TPS2601/101/0/2023

Tutorial Letter 101/0/2023

TEACHING PRACTICE

TPS2601
Year Module

Curriculum and Instructional Studies

This tutorial letter contains important information about TPS2601.

BARCODE
 CONTENTS
Page

1 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES ......................................................................................................6
2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................6
2.2 Outcomes......................................................................................................................................7
3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION ...........................................................................................8
4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS ...................................................................................8
4.1 Lecturer(s).....................................................................................................................................8
4.2 Department ...................................................................................................................................9
4.3 University ......................................................................................................................................9
5 RESOURCES ...............................................................................................................................9
5.1 Prescribed book(s) ........................................................................................................................9
5.2 Recommended book(s) .................................................................................................................9
5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)..................................................................................................10
6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ..............................................................................................11
6.1 The Unisa First-Year Experience Programme .............................................................................11
7 STUDY PLAN .............................................................................................................................12
8 PRACTICAL WORK ...................................................................................................................12
8.1 The Unisa First-Year Experience Programme .............................................................................12
8.2 How to undertake Teaching Practice ...........................................................................................13
8.3 School placement ........................................................................................................................14
9 ASSESSMENT ...........................................................................................................................14
9.1 Assessment criteria .....................................................................................................................14
9.2 Assessment plan .........................................................................................................................15
9.3 Assessment due dates ................................................................................................................15
9.4 Submission of assessments ........................................................................................................15
9.5 The assessments ........................................................................................................................17
9.5.1 Assignment 01 ............................................................................................................................17
9.5.2 Assignment 02 ............................................................................................................................19
9.6 Other assessment methods ........................................................................................................20
9.7 The examination..........................................................................................................................20
9.7.1 Invigilation/proctoring .................................................................................................................20
10 ACADEMIC DISHONESTY .........................................................................................................21
10.1 Plagiarism ...................................................................................................................................21

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10.2 Cheating......................................................................................................................................21
10.3 For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below: ......................................................21
11 STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES ..................................................................................22
12 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS .........................................................................................22
13 SOURCES CONSULTED ...........................................................................................................24
14 IN CLOSING ...............................................................................................................................24
15 ADDENDUM ...............................................................................................................................24

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Dear Student

1 INTRODUCTION
We are pleased to welcome you to the observation component of Teaching Practice, which
forms an important part of your professional development. Teaching Practice is the core of your
teacher education programmes. This exercise aims to improve your understanding of teaching
and learning in the Senior Phase and Further Education and Training. We shall do our best to
make your teaching practice experience interesting, rewarding, and successful. You will be well
on your way to success if you start making arrangement early in the year and resolve to
complete the assignments properly.
The TPS2601 is a blended module. This entails that it is not fully online. Although you have to
upload your assignments online, you will still be required to physically go to the school for
classroom observations.
As a student-teacher, you are an important person in the Unisa community. The lecturers and
students of this community are constantly learning and teaching to contribute to and develop
education in South Africa.
This module focuses on developing the practical skills and competencies that are expected from
a teacher in South Africa to fulfil your role as a teacher in the South African context.
Teaching practice is based on an age-old approach to apprenticeship – a way of learning from
knowledgeable and competent leaders in a community and practising skills under their watchful
guidance until you have mastered a skill or competence. This is reflected in the African culture
as well, through Mkabela- an African approach to education.
With this African approach to education, you observe what elders or senior members of
community do. You participate in activities but is not yet an experienced member of the
community. During your “apprenticeship” you will be learning about traditions, values and the
correct or best way to perform activities. At the end of your apprenticeship, you will be accepted
as a knowledgeable person into the community. The elders or senior members will still guide
you until you are competent enough to do things on your own. If you want to master a specific
skill or enter a specific career, you will observe an experienced person who will guide and lead
you. You will practice the skill until you can do it well enough to work on your own.
In the same way as aspiring teachers, you have the opportunity to go to schools and from part
of the school community. During this first practical teaching opportunity, you will observe
teaching 5 and learning within a unique context in a specific school. In your “apprenticeship”

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as a teacher, you will learn a lot from teachers and mentors in the school.
Activities in the assignment and portfolio are designed to support you to observe teaching and
learning through a specific lens that is unique to the South African context.
The following concepts are important when doing observation to contribute to your theoretical
knowledge of learning and teaching in South Africa, that is, Africanisation, Decolonisation, Ubuntu
and Indigenous Knowledge Systems. Use these concepts together with your theoretical knowledge
of current research gained in each module. When observing, reporting and reflecting in the portfolio
activities, these concepts and principles will enable you to critically reflect on learning and teaching
in the unique context in which you are teaching.

