BTE2601 Assessment 2 - UNISA Study Guide

Administrative Information and Module Details

• Institution: University of South Africa (UNISA), Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies, College of Education.
• Module Code: BTE2601 (Assessment 2).
• Assessment Year: 2026.
• Total Marks: $50$.
• Requirement: Documents must include a fully completed and signed Student Declaration Form. Failure to do so results in the assignment being cancelled and returned unmarked.

Student Declaration and Academic Integrity Policy

• Core Emphasis: The Department emphasizes integrity and ethical behavior regarding all written work submitted for academic assessment.
• Plagiarism Definition:
  • Extracting information from a book, article, web page, or fellow student without acknowledging the source.
  • Submitting someone else's work as one's own.
  • Defined explicitly as "stealing someone else’s property."
• Prohibited Actions:
  • Using another student’s work.
  • Allowing another person to copy or use work with the intention of submitting it as their own.
• Consequences of Plagiarism:
  • Forfeiture of all credit for the work concerned.
  • Potential expulsion from the University as it is a serious violation of regulations.
• Specific Declarations Required by the Student:
  1. Understanding of what plagiarism entails and awareness of University policy.
  2. Declaration that the assignment is original work; all printed, internet, or other sources are properly acknowledged and included in a complete reference list.
  3. Confirmation that work from current or or previous students was not used.
  4. Commitment not to allow others to copy work for submission purposes.

Question 1: Pedagogy and Classroom Practice

1.1 Cartoon Analysis Sub-questions

• Pedagogical Identification (1.1.1): Identify the type of pedagogy practiced by the teacher in the provided cartoon. This must be written in English and one other language of choice (Total: $2$ marks).
• Observable Indicators (1.1.2): Describe two specific, observable actions from the cartoon that demonstrate the identified pedagogy (Total: $4$ marks).
• Emotional Well-being (1.1.3): Explain two distinct reasons why the identified pedagogy influences the emotional well-being of the learner (Total: $4$ marks).
• Academic Participation (1.1.4): Illustrate two reasons why the actions associated with this pedagogy might improve teacher-learner academic participation within the classroom setting (Total: $4$ marks).
• Practical Application (1.1.5): Briefly describe two additional actions a teacher can implement in class to ensure the identified pedagogy is sustained and carried through (Total: $4$ marks).

1.2 Case Study: Ms Dlamini’s Lesson

• Education and Social Issues (1.2.1): Briefly describe how the lesson facilitated by Ms Dlamini establishes a connection between education and real-life social issues (Total: $4$ marks).
• Learner-Centred Evidence (1.2.2): Provide three specific reasons, based on the provided picture, that indicate Ms Dlamini believes in and utilizes a learner-centred approach (Total: $3$ marks).

Question 2: Learning Theories and Psychology

2.1 Historical Perspectives in Psychology

• Pre-Cognitive Revolution Dominance: Before the Cognitive Revolution, the dominant approach in psychology was:
  • A. Humanism
  • B. Behaviourism
  • C. Structuralism
  • D. Functionalism
  • (Total: $1$ mark).

2.2 Operant Conditioning and Reinforcement (Sweets Scenario)

• Scenario: A teacher distributes sweets to learners whenever they complete classwork on time.
• Type Identification (2.2.a): Identify the specific type of reinforcement utilized in this scenario (Total: $2$ marks).
• Behavioural Influence (2.2.b): Support the answer by providing two reasons why this specific reinforcement influences learner behavior.
  • Language Note: In this specific question (2.2.b), the answer must be provided using any of the $11$ official South African languages of choice only (Total: $4$ marks).

2.3 Learning Theory Application (Clapping Scenario)

• Scenario: A teacher claps their hands before giving instructions. Over time, learners automatically become quiet upon hearing the clap.
• Theory Identification (2.3.a): Identify the learning theory illustrated by this automatic response scenario (Total: $2$ marks).
• Behavioural Rationale (2.3.b): Support the identification by giving two reasons how this reinforcement/stimulus influences the learner’s behavior (Total: $4$ marks).

2.4 Evaluation of Behaviourism

• Identify one specific strength and one specific weakness of the behaviourist approach as it applies to modern, 21st-century classrooms (Total: $4$ marks).

2.5 Integrated Teaching Strategies

• Suggest two methods through which teachers can effectively combine behaviourism with learner-centred teaching approaches specifically within South African classroom contexts (Total: $8$ marks).