The purpose of this study was to design components that should be included in a framework for the use of a classroom interaction approach as a strategy in teaching English as First Additional Language to enhance learners’ communicative competence in the primary schools. The previous research advocates that classroom interaction activities can provide opportunities for the facilitation of the additional language, as they encourage meaningful interaction in the target language and active learner participation. Moreover, a classroom interaction approach helps learners to construct their own learning while expressing themselves in the additional language. In the English First Additional Language (EFAL) settings, where it is an ongoing challenge to provide learners with practical learning and interactive learning opportunities, interaction activities such as discussion, storytelling, role-play, reading aloud and debate are seen as promising strategies, though there is superficial implementation of some of these activities in the Intermediate Phase EFAL classrooms. This multiple case study investigated the nature and scope of classroom interaction in teaching EFAL to enhance learners’ communicative competence. The study explored the teachers’ understanding of classroom interaction, teachers and learners’ beliefs and attitudes and the strategies used by the teachers in teaching EFAL in the classrooms. The research was undertaken at two public primary schools, but the focus was on the Intermediate Phase at Ekurhuleni North District of Gauteng Province. It was found that most of the teachers understood the classroom interaction approach but it was not implemented in some EFAL classrooms as teachers still use the teacher-centred method while learners remain passive receivers. The study recommends that EFAL teachers should be trained to implement the classroom interaction using the interactive activities in additional language and create a conducive teaching and learning environment that permits the learners’ participation; the schools should have a parental involvement policy as a means of encouraging parents to be involved in their children’s learning; policy makers should include debate as an interactive activity in the CAPS document teaching plans in order for the teachers to fully implement it; and parents should be trained on how to assist with homework tasks and take responsibility for their children’s learning. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

In this qualitative case study, I investigated the experiences of teachers employed at Muslim schools in the Gauteng Province in South Africa regarding the enabling and constraining factors for the implementation of EE at their schools. The study was inspired by the observation of the ongoing environmental problems in South Africa such as water shortages and environmental degradation with the realisation of the possible contributions that the Muslim schools may make in addressing such problems if they were to implement EE. Although some research has been conducted to indicate the challenging and supporting factors related to the implementation of EE in South African schools, little has been done regarding such factors in Muslim schools in Gauteng Province. Due to my pre-existing knowledge of the principles of the Quraan and Ahaadith (Prophetic traditions) which bears the guidelines for the practices of Muslim communities (including schools) and values regarding the environment, I regarded the limited research on this topic as a serious gap in literature. To contribute knowledge to this gap, a case study of five Muslim schools located in the Gauteng Province was conducted to observe their EE-related practices. These schools were selected through a convenience sampling technique which was followed by the purposive selection of 15 information-rich teachers for semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. These research methods were preceded by the analysis of the Qur’aan and Ahaadith (Prophetic Traditions) as well as the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) as stated in the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document. Findings indicated that EE implementation in the participating schools is enabled by factors such as inclusion of EE in the school’s extra-curricular activities and teamwork among teachers to implement EE. Conversely, there are factors such as the lack of time and physical space as well as the lack of teaching resources related to EE which constrain the implementation of EE in these schools. Among the recommendations made was that Muslim school teachers need to participate in in-depth training courses directly related to EE implementation. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Environmental Education)

