Degrees Held
- Master of Education, UKZN, 2007
- PGCE, University of Natal, 2003
- BSc (Hons.), University of Natal, 2003
- BSc, University of Natal, 2002
Research Interests
- Practical work in Life Sciences Education
- Teaching and Learning Science in Indigenous Languages
- Language in Science Education
- Language Education
- Teacher Identity development
- Language acquisition
- Literacy development in and among South African learners
Teaching Interests
- Life Sciences Education
- Natural Sciences Education
- Biological/Life Sciences
- Natural Sciences
Teaching Expertise
- Literary texts to teach language
- English Education pedagogy
- Literary, language and educational theory
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Journal Articles
- Dempster, E. & Zuma, S. (2010), ‘Reasoning used by isiZulu-speaking children when answering science questions in English’. Journal of Education, No. 50, pp. 35 – 61. DOI: 10.13140/2.1.5087.2005
- Zuma, S.C. & Dempster, E.R. (2008), ‘isiZulu as a language of assessment in science’. African Journal of Research in SMT Education, 12(2): pp. 31 – 46. DOI: 10.13140/2.1.1433.5687
Teaching Expertise
- Teaching and Learning issues in Biological/Life and Natural Sciences Education
- Teaching and Learning methods in Biological/Life and Natural Sciences Education
- Service-Learning in Biological/Life and Natural Sciences Education
- Language in Science Education
- Practical work in Biological/Life Sciences Education
Community Involvement
- (2024), Cell Explorers, conducting DNA extraction practical with Grade 6 learners in various schools.
Student Supervision
Honours
Masters
Honours
- Sebenzile Mabuza (2023) The challenges faced by Life Sciences teachers in rural areas on the integration of ICT in their classrooms.
- Phewa Phezisile (2019) The integration of indigenous knowledge systems in the teaching of Life Sciences.
- Mkhize Basizile (2018) Investigating challenges with conceptual understanding of Life Sciences topics.
Masters
- Mbanjwa Nobuhle (2022) Learning in the digital age: Exploring the educational value of YouTube videos for learning science process skills at high school level.