The research focuses on the role of the principal in the implementation of the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) in Tshwane North District 3. The district is characterised by urban areas, townships and informal settlements. Educators in schools in these areas are well qualified; however, schools in the informal settlement lack resources and facilities. Thus, the curriculum implementation problems experienced by principals and educators in the informal settlements differ from those of principals and educators in urban schools. The amendment of the Curriculum 2005 through the RNCS introduced innovations in schools and changed the principal's role in its implementation. A literature review provided a conceptual framework and covered requirements for successful curriculum implementation, the principal's role therein and relevant training for principals. An empirical investigation using a qualitative approach was conducted and data gathered by interviews with principals, officials from the Department of Education and educators. Finally, a synopsis of the findings and recommendations for further research are provided. / EDUCATIONAL STUDIES / MED (EDUC MANAGEMENT)

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / "This study is guided by theories about educational policy implementation and their implications for teaching. These theories underline the notion that educational reform is a progress and it iv comes in cycles. According to Tyack and Cuban (1995), the first cycle (policy talk) is for diagnosing problems and for advocacy of solutions. It is followed by policy action; then actual implementation of the plan. The implications for these theories therefore imply that teachers play an important role in any educational reform and as such should be involved in any decision making and policy implementation in order to make any change in education a worthwhile process (Fullan, 2001; Helsby, 1999; Tyack and Cuban, 1995). This study focused on the implementation of the policy document Towards education for All: A development brief for education, culture, and training and its implications on mathematics teachers at secondary schools. The policy document highlights the main features of Learner-Centered approaches. Therefore, the aim of the study is to investigate how mathematics teachers implement Learner-Centered Education in Mathematics classrooms in Namibia..."

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T14:31:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Antonella Bianchi Ferreira Ishii.pdf: 1595090 bytes, checksum: dd82a651da41c2b4e80aae6c599274d7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-08-22 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This study focuses on the introduction of a prescribed curriculum in municipal schools in the city of São Paulo. As for the curriculum component, the choice was mathematics of the second stage of schooling (6th-9th grades). This investigation was guided by the following question: to what extent the Curriculum Guidelines and Proposition of Learning Expectations of Mathematics for 6th-9th grades contribute to the ongoing training of mathematics teachers? In order to answer this question I have chosen one high school in the municipal city of São Paulo as a field of research. This choice allowed me to examine the impacts of Curriculum Guidelines, the Proposition of Learning Expectations and also the introduction of other intermediary curriculum created with the aim to contribute to a full implementation of the learning expectations envisaged in the Curriculum of São Paulo. The research is based on a qualitative approach. Interviews were carried out with educators from the technical area of São Paulo municipality as well as with teachers who worked at the school researched and used the Curriculum Guidelines. This approach also allowed the constitution of a focus group with mathematics teachers from the said school, which allowed the identification of feelings and representations around the use of the document "Curriculum Guidelines and Propositions of Learning Expectations for Mathematics for 6th to 9th grades‖ The testimony of collaborators highlights the role of continuing education not only as a way of getting updated, but also as means of filling the gaps inherited from the initial training of most teachers of the municipal teaching network / Essa pesquisa tem como foco de estudo a introdução de um currículo prescrito na rede municipal de ensino da cidade de São Paulo. Quanto ao componente curricular, a opção foi por Matemática da segunda etapa do Ensino Fundamental. Essa investigação foi norteada pela seguinte questão: em que medida as Orientações Curriculares e a Proposição de expectativas de aprendizagem do ensino fundamental do ciclo II de Matemática contribuem para formação continuada dos professores de Matemática? Para responder a essa questão, uma escola de ensino fundamental da rede municipal da cidade de São Paulo foi escolhida como campo de investigação. Essa escolha possibilitou-me averiguar os impactos causados pelas Orientações curriculares, a proposição de expectativas de aprendizagem e também a introdução de outros mediadores de currículo criados com o intuito de contribuir para uma plena implementação das expectativas de aprendizagem previstas na proposta curricular do município de São Paulo. A pesquisa utiliza uma abordagem qualitativa baseada em entrevistas realizadas com educadores da área técnica do município de São Paulo e também com professoras e professores que lecionavam na escola pesquisada e utilizavam as Orientações Curriculares. Essa abordagem permitiu também a formação de um grupo focal com os docentes que lecionam Matemática na escola pesquisada, o que possibilitou a identificação dos sentimentos e representações em torno da utilização do documento ―Orientações curriculares e proposição de expectativas de aprendizagem do ensino fundamental para o ciclo II de Matemática na sala de aula.‖ O papel da formação continuada emerge dos depoimentos dos colaboradores não apenas como mecanismo de atualização, mas também como supridora das lacunas herdadas da formação inicial de boa parte dos docentes da rede