Learners who take Physical Sciences in the Further Education and Training Phase in Eastern Cape schools have been performing poorly in the subject in the final examinations in Grade 12. This raised the concern of the researcher to determine issues that underlie this. In attempting to determine the cause of the poor results, a Physical Sciences subject advisor and six Physical Sciences teachers were interviewed to gather information on this problem. The following issues were considered: the Physical Sciences curriculum, the nature and structure of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (Physical Sciences), learner performance in Physical Sciences, a review of literature on science teaching, strategies of teaching and learning, the role of science teachers, classroom interaction between teachers and learners and the challenges experienced with science teaching. Data collected through the interviews were analysed leading to the identification of core issues and recommendations on how to address these. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

This study investigated teachers' and learners' perceptions of the causes of poor performance in Mathematics among Grade 9 learners in Durban's Ethusini Circuit of KwaZulu-Natal Province. By using a phenomenographic research design, a sample of 15 Grade 9 learners who take Mathematics, one Grade 9 Mathematics teacher and one Mathematics head of department was selected purposively from three high schools in the Ethusini Circuit. The three schools are one former model C school, one ordinary government school and one private school. Focus group and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the participants. The data were analysed by transcribing the focus group and semi-structured interviews; thereafter, the transcriptions were coded into themes and categories. The results of this study indicate that teachers and learners perceive that poor performance in Mathematics in Grade 9 is due to CAPS curriculum challenges, such as overloaded and advanced content, and insufficient time to complete the curriculum. Parental support, English (first additional language) as a language of learning and teaching, methods of teaching (such as the talk and chalk method), and learners' negative attitude towards Mathematics were also cited. From these findings, recommendations for revisiting the CAPS curriculum and other areas of need, as well as topics for future research were suggested. / Dinyakišišo tše di nyakišišitše ka ga maikutlo a barutiši le a baithuti ka ga dilo tšeo di bakago go se šome gabotse ka thutong ya Dipalo gareng ga baithuti ba Kreiti ya 9 ka Sedikothutong sa Ethusini ka Durban ka Phrobentsheng ya KwaZulu-Natal. Ka go šomiša mokgwa wa dinyakišišo wa fenomenokrafiki, sampole ya baithuti ba 15 ba Kreiti ya 9 bao ba ithutelago Dipalo, morutiši o tee wa Dipalo ka go Kreiti ya 9 le morutiši o tee yo e lego hlogo ya lefapha la Dipalo o kgethilwe ka maikemišetšo go tšwa dikolong tše di phagamego tše tharo ka Sedikothutong sa Ethusini. Dikolo tše tharo tše ke sekolo se tee seo se bego se le sa motlolo wa C, se tee sa tlwaelo sa mmušo le se tee ke sekolo sa phraebete. Sehlopha seo se nepišitšwego le dipoledišano tša dipotšišo tšeo di beakantšwego peleng di šomišitšwe go kgoboketša tshedimošo go tšwa go bakgathatema. Tshedimošo e sekasekilwe ka go ngwalolla dipoledišano tša dipotšišo tša sehlopha seo se nepišitšwego le tšeo di beakantšwego peleng; ka morago ga fao, dingwalollo tše di filwe dikhoutu go ya ka merero le magoro a tšona. Dipoelo tša dinyakišišo tše di laetša barutiši le baithuti ba bona gore go se šome gabotse ga baithuti ka thutong ya Dipalo ka go Kreiti ya 9 ke ka lebaka la ditlhohlo tša lenaneothuto la Setatamente sa Melawana ya Tekolo ya Lenaneothuto (CAPS), go swana le diteng tša thuto tšeo di tletšego kudu le tšeo di gatetšego pele kudu, le nako ye e sego ya lekana ya go fetša lenaneothuto. Thekgo ya batswadi, Seisemane (polelo ya gae ya tlaleletšo) bjalo ka polelo ya go ithuta le ya go ruta, mekgwa ya go ruta (ya go swana le mokgwa wa go bolela le go ngwala ka tšhooko letlapeng), le maikutlo ao a sego a loka a baithuti go Dipalo le tšona di filwe bjalo ka dilo tšeo di bakago se. Go dikutollo tše, ditšhišinyo tša go etela leswa lenaneothuto la CAPS le makala a mangwe ao o hlokago šedi, gammogo le dihlogotaba tša dinyakišišo tša ka moso le tšona di ile tša šišinywa. / Lolu cwaningo luphenye imibono yothisha kanye neyabafundi yezimbangela zokungasebenzi kahle esifundweni seziBalo kubafundi beBanga le-9 kuSekhethi yase-Ethusini eThekweni esifundazweni saKwaZulu-Natali. Ngokusebenzisa isakhiwo sokucwaninga esisezingeni eliphezulu, isampula yabafundi abayi -15 beBanga le-9 abathatha iziBalo, uthisha oyedwa weBanga le-9 kanye nomphathi oyodwa womnyango weziBalo bakhethwa ngenhloso ezikoleni ezintathu eziphezulu kuSekhethi yase-Ethusini. Lezi zikole ezintathu esisodwa semodeli C, esisodwa sikahulumeni ojwayelekile kanye nesisodwa isikole esizimele. Iqembu lokugxila kanye nezingxoxo ezihlelwe kahle zisetshenzisiwe ukuqoqa imininingwane evela kubahlanganyeli. Imininingwane yahlaziywa ngokubhalwa kweqembu okugxilwe kulo kanye nezingxoxo ezihlelwe kahle; emva kwalokho, imibhalo ivezwe ngendlela engaqondile ezindikimbeni nasezigabeni. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo ikhombisa ukuthi othisha kanye nabafundi babona ukuthi ukungasebenzi kahle esifundweni seziBalo kuBanga lesi-9 kungenxa yezinselela yezifundo ezibandakanya isifundo esifundwayo seCAPS, njengokuqukethwe okugcwele kakhulu nokuthuthukile, kanye nesikhathi esinganele sokuphothula izifundo ezibandakanya isifundo esifundwayo. Ukusekelwa kwabazali, isiNgisi (ulimi lokuqala olwengeziwe) njengolimi lokufunda nokufundisa, izindlela zokufundisa (njengeyokufundisa lapho uthisha ebhala ebhodini), kanye nesimo sengqondo esingesihle sabafundi maqondana neziBalo nakho kuveziwe. Ukusuka kulokhu okutholakele, kuphakanyiswe ukuphinda kuphinde kufundwe izifundo ezibandakanya isifundo esifundwayo seCAPS kanye nezinye izindawo ezidingeka, kanye nezihloko zocwaningo lwakusasa ziphakanyisiwe. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum and Instructional Studies)

