It's almost like a dinner party and a buffet. A dinner party you get dished up stuff and you eat it and a buffet you can choose what you want out of a range of stuff. I mean think about it when you go to a dinner party- they always dish up something you don't like and you don't want to eat it anyway. It's the same if you have a lecturer in the front that just dishes out what you're going to learn, ... you have to learn it. But in terms of the curriculum negotiation process, I've got to choose what I wanted to leam. (Melissa II 27/11/01: 3) This thesis focuses on the process of negotiating the curriculum with twelve pre-service teachers registered for the Bachelor of Education (Primary) Degree during their Mathematics Education Course in their third year of study. The research is presented methodologically as an action research located within two paradigmatic positions, interpretive and critical. The research attempted to understand, interpret and critique the process of curriculum negotiation within the context of teacher education in South Africa In order to understand the negotiated curriculum process, experiences of the participants are presented through the use of their voices within the thesis. The interpretation is based on the construction and reconstruction of meaning during the enactment of the negotiated curriculum process and during the writing and reviewing of this thesis. The critique is rooted in the historical, cultural and social contexts of both the students and the author. The main contention of this thesis is that curriculum negotiation is not necessarily a suitable vehicle for developing a critical pedagogy in pre-service teacher education when all the participants form a homogenous group in this case, white middle-class women. The democratic values promoted within the context of our curriculum negotiation were fraught with dilemmas and entrenched the values of western liberalism. At most, the curriculum negotiation process and the development of a democratic learning environment, promoted a conscientisation at an individual level, namely a ' transformation of consciousness' . The democratic values promoted in our pedagogy were not sufficient in bringing about social change, a 'transformation for social action'.

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)

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of curriculum change in teaching and learning of science subjects at schools in Vhembe District. The research also meant to answer the following research objectives on the impact of new changes in curriculum. The first research objective was based on the effects of curriculum changes in the teaching and learning of science. The second research objective was based on the constraints or factors that might be affecting the effectiveness of new changes in teaching and learning of science. The third research objective was based on the monitoring and support on the new changes in science curriculum. Research objective four was addressed as a recommendation. It was about the suggestion for future planning of changes in curriculum. In this era of on-going new developments in curriculum, it was imperative to find out how new changes are affecting teaching and learning of science curriculum even in the most remote parts of the country. The continuous changes that are taking place in science curriculum demand the need for this research. Questionnaires, interviews and observation were used as data collection methods using the qualitative method. Schools which participated in the study were selected using purposive sampling. It is revealed in the findings that teachers feel that it is not necessary for them to change the way they teach, especially those who did not receive training on the new curriculum changes during their tertiary education. The findings also indicate that lack of resources impact negatively on the implementation of curriculum reform in teaching and learning of science in many under-resourced schools in rural areas. The findings also reveal that, it is not easy for subject advisors to give relevant support because of inadequate resources and lack of human capacity. According to the research findings, inadequate resources, skills and knowledge and lack of pre-planning on new curriculum development adversely affect the teaching and learning of science in schools. It is therefore recommended that the proposed curriculum development and reform be piloted before it is implemented as proposed in the model for the preparation of effective curriculum changes and development in science. Also, it is important to have functional curriculum support forums at school, circuit and district levels. The provisioning of science centres with well-equipped laboratories in each and every circuit will play a greater role in effective teaching and learning of science in schools. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

South Africa has recently made a significant move towards support for deaf learners in inclusive education settings. Educators in inclusive classrooms are considered primary resources for the development of the strengths and competencies of these learners. Successful inclusion of deaf learners often depends on the skills of classroom educators. Nevertheless, educators often have little or no knowledge regarding support for deaf learners in inclusive classrooms. The experiences of deaf learners were investigated in order to understand the unique needs of these learners. The aim of the research was to add bottom-up approaches to the range of curriculum adaptations necessary to support deaf high school learners within inclusive education in South Africa. A mixed methods approach was employed, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches in a triangulation research design. The findings that emanated from the quantitative research served to complement the findings from the qualitative study. The results of the empirical study were supported by the literature review to formulate practical guidelines for assisting educators to accommodate the curriculum in order to support deaf learners. These guidelines might enable educators to respond positively to the needs of deaf learners and ensure that their inclusion in the regular school is successful. / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

