Project description

Selection of Participants:

The selection process of grade 9 and 10 learners will start during the CSET learner research summit in September 2016.

Ten secondary schools have been identified (four in Florida and Six in Soweto) and 16 Grade 9 and 10 learners will be selected from each school to give a total of 160.

In achieving the stated objectives, the following processes will be undertaken;

Educators Mentoring

• CSET and CLAW staff identify new schools in Florida and Soweto
• Appoint educators in the schools will mentor learners
• Register the schools with LRS committee
• CSET and CLAW staff work closely with educators and learners to build trust and confidence

CSET /CLAW LRS mid-year workshop

• Annual mid-year workshop for all the high school educators
• Annual theme released to educators(mentors) and learners
• A given talk by research expert in science and math’s to educators and learners
• Coaching of learners  on research processes in breakaway sessions

CSET/CLAW LRS Presentations

• All schools invited to CSET campus
• Leaners present their research projects
• Invited research expert gives feedback
• Learners work in groups to convert project presentations into articles
• Article papers are published in LRS publication document

Project  timeline 

The expanded project will run for a period four years from 2018 – 2021

Pilot Phase 0- 2018

• Entry into two schools ( one in Florida and the other in Soweto) community and establishing relationships
• CSET/CLAW mentoring educators and learners  at the schools
• Mid-year workshop and year end LRS presentation for selected schools and participants.

Phase 1- 2019 project implementation

Phase 2- 2020 project roll out and showcase

Phase 3- 2021 monitoring and evaluation

Project sustainability

There will be involvement of many CSET/CLAW staff members and students as possible in order to make the project sustainable. The deans of CSET / CLAW have committed themselves to support the project to make it sustainable.   The community has an interest in the project and the fact that a number of teachers from the identified schools are willing to be active participants will make the project sustainable. Lastly by mentoring students and transferring knowledge we envisage the project to grow.

Monitoring and evaluation

This project already has in place a research team whose primary function is to monitor progress and evaluate the impact of various activities on the progression of the learner and come out with research papers. Such a research component provides important information on the profile of the students prior to the project and afterwards. Research questions will not only focusing on the period of the project but also enquire on the fate of the students after high school, thus at university as well as the choice of their career paths.

Future plans

After monitoring and evaluating the successes of this initiative, the project will be up-scaled and transferred to other communities in order to reach out and benefit as many learners in secondary schools as possible. Follow ups on the progress of the participants at university level and the choice of their careers will serve as lessons learnt for future improvement.