This is an Action Research (AR) study with the senior phase Technology teachers at selected schools of Limpopo Province. The study was motivated by the fact that Technology Education is a foreign concept to many teachers and a new learning area in school curriculum both nationally and internationally. This was exacerbated by the many educational changes that took place in South Africa in the last 18 years. These changes include the overhauling of curriculum, which was the strategic and symbolic change since the first democratic election of 1994, but followed by its review. Thus, a new curriculum known as Curriculum 2005 (reviewed twice already) was developed in which Technology was introduced as a new subject. These changes drastically affected Technology Education and teachers’ coping demands on both the subject content and pedagogy escalated. In this study, AR, a strategy for a systematic, objective investigation with Technology teachers’ who are un- and under- qualified to teach Technology was considered. The study aimed at establishing intervention strategies to empower and emancipate senior phase Technology teachers in Mankweng Circuit from the said challenges above. Thus, the study sought to address the question: How could action research intervention be used to improve the teaching of senior phase Technology teachers who are un- and/or under-qualified? The intervention strategies were implemented through the AR cycles in spiral activities of planning, implementation and observation, action and reflection, whose principles were operationalized to develop participants from the situations that they face in their Technology teaching contexts. The study was designed from both critical theory perspective and participatory paradigm. The following instruments were used as a means to gather data: observations, interviews, questionnaires, field notes, video recording of lesson plans and logs of meetings. The study managed to come up with guidelines to develop and kick start AR with teachers. From the ii findings an AR model was developed to emancipate the un- and under-qualified Technology teachers. Themes from the challenges and AR were used to draft a six weeks plan to empower incapacitated Technology teachers. This investigation was shaped by the initial reflection or preliminary study conducted with the participants called reconnaissance study which revealed specific challenges that Technology teachers encountered daily in their classes. These challenges were turned into the themes, which together with the findings from the preliminary study and interview reflection per cycle were used to design the intervention strategies for the next main cycle. The findings of the study from both the preliminary investigation (presented in Chapter Two) and main AR (presented in Chapter Five) reveal an improvement in the teachers’ understanding and implementation of Technology – they were emancipated to a greater extent from the challenges prior to the AR intervention and post the AR intervention. It is true that coming together as AR co-researchers was the beginning of Technology teaching practice problem identification; keeping together was progressive in Technology teaching; but working together remains our success in Technology teaching then, now and in the future – post doctoral studies. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

This study sought to explore the pedagogical practices of teachers in science classrooms. In this study, pedagogical practices are taken as interactions between teachers, learners and learning tasks which aim to promote and facilitate learning of their learners The study adopted an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from the senior phase (i.e. grades 7-9) Science teachers. The teachers were purposively selected; two from rural schools and two from urban schools in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Data on teachers’ pedagogical practices were collected using survey questionnaire, focus group interview and lesson observation. The main research question for the study is “what are teachers’ pedagogical practices when teaching science?” This overriding research question was addressed by exploring the specific research questions: 1) how do science teachers teach their lessons? And 2) what informs teachers’ pedagogical practice when teaching science? The null