The paradigm shift in teaching from the teacher-centred approach to the learner-centred approach in recent years has impacted on the way teachers go about their duties in the classroom. This paradigm shift necessitated this research with the aim of investigating how the Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD) technique can be used as a cooperative learning technique to teach EFAL in Kwazulu-Natal. The purpose of this study was to design a framework for the implementation of STAD as a cooperative teaching strategy for EFAL teachers by gleaning literature on teaching and learning, cooperative learning and STAD in chapters two to four of this study. Empirical research, by way of a survey and focus group discussions were also conducted in four out of the twelve districts in the Kwazulu-Natal Province to help solidify the framework designed in this study. In striving to get in-depth insight into this study, the post-positivist-constructivist paradigm, which calls for the mixed methods research design was employed for the collection and analysis of data. Specifically, the Likert scale survey questionnaire and focus group discussions were used to collect data, through the sequential mixed methods design for the quantitative and qualitative phases of this study respectively, from a sample of 220 respondents and twelve participants. The findings of this research indicated that the time spent in training teachers towards the implementation of the STAD technique was not adequate. That notwithstanding, it was indicative that teachers make efforts to implement the strategy in their teaching and the results proved to be very positive as the technique continues to help improve upon learners’ performances and builds in them qualities such as critical thinking skills, good discussion skills and positive collaborative learning. In the nutshell, the literature study, the findings of the empirical research and the recommendation of this study forms the basis for designing the framework for the implementation of STAD as a teaching strategy for EFAL teachers. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Violence is common-place in South African schools and managing learner aggression is central to learners’ academic performance and holistic development. There is empirical evidence that suggests that the school curriculum is an essential vehicle for driving the process of creating social and emotional competent individuals, capable of social cohesion and tolerance. This evaluation research aims to evaluate whether the CAPS Life Orientation curriculum is adequately addressing social and emotional competence in learners in order to reduce violence in schools. A comprehensive literature review was conducted which revealed that Social and Emotional Learning programs are highly effective in addressing issues of violence and social problems in schools along with producing a positive school climate with high learner academic achievements. Data collected from the Life Orientation Curriculum documents, Grades R-12, and the elite electronic interview, revealed that the Life Orientation curriculum covers most of the essential elements necessary to make an impact on the development of learners’ social and emotional skills, but may lack the necessary knowledgeable teachers to facilitate such an important study area. Furthermore, not enough time and resources are allocated to Social and Emotional learning. Based on these results, recommendations are made through a ‘framework to advance social and emotional learning in schools model’ for the CAPS Life Orientation curriculum Grades R-12. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. 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)

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

This study deals with the impact of educational policy on the National Senior Certificate: Pre-1994 and Post democracy South African case. The qualitative approach was used in this study, and the research findings were based on the analysis of documents. The transition from apartheid education to the present education system in South Africa has not been without challenges. In the past, South African education reflected the fragmented society in which it was based. Outcomes based education (OBE)/Curriculum 2005 (C2005), since its inception, was riddled with challenges. OBE/C2005 by its nature is complex. It is not user-friendly for developing countries such as South Africa. