Why has teachers’ classroom work remained relatively stable despite an enormous amount of change in educational policy? In 1998 the national Department of Education of South Africa introduced a new policy on assessment to complement its new curriculum policy introduced in 1997. With its emphasis on performance–based outcomes, the assessment policy constituted a decisive and significant break from the past assessment policy. This research focuses on the implementation of the new assessment policy by classroom teachers. The study is guided by the following three research questions: 1: What are teacher understandings and beliefs with regard to assessment policy? 2: In the context of official policy, how do teachers practice assessment in their classrooms? 3: How can the continuities and the discontinuities between official policy on assessment and teachers’ assessment practice be explained? After reviewing the literature on policy implementation, the study articulated a broader conceptual framework drawing on the construct of ‘deep change’. This perspective supplements rather than supplants dominant approaches to policy implementation. The ‘deep change’ framework suggests a more incisive approach to understanding the relationship between policy and practice. This study presents and tests three propositions about change, namely: Proposition One: That teachers may not have a deep, sophisticated understanding of a new assessment policy even if there is evidence of strong rhetorical commitment to the policy. Proposition Two: That teachers may not be able to reconcile their own assessment beliefs and capacities with the stated goals of a new assessment policy. Proposition Three: That teachers may find traditional assessment practices (that is, examinations and testing) to hold greater efficacy in the classroom than the alternatives required by a new assessment policy. A case study approach was undertaken with two Grade 8 science teachers from two different contexts, one from an under-resourced township school, and the other from a well-resourced urban school. Using evidence from questionnaires, free-writing schedules, extensive pre-lesson and post-lesson interviews, prolonged non-participant classroom observations, teacher records and documents, and student records and examinations, the study found that the two teachers had a surface understanding of the new assessment policy; the teacher from the well-resourced, urban school was able to implement some of the new assessment methods, while the teacher from the under-resourced, township school did not implement any of the new methods of assessment required by the new assessment policy; both teachers were unable to reconcile their own assessment beliefs and capacities with the stated goals of a new assessment policy; and both teachers found the traditional assessment practices (that is, examinations and testing) to hold greater efficacy in the classroom than the alternatives required by a new assessment policy. In other words, the study found that teachers did not have a deep understanding of the assessment policy and did not change their assessment practices deeply as required by the assessment policy. The study argues that educational policies will do little to achieve deep changes in teachers’ pedagogical practices without concurrent attention to a strong theory of change. The study concludes with implications for teacher learning, professional development of teachers, theory and research. / Thesis (PhD (Education Management and Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

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Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation argues that women on the African continent experience moments of internal exclusion in higher education discourses. Although women are statistically represented in higher education discourses, they remain subjected to internal exclusion on the grounds that their contributions are evidently unsubstantive. Through a conceptual analysis of women’s experiences of African higher education, the study reveals that internal exclusion can be attributed to patriarchy, male chauvinism, authoritarianism and a gendered view of equality, mostly generated in people’s social, political and cultural practices. I contend that a ‘non-gendered’ ethics of care can undermine the debilitating effects caused by the internal exclusion of women in higher education discourses. By examining the implications of a reconstituted ethics of care for teaching and learning at higher education institutions on the continent, the study offers some ways in which exclusionary higher education practices can be remedied. This dissertation contends that, if higher education in Africa were to halt the dilemma of internal exclusion and move towards engendering a reconstituted ethics of care, both conceptually and pragmatically, then it stands an authentic chance of cultivating compassionate, imaginative and responsible citizens who can reason, not only for themselves, but for humanity as well. