D.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Foundation phase teachers of an urban, primary school at which the researcher is presently teaching, often complain about the behaviour of learners. Learners are sent out of the classrooms almost everyday, which contravenes education policy. Some of the problems foundation phase teachers complain about are disobedience, fighting, aggression as well as stealing and un-cooperative behaviour. These teachers often send learners with behavioural difficulties out of classes, and then call in parents but this intervention does not result in any changes. Teachers seem not to understand the nature of behaviours and strategies of behaviour management. They resort to losing control, using corporal punishment and think of resigning. Successful management of behavioural difficulties in foundation phase classes is crucial for learner development. Learners are still young and it is their first year at school. They come from different homes and neighbourhoods. Their background often influences their behaviour. Some of foundation phase learners practice the unacceptable behaviour practiced at home or by neighbours not knowing that the behaviour is not acceptable at school. Foundation phase teachers therefore do not always understand learners with behavioural difficulties because of lack of understanding of the nature of the causes of behavioural difficulties as well as the lack of strategies in managing learners with behavioural difficulties. Against this background the purpose of this study is therefore to investigate, explore and describe the support needs of foundation phase teachers in managing behavioural difficulties. In this study the research was conducted in a qualitative research paradigm. The data collection methods were individual interviews and field notes from individual interviews, which were taken as supportive data. A literature survey on the nature and causes of behavioural difficulties as well as the support needs of teachers is discussed in section two. Data was analysed through the qualitative content analysis method. Four categories emerged which are types of behavioural difficulties, causes of behavioural difficulties as well teachers’ present behavioural management strategies and the support needs of foundation phase teachers. Summary of the findings, recommendations for the study as well as critical discussion of the findings is also stated. Recommendations for further research are then suggested. / Mrs. J.V. Fourie

M.Ed. (Education and Learning Support) / This study focused on the design, implementation and reflection of the development of a workshop for educators with regards to understanding and effectively managing learners with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in their classrooms. This study was done in an action research framework in four specific stages, (a) the educators role, (b) educators knowledge about teaching, (c) teaching practices, and (d) reflective practices. Data was collected from a video recording of the workshop on ADHD, an informal focus group assessment questionnaire, and collection of participant's artifacts of the activities during the workshop. Educators who were engaged in the stages of action research during the workshop were provided with theory, strategies, and a checklists on ADHD. This structure assisted educators through the process of becoming knowledgeable, effective, and reflective managers of learners with ADHD.

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / This investigation is part of a group project that was conducted by a research team of the Department of Educational Sciences of the Rand Afrikaans University. The focus of this study is classroom teaching duties and educator commitment. Teaching is only successful if it leads to effective learning. In order to be successful in their teaching teachers need skills, knowledge and techniques that can be used simultaneously so that they can achieve predetermined aims and objectives. There can be no doubt that teaching is a complex task, and in order to accomplish this demanding task successfully, teacher's need to focus on different aspects in the learning teaching situation, like classroom management, classroom discipline, preparation of their lessons and the others. The research was based on assumption that for prospective and serving teachers to teach effectively and be committed to the teaching profession. In order to understand this problem in its total context, a study of the literature on classroom teaching duties and educator commitment was done.

M.Ed. / With the implementation of outcomes based education in 1998, Technology-education as a learning area became a reality in South African schools. Technology-education's purpose is to help learners use knowledge, skills and resources to satisfy human needs and to help solve problems, through the technological process. Technology-education improves higher order manipulation and thinking skills enabling a person to persevere in a technological environment and to improve his/her own life through technological knowledge. Such a complex learning area will need a special kind of classroom in which the technological processes and skills can be practised. The classroom must be able to accommodate pupils as they exercise skills such as thinking, planning, designing, conversing, building, drawing, experimenting, evaluating and report writing. The process to transform existing classrooms to accommodate Technology-education has not yet been researched in South Africa. The aim is to research the possible transformation of existing classrooms into technology classrooms and to find guidelines for a technology classroom to conform to. A case study in the form of qualitative research was undertaken to find a workable solution to the problem. Current and applicable literature were studied and document analyses, a semi-structured interview and observations were used as data collection methods. This research focussed only on one case, namely RAUTEC. The reliability and validity of the study are ensured by triangulation. Results from the document-analyses, interview and observations were analysed, explained and discussed. The results can be divided into five guidelines with a mutual relationship between them. These guidelines influence the functionality of: Guideline 1 — Furniture and equipment in the technology classroom must accommodate the various phases of the technological process. Guideline 2 — Suitability of work areas and surfaces for the activities in a technological classroom. Guideline 3 — Storing facilities for the variety of supplies and tools and products must be provided. Guideline 4 — Teaching aids for the variety of learning processes to assist critical and creative thinking should be present. Guideline 5 — Safety in the technology classroom when equipment is used is imperative. After mentioning the possible limitations of the research, the final results of the study are set out as guidelines.