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of educational policies on the 2008 National Senior Certificate results. Historical-educational research is undertaken with the view of putting the education phenomenon into proper perspective. Venter (1985) is of the opinion that historical education investigation refers to the systematic placing of historical education variables in the spotlight. The general, continual pedagogical and fundamental problems are accentuated against the multiplicity of historical detail. This then makes historical-educational research an orderly (systematic and controlled) process of knowledge enrichment (Venter & Van Heerden 1989:106). The National Senior Certificate was established in terms of National Education Act 27 of 1996. Curriculum 2005 has been described in policy documents as a “paradigm shift” because it represents a radical departure from the previous curriculum in terms of the following: theoretical underpinnings, structure and organisation, teaching and learning process, and assessment (South Africa, Department of Education 1997:1). Pre-1994, the researcher discovered that the education of black people in rural areas in particular and South Africa in general was, in most instances, negatively impacted by policies of the previous government (1948-1953). The apartheid government used poor funding models to ensure that there were low teacher-pupil ratios and teacher qualifications were of unequal standard. Unequal pattern of spending continued well into the post-1994 democratic era. This poor funding model which impacted negatively on rural schools made infrastructural provision in rural areas difficult. Post -1994 democratic dispensation, the researcher discovered that the government have competitive legislative policies in place, but the challenges lay in the fact that those policies were impulsively implemented. Hence the many challenges. This is shown by the frequency of curriculum changes which took place in a very short space of time. Stakeholders played a major role in insuring that schools received quality service by challenging some of the decisions the government was taking. The government has had to take the recommendations into account. / Public Administration and Management / M.Admin. (Public Administration)

South African learners’ poor performance in general, and in the national matriculation examinations, has necessitated the introduction of various curriculum implementation improvement programmes in the country. The Jika iMfundo Programme (JiP) is a campaign of the Programme to Improve Learning Outcomes (PILO) that was piloted, on scale, in two districts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, in 2014, to improve the learning outcomes in the province by supporting educators and school managers to improve curriculum coverage and implementation. This study employs a constructivist worldview to explore the experiences of educators and school managers in the King Cetshwayo District of KZN with the implementation of the JiP. The study addresses the issues of the preparation of stakeholders for curriculum change, the challenges experienced in implementing the programme and the adequacy of resources and support that are required to implement the JiP. A qualitative approach, and a multi-case study design involving nine educators, three department heads and three principals, to investigate the key research questions within three primary schools in the King Cetshwayo District were adopted. The educators were all teachers of mathematics from grades 1-7 and were purposively selected as respondents. Data were elicited through semistructured, one-on-one interviews, document analysis and observations. Since the data represented the perspective of individuals, data analysis was descriptive and interpretive in nature and was reported under pre-set and emergent themes. The main finding from the study is that, although the majority of educators and managers have a positive attitude towards the programme and are utilising the knowledge and skills attained through the training, the resources and support provided to implement the programme, the following factors inhibit efficacious implementation: lack of consultation, inadequate training, lack of sufficient learner resources, inadequate support from schools and the district and the fast pace and organisation of the mathematics curriculum. School contextual factors also affect the implementation of revised curriculum. Other factors like inadequate or non-reflection by educators on their curriculum coverage and insufficient opportunities for conversation around curriculum coverage at schools were also identified by the researcher as areas needing attention. Consultation with educators on future educational changes, more frequent training sessions, the provision of adequate learner resources, reduction in class sizes, a review of the mathematics curriculum for the Foundation Phase are some of the recommendations made in the study. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Many learners failed at school and were often causing over identification of learners with a mild intellectual disability. A national intervention, the Foundations for Learning was regarded as a national curriculum adaptation that addressed many learning needs. The aim of the study was to investigate the responsiveness of the Foundations for Learning in meeting the mathematics educational needs of Foundation Phase learners with a mild intellectual disability who lived in a disadvantaged village in Mpumalanga Province. A survey involving 39 teachers was conducted in the village and data was collected using a questionnaire. The main findings were that the national curriculum adaptation was significantly responsive and promoted mathematics achievement of some of the learners with a mild intellectual disability. The recommendations included that teacher informal identification of learners with a mild intellectual disability needed to be followed by formal assessment by psychologists and support from the District Based Support Team. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This study, which explores the challenges of everyday English language words in learning physical sciences in Gauteng-East townships secondary schools highlights the difficulties that learners encounter in learning and developing scientific concepts and vocabulary. The study was conducted in four township secondary schools. A questionnaire consisting of 25 multiple choice items, as well as a semi-structured interview were used to collect data for this study. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse quantitative data while qualitative protocol was used to analyse qualitative data. The overall percentage mean scores of correct responses in the questionnaire for schools W, X, Y and Z were 47.2%, 56.9%, 55.2% and 57.2% respectively, which indicated that participants in the study have limited knowledge of everyday English words, when used in a science context. There was no significant gender discrepancy in terms of performance. In-depth analysis of the results revealed that the underlying difficulties were as a result of participants’ relative levels of proficiency in the English language, lack of precision in the use of this language, misreading, and confusion in terms of the use of words. Furthermore, the results were consistent with earlier findings from other countries as reported by various authors. The findings will contribute to knowledge about effective classroom instruction and teacher education from the perspective of language in science. / Kulolu cwaningo, kuhlolwa izinselelo zokusebenzisa amagama asetshenziswa nsuku zonke welimi lwesiNgisi ekufundeni iSayensi ezikoleni zezinga lesibili, emalokishini wabantu abaNsundu empumalanga neGauteng. Kuvezwa ubunzima obuhlangabezana nezingane zesikole ekufundeni nokuthuthukisa umqondo weSayensi nesilulumagama. Uphenyo lwenziwe ezikoleni ezine zasemalokishini. Imibuzo yayiquketwe izinhla ezingamashumi amabili nanhlanu lapho obuzwayo ezikhethela impendulo ekuyiyo, kanye nesinga nhlolokhono yasetshenziwa ukuthola ulwazi oluningi mayelana nalolu phenyo. Izibalo ezichazayo zisetshenziswe ukuhlola ubuningi, kanye nobuqotho kulandelwa umgudu wocwaningo wolwazi olutholakele. Kuvelile emva kophenyo ukuthi izimpendulo ezishaye emhlolweni ngokwamaphesenti kuzikole W,X.Y kanye no Z ngu 47%, 56,9%, 55.2%, kanye 57.2% ngokulandelana kwazo. Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi, abantwana banolwazi oluncane kakhulu ekusebenziseni amagama wesiNgisi asentsheziswa nsukuzonke ukufunda iSayensi. Kubuye kwatholakala futhi nokuthi awukho umehluko ohlukanisa ngobulili babafundi ophawulekayo ngokusebenza kwamagama esiNgisi. Kuphinde kuvele futhi ngokuhlaziya okunzulu, ukuthi kukhona ukwentuleka kwekhono elimini lesiNgisi, nokuthi abafundi abakwazi ukusebenzisa amagama ngendlela eqondile, babuye bafunde ekungeyikho, kanye nokudideka uma besebenzisa amagama. Okunye futhi okuvelayo, yikuthi lemiphumela ihambisana ncamashi neminye imiphumela evela kwamanye amazwe njengoba kubikwe abalobi abahlukene. Lokhu okuvelayo kuzosiza ukulungisa