Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the learning practice construction of selective poor learners in their rural workers class context. The construction of learners’ learning practices in their neighbourhood context is a complex process of confluence, and largely depends on their context-specific perceptions and conceptualisation. In the South African educational environment, learners’ academic achievement is generally seen as a barometer of the quality of education in schools. From a sociological perspective, this study focuses on how high-school learners in a working-class neighbourhood construct their learning practice amidst their particular community dynamics. The study uses the analytical lens of space in order to investigate the underlying relationship between youth development and the youths’ construction of their learning practices in their neighbourhood context. It emphasises learners’ life experiences in their residential space (the neighbourhood) in the construction of their learning practices. This is an important focus in order to explore the dynamic relationship between learners’ spatial living dynamics and how they navigate within their neighbourhood in order to construct their learning practices. The study focuses on how the students experience the neighbourhood in relation to their learning practices, and how these aspects manifest in the shaping of their learning practices. Also key to the study is the learners’ socialisation processes with regard to their learning practices. Qualitative research instruments, such as field notes, participatory and non-participatory observations as well as formal and informal interviews, were used to answer the research question and achieve the research objectives of the thesis. The findings are presented in narrative format according to relevant themes, and are also analysed on a narrative basis. The study’s primary point of departure is that there is a unique relationship between these learners’ living contexts and how they construct and position their learning practices within this context. I place this study within the qualitative interpretative paradigm, as I attempt to describe and understand how these learners [un]consciously draw from practices and interactions in their living context to shape their lerning practices. Qualitative research instruments, such as field notes, participatory and non-participatory observations as well as formal and informal interviews, were used to answer the research question and achieve the research objectives of the thesis. The findings are presented in narrative format according to relevant themes, and are also analysed on a narrative basis. The research shows how the students – based on their own resources, networks and interactions as well as their own agency – position themselves in relation to their learning practices in order to construct their learning practices. In this way, the study reveals how the participating learners draw from the practices out of their doxa and habituated dispositions to construct their emergent learning practices in their living spaces (neighbourhood) – in order to give content to their learning practices. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie fokus op die leerpraktykkonstruering van geselekteerde arm leerders in hulle landelike werkersklaskonteks. Leerders se leerpraktykkonstruering in hul woonbuurtkonteks is ʼn komplekse proses van samevloeiing, en hang grootliks van hul konteks spesifieke opvattings en konseptualisering af. Opvoedkundige navorsing in Suid-Afrika sentreer hoofsaaklik rondom onuitgedaagde pedagogiese benaderings wat werkersklasleerders se leervermoëns as problematies sien. Uit ʼn sosiologiese perspektief konsentreer hierdie studie op hoe hoërskoolleerders in ʼn werkersklaswoonbuurt hul leerpraktyke konstrueer te midde van hul besondere gemeenskapsdinamiek. Die studie gebruik die analitiese lens van ruimte ten einde ondersoek in te stel na die onderliggende verwantskap tussen jeugwording en die jongmense se leerpraktykkonstruering in hul woonbuurtkonteks vas te vang. Die klem val op die leerders se lewenservarings in hul omgewingsruimte (die woonbuurt) ter vorming van hul leerpraktyke. Dit is ʼn belangrike fokuspunt ten einde die dinamiese verwantskap te ondersoek tussen leerders se ruimtelike leefdinamiek en hoe hulle daarin hul weg baan ten einde aan hul leerpraktyke gestalte te gee hoe sodanige konstruksies verstaan moet word. Die studie fokus op hoe die leerders die omgewing ervaar met betrekking tot hul leerpraktyke, en hoe hierdie ervarings geopenbaar word in die vorming van sodanige leerpraktyke. Sleutel tot die studie is die leerders se sosialisering prosesse met betrekking tot hul leerpraktyke. Die studie se primêre uitgangspunt is dat daar ’n unieke verhouding is tussen hierdie leerders se beleefde konteks en hoe hulle hul leerpraktyke bou en posisioneer binne hierdie konteks. Ek plaas die studie binne die kwalitatiewe interpretatiewe paradigma, soos ek probeer om te beskryf en te verstaan hoe hierdie leerders [on]bewustelik en by wyse hul interaksies in hul beleefde kontekste betrokke raak in die vorming van hul leerpraktyke. Kwalitatiewe navorsing instrumente, soos veldnotas, deelnemende en nie-deelnemende waarnemings, sowel as formele en informele onderhoude, word gebruik om die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord ten einde die doelwitte van die studie te bereik. Die bevindinge gaan in verhalende-formaat aangebied word volgens die relevante temas, en word ook op ’n narratiewe wyse ontleed. Die navorsing toon hoe die leerders op grond van hul hulpbronne, netwerke en interaksies sowel as hul eie agentskap – hul leerpraktyke posisionering en bou. Op hierdie manier poog die studie om te toon hoe die deelnemende leerders by wyse van aspekte uit hul woonbuurtpraktyke gestalte te gee aan hul leerpraktyke.

