Department of Curriculum Studies and Education Management / MEDEM

Thesis (M.Ed. (Community and Continuing Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / The study reports on an exploration of the challenges affecting School-Family Community partnerships in two secondary schools located in the remote rural areas of Mogodumo Circuit, in Lebowakgomo District in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The main research question answered was. What are the challenges of School-Family-Community partnerships in rural areas at Mogodumo Circuit in Limpopo Province? This study is qualitative in design and is embedded within the interpretive epistemology. The two secondary schools were conveniently sampled due to their accessibility whereas participants were also purposefully sampled. The number of participants sampled was n=32. Data was collected through documents analysis, semi-structured questionnaires involving sampled participants, and observation by the researcher as a silent and non-participant observer. Inductive analysis was applied to arrange and organise data in thematic categories. From the themes discovered, intervention strategies were developed in order to address the challenges affecting the School-Family-Community partnerships at the two rural secondary schools. The study revealed that there is little or no involvement of stakeholders such as parents, community leaders (including priests, pastors, headmen, and the chief), and community based businesspeople, and non-governmental organisations in school events, activities and functions. The study recommends that developmental programmes such as parenting, literacy and numeracy, and parent involvement in the education of their children be organised for parents and community members. These challenges affecting School-Family-Community partnerships need to be dealt with accordingly by the active involvement and engagement of various stakeholders including, more especially, the DBE, SMTs, NGOs, educators, learners, parents, various community members, and private sectors.

This study was aimed at establishing the extent of parental involvement in their children's sexuality education. The researcher selected four schools of Xhosa­ Speaking learners in the Umtata district of the Eastern Cape. Four teachers, one from each school, were interviewed together with four Xhosa-Speaking learners and their parents. The method of data collection used was a semi-structured interview aided by tape recording of the session per interviewees' agreement. The findings were that Xhosa-Speaking parents are not involved in their children's sexuality education due to being embarrassed by discussing sexual issues with their children. Learners seem not to like parental involvement in sex education programmes in schools. Teachers would like to see parents involved in school programmes and communicate with their children on sexuality matters at home. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Specialisation in guidance and counselling)

The South African education system is in crisis; with low matric pass rates, high dropout rates, teacher strikes, rising pregnancy rates among teenaged learners, and assaults by learners on educators and other learners. The system is unable to cope with the multiple demands placed on it and a number of NGOs are stepping in to aid the system. This study is an evaluation of an NGO aimed at developing learners through the application of the Appreciative Inquiry approach. The Appreciative Inquiry approach is a method for generating change within an organisation by looking at what works in the organisation and facilitating active participation. The main findings from this study were that the programme seems to have positively affected learners‟ performance both academically and behaviourally; the programme was perceived to have raised the general standard of academic performance at the school. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

This study is based on a need for community involvement in farm schools to enhance effective teaching and efficient learning. The rationale behind it was to determine the current state of community involvement in farm schools in the Pietermaritzburg area, with a view to determining the extent to which the current community i nvolvement, namely, the active participation of parents, teachers, the farmer, the church, the state and the private sector could be extended on a large scale. The study revealed that the community involvement dimension of schooling is central to the teaching profession. If neglected, no effective teaching and efficient learning can materialise. The role of the farm school principal in the realisation of this goal is indispensable. The empirical survey and literature revealed that farm school principals can address the serious shortcoming concerning the participation of community members in the affairs of farm schools. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Collaboration between the parents and the school has a powerful influence on a child’s literacy development. However, home-school partnerships to support young learners’ emergent literacy development are weak in South Africa. Research into family literacy in South Africa is particularly important due to many socio-economic factors impacting negatively on family life and on children’s literacy development. The South African education system lacks a dedicated policy for the promotion of family literacy. Against this background the present study investigated the role of family literacy programmes in supporting emergent literacy among young children. A literature study on family literacy and family-school-community partnerships to support literacy framed an empirical inquiry following an interpretivist approach, using an action research design and qualitative techniques of data collection. The Wordworks Home-School Partnerships programme was selected for implementation and the programme was modified through the design and inclusion of a children’s component. A multicultural independent primary school situated in Pretoria, South Africa was selected through a combination of purposeful and convenience sampling. The school principal, four Foundation Phase teachers and seven families including nine children participated in the study. Criteria for family inclusion were that the participating families should have at least one child enrolled in Grade R and at least one parent should agree to attend the full six-week duration of the modified Wordworks School-Family Partnerships programme. Data was gathered during parallel sessions from parents, children and teacher-facilitators through multiple techniques: observation, interviews, feedback sessions, artefacts and journals. Data was analysed according to qualitative principles and the findings were presented in a narrative format substantiated by verbatim quotations. Key findings indicated a greater sense of community among the families and the teachers, improved quality of parent-child interactions, parents’ improved knowledge of emergent literacy skills and improved confidence in supporting their children with early literacy development. The medium term impact of the programme includes benefits for the whole school, the teaching staff, parent body and children. Based on the findings of the literature study and the implementation of the family literacy programme through action research, recommendations were made to improve school-family partnerships with a view to supporting emergent literacy development among young learners. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)

