental in shaping and refining the educational landscape, ensuring a dynamic and enriching learning experience for intermediate phase and Grade 7 teachers. Her commitment extends beyond the confines of administrative roles as she actively engages with the teaching community through SACE-accredited workshops offering insights and best practices. Regular classroom visits allow her to connect with educators on a personal level, fostering a collaborative environment where ideas and innovations thrive. Day-to-day interactions involve working closely with teachers and providing support and guidance to enhance their professional development.

Corné Kruger is an associate professor in the School of Psycho-Social Education of the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus). Working in the Early Childhood Education subject group, she specialises in mathematics and work-integrated learning in Foundation Phase teacher education programmes. Central to her teaching theory is developmentally appropriate mathematics teaching in the early years. She supervises master’s and doctoral students working in the field of mathematics and self-directed learning with focus on collaborative learning and metacognition. Her research projects also investigate ways to empower teachers as critical reflective professionals and active participants in communities of practice. She has published several articles and book chapters in accredited peer-reviewed publications and delivered numerous papers at national and international conferences.

Divan Jagals is a senior lecturer in the field of Curriculum Studies, Philosophy and Research Methodology in the School of Professional Studies in Education at the Potchefstroom campus of the North-West University. He has 16 years of educational experience in both secondary and tertiary education, in contact, blended and distance education contexts. He is also an editorial board member of a number of international journals, and he is the recipient of several research grants for national and international research projects. The most recent project involvements include the facilitation of metacognitive awareness through a personalised and adaptive online learning platform using adaptive prompts to promote self-directed learning, as well as a project set towards developing a self-transcendent philosophy of self-directed learning. He was also selected as one of three research fellows to complete a 4-month research fellowship under the guidance of the UNESCO Chair for Personalised and Adaptive Distance Education at the Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences. He has published research on worldviews and their connection with the affective domain through metacognitive awareness in several national and international research journals and (co-)-authored numerous academic book chapters and presented research findings on metacognition, philosophy and self-directed learning at various national and international conferences. He acts as a supervisor for postgraduate students who conduct research in the field of self-directed learning and metacognition. He holds a Doctorate in Mathematics Education, and his research interests include the facilitation of metacognitive awareness to understand and promote self-directed learning.

Professor Dorothy Laubscher is an associate professor in the Research Unit Self-Directed Learning in the Faculty of Education at the North-West University. She has been working in the field of teacher education for the past 15 years and has experience in teaching various Mathematics Education modules. Her research interests include Mathematics Education, technology-enhanced learning, self-directed learning, open educational resources, and blended and multimodal learning environments to foster self-directed learning. She is involved in various projects that explore technology-supported and multimodal learning to promote self-directed learning. She acts as a supervisor for postgraduate students and has published on national and international levels. She serves as the chairholder for the UNESCO Chair on Multimodal Learning and Open Educational Resources at the North-West University.

Gideon P van Tonder, an associate professor at North-West University, South Africa, is renowned for his work in the Self-Directed Professional Development of Teachers. He is part of the Research Unit for Self-Directed Learning at the university’s Faculty of Education. His significant academic contributions include numerous papers in international education journals, focusing on education management, critical thinking, metacognition and teacher professional development. Since 2015, he has authored various book chapters for publishers like Van Schaik and AOSIS. His initiatives at the North-West University include projects enhancing research capabilities among staff and developing SDL skills in pre-service teachers using innovative teaching strategies. He is also deeply invested in community projects, which aim to integrate entrepreneurship education across all subjects and school phases in South Africa by 2030. His excellence in teaching was recognised in 2019 when he received both the NWU Teaching Excellence Award and the Distinguished Teaching Excellence Award across the university’s faculties.

Lance Bunt, a lecturer in Computer Science and Information Systems at North-West University, South Africa, specialises in game-based learning (GBL). He holds a PhD in the field, backed by a series of degrees from the same university: a BA in Communications (2013), an Honours in Communication and Media Studies (2014) and an MSc in IT (2020). His research delves into Serious Game Design, focusing on ludic theory in higher education, instructional technology and systems engineering. Hismaster’s thesis provided critical insights into serious game production in higher education, while his doctoral thesis, ‘A stakeholder-centred framework for the design of serious games’, proposed a new system for serious game development, blending stakeholder theory with game mechanics and enterprise architecture. He is currently leading projects such as ‘Dogs of War’ and ‘CiteSaga’, which emphasise the role of serious games in educational settings. His contributions significantly enhance pedagogical methods, leveraging interactive and engaging game-based approaches to learning.