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif argumenteer dat vrouens op die vasteland van Afrika momente van interne uitsluiting ondervind. Alhoewel vrouens statisties goed verteenwoordig is in hoër onderwys diskoerse, bly hulle steeds onderhewig aan interne uitsluiting op grond daarvan dat hulle bydrae nie genoegsaam geag word nie. Gegrond op 'n konseptuele analise van die wedervaringe van vrouens in hoër onderwys in Afrika, bevind hierdie studie dat interne uitsluiting van vrouens toegeskryf kan word aan patriargie, manlike chauvinisme, outoritarisme, en 'n geslagsblik van gelykheid wat meestal aanslag vind in mense se sosiale, politieke en kulturele praktyke. Ek voer aan dat 'n nie-geslagtelike etiek van sorg die verlammende effekte van interne uitsluiting van vroue in hoër onderwysdiskoerse kan ondermyn. Die studie stel maniere voor hoe uitsluitende hoër onderwys praktyke beredder kan word deur 'n ondersoek van die implikasies van 'n rekonstruksie van 'n etiek van sorg aan hoër onderwys instansies op die vasteland. Hierdie proefskrif voer aan dat as hoër onderwys in Afrika die dilemma van interne uitsluiting wil stuit en dan konseptueel en pragmaties wil beweeg na 'n rekonstruksie van 'n etiek van sorg, daar dan 'n outentieke kans kan bestaan om verantwoordbare burgers te kweek wat deernisvol is, wat verbeeldingryk is, en wat nie alleen vir hulleself kan redeneer nie, maar ook vir die mensdom.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation argues that teacher education and development policy lacks an explicit philosophy of education and a responding pedagogy that would promote transformation. Through a conceptual analysis of teacher education and development, the study points to a deficit in philosophical underpinning that calls for an inquiry into ontology − ways of being, and epistemology − ways of knowing to contribute to critical citizenship. I contend that it is in a Freirean philosophy of education and a pedagogy of hope that teacher education praxis establishes the notion of a teacher as an unfinished being. This dissertation contends that for this to become established practice, the authority of educators, teachers and learners, and their status as subjects of their own learning and teaching, have to become part of the reflexive praxis. A pedagogy of hope constitutes the unleashing of the emancipatory potential of a teacher as an agent of democratic change, authority and reflectiveness. In line with the National Development Plan and the Vision for 2030, and in order to make an impact on society, I suggest an agenda for mass-based dialogue for the re-orientation of current teacher education policy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif argumenteer dat beleid ten opsigte van onderwyseropleiding en -ontwikkeling nie eksplisiete opvoedingsfilosofie en ‘n ooreenstemmende pedagogie wat transformasie voorstaan, openbaar nie. ̓n Konseptuele analise van onderwyseropleiding en -ontwikkeling wys op die afwesigheid van ̓n filosofiese onderbou, wat vereis dat ’n ondersoek van ontologie, as wyses van wees of bestaan, en epistemologie, as wyses van weet of met kennis omgaan, tot kritiese burgerskap kan bydra. Ek gaan van die veronderstelling uit dat dit in ̓n opvoedingsfilosofie en ̓ isn pedagogie van hoop, soos deur Freire voorgestel, dat onderwyserpraksis die idee kan vestig van ̓n onderwyser as “onklare/onvoltooide wese”. Die proefskrif gaan verder van die veronderstelling uit dat om hierdie idee as praktyk te vestig, die outoriteit van die opvoeders, onderwysers en leerders en hulle status as onderwerpe van hulle eie leer en onderrig, deel moet word van hul refleksiewe praktyk. ̓n Pedagogie van hoop behels die ontketening van die emansipatoriese potensiaal van die onderwyser as agent vir demokratiese verandering, outoriteit en reflektiwiteit. In ooreenstemming met die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan en die Visie vir 2030, stel ek voor dat om ̓n impak op die samelewing te kan maak, ons ̓n agenda vir massagebaseerde dialoog ter bevordering van die reoriëntering van huidige onderwysopleidingsbeleid moet onderneem.

Thesis (MEd (Education Policy Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / This thesis explores pluralist perspectives on literacy in the context of the Literacy and Numeracy (LITNUM) Strategy of the Western Cape Education Department. My argument is that we need to move beyond functional or technical conceptions of literacy towards a recognition of its transformative potential. That is, the concept of literacy needs to be stretched to incorporate pluralist perspectives in order to achieve developmental aspirations. Following a literature review approach, I construct three constitutive meanings of literacy, namely “cognitive skills”, “social context” and “development”, and I investigate how the LITNUM Strategy conforms to these constitutive meanings of literacy. My finding is that LITNUM is based on a constructivist learning theory. I caution that when understandings of learning theories are viewed exclusively from one perspective, literacy becomes “compacted”, and we miss out on important considerations of literacy and its transformative potential. I show that LITNUM discusses several social contextual factors related to literacy; a recognition of the impact of social issues on literacy. Regarding LITNUM’s concern with development, I conclude that both functional and critical literacy as important aspects of development are not sufficiently addressed. In a nutshell: LITNUM focuses on technical skills, which need to be balanced with the notion that literacy is a social act, and that it has the potential to transform societies. I propose a “literacy of thoughtfulness”, based on compassion, love and care. This proposition forms the basis for possible future research.

