Education – Views & Research – The Conversation

Edition:

Edition:

Become an author Sign up as a reader

Academic rigour, journalistic flair

A teacher assisting a struggling student with schoolwork in a classroom

A teacher assisting a struggling student with schoolwork in a classroom

South African accountancy students struggle to overcome disadvantages: what lecturers can do differently

Sedzani Musundwa, University of South Africa

A young boy holds a ball above his head, poised to throw.

Even if they aren’t sporty, all kids need to throw and catch. How can you help if your child is struggling?

Stuart Evans, La Trobe University and Kane Middleton, La Trobe University

Verifying facts in the age of AI – librarians offer 5 strategies

Tracy Bicknell-Holmes, Boise State University; Elaine Watson, Boise State University, and Memo Cordova, Boise State University

A young woman lies on her bed looking at her laptop.

A young woman lies on her bed looking at her laptop.

Good feedback is an art – here’s how I teach it

Patrick Barry, University of Michigan

People assembled in a group to talk.

People assembled in a group to talk.

PhDs are important for South Africa’s growth: more support for doctoral candidates who work full-time is key

Zama Mthombeni, Human Sciences Research Council

A woman works on her laptop while also talking on her phone, cradling a baby while a young child looks on. There are notes on the table

A woman works on her laptop while also talking on her phone, cradling a baby while a young child looks on. There are notes on the table

Not all children read at the same pace – Namibia study shows how teachers can help those falling behind

Tsitsi Mavambe, Stellenbosch University and Nhlanhla Mpofu, Stellenbosch University

Two school children sitting together at a desk reading from books in front of them

Two school children sitting together at a desk reading from books in front of them

The Conversation Africa is backed by facts. And you.

Become a supporter

Parenting matters

Dung beetle atop dung ball

What fathers in the animal kingdom can tell us about humans

Judith Lock, University of Southampton

Becoming a dad can be scary. Here’s how to be the best father for your kids

Tawanda Makusha, Human Sciences Research Council

Two smiling adult men with a grinning boy, their arms around each other

Two smiling adult men with a grinning boy, their arms around each other

The key to raising secure children: Why parental sensitivity matters for fathers and mothers

Audrey-Ann Deneault, Université de Montréal and Sheri Madigan, University of Calgary

A father kissing his baby's cheek and the baby looks proud and happy..

A father kissing his baby's cheek and the baby looks proud and happy..

Worried about how to support your child’s education? Here are four useful steps you can take

Benta A. Abuya, African Population and Health Research Center

A man seated at a table with a girl, both of them looking at an open book as the girl reads aloud

A man seated at a table with a girl, both of them looking at an open book as the girl reads aloud

Why won’t my kids listen to me? A psychologist explains

Cher McGillivray, Bond University

A woman sits on a couch with a laptop. A child lies next to the woman, with her feet in the air.

A woman sits on a couch with a laptop. A child lies next to the woman, with her feet in the air.

Reading and books

Digital stories could hold the key to multilingual literacy for African children

Digital stories could hold the key to multilingual literacy for African children

Bonny Norton, University of British Columbia

Thinking aloud: what happens when children read for pleasure in classroom clubs

Eileen Scheckle, Nelson Mandela University

Two boys talking with a book in front of them

Two boys talking with a book in front of them

Learning to read is a journey: a study identifies where South African kids go off track

Gabrielle Wills, Stellenbosch University and Cally Ardington, University of Cape Town

A boy in a school uniform uses his finger to track books in a book

A boy in a school uniform uses his finger to track books in a book

Girls usually read better than boys. Why this isn’t the case in some African countries

Pearl S. Kyei, University of Ghana

A small group of schoolchildren in light blue school uniforms raising their hands to address a teacher sitting on a desk at the head of the class

A small group of schoolchildren in light blue school uniforms raising their hands to address a teacher sitting on a desk at the head of the class

Learning to read in another language is tough: how Namibian teachers can help kids

Marta Ndakalako Alumbungu, Stellenbosch University and Nhlanhla Mpofu, Stellenbosch University

A woman stands before a classroom of children, pointing to and reading aloud words on a chalkboard.

A woman stands before a classroom of children, pointing to and reading aloud words on a chalkboard.

Higher education

Calls for divestment from apartheid South Africa gave today’s pro-Palestinian student activists a blueprint to follow

Amanda Joyce Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara

Tents and signs on a university lawn.

Tents and signs on a university lawn.

Business and management graduates can become climate change and sustainability champions – lessons from Uganda and Tanzania on how universities can support this

David Ssekamatte, Uganda Management Institute

A young man holds up a placard that reads "I am a Ugandan student I am not attending classes on Friday I am striking for climate". He is surrounded by others who are raising their fists or holding similar placards

A young man holds up a placard that reads "I am a Ugandan student I am not attending classes on Friday I am striking for climate". He is surrounded by others who are raising their fists or holding similar placards

South Africa’s national student financial aid scheme has helped millions but is in trouble: here’s why

Thandi Lewin, University of Johannesburg

A man wearing a yellow and orange high visibility jacket over a patterned shirt

A man wearing a yellow and orange high visibility jacket over a patterned shirt

Academic literacy is more than language, it’s about critical thinking and analysis: universities should do more to teach these skills

Pineteh Angu, University of Pretoria

A diverse group of university students working together while sitting around a table between classes

A diverse group of university students working together while sitting around a table between classes

You can republish our articles online or in print for free

All we ask is that you follow these guidelines

Most read this week

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Get evidence-based news in your inbox, for free

Subscribe to our daily newsletter