The Revised National Curriculum Statement of 2002 does not emphasize the need for Education for Sustainable Living (EFSL) in the Arts and Culture (A & C) learning area. Although the RNCS envisages a learner who respects the environment, the curriculum does not cater for the needs of the educators who are relatively new to environmental education and especially EFSL. Educators are faced with a multitude of barriers and constraints. This research attempts to identify the barriers and provide strategies and recommendations to integrate EFSL in the Arts and Culture area. The barriers were identified through a questionnaire that was given to educators in the Port Shepstone region. To make the research more valid some questionnaires were given to schools in the urban areas, in the Durban South region, since most of the schools in the Port Shepstone region are in a rural setting. The strategies and recommendations are highlighted using the researcher's personal experience in the education setting, use of literature and the researcher's encounters at the International Children's Conference on the Environment in Connecticut, USA in 2004 and the World Environmental Conference in Japan in 2005. / Further Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Environmental Education)

This study investigated the implementation of National Curriculum Statement’s English First Additional Language in three rural primary schools in Northern Cape Province. The focus of the investigation was on English First Additional Language learning, teaching and assessment in grade four. The purpose was to evaluate class activities in order to determine the level of achievement in English, and to establish whether classroom practices were being informed by National Curriculum Statement policy for English First Additional Language. The study employed a qualitative case study approach, using classroom observation and document analysis research tools. The findings revealed that the learners lacked literacy skills because they were not engaged in suitable and meaningful tasks to meet their linguistic needs. Most activities given to the learners were irrelevant, and not age, grade and language level appropriate. There was no evidence of communicative, text-based, reading and process writing activities in the learners’ portfolio files. It was also discovered that teaching, learning and assessment did not conform to National Curriculum Statement policy for English First Additional Language and the principles of OBE methodology. Recommendations to address the problems are proposed.

The study investigates how the school management teams (SMTs) manage the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS). The NCS has been incrementally implemented as a curriculum change in the South African secondary schools’ Grades 10-12 from 2006. In addition to literature review, this study employed empirical investigation based on qualitative research approach which involved three semi-structured focus group interviews to gather data from the six sampled schools in Moretele Area Project Office, North West Province. The review of related literature reflected that SMTs are responsible for the successful implementation of curriculum change in schools. The empirical findings revealed that SMTs experience challenges that overwhelm their function of managing the implementation of the NCS effectively. These challenges involve, poor training of SMTs, resources constraints, poor stakeholder involvement, policy overload, and lack of APO administrative support. Finally, the study elicited some strategies that can be applied to overcome certain challenges. / Educational Leadership and Management / MED (ED MNG)

