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The teaching of information communication in Namibian schools

Tonderayi Wilfred Chanakira (SAPES Trust, Harare, Zimbabwe)

Information and Learning Sciences

ISSN: 2398-5348

Article publication date: 18 May 2018

Issue publication date: 20 September 2018

182

Abstract

Purpose

The study is a survey covering the Ohangwena, Khomas and Otjozondjupa regions highlighting developments in the teaching of information literacy in Namibian schools through the subject Basic Information Science (BIS). This paper aims to provide an update on previous related studies which have been conducted in Namibia led by Nengomasha et al. (2012), Namibia Library Council (NLIC) Report (2007) and Smith et al.’s Baseline Study (2008).

Design/methodology/approach

The main objective of this study is to find reasons for non-compliance in the effective teaching of BIS in Namibian schools focus sing on the three regions. The data collection methods were questionnaires and focus group discussions.

Findings

A major finding from the study is that 80 per cent school principals are supporting the teaching of the subject BIS in the Ohangwena region, while 20 per cent are non-compliant in the teaching of BIS. The compliance levels in the Otjozondjupa region is that 75 per cent school principals support the teaching of BIS whilst 25 per cent school principals are non-compliant. In total, 60 teachers were randomly sampled in the Otjozondjupa region, while 75 school principals out of a population of 157 were also randomly sampled in the Ohangwena region. In the Khomas (100) region, 52 school principals were randomly sampled out of a population of a 108. The study recommends that it is critical for school principals in Namibia to fully support the development of young learners to be critical thinkers for lifelong learning challenges through the teaching of information literacy.

Originality/value

This study is original.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This paper forms part of a special section “Contemporary issues in information management: an African context”, guest edited by Cathrine Nengomasha.

Citation

Wilfred Chanakira, T. (2018), "The teaching of information communication in Namibian schools", Information and Learning Sciences, Vol. 119 No. 7/8, pp. 389-402. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-03-2018-0022

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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