Lineke Potgieter earned her master’s degree in Curriculum Studies from North-West University in 2018, specialising in the development of mathematics teaching strategies within the Foundation Phase. The research aim of her study was to develop meaningful strategies to support problem-centred learning in mathematics in Grade 2 by way of action research. The title for Lineke’s master’s dissertation is ‘Die ontwikkeling vanonderrigstrategieë vir probleemgesentreerde leer van wiskunde in Graad 2’. During the period spanning from 2016 to 2023, she actively contributed to the NWU SETH (Science, Engineering, Technology & Health) Academy, assuming a pivotal role in the design and development of the SETH Academy’s programme. This programme was meticulously crafted with the overarching goal of giving high school students exposure to careers within the SETH domains, while concurrently providing comprehensive enrichment in the domains of mathematics and reading. She manifests a fervent commitment to the field of early childhood development, with a particular emphasis on fostering the holistic growth and the well-rounded development of children.

Professor Kloppers completed her BSc, HOD, BEd Honours, master’s and PhD studies at North-West University. She has 20 years of teaching experience in the secondary education sector, which awarded her valuable skills and knowledge which she can now apply as senior lecturer in professional teacher education. She taught Mathematics, Computer Applications Technology and Computer Typing at the school level. She joined the North-West University in 2006. She is an associate professor and Deputy School Director in the School of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in the Faculty of Education at the Vanderbijlpark Campus of the North-West University. In the school, she has been lecturing on Information Technology and Mathematics for BEd undergraduate students and on Curriculum Studies and Research Methodology for BEd Honours programme students. She is a member of the Research Unit for Self-Directed Learning. She has presented papers at various national and international conferences. She is a member of Institute for the Advancement of Cognitive Education (IACE) and a life-long member of the Institute for the Advancement of Vedic Mathematics (IAVM). She has published articles in national and international journals. She is known by her academic peers in other Higher Education Institutes as an expert in critical thinking, critical thinking dispositions, self-directed learning and mathematics. She is working on several research projects approved by the Research Unit for Self-Directed Learning and Research outside of Entities (ROE). She has supervised several postgraduate students.

Marietjie Havenga is a professor in the School of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education and the Research Unit for Self-Directed Learning in the Faculty of Education, NWU. Her research interests include problem-based and project-organised learning to enhance students’ SDL, specifically regarding computer science education, ER and engineering education. She is an NRF C-rated researcher who has received an NRF project grant. She has published in various national and international journals, conference proceedings and chapters in scholarly books. She is involved at the undergraduate level and supervises postgraduate students.

Mariliza Pieters started her teaching career in 2011 as a Foundation Phase (Grade 1) teacher at a primary school in South Africa. Since then, she has also taught in the Intermediate and Senior Phases of this school. In 2016, she was promoted as the head of the department. Her duties entail the academic-related matters of the school. She is currently teaching Mathematics and Economic Management Sciences (EMS). She obtained her PhD in Mathematics Education in 2023 and was promoted as Deputy Principal in the same year. The focus of her thesis was on the development of algebraic thinking through mathematical language and metacognitive strategies. She is passionate about mathematics teaching and learning and dedicated to developing self-directed and life-long learners.

Marisa (MC) Verster is currently a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Education, North-West University. Her main research focus is on curriculum studies, self-directed learning and teachers’ professional development. She completed her PhD in 2020, which focused on enhancing teachers’ curriculum as praxis from a self-directed learning capability approach. She has presented papers and published at the national and international levels, and she also acts as a supervisor for postgraduate students. She is participating in research projects and contributing to community service.

Prof. Mary Grosser is an extraordinary professor at North-West University, Vanderbijlpark Campus, in the Optentia Research Focus Area. Her research interest centres on teaching that optimises cognitive development and critical thinking development among students at school. She has supervised 15 master’s and 15 doctorate students, delivered several papers at national and international conferences, published in national and international peer-reviewed journals, authored five chapters for textbooks and edited a publication that focuses on the development of critical thinking. She headed an NRF-funded project entitled ‘Improving the critical thinking abilities of prospective teachers (2010–2013)’, as well as the Schools as Thinking Communities Project (2012–2016) at her university. She currently works together with Prof. Mirna Nel, who heads the sub-programme Inclusion, Capability and Optimal Functioning in the Optentia Research Focus Area (NWU), on a research project entitled ‘Developing Advanced Performers for the 21st century (2017–)’. She serves as an Advisory Board member for a newly established non-profit organisation, Institute for the Advancement of Cognitive Education.