The inadequacies of Black education have been approached from various angles including government intervention in the form of legislation, socio-economic measures, and others. People have also discovered this inadequacies and are struggling to resolve them in the form of 'alternative schools' or 'people's education' campaigns. The focus of this thesis is on community participation in the provision of education looking at two case studies in the Durban Functional Region. The theoretical framework for the study was threefold: derived from the development literature incorporating community participation; followed by a review of the literature on space; and a discussion on education - people's education. Data was gathered from intensive interviews, group discussions, newspaper articles, school reports and other documents. This assisted in giving an insight into the particular forms that community participation took in the two case studies. The following processes were identified from the study: processes of conflict and opposition and processes of co-operation in sharing a common task. These were analysed based on parameters such as: goals, concerns, students, community involvement, accountability, finance, sustainability and empowerment. The salient yet powerful features of the study were that of 'space' and 'locality' which presented a powerful force explaining the specificity of the processes in each of the case studies. The case studies succeeded in critically illuminating the precise meaning and evolution of community participation, its theoretical consistency, spatial sensitivity and also assessed its practicality. Furthermore, the study emphasised that local and domestic strategies in the provision of education need to be re-enforced through positive national or state interventions. Finally, as demonstrated in the two case studies, context-specificity should be the guiding principle in any community participation efforts. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1993.

M.Ed. / The main aim of the inquiry looked at community education, in this regard being the empowerment of school communities in effective and efficient running of schools for the new education system adopted in South Africa. The introduction of the South African School Act to meet the demands of the country's constitution, necessitates community involvement for shared-decision making, and fully informed participation by all stakeholders in the running of our schools. In empowering school communities, problems experienced by teachers, parents, learners, governing bodies relating to suspensions and expulsions of African learners were addressed, and an insight into stakeholders' roles was explicitly outlined. The contribution therefore, of this study, is the identification of sources of frustrations and troubles experienced in this regard. The findings provide school communities with a clear exposition of the roles and functions of stakeholders. Power implementation, in expulsion specifically, is clearly indicated to be on the Head of Education, which if perceived unfair can be appealed through the Member of the Executive Committee for Education in the Province. No management team, no governing body or a parent has the right to remove a learner from a school through whatever route — mutually agreed upon by other stakeholders — unless confirmation of that removal is from the HoD, but also with a placement of that learner into another school followed by a support structure created for him/her. All stakeholders will be aware of what the right of education refers to after reading through this research as recommendations clarified. Therefore, the field investigation clarified some of the typical problems about suspension and expulsion experienced by the research sample.

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

This treatise provides an overview of the American style of school public relations and suggests the possibilities for the positive impact such a treatise could have within the South African educational realm. Three models of school PR are proposed in this treatise in view of the fact that there is no one-size-fits-all kind of approach to school public relations. Schools differ in size either physically or financially, and these differences can have an impact on the extent to which public relations would be practised. Thus each model is described according to the practise of a minimum, standard and an advanced school PR plan. These models strive to provide either a starting point for implementing a PR plan; or a checklist for schools who already practise some form of PR. The nature and scope of public relations is explored within three selected South African public schools in Uitenhage to establish the extent to which the Modern Age of School Public Relations has “arrived”. Based on the research findings it can be deduced that most schools practise some form of PR, whether strategically planned or spontaneously, as the need arises. However, although it is apparent that the Modern Age of school public relations is being set in motion, it must be expanded on and progressed to incorporate all the facets of a proactive systematic PR plan. The content of this research paper details a step-by-step approach for South African schools to start a planned public relations programme. Furthermore taking into account current trends it proposes ideas to involve learners, staff and parents in the planning and implementation of strategic public relations in an attempt to achieve the school’s objectives and validate its vision. This treatise aims to provide a foundation for exploring the current practise of public relations within the educational environment and could stimulate further study by investigating and evaluating the PR of all class ranks of South African schools.