Unisa, as a comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CODeL), is moving towards

becoming an online institution. You will therefore see that all your study material, assessments and
engagements with your lecturer and fellow students will take place online. This tutorial letter is
intended to offer you some guidance in this regard.

2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES

2.1 Purpose

The purpose of this module is to support students in their initial teaching experiences – “the micro-
contexts of everyday life in classrooms” (Cohen, Morrison & Wyse 2010:1) – and proceeds from
the understanding that education is context-specific and context-dependent.

This module focuses on guided observation, helping students to observe practice and make
connections between what they have learnt, what they have observed and what they have
experienced. They may become involved in assisting the teacher under instruction. The
placement will require five weeks in a school and an “orientation to school teaching approach will
be followed.

Why is observation so important?

Observation is a significant tool for collecting data to assess teaching and learning in any context.
The activities in Assignment 50, the Practical Teaching Portfolio, which you will complete during
your teaching practice period, will develop your observation skills to analyse and improve your
own teaching.

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 What can you do with the skills?

Observation is a significant tool for collecting assessment data. It has the following benefits:

• It provides teachers with knowledge about learners in general.

• It gives general knowledge about particular learners.

• It gives the teacher specific knowledge about learners and their learning styles.

• It provides knowledge related to diagnostic or remediation routines.

• It checks learner’s understanding of the lesson.

• It checks teacher-learner interactions.

• Teachers can check the learner’s attention during the lesson.

• It checks the teacher’s pacing during the lesson.

• It helps to build relationships with learners, and a teacher can connect with learners.

• It helps the teacher to respect and appreciate learners.

• It helps the teacher to improve classroom practice.

• Through observation, teachers learn about learner’s interests, behaviour and thinking.

• It familiarises you with the teaching methods and strategies that the teacher is using.

• It provides an opportunity to develop education unique to the African context.

Why a portfolio as an assessment instrument?

The portfolio, which you will complete during your teaching practice period and submit as

Assignment 50 will demonstrate and give evidence that you have completed a successful
teaching practice period of 25 full school days in the Senior Phase (grade 7 to 9) and Further
Education and Training Phase (grade 10 to 12).

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Teacher education consists of the following types of knowledge that must be integrated

• Conceptual knowledge (foundations of education, theories, disciplinary knowledge and

content) to acquire knowledge-specialised proficiency.

• Contextual knowledge (all aspects that endeavours to contextualise knowledge for

occupational purposes, such as Subject Didactics and practical teaching) to acquire task-
specific proficiency.

It is therefore important that you find links between school practices (including their associated

activities) and your studies (including disciplinary knowledge and skills). You must do this in every
section of the portfolio.

This portfolio aims to guide observation and the approach will be an orientation to school teaching
(helping students to observe practice and make connections between what they have learnt, what
they have observed and what they have experienced). As a student, you are expected to
familiarise yourself with the full range of activities that are associated with a functional school.
You not only have to observe these activities but are expected to become involved in assisting
the teacher under instruction. You are also expected to look at these activities critically and
comment on their purpose, functionality, outstanding features and possible shortcomings where
applicable.

Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Phase students will focus on observation in
their two specialist areas (two subjects). Services learning (community) activities will also take
place.

2.2 Outcomes

In terms of the National Policy Framework for Teachers Education and Development in South
Africa (Republic of South Africa 2007), student-teacher have to be placed at schools that have
been identified as excellent places of teaching and learning, where students can complement
their theoretical training with practical experience and gain valuable experience in the day-to-day
operations at a school in an authentic teaching and learning situation

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The following are the outcomes of this module.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the key ideas and debates on issues related to

teaching practice.

• Observe and critically reflect on teachers adopting and adapting flexibly to a variety of
roles and strategies in response to changing learner and learning needs and contents
in the teaching practice placement.

• Identify varied strategies for effective classroom practice in ways that are appropriate
for different purposes and contexts.