hypothesis for this study was “there is no significant difference between teachers’ qualification and their pedagogical practice when teaching science” while the alternative hypothesis was “there is significant difference between teachers’ qualification and their pedagogical practice when teaching science”. The quantitative data collected by means of structured questionnaires was analysed using a computer package (i.e. SPSS version 22) while the qualitative data collected by means of focus group interviews and lesson observation was analysed using content and thematic analysis. The findings from the study revealed that teachers in the study incorporate in varying degrees learner – centred; and teacher- centred pedagogies in their science lessons. Whilst majority of the teachers in the study expressed a behaviouristic view of learning, which indicates a predisposition to teacher – centred pedagogy in the classroom; however, other pedagogical practices indicated by the teachers and observed in the science lessons are consistent with constructivist or learner – centred pedagogy which suggests strategies that may be used to provide a meaningful learning experience in science. The study further found that there is a significant association between the educational qualification and their pedagogical practice when teaching science in the visited schools; therefore the alternative hypothesis is accepted and the null hypothesis is rejected. Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are made: i. In service training on subject content knowledge for natural science teachers, especially those without science qualifications so that they can grapple with the subject content knowledge. ii. Science workshops to be organized from time to time to train teachers on effective teaching practices in the classroom. iii. Outsourcing or involving more than one teacher in the teaching of natural science in schools. iv. Equipping of schools with science laboratories so that teachers can carry out science experiments with learners. v. The schools must ensure that only teachers with science qualifications are assigned to teach natural sciences in the senior phase. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / Ph. D. (Education (Curriculum Studies))

MAAS / Centre for African Studies / Since its inception, the study of music in South African schools has been fashioned on Western Classical models. The change in orientation from the Eurocentric to the Afrocentric approach required that indigenous African music be accorded space in the curriculum. This study explores challenges in mainstreaming indigenous African music in the curriculum of South African primary schools. It specifically focuses on the Intermediate Phase (grades 4-6). This study enlists a variety of appropriate qualitative methodologies, such as interviews carried out with a sample of educators and schools. It also analysed relevant DVDs of indigenous African music performances. It is envisaged that findings emanating from this study will be of value to music educators, music curriculum planners, education specialists, and other stakeholders. The dissemination methods will include publications of relevant teaching materials for classroom purposes, as well as generating research articles for scholarly discourse. / NRF

MEd (Curriculum Studies) / Department of Curriculum Studies / The study investigated the implementation of Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) at the Foundation Phase. The implementation of CAPS was problematic in South African schools. If challenges experienced by teachers, such as inadequate resources, insufficient support, financial constraints and lack of proper training are not addressed, they would have far-reaching consequences for the type of skilled learners the system seeks to produce. The study was informed by an antipositivist worldview. The study adopted a qualitative case study research design. The population was the Foundation Phase teachers and School Management teams in Koloti Circuit. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. The sample consisted of 24 Foundation Phase teachers, 8 Heads of Departments and 8 School Principals. Qualitative data was generated through individual and focus group interviews and was analysed thematically. The study revealed that teachers understood CAPS. The curriculum was implemented fully in the schools. The study also established that even though teachers were committed to implementing the curriculum, there were challenges in the system like; inadequate teacher training, multi-grade teaching, monitoring and support for teachers, skilled school management teams and provisioning of human and material resources. The study recommends quality continuous teacher development, merging of small schools to eliminate multi-grade teaching, commitment to learner teacher ratio of 1:35 and providing schools with sufficient and relevant human, physical and material resources to enhance the implementation of the curriculum. / NRF