At Technikon Witwatersrand, Business Communication is offered as a service subject, which is compulsory for a variety of diplomas and the majority of students are obligated to do the course. Its broad intention is to assist students in developing their proficiency in English, enabling them to cope with studying at Technikon and preparing them for the workplace. Despite the fact that the course is designed to assist them, many students question why they have to do the course and whether it is simply a repetition of high school work. The study attempts to examine the implicit and explicit goals of Business Communication, to explore the process through which the goals have been developed and changed over the years (i.e. how the goals have been constructed), and to elicit and compare the perspectives of the different stakeholder groups as to the goals. Both a qualitative and a quantitative approach are used in the research design. Interviews with four fulltime lecturers were conducted and a self-designed questionnaire was administered to students. These were the main means of data collection. The data reveals that the goals of Business Communication are implied rather than explicit. Despite this, students and lecturers see the course as important. Recommendations are made to help the Department of Business Communication to reflect on their practice with particular emphasis given to material development and the application of OBE principles.

This study was conducted in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape, South Mrica. Triggered by the demands of South Mrican post-apartheid curriculum transformation, the study focused on establishing a sustainable science teachers' trans formative and continuous professional development (TTCPD) network with the view to improving their practice. It is premised on the assumption that teachers are capable of taking responsibility for their own professional development. It is a case study carried over a period offour years with a group of eight teachers. Rooted in the socially critical-emancipatory orientation in conjunction with the participatory action research approach, and located in the qualitative and interpretive research paradigms, it focuses on doing research in democratic and egalitarian ways through working with teachers rather than on them. Such a stance supposes a collaborative partnership and a dialogic relationship viewed as being both reciprocal and mutually enriching for the teachers who were seen as co-learners and co-researchers in this study. Two main goals of the study may be identified. For the first goal, the actors in this study established a sustainable and participative approach to professional development. This was explored through the formation of a TTCPD network which was informed by the actor-network theory framework. Our focus was on co-construction of scientific knowledge utilising the development and adaptation of learning and teaching support materials (LTSMs) as a catalyst to drive the process. The second goal was to examine how the TTCPD network enhanced the teachers' subject-content knowledge, pedagogical-content knowledge as well as individual and collaborative reflections. The research process evolved into three mam phases: The initial phase involved adapting and modifying LTSMs which were initially used in conjunction with microscale science kits and pilot tested with a group of Grade 10 students. This led to the second phase of the research project, which was aimed at gaining insights into the science teachers' capabilities in developing teaching and learning units of work. ii \ The second phase focused on the development of a collaborative orientation to the development of LTSMs and culminated in the formation of sub-networks responsible for certain tasks within the broader network. AB common ground, we focused on developing teaching and learning units of work on the following science topics: electrostatics, electricity, and electrochemistry, to illuminate and foster integration within science. The third phase was concerned with gaining insights into the science teachers' practice in their classrooms. This phase focused on putting theory into practice through the collaborative implementation of teaching and learning units of work. Feedback on the lessons was discussed during our workshops as an attempt to further enhance collaborative reflections. Data was generated usmg workshop discussions with reflective notes; active interviews; focus group discussions; co-teaching, participant observation and videotaped lessons with reflective notes; and a research journal. A variety of data generation techniques were employed to enhance validity and quality of the research. Techniques for validation and trustworthiness of data included triangulation; member checks orface validity; prolonged engagement; catalytic validity and peer validation. The study exposed the underlying historical, ideological and epistemological contradictions of the teachers' past educational backgrounds. It emerged that the ways in which they were taught were at times an inhibitor to innovativeness, perpetuating transmissive approaches to teaching and learning. Lack of professional development and support, and the tensions between policy formulation and implementation exacerbated this. Reflections from the teachers' experiences further revealed that, for teachers to be effective agents of change in the reform process, empowerment opportunities are vital. AB a result, exposure to the TTCPD network was useful in capacitating the teachers with the development of LTSMs, which led to the enhancement of their pedagogical, and science content knowledge conceptual development as well as collaborative reflections.The main findings of this study is that, science teachers' transformative and continuous professional development based on participative approaches and mutual collegial support are indispensable, and that teachers' socio-cultural contexts and experiences should be taken into consideration during this process. Teachers should be regarded as central in the process, and mutual respect and dialogical relationships are pivotal. A further recommendation of this study is that capacity-building is critical for quality teaching and learning, and there is a need to move beyond the rhetoric of complacency to pro-activism, supporting ongoing development of teachers in professional transformative networks. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in