3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION
Unisa has implemented a transformation charter, in terms of which the university has placed
curriculum transformation high on the teaching and learning agenda. Curriculum transformation
includes student-centred scholarship, the pedagogical renewal of teaching and assessment
practices, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the infusion of African epistemologies
and philosophies. All of these will be phased in at both programme and module levels, and as
a result of this you will notice a marked change in the teaching and learning strategy
implemented by Unisa, together with the way in which the content is conceptualised in your
modules. We encourage you to embrace these changes during your studies at Unisa in a
responsive way within the framework of transformation.

4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

4.1 Lecturer(s)

Mr F. Mukhathi

Address: Nkoana Simon Radipere Building Room

6-76 Telephone number: 012 429 4441

Email address: mukhaf@unisa.ac.za

Note: Please contact the contact persons for a specific enquiry. Do not contact lecturers who
are not involved in the administrative aspects such as school placements, placement letters,
school visits by Unisa supervisors, arrival or registration of assignments as they cannot
assist you.

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4.2 Department

Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies

PO Box 392; Unisa; 0003

4.3 University

If you need to contact the University about matters not related to the content of this module, please
consult the publication Study @ Unisa for advice on which department you should contact. You
may also go to www.unisa.ac.za where contact details are given under the "Contact us" button

Contact addresses of the various administrative departments appear on the Unisa website:
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Contact-us/Student-enquiries.

Please include the student number in all correspondence.

5 RESOURCES
5.1 Prescribed book(s)

There are no prescribed books for this module.

5.2 Recommended book(s)

The following books are useful as they contain additional information that may be useful in your
studies. You may request the books from the Unisa library, but you may only keep them for a
limited period so that other students can also use them.
If you prefer, you may buy the books from academic bookshops or order them from
https://www.onthedot.co.za. Please note: There is no obligation to buy the books. Recommended
books can be requested online, via the library catalogue.
• Du Toit, E.R. 2016. Help I'm a Teacher. Pretoria: Van Schaik.

• Taole, M.J. 2015. Teaching practice, perspectives and frameworks. Pretoria: Van Schaik.

• CAPS documents of your teaching subjects

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 Recommended books can be requested online, via the library catalogue.

5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)

E-reserves can be downloaded from the library catalogue. More information is available at:
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/request

5.4 Library services and resources information

The Unisa library offers a range of information services and resources:

• For brief information, go to https://www.unisa.ac.za/library/libatglance

• For more detailed library information, go to
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library
• For research support and services (e.g. the services offered by personal librarians and
the request a literature search service offered by the information search librarians), go to
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Research-support
• For library training for undergraduate students, go to
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Training

The library has created numerous library guides, available at http://libguides.unisa.ac.za

Recommended guides:

• Request and find library material/download recommended material:

http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/request
• Postgraduate information services: http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/postgrad
• Finding and using library resources and tools:
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/Research_skills
• Frequently asked questions about the library:
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/ask
• Services to students living with disabilities:
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/disability
• A–Z of library databases:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/az.php

Important contact information:

• Ask a librarian: https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/ask
• Technical problems encountered in accessing library online services:
Lib-help@unisa.ac.za
• General library-related queries: Library-enquiries@unisa.ac.za
• Queries related to library fines and payments: Library-fines@unisa.ac.za
• Social media channels: Facebook: UnisaLibrary and Twitter: @UnisaLibrary

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6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The Study @ Unisa brochure is available on myUnisa: www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies

This brochure contains important information and guidelines for successful studies through Unisa.

If you need assistance with regard to the myModules system, you are welcome to use the
following contact details:

• Toll-free landline: 0800 00 1870 (Select option 07 for myModules)

• E-mail: mymodules22@unisa.ac.za or myUnisaHelp@unisa.ac.za

You can access and view short videos on topics such as how to view your calendar, how to
access module content, how to view announcements for modules, how to submit assessment
and how to participate in forum activities via the following link: https://dtls-
qa.unisa.ac.za/course/view.php?id=32130

Registered Unisa students get a free myLife e-mail account. Important information, notices
and updates are sent exclusively to this account. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours
for your account to be activated after you have claimed it. Please do this immediately after
registering at Unisa, by following this link: myLifeHelp@unisa.ac.za

Your myLife account is the only e-mail account recognised by Unisa for official
correspondence with the university and will remain the official primary e-mail address on
record at Unisa. You remain responsible for the management of this e-mail account.