This thesis explored the introduction of a new physics curriculum in New Zealand secondary schools. It was part of a nationwide overhaul of the whole school curriculum from primary to secondary schools, initiated in the early 1990s. The study of curriculum change is inextricably woven with teacher change, as the teacher is seen as central to any real change in curricula in the classroom. Some theories of teacher change are reviewed here and synthesised into a list of criteria relevant to bringing about effective change in teachers and their practices. A sociocultural perspective emerged as being a useful theoretical approach in analysing and explaining these processes of curriculum change and teacher change because it takes a holistic approach that deals with 'people, places and things' and the discourses involved therein. In particular, Wenger's sociocultural theory was used to study the introduction of a new senior physics curriculum. His terms 'reification' and 'participation' were seen to apply to this research: the curriculum document was taken to be a reified communication artifact, and 'participation' is involved in every stage of its development and implementation. In the context of this theorising, data was procured from in-depth interviews with the three curriculum writers and ten physics teachers in and around a provincial city in New Zealand. The teachers were interviewed three times over a period of three years: before, during and after the first year of implementation; namely 1996 to 1998. The interviews showed that most of these ten physics teachers did not undergo any significant change in their teaching because of the introduction of 'Physics in the New Zealand Curriculum'. The reasons or barriers identified, such as lack of guidelines and clarity, and contentment with their own existing practice, were aligned with factors that have been identified by other researchers as important influences on teachers undergoing change, such as clarity of change and need for change. Three key elements were identified from these issues emerging from the data as necessary conditions or resources for teacher change: knowledge, support and time. In the present study, there was very limited knowledge held by the teachers about 'what', 'how' and 'why' changes were being implemented. Secondly, there was little social and system support for the curriculum change. Finally, teachers had little time to focus on and reflect on the change. A model of curriculum change, incorporating Wenger's notions of 'reification' and 'participation', but extended to include 'dereification' emerged from the data. 'Dereification' highlighted an important stage whereby the curriculum document as an artifact, needed to be incorporated into the plane of lived experiences of teachers. The introduction of the term 'dereification' supported the development of this model of curriculum change incorporating teacher change whereby the model outlined processes of reification and dereification involved in a mandated curriculum change. The model of curriculum change developed here also contained a screen that symbolises the lack of intersubjective linkage between teachers and the designers of the new curriculum. There was no follow-up teachers' guide, not enough explanation of the curriculum document, no direct communication between the writers and the teachers, and insufficient professional development for the teachers using it. The research findings led to three propositions: the curriculum document as a key artifact was not sufficient to effect a curriculum change; the lack of transparency of the curriculum document development was a constraint on teachers' commitment to the curriculum change; and the lack of support for teachers in their dereification of the curriculum document impacted negatively on curriculum change. The key elements of knowledge, support and time identified as crucial for teachers to effect any real change in their practice are critical at different points in the model of curriculum change. It is suggested that using such an interplay between the factors underlying teacher change and the sociocultural analysis of curriculum change, might enable more pro-active intervention at the various stages of the process of a curriculum change to effect a real change.

