Dr. Zintle Songqwaru
Contact details:
Phone:+27(46) 603 7472
Email:z.songqwaru@ru.ac.za
Qualifications: B.Ed[Hons] (RU), MEd (RU)
Bibliography
Zintle Songqwaru is a GreenMatter Fellow based at ELRC. She is the coordinator of a national teacher professional development programme called Fundisa for Change , which aims to strengthen transformative environmental learning in the South African school curriculum. This is done by training teachers and curriculum advisors on how to work with environmental and sustainability content knowledge in the teaching of the curriculum.
Research
Zintle’s research interest is in Teacher Professional Development. She is currently completing her doctoral study, which is focusing on surfacing assumptions that teacher development programme designers have when they conceptualise continuing professional teacher development programmes.
Teaching and learning
Zintle currently teaches in Fundisa for Change Teacher Education Programme course. She also co-supervises Masters’ students. She is also involved with supervising PGCE Intermediate Phase research projects and teachers Environment and Sustainability Education to PGCE Further Education and Training (FET) students.
Students
Zintle works with pre-service teachers completing their Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in the Intermediate and FET phases. She also supports the Masters in EE programme.
Publications
Book chapters:
1. Songqwaru, N.Z. & Shava, S. (in press). Strengthening teachers’ knowledge and practices through a biodiversity professional development programme. In H, B. Lotz-Sisitka, D. Wilmot, J. Lupele & O. Shumba (Eds.). Learning today for tomorrow: Education for sustainable development and schools in Africa. Springer
2. Tshiningayamwe, S.A.N. & Songqwaru, N.Z. (in press). Towards Professional Learning Communities: A review. In H, B. Lotz-Sisitka & D. Wilmot (Eds.). Learning today for tomorrow: Education for sustainable development and schools in Africa. Springer.
Dissertation:
Songqwaru, N.Z. (2012). Supporting environmental and sustainability knowledge on the grade 10 Life Sciences Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement context: A case study of the Fundisa for Change teacher education and development programme pilot project. Unpublished Master’s thesis. Grahamstown, Rhodes University.
Conference presentations:
1. Songqwaru, N.Z. (2014). Intervention that shows promise to improve classroom practice and pedagogy. Presented at the Education Association of South Africa (EASA) conference held from the 12th – 15th of January 2014 at the Golden Gate National Park Hotel, Free State.
2. Tshiningayamwe, S.A.N. & Songqwaru, N.Z. (2014). Fundisa for Change Programme – a Professional Learning Community. Presented at the EEASA conference held from the 9th – 12th of September 2014 in Windhoek, Namibia.