6.1 The Unisa First-Year Experience Programme

Many students find the transition from school education to tertiary education stressful. This is also true in
the case of students enrolling at Unisa for the first time. Unisa is a dedicated open distance and e-learning
institution, and it is very different from face-to-face/contact institutions. It is a mega university, and all our
programmes are offered through either blended learning or fully online learning. It is for this reason that
we thought it necessary to offer first-time students additional/extended support to help them seamlessly
navigate the Unisa teaching and learning journey with little difficulty and few barriers. We therefore offer a
specialised student support programme to students enrolling at Unisa for the first time – this is Unisa’s
First-Year Experience (FYE) Programme, designed to provide you with prompt and helpful information
about services that the institution offers and how you can access information. The following FYE services
are currently offered:

• FYE website: All the guides and resources you need in order to navigate through your first
year at Unisa can be accessed using the following link: www.unisa.ac.za/FYE

• FYE e-mails: You will receive regular e-mails to help you stay focused and motivated.

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 • FYE broadcasts: You will receive e-mails with links to broadcasts on various topics related
to your first-year studies (e.g. videos on how to submit assessments online).

• FYE mailbox: For assistance with queries related to your first year of study,

send an e-mail to fye@unisa.ac.za .

7 STUDY PLAN
You are required to plan the times and the school for your Teaching Practice period. The required
five-week practical must take place before the end of September. You need to submit Assignment
01 at the end of April. Do not forget to do this assignment even if you are doing Teaching Practice
after this period.
Remember to complete and submit Assignment 02 immediately after the first week of teaching
practice and to submit your portfolio immediately after the last day of your teaching practice.
KEEP A COPY of your portfolio. Please also take note of the following information

8 PRACTICAL WORK
8.1 The Unisa First-Year Experience Programme

In terms of The National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South
Africa (2007), student-teachers must be placed in schools that have been identified as excellent
places of teaching and learning, where student-teachers can complement their theoretical training
with practical experience and gain valuable experience in the day-to-day operations at a school
in an authentic teaching and learning situation. To facilitate all the relevant procedures, student-
teachers must make the necessary arrangements with the various partners, namely the Teaching
Practice administrator(s), school principal, University lecturer(s) and/or supervisor(s) and
mentor/subject teacher(s). You must submit the required information to the Teaching Practice
office to make the necessary arrangements.
The placement of student-teachers in schools requires certain procedures. Information about this
will be sent to you in Tutorial Letter 102.

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8.2 How to undertake Teaching Practice

Teaching Practice modules integrate all learning in the BEd programme. The structure of the
qualification is such that there is a gradual build-up to the aim of achieving applied competence.

Students build on their disciplinary (academic) knowledge and acquire pedagogical (educational)
knowledge and competencies. They then must combine these in the professional studies phase
of the qualification (specialised didactics or methods) and must practice their competencies in the
workplace during their practical teaching period. Everything in the programme is aimed at and
culminates in this final phase – the achievement of applied competence. The aim is for students
to demonstrate their ability to teach (perform a set of tasks) with both understanding (perform their
roles as educators) and reflection (reflect on their practice).
Students cannot register for Teaching Practice modules in isolation. They are always part of the
Subject Didactics or Learning Area Didactics modules. Students must therefore register for
TPS2601 simultaneously when registering for a Senior Phase Subject Didactics module. The five
weeks of Teaching Practice for the Senior Phase Subject Didactics and Further Education and
Training Phase should be done in a secondary school.

A student-teacher is expected to do the following:

• Observe mentor teachers while they teach.

• Become involved in and learn from as many teaching and educational experiences at school
as possible.

• Develop a critical and reflective attitude towards school, teaching and education.

• Make a connection between the practice and the theoretical knowledge that he or she has
acquired in the other modules.

• Complete portfolios.

• Use the opportunity to learn as much as possible from the visit to the school and his or her
association with every teacher and learner.

• Understand that every teacher has his or her own ideas about the nature and scope of
teaching.

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• Listen appreciatively and critically to the opinion of every teacher and show a positive attitude
towards Teaching Practice.

• Participate in the activities of the school, obey the rules, and acknowledge the authority of
the principal and other office-bearers.
• Remember that he or she also represents Unisa during the visit to the school, especially since
his or her good behaviour might open doors for other students.
• Adhere to the safety regulations of the school.