The purpose of this study was to explore the Zimbabwean physics teachers’ interpretation of the Advanced Level Physics curriculum. The study was motivated by the teachers’ lacklustre approach to adopting new practices and the poor alignment of their understanding with the practice envisaged by developers (Fullan, 2007:39; Ndawi&Maravanyika, 2011:68). Zimbabwean Advanced Level physics teachers are in this predicament, as evidenced by the low numbers of undergraduate students and the misconceptions displayed by physics learners enrolling for first year university work in physics-related disciplines (Kazembe and Musarandega, 2012:4). Having an idea of physics teachers’ perceptions, experiences and current practices with regard to the revised Advanced Level physics curriculum maybe fertile ground for intervention measures and policy decisions. To obtain a more holistic picture of the physics teachers’ practices, a mixed methods research approach using the convergent parallel research design was adopted for the study. A closed survey questionnaire was used to solicit for information from 56 physics teachers in four educational provinces. Random sampling was used to select the survey respondents. From these participants, 10 were purposively selected for face-to-face in-depth structured interviews basing on their availability and accessibility. Ten schemes of work,one from each interviewed teacher, for one school term and six past examination practical paper 4 question papers were collected and analysed using a document analysis guide. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square, whereas qualitative data was collated into themes for discussion purposes. The findings of the study reveal that the physics teachers have embraced the ideals of the physics curriculum and adapted it to their operating context through the reiterative interpretation process to construct personal meaning. The teachers are mainly utilising teacher-centred approaches to impart knowledge to the learners which is not consistent with the physics curriculum anticipations of using learner-centred approaches. The physics teachers are superficially interpreting the physics curriculum.The physics teachers need to embrace the learner centred teaching approach andbe empowered to enhance their curriculum interpretation and teaching practices through staff development. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Many changes especially in the education system were introduced when the ANC-led government came into power in 1994. Curriculum change emerged as key focus in restructuring the educational system and strong emphasis was placed on its implementation. People in leadership in schools were expected to play a pivotal role to ensuring its effective implementation. Curriculum changes are intended to improve the quality of education for the benefit of learners and teachers. However, the curriculum changes that have happened over the years in South African education system do not seem to achieve its intended goals. As a result, it might be argued that some of the changes are contributing to the challenges faced by the school management teams (SMTs), teachers and learners in schools. Poor capacitation of teachers in successfully implementing the curriculum and availability of necessary resources needed are some of the contributing factors that impact on proper effective implementation of curriculum changes. Therefore, this qualitative study investigated the experiences and challenges faced by the school stakeholders in particular, SMTs and educators towards implementation of curriculum change in selected high schools in Mount Fletcher District in the Eastern Cape Province. Data were generated by means of open-ended interview questions and documents review to provide a rich description and explanation of what challenges school stakeholders (SMT and teachers) face in managing the curriculum implementation in their particular contexts. It became apparent from the findings that there are major curriculum challenges facing SMTs and teachers in managing the curriculum implementation in their schools. These included lack of resources, inadequate training and heavy workloads. However, measures were suggested to limit the challenges towards curriculum implementation in order for the SMTs and teachers to manage and implement the curriculum effectively. The study concludes by pointing out that although SMTs and teachers try to perform their roles and responsibilities to ensure effective implementation of curriculum in their contexts, they still require training and on-going support to execute certain aspects of their duties. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