The implementation of the National Curriculum Statement was problematic to the culture of teaching and learning in various South African schools. If challenges experienced by educators, such as inadequate resources, financial constraints and lack of training, are not addressed, this will have far-reaching consequences not only for our education system but also for the type of skilled learners that will be produced and for the economic growth of the country. This qualitative investigation was conducted in a single school in Limpopo Province with the aim of finding out which challenges the implementation of the NCS presents to FET educators. The sample consisted of educators and learners from grades ten to twelve as well as members of the SGB, SMT and district education officers. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. It was found that the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement was problematic and far from satisfactory. The study highlights the need for the Department of Education to prioritise educational resources for schools and educator training in curriculum implementation. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the training given to Foundation Phase (FP) teachers in the implementation of Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), with the intention to develop an alternative professional development (PD) approach for this Phase. Literature indicates that the academic success of learners can be significantly affected by Foundation Phase teachers’ access and participation in quality PD activities. It also indicates that PD is much more than training. It includes on-going workshops, follow-up, study, reflections, observations and assessment which accommodates FP teachers as learners, recognises the long-term nature of learning, and utilises methods that are likely to lead teachers to improve their practice as professionals. In this study, mixed methods research approach was employed to collect empirical data. It includes questionnaires responded to by 84 FP teachers, three sets of interview questions, that is, one for 9 primary school principals, one for 3 subject advisors, and the last one for the Focus group made up of 10 FP teachers who were not included in questionnaires. Observation at training centre was also conducted. The study revealed that the responses from the five sets of data collection instruments seemed to agree on the following: - FP teachers were not involved in the design of their PD activities; - An appropriate time for FP teachers to engage in PD activities is during school holidays; - The length of the training was too short; - Training was not based on the teachers identified needs; and - It was not designed by teachers in cooperation with experts in the field. This study therefore recommends the use of mixed-models approach because the Cascade model that was used, is not addressing the needs of all FP teachers. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel van hierdie studie is om die gebruik van die kommunikatiewe taalonderrigbenaderingswyse in die onderrig van Afrikaans as vreemde taal aan eerstejaar onderwysstudente op tersiere vlak, naamlik die Technikon Noord-Gauteng, te ondersoek. Die ondersoek, in die vorm van 'n beskrywende analise, is op verskillende terreine van die taalonderrigwetenskapsveld gedoen. ie kommunikatiewe taalonderrigbenaderingswyse is bestudeer teen die agtergrond van verskeie antler taalonderrigbenaderingswyses wat deur die loop van die afgelope eeu gebruik is, Die verskillende sillabustipes is vergelyk met die kommunikatiewe onderrigbenaderingswyse en uitkomsgebaseerde onderrig ten einde 'n moontlike leerprogram vir die onderrig van Afrikaans as vreemde taal op tersiere vlak saam te ontwikkel. Die nasionale voorgeskrewe sillabus vir onderwysstudente aan technikons, naamlik die onderrig en leer van die taalvaardighede praat, slayf, lees en luister is analities beskryf. Hierdie taalvaardighede is ten slotte vanuit die kommunikatiewe taalonderrigbenaderingswyse binne die uitkomsgebaseerde onderrigraamwerk geplaas as 'n voorstel vir die onderrig van onderwysstudente in Afrikaans as vreemde taal op tersiere vlak. / The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of the communicative language teaching approach in the teaching of Afrikaans as a foreign language to first year education students at tertiary level, namely the Technikon Northern Gauteng .. The study, a descriptive analysis, took a variety of language teaching aspects into account. Communicative language teaching is described against the background of the different language teaching approaches used in the past century. The different types of syllabuses were compared to communicative language teaching and outcomes-based education in order to develop a possible learning programme for the teaching of Afrikaans as foreign language at tertiary level. The national prescribed syllabus for technicon education students, namely the teaching and learning of the language skills speaking, writing, reading and listening is described analytically. These language skills are communicatively described within the outcomes based framework as a suggested learning programme for the teaching of Afrikaans as a foreign language to education students at tertiary level. / Education / M. Ed.

. This investigation focuses on the leadership role of the principal in managing and supporting curriculum change in South African schools. The results reveal that principals are required to initiate change and to lead the curriculum change process in schools. Principals are expected to monitor, manage and evaluate the implementation of OBE in their schools. They also need to provide ongoing support to colleagues and are further required to acquire and employ skills, qualities, characteristics and a management style that is suitable for the OBE leader. This investigation recommends that for principals to manage and support curriculum change effectively in South African schools: • Principals are in need of more training and ongoing support • Commitment and support to the outcomes based curriculum is called for • Skills and qualities, for effective leadership, needs to be acquired and employed • A strategy to manage, monitor, support and evaluate curriculum implementation in the school is needed. / Educational Leadership and Management / M.Ed. (Educational Management)