ukufunda kanye nokuqeqesha othisha, mayelana nukufundisa iSayensi ngolwimi lwesiNgisi. / Hierdie studie, wat die uitdagings van alledaagse Engelstalige woorde in die leer van Fisiese Wetenskappe in sekondêre skole in informele woonbuurte in Gauteng-Oos verken, beklemtoon die uitdagings wat leerders teëkom in die leer en ontwikkeling van wetenskaplike begrippe en taalgebruik. Die studie is uitgevoer in vier sekondêre skole in informele woonbuurte. ‘n Vraelys bestaande uit 25 veelvuldige-keuse items, tesame met ‘n gedeeltelike-gestruktueerde onderhoudskedule, is gebruik om data in te versamel vir hierdie studie. Beskrywende statistiek is gebruik om kwantitatiewe data te ontleed, terwyl kwalitatiewe protokol aangewend is om kwalitatiewe data te ontleed. Die algehele persentasie gemiddeldes van korrekte response op die vraelys vir skole W, X, Y en Z was 47.2%, 56.9%, 55.2% en 57.2% onderskeidelik, wat aangedui het dat die deelnemers aan die studie beperkte kennis gehad het van alledaagse Engelstalige woorde om in ‘n wetenskaplike konteks te gebruik. Geen noemenswaardige geslagsongelykheid in terme van prestasie is bevind nie. Indiepte ontleding van die bevindinge toon dat die onderliggende uitdagings die resultaat van deelnemers se relatiewe vlakke van taalvaardigheid in Engels, ‘n gebrek aan presiesie in die gebruik van die taal, gebrekkige leesvaardigheid en verwarring rondom die gebruik van woorde weerspiëel. Die resultate was verder in lyn met vroeëre bevindinge van ander lande, soos deur verskeie outeurs gerapporteer. Die bevindinge sal bydra tot kennis rondom effektiewe klasonderrig en onderwysersopleiding uit die oogpunt van wetenskaplike taalgebruik. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

Many learners failed at school and were often causing over identification of learners with a mild intellectual disability. A national intervention, the Foundations for Learning was regarded as a national curriculum adaptation that addressed many learning needs. The aim of the study was to investigate the responsiveness of the Foundations for Learning in meeting the mathematics educational needs of Foundation Phase learners with a mild intellectual disability who lived in a disadvantaged village in Mpumalanga Province. A survey involving 39 teachers was conducted in the village and data was collected using a questionnaire. The main findings were that the national curriculum adaptation was significantly responsive and promoted mathematics achievement of some of the learners with a mild intellectual disability. The recommendations included that teacher informal identification of learners with a mild intellectual disability needed to be followed by formal assessment by psychologists and support from the District Based Support Team. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Abstract in English, Zulu and Afrikaans / Environmental Education (EE) has been integrated into the school curriculum for many years. According to this study, integration has to be followed by implementation, therefore the process of implementation is successful when integration has been successfully carried out. This study aimed to understand how teachers meet the curriculum needs of learners in order to implement effective teaching and learning of EE and for learners to gain adequate knowledge of EE. The methodology employed by this study was a qualitative research method and a multiple case study design. The theories employed to guide this study were social learning theory and social constructivism theory. This study employed a purposive sampling technique and three secondary schools were sampled for observations, three Natural Science (NS) teachers in grade 8 classes were sampled for interviews and 24 learners were sampled for focus groups in grade 8 NS classes. The findings of this study reveal that there is a lack of knowledge regarding caring for the environment, of which there is a contradiction between EE guidelines and policies provided by the Department of Education (DoE) and the teaching practices of teachers. Although education is perceived to be an essential tool in the conservation of nature through the development of information, aptitudes, qualities and critical thinking by the general population, it does not seem to have a large impact. In this study the aim was to understand how learners and teachers perceive the environment. This study implicates that there is an important role for other stakeholder’s involvement. Thus far, it was recommended by this study for EE curriculum to be revisited and emphasises the importance of thorough teacher training in regards to the integration. The purpose of this study was to explore how teachers and learners in three selected secondary schools in the UGU education district perceive the integration of EE in classrooms. / I- Environmental Education (EE) ihlanganiswe nekharikhulamu yesikole eminyakeni edlule. Ngokwalolu cwaningo, ukuhlanganiswa kumele kulandelwe ngokusetshenziswa, ngakho- ke, inqubo yokusebenzisa iyaphumelela lapho kuhlanganiswa kwenziwa ngempumelelo. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuqonda ukuthi othisha bahlangabezana kanjani nezidingo zekharikhulamu zabafundi ukuze babe nokufundisa nokufunda okusebenzayo kwe-EE nokuthi umfundi athole ulwazi olwanele lwe-EE. Indlela esetshenziswe yilolu cwaningo yayiyindlela yokucwaninga eyejwayelekile, ukwakhiwa kwamacala amaningi okufundwa Kanye nemibono esetshenziselwe ukuqondisa lolu cwaningo kwakuyithiyori yokufunda ukuqondisa lolu cwaningo kwakuyithiyori yokufunda ngokuhlalisana komqondo kanye nomqondo wokuqina kwezenhlalo. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise inqubo yokuhlampula enenhloso kwathi izikole ezintathu zenziwa amasampula ukuze kubhekwe zona, othisha abathathu be- Natural Science (NS) emabangeni e- 8 bavunyelwa ukuxoxisana nomcwaningi kwathi abafundi abangama- 24 batholakaliselwa ukugxila emakilasini e-NS ebangeni le- 8. Ukutholwa kwalolu cwaningo kuveze ukuthi kunokuntuleka kolwazi mayelana nokunakekela imvelo okukhona kuyo ukungqubuzana phakathi kwemihlahlandlela ye-EE nezinqubomgomo ezinikezwe nguMnyango Wezemfundo (DoE) nemikhuba yokufundisa yabothisha. Yize imfundo ibonwa njengethuluzi elibalulekile kulondolozo lwendalo ngokuthuthukiswa kolwazi, amandla, izimfanelo nokucabanga okubucayi kweningi labantu kodwa akubonakali kunje, ngale ndlela sakwazi ukuqonda ukuthi abafundi nothisha bayayibona imvelo. Lolu cwaningo lugcizelela ukuthi kunendima ebalulekile yokuzibandakanya kwabanye ababambiqhaza. Kuze kube manje, kuyahlongozwa yilolu cwaningo ukuthi ikharikhulamu ye-EE iphinde iphindwe futhi ukugcizelela ukubaluleka kokuqeqeshwa okuphelele kothisha madondana nokuhlanganiswa. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo bekukuthola ukuthi othisha kanye nabafundi ezikoleni ezintathu ezikhethiwe esikhungweni sezemfundo sase Ugu babona kanjani ukuhlanganiswa kwe-EE emakilasini. / Omgewingsopvoeding (EE) is jare gelede by die skoolkurrikulum geintergeer. Volgens hierdie studie moet integrasie gevolg word deur implementering, daarom is de implementeringsproses suksesvol wanneer intagrasie suksesvol uitgevoer is. Hierdie studie het ten doel om te verstaan hoe onderwysers voldoen aan die kurrikulumbehoeftes van leeders voldoen om effektiewe onderrig en leer van EE te implementeer en om leeder voldoende kennis van EE te verwerf. Die metodologie wat by hierdie studie gebruik is, was ‘n kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode, meervoudige gevallestudie- ontwerp en die teoriee wat gebruik is om hierdie studie te lei, was sosiale leerteorie en sosiale konstruktivisme teorie. Hierdie studie het ‘n doelgerigte steekproefnemingstegniek gebruik en drie sekondere skole is gemonster vir waarnemings, drie onderwysers in Natural Science (NS) in grad 8-klasse is geneem vir onderhoude en 24 leerders is gemonster vir fokusgroepe in grad 8-klasse. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie het aan die lig gebring dat daar ‘n gebrek aan kennis is met betrekking tot die versoging van die omgewing, en daar is ‘n teenstrydigheid tussen die EE- riglyne en –beleide wat deur die Departement van Onderwys (DvO) en die onderwyspraktyke van onderwysers aangebeid word. Alhoewel onderwys beskou word as ‘n noodsaaklike instrument in die bewaring van die natuur deur die ontwikkeling van inligting, aanleg, kwaliteite en kritiese denke deur die algemene bevolking, maar dit lyk nie meer so nie, kon ons op hierdie manier vestaan hoe leerders en onderwysers sien die omgewing waar. Hierdie studie impliseer dat die betrokeenheid van ander belanghebbendes ‘n belangrike rol speel. Tot dusver is deur hierdie studie aanbeveel dat die EE-kurrikulum herbesoek moet word en dit beklemtoon die belangrikheid van deeglike onderwyseropleiding met betrekking tot die integrasie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om te ondersoek hoe onderwysers en leerders in drie geselekteerde hoerskole in the UGU-onderwysdrik die integrasie van EE in die klaskamers waarneem. / Adult Basic Education (ABET) / M. Ed. (Environmental Education)