What happens when teachers are required to implement a mandatory mathematics literacy curriculum whose purposes and pedagogy is distinctly different from that of mathematics curricula of the past? More specifically: How do teachers beliefs and understandings of the curriculum affect the implementation pathway of a mathematics reform intended for ALL? In 2006 the national Department of Education of South Africa introduced a new curriculum into the mathematics landscape, namely Mathematical Literacy. This curriculum, which is markedly dissimilar in pedagogy, politics and purposes from past mathematics curricula, was introduced as a mandatory alternative to mathematics in the senior secondary phase of schooling; not as an integral component of mathematics curricula but as a unique subject of its own. It recognizes that every adult and therefore every child can and should do some form of mathematics. This research focuses on the implementation of this new curriculum in a context were mathematical literacy levels are not only unacceptably low among pupils leaving secondary schooling but also among many teachers charged with delivering mathematics education to the learners in South Africa. The three research questions guiding this study are: 1) What do teachers understand to be the purposes, problems and possibilities contained in the mathematical literacy curriculum? 2) How do teachers proceed to implement the mathematical literacy curriculum in their classrooms? 3) Why do teachers implement this curriculum in the ways they do? In other words, what explains the implementation pathways followed by the mathematical literacy curriculum in real classroom contexts? A review of the literature on curriculum and policy implementation revealed broad encapsulating themes that provide lenses for reform failure. It also provided a perspective that calls for domain specific research. Following on this, the study articulated a broader conceptual framework premised on the perception that a deep understanding of a curriculum is required, for contemporary reforms in mathematical literacy, especially if the goal is to pursue deep change in instructional practices and beliefs. Within this framework, three propositions were generated and then later tested against the emerging data: Proposition one: Teachers may not have a deep understanding of the purposes, problems and possibilities contained in the Mathematical Literacy curriculum. Proposition two: Teachers implement the Mathematical Literacy curriculum in their classroom using beliefs and pedagogies that are already entrenched in their practice. Proposition three: Teachers implement mathematical literacy only because it is a mandatory subject and not because of any strong conviction of the inherent value of this curriculum. A qualitative research design was used which included two in-depth case studies against the backdrop of a snapshot survey of fifty-four mathematical literacy teachers as an embedded unit of analysis. Using evidence from an array of data collection instruments, the study found that the two educators had a superficial understanding of the intentions of the curriculum both in terms of required pedagogy and purpose of the reform. For both educators the teaching of mathematics in context was outside their paradigm of understanding as was their limited grasp of the 'spirit' of this new reform. What was further revealed was that educators teaching mathematical literacy felt and expressed an overwhelming threat to the status of their professional teaching identity. The explorative study concludes with implications for future studies and professional teacher development. It also further expands on why a strong theory of action is mandatory if the challenges of complex curriculum change are to be met. / Thesis (PhD (Education Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

Department of Curriculum Studies / See the attached abstract below

The island of Cascara is a dependent overseas territory of a European metropole. Access to the island is currently only by sea though there are plans to construct an airport. To prepare the island for the economic-related activities that will arise from air access, an Adult and Vocational Education Strategy was developed. This Strategy paved the way for the establishment of the island’s Adult and Vocational Education Service and informed the contents of the curriculum it provided. The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges associated with implementing and sustaining the curriculum on this isolated island. In order to do this, the study examined the curriculum on offer; its current state of implementation and its associated challenges within the Adult and Vocational Education Service; it also investigated the extent to which the current curriculum met the needs of the island by aiding workforce development to support economic growth; and finally, it explored the challenges relating to the sustainability of the Adult and Vocational Education Service in providing a relevant vocational curriculum. A qualitative research approach was adopted using case study methodology. The purposive research sample comprised stakeholders across the public and private sectors at various levels. Qualitative research elicitation instruments were employed to gather data. These included questionnaires, unstructured, semi-structured and focus group interviews. In addition to these instruments, various official documents were analysed and the island’s local print and audio media were used to gather data. The research findings indicated that there needs to be more integration of resources (human, physical and financial) in the provision of adult and vocational learning. The data also showed that the integration of available resources has the potential to aid in more sustainable and meaningful learning that will benefit both the individuals and the economy. The data further suggested that a collaborative approach should aid in stabilising and expanding the provision of adult learning on the island. The need to improve the provision of distance learning opportunities with more internationally accredited courses being offered locally; the need for quality in the provision of learning to be formalised; and the need for the curriculum and staffing structures of the Adult and Vocational Education Service to be reconsidered were also highlighted. The research findings have already begun to serve as the basis for addressing the priorities of the Adult and Vocational Education Service on the island. By informing future learning policy and the contents of the curriculum on offer, the research findings could also potentially benefit the provision of adult and vocational education on other islands, small states and rural communities with limited human and financial resources. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Education Management and Policy Studies / Unrestricted