• Understand that the school is not responsible for the safety or loss of his or her personal
possessions.

• Maintain a teaching portfolio.

8.3 School placement

This aspect is attended to in a separate tutorial letter. Contact teachprac@unisa.ac.za or 012 481
2805, 012 481 2929 or fax 0866190505 for more information. Also consult Tutorial Letter 102 for
more information and provincial coordinators' contact details.

9 ASSESSMENT
9.1 Assessment criteria

You will have to demonstrate competency in written planning and preparation of lessons plans for
the subjects specified for this module. You will be expected to implement current policy documents
for teaching into your lesson planning and preparation documents. You will also be expected to
integrate relevant education theories for the specific subjects in the theoretical modules into your
lesson plans. You will demonstrate competency in writing out lesson aims, objectives and lesson
development in the planning documents. You will be expected to draw on relevant Learner
Teacher Support Material (LTSM) to develop, communicate and present lessons plans. You will
demonstrate that your lesson planning is aimed at conceptual development and active learning.
You will also be expected to critically reflect on your lessons.

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Please see the support and feedback from your mentor teacher as developmental and formative.

9.2 Assessment plan

• To complete this module, you will be required to submit three (3) assessments.
• All information about when and where to submit your assessments will be made available
to you via the myModules site for your module.
• Due dates for assessments, as well as the actual assessments are available on the
myModules site for this module.
• To gain admission to the examination, you will be required to submit two (2) assignment/s.
• To gain admission to the examination, you need to obtain a year mark average of 20% for
the assignments.
• The assignment weighting for the module is 20%.
• You will receive examination information via the myModules sites. Please watch out for
announcements on how examinations for the modules for which you are registered will be
conducted.
• The examination of this module is in the form of a portfolio.
• The portfolio will count 80% towards the final module mark.

9.3 Assessment due dates

• There are no assignment due dates included in this tutorial letter.

• Assignment due dates will be made available to you on the myUnisa landing page for this
module. We envisage that the due dates will be available to you upon registration.

• Please start working on your assessments as soon as you register for the module.

• Log on to the myUnisa site for this module to obtain more information on the due dates
for the submission of the assessments.

9.4 Submission of assessments

• Unisa, as a comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CODeL), is moving

towards becoming an online institution. You will therefore see that all your study material,
assessments and engagements with your lecturer and fellow students will take place
online. We use myUnisa as our virtual campus.

• The myUnisa virtual campus will offer students access to the myModules site, where
learning material will be available online and where assessments should be completed.
This is an online system that is used to administer, document, and deliver educational
material to students and support engagement between academics and students.

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• The myUnisa platform can be accessed via https://my.unisa.ac.za. Click on the
myModules 2023 button to access the online sites for the modules that you are
registered for.

• The university undertakes to communicate clearly and as frequently as is necessary to

ensure that you obtain the greatest benefit from the use of the myModules learning
management system. Please access the announcements on your myModules site
regularly, as this is where your lecturer will post important information to be shared with
you.

• When you access your myModules site for the module/s you are registered for, you will
see a welcome message posted by your lecturer. Below the welcome message you will
see the assessment shells for the assessments that you need to complete. Some
assessments may be multiple choice, some tests, others written assessments, some
forum discussions, and so on. All assessments must be completed on the assessment
shells available on the respective module platforms.

• To complete quiz assessments, please log on to the module site where you need to
complete the assessment. Click on the relevant assessment shell (Assessment 1,
Assessment 2, etc.). There will be a date on which the assessment will open for you.
When the assessment is open, access the quiz online and complete it within the time
available to you. Quiz assessment questions are not included in this tutorial letter (Tutorial
Letter 101), and are only made available online. You must therefore access the quiz
online and complete it online where the quiz has been created.

• It is not advisable to use a cell phone to complete the quiz. Please use a desktop
computer, tablet or laptop when completing the quiz. Students who use a cell phone find
it difficult to navigate the Online Assessment tool on the small screen and often struggle
to navigate between questions and successfully complete the quizzes. In addition, cell
phones are more vulnerable to dropped internet connections than other devices. If at all
possible, please do not use a cell phone for this assessment type.