This study examines the role of academic literacies and academic-writing practices at two diverse South African senior secondary schools and the implications that these practices have for academic-literacy teaching in Higher Education (HE). As student academic writing is central to teaching, learning and assessment in HE, learner academic-writing standards at schools will often impact on academic success in HE. This is a concern for HE as research from South African schooling contexts have found that students from secondary schools are seldom equipped to cope with the demands of HE writing practices. In addition, the introduction of a new curriculum (National Curriculum Statement – NCS) based on the principles of the South African constitution and informed by the Bill of Rights, impacted for the first time on senior secondary schools in 2006, when it was implemented in grade 10, and HE received its first cohort of matriculants with an NCS educational background in 2009. Therefore, this study specifically explores teachers' writing practices within an NCS writing-practice design for grades 11 and 12, and assesses its current implications for academic-writing practices in HE. Critical ethnography was selected as the primary methodology as it is concerned with multiple perspectives and explores local-practice contexts. Therefore, it provides a holistic understanding of the complexity of writing practices by examining the participants' writing-practice perceptions, observing their teaching practices and analysing their written responses or feedback to first and final drafts. The data/study sample consisted of three grades 11 and one grade 12 English Home Language and English First Additional Language teachers as well as selected learners from two secondary schools in the Port Elizabeth district. The data was collected by means of classroom observations, teacher interviews and learner samples of academic writing. Although this study focused on the teaching of academic writing by the four teachers, literacy understandings were also explored by describing what literacy practices subjectively meant to the four teachers by determining the meanings they collectively and individually gave to dominant literacy practices in academic writing, especially feedback practices in text production. A detailed examination of the new NCS requirements suggest that it offers an understanding of knowledge as a social construct, advocates a multiple literacies approach to teaching and learning, and allows for a process approach to cognitively-demanding writing which takes cognisance of the rhetorical, social and cultural dimensions of literacy. Collectively, the ASs in LO3 reflect a process approach to writing, from planning, drafting, feedback, revision to presentation of the final text. It also considers the specific rhetorical dimensions of purpose, audience, and context. Therefore, these NCS writing practices should benefit learners advancing to HE. This study argues that if teachers in secondary schools were to adhere more closely to the NCS's LO3 and its ASs implementation guidelines, learners would be better prepared to cope with HE academic-writing requirements. Instead, the study found that the teachers tended to reduce writing practices to the mastery of discrete sets of technical skills with a focus on surface features of language like spelling and grammar. In addition, the study found that when the teachers' perceptions of the NCS and their own classroom-writing practices were explored, they tended to resist a social-practice approach to academic writing, and, as a result, mostly adapted LO3 of the NCS rather than adopting it as intended by the policy-makers. Similar to other South African studies, this study concludes that teachers remain largely rooted in their autonomous teaching practices favouring traditional methods with which they are familiar over curricula policies which could emancipate learners toward levels of achievement which would better prepare them for both HE and the world of work. In other words, teachers in the sample tend to conserve their traditional methodologies which are predominantly informed by deficit views of learners‟ problems, selectively including new policy requirements which create the impression of compliance, rather than fundamentally altering their approaches pedagogically in the classroom and their academic-writing practices in particular.

Since 1994, the educational landscape in South Africa has been subjected to on-going policy changes. The national Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) which has been promulgated recently, is the third version of a post-apartheid national school curriculum. Teachers, in particular, fulfil critical roles as change agents during a process of educational transformation, as they need to facilitate the change by implementing the new national school curriculum. This study aimed to ascertain teacher experiences of continuous curriculum change, by focusing in particular on the views of selected FET teachers. Focus group interviews were conducted with teachers employed at secondary schools in an urban township in the Eastern Cape. The data revealed that the teachers‟ responses could be categorised into four broad themes, namely CAPS itself, the learners in relation to CAPS, the teacher in relation to CAPS and the Department of Education in relation to CAPS. Despite several frustrations and uncertainties, it was clear that the teachers wanted to assume agency as they expressed a commitment towards change and a willingness to implement CAPS to the best of their ability. This study however concludes that the FET teachers who participated struggled to assume full agency, due to restrictive and disabling conditions which are mostly beyond their control.

PhD (CS) / Department of Curriculum Studies and Education Management

MEDCS / Department of Curriculum Studies and Education Management