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Informing the facilitation of Mathematics in the senior phase using Herrmann’s Whole Brain® theory

Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019.

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Other Authors: Du Toit, Pieter Hertzog
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2020
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Du Toit, Pieter Hertzog
author_browse Du Toit, Pieter Hertzog
author_facet Du Toit, Pieter Hertzog
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2020 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019.
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:39:48.175Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2020
publishDateRange 2020
publishDateSort 2020
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/76774 Informing the facilitation of Mathematics in the senior phase using Herrmann’s Whole Brain® theory Du Toit, Pieter Hertzog ERANDEWIJK@PARKLANDS.CO.ZA Randewijk, Elmarie UCTD Herrmann’s Whole Brain® Theory Thinking preferences action research participatory action research Facilitating Mathematics Learning theories Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019. This research innovation reports on the application of Herrmann’s Whole Brain® theory in facilitating and assessing learning in Mathematics in the senior phase, Grades 7 - 9. It is a two-part interrelated initiative that seeks both to augment current Mathematics-specific educational theories to improve practice, as well as to reflect on ways that these theories impact on the teaching practice. The literature review synthesises existing educational theories in terms of Herrmann’s Whole Brain® model into a new proposed comprehensive Mathematics-specific Whole Brain® model. This synthesis of existing “good practices” in Mathematics education in terms of Herrmann’s Whole Brain® model, supports the need for a Whole Brain® approach to teaching Mathematics. Furthermore, it hopes to be a user-friendly model with which teachers can plan and facilitate learning and assessment opportunities in Mathematics. Data was collected on the thinking preferences of each Mathematics teacher participant, as well learners’ perception of their teachers’ thinking preferences. Both qualitative and quantitative data was used to report on the findings. Individual and collective reflective practices, situated in the framework of professional development and action research, were used to analyse and report on the findings. The reflective practice resulting from the initiative is in itself an outcome of the research, since “those teachers who are students of their own effects are the teachers who are the most influential in raising students’ achievement” (Hattie & Yates, 2014, p. 24). The degree to which the reflective process impacted on each participant’s practice appears to be dependent on each teacher’s level of professional development. Teacher participants engaging in post-graduate studies showed the ability to complement their “existing competencies with needed situational competencies” (Herrmann, 1996, p. 39), meaning that these teachers were not limited by their thinking preferences, but were able to employ lesser preferred preferences when needed. Each teacher participant’s unique set of thinking preferences was obtained using the Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI®). When each of these unique profiles were combined, they produced a compound Whole Brain® profile. This supported Herrmann’s (1990, p. 10) notion that every sizeable group would consist of a “composite whole brain”, but also showed that there is no specific set of thinking preferences unique to a Mathematics teacher. The learner questionnaires also indicated a reasonably balanced Whole Brain® profile amongst learners, supporting the need for a Whole Brain® approach to facilitating learning and assessing in Mathematics. The reflective cyclic process of theory informing practice and practice in turn informing theory is at the core of this research innovation. This cyclic process has become my living theory from which I hope to inspire others to engage in similar initiatives. Humanities Education PhD Unrestricted 2020-11-04T15:09:50Z 2020-11-04T15:09:50Z 20/05/08 2019 Thesis Randewijk, E 2019, Informing the facilitation of Mathematics in the senior phase using Herrmann’s Whole Brain® theory, PhD Thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/76774> A2020 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/76774 en © 2020 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Herrmann’s Whole Brain® Theory
Thinking preferences
action research
participatory action research
Facilitating Mathematics
Learning theories
Informing the facilitation of Mathematics in the senior phase using Herrmann’s Whole Brain® theory
title Informing the facilitation of Mathematics in the senior phase using Herrmann’s Whole Brain® theory
title_full Informing the facilitation of Mathematics in the senior phase using Herrmann’s Whole Brain® theory
title_fullStr Informing the facilitation of Mathematics in the senior phase using Herrmann’s Whole Brain® theory
title_full_unstemmed Informing the facilitation of Mathematics in the senior phase using Herrmann’s Whole Brain® theory
title_short Informing the facilitation of Mathematics in the senior phase using Herrmann’s Whole Brain® theory
title_sort informing the facilitation of mathematics in the senior phase using herrmann s whole brain r theory
topic UCTD
Herrmann’s Whole Brain® Theory
Thinking preferences
action research
participatory action research
Facilitating Mathematics
Learning theories
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/76774