• For written assessments, please note the due date by which the assessment must be
submitted. Ensure that you follow the guidelines given by your lecturer to complete the
assessment. Click on the submission button on the relevant assessment shell on
myModules. You will then be able to upload your written assessment on the myModules
site of the modules that you are registered for. Before you finalise the upload, double
check that you have selected the correct file for upload. Remember, no marks can be
allocated for incorrectly submitted assessments.

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9.5 The assessments

As indicated in section 9.2, you need to complete three (03) assignments for this module. Details
on the assignments are found below. Assignment 50 which is a portfolio will be found in Tutorial
Letter 103.

9.5.1 Assignment 01
TEACHING PRACTICE SCHOOL DETAILS

UNIQUE NUMBER: DUE DATE:

Student name and surname Student number

Miss/Mrs/Mr

Postal address

E-mail address

Contact details

Are you permanently employed at the school?

Are you an intern or assistant teacher at the school?

Are you employed outside the education sector?

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 PRINCIPAL, MENTOR AND SCHOOL DETAILS

PRINCIPAL name and surname

Contact details

MENTOR name and surname

Contact Details

Date of teaching practice period To

Name of school

Address

Province

Tel

E-mail

SIGNATURE PRINCIPAL SCHOOL STAMP

………………………………………

SIGNATURE MENTOR

………………………………………

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9.5.2 Assignment 02

This assignment consists of six questions.

To prepare you for your five weeks of teaching practice, you must know more about the specific
policies that guide teaching and learning in a school.
To complete Assignment 02, you need to access the policy document that guides your subject,
which can be downloaded from the Department of Basic Education's website.
Use the document you downloaded to answer the following questions.
1. In your own words, explain what the main information in the CAPS document is about. (4)

2. Read the section on the general aims of the South African Curriculum and summarise
the aspects listed under this heading. (4)

Time allocation is a valuable guide when planning your teaching. Read the information on
time allocation for your phase and the section on time allocation for one of the specific
teaching subjects that you are registered for. Draw a grid to plan the allocated time for your
subject in one calendar week. (5)

3. Read the first topic in the Annual Teaching Plan or the syllabus for your subject and
list the knowledge, skills and values that learners should have after completing this
topic. (6)

4. List the content topics of the subject in the first and second term. (5)

5. Reflection
5.1. Do you think the CAPS document can be used to guide teaching? (2)
5.2. How will it help you? (3)

6. Assessment
6.1.1. Read the introduction section on Assessment in the CAPS document
and summarise the importance of assessment. (5)
6.1.2. Explain the difference between formal and informal assessments. (6)
6.1.3. Describe the assessment requirements for your subject. Use the headings
included in the CAPS document. (5)

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 6.1.4. What is your understanding of moderation? Consult your subject CAPS
document to answer this question. (4)
6.1.5. Attach the first page of the CAPS document you used for this exercise. (1)

[50]

9.6 Other assessment methods

There are no other assessment methods for this module.

9.7 The examination

The portfolios are the examination equivalent for this module and no written examination will take
place.

9.7.1 Invigilation/proctoring

Since 2020 Unisa conducts all its assessments online. Given stringent requirements from
professional bodies and increased solicitations of Unisa’s students by third parties to unlawfully
assist them with the completion of assignments and examinations, the University is obliged to
assure its assessment integrity through the utilisation of various proctoring tools: Turnitin, Moodle
Proctoring, the Invigilator App and IRIS. These tools will authenticate the student’s identity and
flag suspicious behaviour to assure credibility of students’ responses during assessments. The
description below is for your benefit as you may encounter any or all of these in your registered
modules:

Turnitin is a plagiarism software that facilitates checks for originality in students’ submissions
against internal and external sources. Turnitin assists in identifying academic fraud and ghost
writing. Students are expected to submit typed responses for utilisation of the Turnitin software.

The Moodle Proctoring tool is a facial recognition software that authenticates students’ identity
during their Quiz assessments. This tool requires access to a student’s mobile or laptop camera.
Students must ensure their camera is activated in their browser settings prior to their
assessments.

The Invigilator “mobile application-based service does verification” of the identity of an

assessment participant. The Invigilator Mobile Application detects student dishonesty-by-proxy
and ensures that the assessment participant is the registered student. This invigilation tool
requires students to download the app from their Play Store (Google, Huawei and Apple) on their
mobile devices (camera enabled) prior to their assessment.