This study explores the training of Psychology tutors at the University of South Africa's (UNISA) learning centres with a view to providing a paradigm shift in tutor training and contributing towards new ways of thinking about education and training in South Africa. It furthermore opens up alternative ways of thinking about the process of facilitation in general. Although the study focuses on tutor training within the discipline of Psychology, the outcomes of the study are applicable to tutor training and tutoring in general, and make a valuable contribution in identifying the basic principles underlying tutor training in other disciplines as well. An ecosystemic approach encourages the trainer-trainee system to become aware of how they affect each other's thinking and behaviour. The basic principles underlying the process of facilitation that emerge in the study, therefore apply equally to the training of tutors and the tutoring of learners by others. These principles provide guidelines in terms of the processes involved in tutor development, as well as inform the issues and themes around which the sharing of ideas can be choreographed in the field of tutor training and tutoring. In conclusion, the information generated in the study focuses specifically on student support in the form of face-to-face tutorials in the distance education setting, the form of tertiary education which is most accessible to many historically disadvantaged learners in South Africa today. More generally, it will make a valuable contribution in the current educational context in South Africa, where student support is of the utmost importance in striving for equality in education, and where the focus is on outcomes-based education. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The introduction of Outcomes-Based Curriculum 2005, has meant that the learning area of Life Orientation has undergone significant changes. These changes encompass both the scope of the learning area of Life Orientation, and the implementation of Life Orientation. The aim of this investigation has been to examine the implications of Outcomes-Based Curriculum 2005, for Life Orientation as well as to propose a method of assisting this implementation. The training of facilitators has met with mixed results and there is still confusion surrounding Curriculum 2005, and the learning area of Life Orientation. The development of an implementation model was therefore proposed and developed to assist Life Orientation facilitators to make the transition from a theoretical understanding to the practical implementation. The results of the study determined that the facilitators were overwhelmingly in support of the implementation model. They found it provided a logical and comprehensive framework, which would be helpful in assisting them with planning their learning programmes. In order to understand more fully the effectiveness of the implementation model in the classroom reality, it will however be necessary to undertake a study over a longer term with participating facilitators. A number of other issues also were investigated as part of this study. From this it was determined that facilitators feel they require more training to implement an Outcomes-Based appro'ach particularly with regard to assessment. Facilitators have also not yet fully understood what constitutes the learning area of Life Orientation, nor their tasks as a facilitator. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Issues of overcrowdedness in Eastern Cape schools have become very prominent in the media. The qualitative research in this study reiterates its existence and its implications for both learners and teachers. A need exists to curb the declining schooling standards. Large-scale in-service teacher training in an immediate joint effort by the Education Department and the school is necessary to address these serious issues. Classroom situations with low pupil:teacher ratios, classroom atmospheres conducive to teaching and learning, and an improved quality of education should be strived for. The effective attainment of the ideals of outcomes-based education requires improved teacher management and leadership to better disciplined classes. The treatment of any backlogs and inequalities evident in overcrowded classes should aim mainly at the upliftment of disadvantaged learners, who are still suffering under the effects of the previous education dispensation. Relevant recommendations and a suggested model to rectify the situation are proposed. / Oorbevolkingsvraagstukke in skole in die Oos-Kaap geniet aansienlike aandag in die media. Die kwalitatiewe navorsing van hierdie studie fokus op die voorkoms en implikasies daarvan vir beide die leerders en onderwysers. Daar bestaan 'n behoefte om dalende onderrigstandaarde te verbeter. Grootskaalse indiensopleiding vir onderwysers in 'n onmiddellike gesamentlike paging deur die Onderwysdepartement en die skoal is noodsaaklik om hierdie emstige probleem aan te spreek. Daar moet gestreef word na meer voordelige klaskameromstandighede met 'n laer leerder:onderwyserverhouding, 'n klaskameratmosfeer wat bevorderlik is vir onderrig en leer asook 'n verbeterde opvoedingskwalitiet. Die effektiewe verwesenliking van uitkomsgebaseerde onderrig verg verbeterde leerkrag beheer en leidinggewing aan beter gedissiplineerde klasse. Die behandeling van agterstande en ongelykhede wat in oorbevolkte klasse voorkom, moet daarop gemik wees om agtergeblewe leerders, wat nog onder die gevolge van die vorige onderwysbedeling ly, op te hef. Toepaslike aanbevelings en 'n voorgestelde model om die situasie reg te stel, word voorgele. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)