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

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Good discipline is one of the key characteristics of an effective school and is a vital prerequisite for a culture of learning and teaching at any school. Despite the requirement that every public school should have a code of conduct and other disciplinary policies to ensure a disciplined environment of teaching and learning, there is a perception that learner discipline at certain schools in the Northern areas of Port Elizabeth is busy eroding the fabric of effective school management. As an educator and more specifically a member of the school management team (SMT) at a Northern areas high school, I elected to investigate the role of SMTs in managing discipline at selected schools in the Northern areas of Port Elizabeth. The research question, which formed the basis of my research, was: What is the role played by SMTs of specific schools in the Northern areas of Port Elizabeth in creating a culture of discipline and order? By investigating how these SMTs cope with the challenge of managing learners’ ill-discipline, I was hoping to provide SMTs with possible solutions and/or guidelines for future use by SMTs facing similar challenges. This study chose the interpretive paradigm in which to conduct its investigation, as the aim was to understand how SMTs experience the phenomenon of school discipline at selected schools in the Northern areas of Port Elizabeth. This was done by means of qualitative research methods, which allowed me to listen to and share the experiences of SMT members in the participating schools. The sample of this investigation comprised of the SMTs of four schools in the Northern areas – three high schools and one primary school. Data were collected by getting the viewpoints of the participants by means of questionnaires as well as individual and group interviews. This data were then analyzed by highlighting significant themes resulting in the formulation of emerging themes, namely: a decline in discipline, socio-economic factors, classroom planning and school management and discipline practices. These four themes were then sub-divided into two categories each and thereafter the experiences of the participants were described in rich, thick detail. The main findings of this research focused on school discipline being the responsibility of all the relevant stakeholders of a school; finding solutions to the discipline problems should be a collective effort of SMT, educators and parents; the Department of Education (DoE) should increase its efforts to assist schools to manage discipline problems more effectively in order to create a culture of discipline and order. The findings of this study resulted in specific recommendations being formulated, e.g. the development of learners’ self-discipline should be high on the priority list of any school, educators need to be trained in effective alternatives to corporal punishment, and parents need to set standards of acceptable behaviour for their children at home, which will automatically spill over to the school. The conclusions from this research are that SMTs need to work as a team and in collaboration with other educators and parents to effectively manage discipline at their respective schools.

Die doel van hierdie studie is om die dissiplinêre probleme in skole soos dit in die Oudtshoorn-omgewing voorkom, te identifiseer en aan te spreek. Dit word gedoen deur te let op: • die skoolklimaat wat by 'n skool heers en die uitwerking van die skoolklimaat op die dissipline van`n skool. • die dissiplinêre probleme wat met skooldissipline in skole ervaar word. • die oorsake van skooldissipline en in watter mate die omgewing waarin die skool geleë is 'n invloed op skooldissipline het en • om oplossings vir dissiplinêre probleme soos vasgestel aan die hand te doen. Die studie poog om deur kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes vas te stel hoe prinsipale, opvoeders en leerders die huidige dissiplinêre situasie in skole ervaar. Dit poog dus om eerstehandse kennis te verkry van hul denke, gevoelens en gedagtes en hoe hierdie fenomeen hulle beïnvloed. Die studie kyk ook in watter mate skoolklimaat op die breë spektrum van skooldissipline 'n invloed het, en hoe die verbetering van skooldissipline `n sleutelbestuurstaak in 'n skool is. Die belangrikste bevindinge van die studie is dat daar samewerking tussen opvoeders en ouers moet wees om negatiewe leerdergedrag aan te spreek. Die studie dui ook aan dat kommunikasie tussen alle rolspelers van uiterse belang is om die dissiplinêre probleme binne skole aan bande te lê. Skoolleierskap moet hulle ook vergewis van die jongste metodes om dissiplinêre probleme aan te spreek. 'n Positiewe skoolklimaat of kultuur is ondersteunend om skooldissipline te verbeter.