Michael Stack is a lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences and Commerce Education at the University of the Free State, South Africa. He holds an MA in Historical Studies and an MEd in Curriculum Studies, both obtained from Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch. He completed a BA in History and Music and a BA Honours in History at the University of Cape Town, Cape Town. He holds a PGCE from Stellenbosch University in History and Music. He was a recipient of the Harry Crossley bursary awarded by the Harry Crossley Foundation through Stellenbosch University during his MA studies. He also received the Mellon Merit Bursary during his BA Honours Studies. His research interests include history education, digital game-based learning (GBL), ICT integration in education, military history, wars of decolonisation, film and history, digital games and history. He is on the executive committee of the South African Society for History Teaching. He has recently published two articles and supervised two honours students for 2023.

Nicolaas van Deventer is a lecturer in the History for Education within the Faculty of Education at North-West University. He is also a member of the Research Unit Self-Directed Learning (SDL). He has achieved academic distinction at North-West University, earning a Master of Education (MEd) in Curriculum Studies, a Bachelor of Education Honours (BEd Honours) in Curriculum Studies and a Bachelor of Education (BEd) in Senior and Further Education and Training (FET). His research primarily focuses on self-directed learning and historical thinking. Contributing to the academic community, he has co-authored several articles and book chapters centred on self-directed learning. Additionally, he plays a key role in various research initiatives to develop SDL skills among pre-service teachers, employing innovative and effective teaching strategies.

Sylvia Kashango is an experienced and passionate senior teacher for Mathematics Grades 4–9, Natural Science and Health Education Grades 4–7, as well as Elementary Agriculture Grades 5–7 in Oshakati, Namibia. She has worked in the Senior Primary and Junior Secondary Phase in the Ministry of Education, Namibia. She completed an MEd degree in Mathematics Education at the North-West University, South Africa. The aim of her study was to investigate Grade 7 mathematics learners’ self-directed learning through problem-based tasks. The findings of her study showed that after implementing PBL tasks, learners developed certain skills that are essential for self-directed learning. Her research focuses on metacognitive thinking in problem-based learning tasks.

Tertia Jordaan holds a PhD in Mathematics Education from the North-West University, Potchefstroom. Her study aimed to determine how the mathematical competence and study orientation in mathematics of secondary school learners can be enhanced in a problem-solving learning context. Her study yielded guidelines to enhance both these aspects, thereby generating theoretical knowledge to the body of scholarship. She is a senior lecturer in Mathematics Education in the Faculty of Education at the North-West University, South Africa, and she has 26 years of teaching experience in the basic and higher education sectors. Her main responsibility includes lecturing and mentoring Bed Intermediate Phase (Intersen) teachers through contact and distance learning programmes. She is an active member of the sub-area cooperative and problem-based learning to enhance self-directed learning. Her research interests include mathematics education, self-directed learning, problem-based learning, game-based learning (GBL) and metacognition. She is a supervisor for postgraduate students and has published her work internationally. She is known by her academic peers in other Higher Education Institutes as an expert in problem-based learning, self-directed learning and mathematics.

Vanishree Ragvan is a secondary school teacher at Stanger High School in KwaZulu-Natal. She obtained her BA degree (Psychology) from the University of Durban Westville. Her specialist subjects are Psychology, Social Sciences and English Home Language. She completed her Post Graduate Certificate in Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Edgewood College. Her teaching specialist subjects are English (Home language), English First Additional Language, Life Orientation and Social Sciences. Currently, she teaches geography to Grades 8–12 learners. She completed her master’s degree at North-West University. Her master’s study explored how quintile 4 and 5 secondary school teachers’ self-directed learning skills influenced the development of self-regulated learning in their learners. The purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of the factors that contribute to the poor performance of some schools in the KwaZulu-Natal province. She is enrolled in doctoral studies. Her research interests are the development of self-regulated learning, metacognition and self-directed learning through game-based learning (GBL) in school environments.