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IRIS Invigilation software verifies the identity of a student during assessment and provides for
both manual and automated facial verification. It has the ability to record and review a student’s
assessment session. It flags suspicious behaviour by the students for review by an academic
administrator. IRIS software requires installation on students’ laptop devices that are enabled
with a webcam.

Students who are identified and flagged for suspicious dishonest behaviour arising from the
invigilation and proctoring reports are referred to the disciplinary office for formal proceeding.

Please note:

Students must refer to their module assessment information on their myModule sites to determine
which proctoring or invigilation tool will be utilised for their formative and summative assessments.

10 ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
10.1 Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of taking the words, ideas and thoughts of others and presenting them as your
own. It is a form of theft. Plagiarism includes the following forms of academic dishonesty:

• Copying and pasting from any source without acknowledging the source.
• Not including references or deliberately inserting incorrect bibliographic information.
• Paraphrasing without acknowledging the original source of the information.

10.2 Cheating
Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Completing assessments on behalf of another student, copying the work of another student
during an assessment, or allowing another student to copy your work.
• Using social media (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram) or other platforms to disseminate assessment
information.
• Submitting corrupt or irrelevant files as per examination guidelines
• Buying completed answers from so-called “tutors” or internet sites (contract cheating).

10.3 For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below:
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myunisa/default/Study-@-Unisa/Student-values-and-rules

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 11 STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES
The Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD) provides an
opportunity for staff to interact with first-time and returning students with disabilities.
If you are a student with a disability and would like additional support or need additional time for
assessments, you are invited to contact (F Mukhathi at mukhaf@unisa.ac.za) to discuss the
assistance that you need.

12 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do I only do my teaching practice at a primary school?
No. TPS2601 should be done in both senior and FET grades, that is, in schools that have grades
7 to 9 and grades 10 to 12.

May I send my placement form to the lecturer or to the Teaching Practice office?
The placement form should be sent to the Teaching Practice office not to the lecturer.

Should I wait for a confirmation letter from the Teaching Practice office or should I start my teaching
practice without a confirmation letter?
You need to have a confirmation letter from the Teaching Practice office before you start with your
teaching practice.

Can I start my teaching practice at a primary school and then move to a high school?
It is better to do your teaching practice in one school instead of moving from one school to another.

Am I expected to teach, or can I only observe?

TPS2601 is an observation module and students can only observe and are not expected to teach.

May I create my own Teaching Practice’s booklet, or should I use the one provided by
UNISA?
You should use the booklet that has been provided by UNISA.

How many subjects do I observe during my teaching practice?

You should observe at least two subjects. These are the subjects that you are registered for.

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 TPS2601/101

May I do both Teaching Practice modules concurrently (in other words may I do
only 25 days)?
Yes. All students need to complete 25 school days of Teaching Practice except for
students who are in the old curriculum. These students are expected to do Teaching
Practice for 12,5 days. If you are registered for TPS2601 and TPS2602, you are
expected to do each module separately for a period of 25 days.

Do I wait for the submission closing date to submit my portfolio?

No. You should submit your portfolio immediately after the end of your teaching practice.

Do public holidays and school holidays count as school days?

No. Teaching Practice should be done on normal school term days.

Do I need to submit two portfolios?

No, you must submit one portfolio for each module, for example, you should submit one
portfolio for TPS2601.

Do I need to do Teaching Practice in all grades of a phase?

You may do Practical Teaching in one grade only or in more than one grade,
depending on what is possible at the school. For example, one grade in the
Senior phase and one grade in the FET phase.

Which language do I use in the portfolio if I teach isiZulu, isiXhosa,

Afrikaans etc?

You may present your lesson plans in isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans etc., but you
should complete all the activities of the portfolio in English.

Whom should I contact regarding subject specific questions on Teaching Practice?

You need to contact your Subject Didactics lecturer.

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13 SOURCES CONSULTED
Cohen, L. Marion, L, Morrison, K and Wyse, D. 2010. A guide to Teaching Practice.
Taylor & Francis: London.
South Africa. 2007. The National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and
Development in South Africa. Available at www.education.gov.za.
Senior and Further Education and Training Phases CAPS documents

14 IN CLOSING
Enjoy your teaching practice experience.

15 ADDENDUM
There is no addendum for this module.

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