The role of the principal can no longer be viewed as merely being a manager and administrator but rather as learning-expert and lifelong learner. Principals are expected to establish appropriate preconditions for effective teaching, learning and assessment, and flow through with interactions aimed at improving teaching and leaning. The problem statement for this study was based on the researcher’s opinion that the lack of knowledge of effective assessment practices by principals as instructional leaders seemed to have a negative influence on teacher’s perceptions of the implementation of quality assessment practices in their respective classrooms. The reason for this challenge is because principals are not involved in the classroom assessment practices, to revise, support and manage the quality of assessment by indentifying teacher’s assessment to them. The purpose of this study was to design a proposed instructional leadership model/ framework to ensure effective and quality assessment practices at school level. This ILQA framework/model was designed from the literature review, findings and personal experience as a principal. The aim of this ILQA framework/model was to support principals understand their roles in the teaching and learning environment in ensuring quality assessment practices at school level. This study investigates how principals execute their roles as instructional leaders in ensuring effective and the implementation of quality assessment practices using structured questionnaire from a sample of 250 respondents and semi structured interviews with five primary school principals in the Free State Department of Basic Education. It was found that to ensure quality assessment practices, principals should understand their role in assessment for learning, assessment of learning and assessment as learning and integrate them into classroom instruction as an important component of quality teaching and learning. In summary the researcher further hopes that when the findings and the recommendations of this study are implemented, it will add value to the school principals’ instructional leadership roles in ensuring quality assessment practices at school level. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The educational changes introduced by the South African democratic dispensation after 1994 were meant to address the apartheid imbalances. The self-governing regime sought to bring and safeguard quality education for all, and to amend the previous education inequalities among all racial groups. Hence, the new curriculum that was introduced by the National Department of Basic Education was meant to be a drastic departure from the school curricula of the apartheid administration. One critical innovation sought was to replace a teacher-centred curriculum with a learner-centred curriculum. The emphasis of this study, therefore, was to determine the level to which learner- centred teaching has been adopted by rural and underdeveloped schools. The selection of rural schools was informed by the obvious differences that still persist between the former Model C schools and those that were predominantly black and underdeveloped, particularly in terms of resources and the quality of teachers. Given the fact that the main feature of the Outcomes Based Education (OBE) that was introduced from 1996 is that it is resource-reliant, the main research question of the study was therefore: How do educators in rural and underdeveloped schools cope with a learner-centred teaching as part of the curriculum innovation? In order to riposte to the study’s main question, the researcher used qualitative research methods to discern data from Physical Sciences teachers, learners and Physical Sciences Heads of Departments (Hods) from the selected schools. In addition, the researcher conducted classroom teaching observations, analysed relevant documents and interviewed some participants to determine their views and experiences on using a learner-centred approach. The findings of the study revealed many challenges to rural schools in adopting and implementing a learner-centred approach. These include the lack of relevant resources, poor quality of teachers, insufficient and inappropriate teacher-support programmes for teachers as well as the rural environmental challenges. The overall conclusion of the study is that, after two decades since the introduction of a learner-centred approach in South Africa, rural schools have not yet managed to adopt and implement learner-centred pedagogy as an important part of the post-1994 educational innovations. The researcher finds it ironic that apartheid education was demonized for promoting inequality around racial lines. Sadly, the post-apartheid innovations have yet to address equality among the racial groups and areas of resident. The inability of rural schools to adopt and implement learner-centred approach is depriving black and rural learners of quality learning. They are still subjected to a teacher-centred learning which does not assist them to acquire required skills which can help them to compete with those learners who are attending affluent urban schools. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)