This study was aimed at establishing the extent of parental involvement in their children's sexuality education. The researcher selected four schools of Xhosa­ Speaking learners in the Umtata district of the Eastern Cape. Four teachers, one from each school, were interviewed together with four Xhosa-Speaking learners and their parents. The method of data collection used was a semi-structured interview aided by tape recording of the session per interviewees' agreement. The findings were that Xhosa-Speaking parents are not involved in their children's sexuality education due to being embarrassed by discussing sexual issues with their children. Learners seem not to like parental involvement in sex education programmes in schools. Teachers would like to see parents involved in school programmes and communicate with their children on sexuality matters at home. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Specialisation in guidance and counselling)

The South African education system is in crisis; with low matric pass rates, high dropout rates, teacher strikes, rising pregnancy rates among teenaged learners, and assaults by learners on educators and other learners. The system is unable to cope with the multiple demands placed on it and a number of NGOs are stepping in to aid the system. This study is an evaluation of an NGO aimed at developing learners through the application of the Appreciative Inquiry approach. The Appreciative Inquiry approach is a method for generating change within an organisation by looking at what works in the organisation and facilitating active participation. The main findings from this study were that the programme seems to have positively affected learners‟ performance both academically and behaviourally; the programme was perceived to have raised the general standard of academic performance at the school. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

This study is based on a need for community involvement in farm schools to enhance effective teaching and efficient learning. The rationale behind it was to determine the current state of community involvement in farm schools in the Pietermaritzburg area, with a view to determining the extent to which the current community i nvolvement, namely, the active participation of parents, teachers, the farmer, the church, the state and the private sector could be extended on a large scale. The study revealed that the community involvement dimension of schooling is central to the teaching profession. If neglected, no effective teaching and efficient learning can materialise. The role of the farm school principal in the realisation of this goal is indispensable. The empirical survey and literature revealed that farm school principals can address the serious shortcoming concerning the participation of community members in the affairs of farm schools. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Collaboration between the parents and the school has a powerful influence on a child’s literacy development. However, home-school partnerships to support young learners’ emergent literacy development are weak in South Africa. Research into family literacy in South Africa is particularly important due to many socio-economic factors impacting negatively on family life and on children’s literacy development. The South African education system lacks a dedicated policy for the promotion of family literacy. Against this background the present study investigated the role of family literacy programmes in supporting emergent literacy among young children. A literature study on family literacy and family-school-community partnerships to support literacy framed an empirical inquiry following an interpretivist approach, using an action research design and qualitative techniques of data collection. The Wordworks Home-School Partnerships programme was selected for implementation and the programme was modified through the design and inclusion of a children’s component. A multicultural independent primary school situated in Pretoria, South Africa was selected through a combination of purposeful and convenience sampling. The school principal, four Foundation Phase teachers and seven families including nine children participated in the study. Criteria for family inclusion were that the participating families should have at least one child enrolled in Grade R and at least one parent should agree to attend the full six-week duration of the modified Wordworks School-Family Partnerships programme. Data was gathered during parallel sessions from parents, children and teacher-facilitators through multiple techniques: observation, interviews, feedback sessions, artefacts and journals. Data was analysed according to qualitative principles and the findings were presented in a narrative format substantiated by verbatim quotations. Key findings indicated a greater sense of community among the families and the teachers, improved quality of parent-child interactions, parents’ improved knowledge of emergent literacy skills and improved confidence in supporting their children with early literacy development. The medium term impact of the programme includes benefits for the whole school, the teaching staff, parent body and children. Based on the findings of the literature study and the implementation of the family literacy programme through action research, recommendations were made to improve school-family partnerships with a view to supporting emergent literacy development among young learners. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)