Thesis (MEd )--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This qualitative study explores the effect that staff deployment has on the morale and professional attitudes of educators who have been identified as being in excess at their schools. The study was done by doing interviews with teachers who have been affected by rightsizing and redeployment and principals who have had to manage the process. The Department of Education goes through an annual process of determining the school‘s staff establishment for the next academic year. This determination is based on the number of learners enrolled at the institution. The CEMIS statistics are used to determine the number of learners enrolled at the school and the schools‘ staff establishment for the next academic year. If a school‘s learner numbers have increased since the last survey, the school will gain some teaching posts. Conversely, if the learner numbers have dropped a number of educators at the institution, as determined by the education department, have to be identified and declared in excess. Change associated with staff redeployment can have a negative impact on the morale and motivation of teachers. A school‘s functioning and ability to supply quality education can also be compromised as a result thereof. This is especially true when schools do not have the financial resources to employ additional teachers out of school funds. The problem is researched by exploring the ‗lived experiences‘ of selected teachers at primary schools in two of the education districts that fall under the WCED. Educators who were selected to participate in the study were individuals who had been declared in excess and who were redeployed or who were awaiting redeployment. Teachers were given the opportunity to relate their individual experiences. Their accounts of the process reflect how these experiences affect behaviour, professional attitude and general health. My discussion of their perceptions pays particular attention to their perceptions of how their general health and well-being were affected. Two principals (who managed the process at their respective schools) also shed some light on their experiences of the effects of downsizing. It seems that whilst there are cases where the process of rightsizing and redeployment is handled with the necessary care and circumspection, this is not always the case. Too often rightsizing and redeployment are handled in a clinical way, which creates the impression that the principals are biased and unsympathetic. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie ondersoek die effek wat personeel ontplooing op onderwysers het wie oortollig verklaar word by hul skole. Dit beoog ook om vas te stel tot watter mate die persoon se professionele gedrag en moraal geaffekteer word hierdeur. Tydens die studie was data ingesamel deur onderhoude te voer met onderwysers wie oortollig verklaar is, en prinsipale wat hierdie proses moes bestuur. Jaarliks gaan die Departement van Onderwys deur 'n proses waar skole se onderwysvoorsiening vir die volgende jaar bepaal word deur die aantal leerders wat by die skool ingeskryf is. Die stelsel wat deur die WKOD gebruik word om leerder inskrywings by skole te bepaal, word die Sentrale Opvoedingsbestuur en Inligting Stelsel genoem. Fundameteel tot die proses is die feit dat indien 'n skool se leerdertal vermeerder het sederd die vorige opname, sal die skool addisionele onderwysers win. Indien die inskrywingstotaal egter gedaal het, word die aantal onderwysers wat aan die skool voorsien word verminder. Verandering wat deur die onderwyser herontplooiing teweegbring word kan 'n negatiewe uitwerking op die moraal en motivering van onderwysers het. Die funksionering van skole en hul vermoeë om gehalteonderrig te voorsien kan ook negatief beïnvloed word daardeur. Dit is veral skole wat dit nie kan bekostig om addisionele onderwysers aan te stel en uit skoolfonds te besoldig nie, wat die swaarste getref word hierdeur. Die probleem word nagefors deur te kyk na 'n paar onderwysers in primêre skole in twee opvoedingsdistrikte wat onder die WKOD werksaam is. Onderwysers wat deel vorm van die studie is persone wat oortollig verklaar is en verplaas is, of wie nog wag op verplasing. Hierdie studie het onderwysers se ervaringe van die herontplooingsproses bestudeer. Onderwysers was die geleentheid gegee om hul ervaringe met die naforser te deel en sodoende lig te werp op hoe die proses hul gedrag, professionele houding en algemene gesondheid geraak het. Die naforsing het getoon dat terwyl daar gevalle is waar die proses van regstellende aksie en herontplooing met die nodige sorg en omsigtigheid hanteer word, is dit nie altyd die norm nie. Hierdie proses word ten tye op 'n kliniese wyse hanteer en dit skep die indruk dat die prinsipaal onsimpatiek is en nie neutraal staan in die proses nie.

Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The reseach in this study focusses on how teachers express the forming of a role-identity amid historically disadvantage circumstances. The lense used to highlight and understand the underlying relationship between role-identity and school culture, is school context. The focus is on the biography and professional training of respondents in order to determine how teachers mediate their professional roles. We must understand teachers within the boundaries of a socio-cultural context, their biography and professional training. These factors, which contribute to the forming of role-identity, can negatively affect the receiving and implementation of policy. The assumption made by this study, is that there is a gap between transformation policies and school culture, which has an influence on the role of the teacher. A better understanding of teacher circumstances can inspire a multi-dimensional approach to teaching. The result was that my thesis tried to generate empirical evidence to understand teachers in under-privilege schools more fully. Teachers develop their self-identity within the framework of experience and expectations about themselves and their teaching. The professional identity of teachers consists of being skilled in subject area, level of training, preparedness and formal qualifications. Respondents construct their one-dimensional professional identity within an under-privilege context. The school climate hinders the simultaneous execution of the three roles that I refer to in this study. Some of the hindrance factors are the manner in which the school accepts the lack of learning area knowledge, racism and the abuse of contact time. Poor management and lack of community control, tolerates the shortcomings and one-dimensional approach of teachers. The study makes use of a theoretical framework, supported by literature. I used qualitative indepth-investigation for the collection of data. I used semi-structured interviews as an instrument to answer the research question and to achieve the proposed outcomes. I achieved my main finding by using empirical-interpretive techniques. The finding was that personal socialisation and professional training, together with contextual factors influence the foundation of teacher identity. The base identity is the foundation upon which teachers formulate their role-identity. My research shows how the respondents position themselves in relation to the prescribed teacher roles. Their identity forming takes places within the context of under-privilege circumstances, moral diffusion and transformation in education. I describe the construction of their conceptual space of role-identity. I furthermore present analyses of how the respondents form their role-identity. I base the most important finding of this study on one-dimensionality. Each of the selected teachers expresses their professional mediation of their roles within the context of a specific exposed school culture. The study shows the complex variations of this one-dimensionality amongst the four teachers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsing in hierdie studie konsentreer op hoe onderwysers gestalte gee aan hulle identiteitsvorming te midde van histories benadeelde omstandighede. Skoolkonteks is die lens wat gebruik word om die onderliggende verwantskap tussen rol-identiteit en skoolkultuur te verstaan. Die fokus is op respondente se biografië en professionele opleiding ten einde vas te stel hoe hulle die voorgeskrewe onderwyserrolle medieër. Onderwysers moet verstaan word binne die grense van 'n sosio-kulturele konteks, hulle biografiese verhale en professionele opleiding. Hierdie faktore is bydraende aspekte wat 'n invloed het tydens die vorming van rol-identiteit, sowel as tydens die ontvang en implementering van beleide. Die aanname wat deur hierdie studie gemaak word, is dat daar 'n gaping tussen hervormingsbeleide en skoolkultuur bestaan wat die rol-identiteit van die onderwyser beїnvloed. 'n Beter begrip van onderwyser-omstandighede, kan 'n multi-dimensionele benadering tot onderwys inspireer. Gevolglik het my tesis gepoog om empiriese bewyse te genereer wat kan bydrae tot 'n vollediger begrip van onderwysers in minder-bevoorregte skole. Onderwysers ontwikkel 'n self-identiteit binne die raamwerk van ervarings en verwagtinge oor hulleself en hulle onderrig. Die professionele identiteit van die onderwyser bestaan uit vaardigheid op vakgebied, vlak van opleiding, voorbereiding en formele kwalifikasie. Binne die minder-bevoorregte konteks waarin hierdie respondente onderrig, konstrueer hulle 'n een-dimensionele professionele identiteit. Die skoolklimaat belemmer die gelyktydige uitvoering van veral die drie rolle waarna ek in hierdie studie verwys. Sommige van die belemmerende faktore waarna verwys word, is die skool se gelate aanvaarding van gebrek aan leerarea kennis, rasisme en die misbruik van onderrigtyd. Gebrekkige bestuur en gemeenskapsbeheer vergemaklik verder die onderwyser se tekortkominge en een-dimensionele benadering. My studie word onderskraag deur 'n teoretiese raamwerk wat met behulp van literatuurwerke saamgestel is. Die proses van data-insameling is met die hulp van 'n kwalitatiewe indiepte-ondersoek gedoen. Die semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude wat gevoer was, het gedien as instrument ter beantwoording van die navorsingsvraag ten einde die beoogde doelstellings te bereik. My kern bevindinge het ek verkry vanuit empiriese-interpretatiewe tegnieke. Hiervolgens is bevind dat persoonlike sosialisering en professionele opleiding tesame met kontekstuele faktore, 'n invloed het op die samestelling van die identiteitsbasis van die onderwyser. Hierdie identiteitsbasis vorm die grondslag waarop onderwysers hulle rol-identiteit formuleer. My navorsing wys hoe die onderwysers in my studie hulleself posisioneer in verhouding tot hulle voorgeskrewe onderwyserrolle. Hulle identiteitsvorming geskied binne die konteks van minder-bevoorregte omstandighede, morele diffusie en onderwys transformasie. Ek beskryf hierdie konstruksie as hulle konseptuele ruimte van rol-identiteitsvorming. Verder bied hierdie studie 'n analise van hoe respondente hulle rol-identiteit vorm. Die vernaamste bevinding van hierdie studie is dat die geselekteerde onderwysers elk op 'n een-dimensionele basis uiting gee aan 'n professionele medieëring van hulle rolle binne hierdie skool se kultuur. Die studie wys die komplekse variasies van een-dimensionaliteit onder die vier onderwysers.