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Educational Studies / MED (EDUC MANAGEMENT)

The aim of this research is to establish the extent to which principals of schools in Gauteng are implementing co-operative school governance. The shift to co-operative governance is a result of new legislation, and in particular the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996, which aims at redressing the inequalities of past legislation. To determine the extent, to which principals are engaged in co-operative governance, a questionnaire was designed to elicit essential information as to how co-operative governance has been practically implemented. The research attempted to evaluate the commitment and dedication of principals to the process of shared decision-making; decentralisation and accountability; to engendering healthy relations with governors; to ensure that legislation is complied with as regards the composition of governing bodies; and to encourage governors to attend training. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Education Management)

Rural education in South Africa, particularly within the black communities, has suffered neglect under Apartheid education policies. This has resulted in an array of problems which continue to beset the country's education system. The community, through its various institutions, has a major role to play in the whole education renewal process. The business sector is one such a community institution, which is directly affected by the quality of school education. Countries such as Britain and the U.S. provide excellent examples of close co-operation between business and schools in an effort to prepare pupils in accordance with the needs of the workplace. The qualitative study conducted in schools, within the Dzumeri community, showed that there is a dire need for business involvement with schools in order to address important areas of mutual concern. It is finally recommended that the government must formulate enabling policies, which will promote business education partnership activities and ensure proper coordination at all administrative levels / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Comparative Education)

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The central question that this research study addresses is whether higher education institutions in South Africa are sufficiently meeting the needs of their students, by contextualising and integrating their academic curricula with service delivery in communities. The higher education sector has been criticized for not adequately promoting and developing social responsibility in the context of civic awareness among their students. This study suggests that service-learning could become a vital force in educational change and promote social equity by enabling the advancement of historically disadvantaged communities. Service-learning could thus be the vehicle that links academic learning outcomes, service in communities and civic education. The purpose of this study is to explore the theoretical foundations of servicelearning in order to achieve a deeper understanding of what service-learning entails. The Occupational Therapy Department of the University of Stellenbosch was selected as a case study to critically assess to what extent it has conceptualised, planned, implemented and assessed its service-learning programmes in terms of the key elements, principles and goals of service-learning. The research strategy for this study is a qualitative case study. Qualitative data was obtained through the completion of an open-ended questionnaire by the final year Occupational Therapy students. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the head of the department and different representatives of the community project that was selected for the purpose of this research study. The study concludes that the Occupational Therapy Department did in fact, integrate its academic curriculum outcomes with service delivery in the community. However, the development of civic awareness among students needs to be explicitly linked to the academic learning outcomes and service delivery in communities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vraagstuk wat hierdie studie probeer aanspreek, is om vas te stel tot watter mate instansies vir hoër onderrig en opvoeding in Suid Afrika die behoeftes van hul studente aanspreek. Die instansies word gekritiseer dat hulle akademiese kurrikulums nie genoegsaam geïntegreerd is met dienslewering in die gemeenskap nie, en dat hulle ook nie genoegsame sosiale verantwoordelikheid en gemeenskapsbewustheid by hulle studente aanmoedig nie. Hierdie studie stel voor dat diensleer gebruik word as 'n tegniek vir opvoedkundige veranderinge en die bevordering van sosiale gelykheid vir die bemagtiging van histories benadeelde gemeenskappe. Diensleer kan dus gebruik word om akademiese leer uitkomste, dienslewering en burgerlike opvoeding te verbind. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om die teoretiese basis van diensleer te ondersoek om sodoende 'n deeglike begrip te kry van wat diensleer werklik behels. Die Arbeidsterapie Departement van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch is gekies as gevallestudie om vas te stel hoe hulle hul diensleer programme konseptualiseer, beplan, implementeer en assesseer, t.o.v. die kern elemente, beginsels en doelstellings van diensleer. Die navorsingstrategie wat aangewend is om die doel van hierdie navorsing te bereik, is 'n kwalitatiewe gevallestudie. Kwalitatiewe data is verkry deur die voltooiing van 'n ope vraelys deur die finale jaar Arbeidsterapie studente en deur semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met die hoof van die Arbeidsterapie Departement en verteenwoordigers van 'n gemeenskapsprojek wat gekies is vir die doel van die studie. Die studie het vasgestel dat die Arbeidsterapie Departement se akademiese kurrikulum uitkomste wel met dienslewering in die gemeenskap geïntegreerd is. In die lig van die navorsingsbevindinge word 'n aanbeveling gemaak dat die ontwikkeling van burgelikebewustheid en sosiale verantwoordelikheid ten opsigte van gemeenskapsbehoeftes, direk verbind moet word aan akademiese leer en diens uitkomste.