With nineteen years of democracy behind us, South Africa has experienced uncountable changes within its borders and on various playing fields. One of the most memorable changes, in my opinion, was in education. This motivated me to embark on a study about the responses of Heads of Departments (HoDs) to curriculum changes. I especially wanted to focus on the management of those changes. The focus on HoDs arose from the devolution of responsibility from the principal to the HoD with regard to curriculum change. This uninterrupted cycle of curriculum change that South Africa is experiencing occupies the HoDs to a large extent. They have to ensure that the changes take place as smoothly as possible with as little resistance as possible. In order to accomplish this, one would think that the HoD would be trained in managing a department and curriculum changes. This is unfortunately not the case, and they are following their own guidelines that they have constructed through trial and error. This study was conducted through a narrative design within a qualitative framework, allowing me to give a voice to those who have none. It required me to have focus group interviews, which laid the foundation for my semi-structured interview. The use of documents assisted with the crystallisation of the data. This research was conducted in the Lady Frere district of the Eastern Cape. There were two sets of HoDs from different schools, and one participant willing to participate in a semi-structured interview. The purpose of this study was to find out what guidelines HoDs had constructed by looking at HoDs’ responses to, and management of curriculum changes since 2005. It became very clear that there is some confusion about what is expected of the HoD during the change process and the HoDs in this study felt it better to follow traditional methods of teaching, as this was all they knew. However, the focus on producing quality education was very important to them. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

Knowledge about the importance of consent is crucial regarding several aspects. Previous studies demonstrate the need for extended discussion platforms for consent and that school plays a large role in conveying information about the area. It is also noted that this type of teaching is deficient. To emphasize the importance of consent, curriculum revisions were introduced in July 2022, which clearly focus attention on consent teaching.  This study investigates the implementation of the new curriculum changes regarding the area Sexuality, consent, and relations in biology- and natural science teaching at the secondary and upper secondary school levels. The focus is on the insertion of a clearer framework for consent teaching. The purpose of this study is to enhance understanding of teachers’ efforts and challenges in consent teaching within the subjects of biology and natural science. To investigate the purpose of the study, qualitative interviews with seven qualified biology- and natural science teachers, both from secondary and high school levels, were carried out.  From the results of the study, a clear discrepancy was identified between positive attitudes towards the changes and the actual implementation identified. The results revealed obstacles, such as limited theoretical support and professional development, to realizing pedagogical changes. In terms of teaching methods, the teachers conduct teaching that mainly resolves around discussions, which is in line with the research’s implications of good consent teaching. On the other hand, there is a lack of continuous conversations and interdisciplinary work. The study therefore emphasizes the importance of involving teachers from various subjects to ensure holistic teaching. Finally, the findings highlight a particular challenge of engaging young men in consent education, requiring strategies to include their perspectives and make them understand the meaning of consent. The conclusions highlight the need that it is insufficient to introduce new guidelines without providing support for their implementation. Additionally, there is a requirement for continued research on gender differences and consent education. / Kunskaper om samtyckets betydelse i relationer är avgörande ur flera aspekter. Tidigare studier påvisar att det finns ett behov av utvidgade diskussionsplattformar för samtycke och att skolan spelar en stor roll i att förmedla information kring området. Det påpekas även att denna typ av undervisning är bristfällig. För att trycka på samtyckets betydelse infördes läroplansrevideringar i juli 2022, som tydligt betonar samtyckesundervisning.  Denna studie undersöker implementeringen av nya läroplansändringar kring området Sexualitet, samtycke och relationer i biologi- och naturkunskapsundervisningen för högstadiet och gymnasiet. Fokus ligger på införandet av en tydligare samtyckesundervisning. Syftet med föreliggande studie är att öka kunskapen om lärares arbete och utmaningar med samtyckesundervisning i ämnena biologi och naturkunskap. För att undersöka studiens syfte, genomfördes kvalitativa intervjuer med sju behöriga biologi- och naturkunskapslärare både på gymnasial- och högstadienivå.  Från studiens resultat identifierades en tydlig diskrepans mellan positiva attityder till ändringarna och den faktiska implementeringen av dessa. Resultaten visade på hinder, som begränsat teoretiskt stöd och kompetensutveckling, för att förverkliga pedagogiska förändringar. Vad gäller undervisningsformer bedriver lärarna en undervisning som främst kretsar kring diskussioner, vilket stämmer överens med forskningens implikationer av god samtyckesundervisning. Däremot saknas kontinuerliga samtal och ämnesövergripande arbete. Studien betonar därav vikten av att involvera lärare från olika ämnen för att säkerställa en holistisk undervisning. Slutligen visar resultaten på en särskild utmaning att engagera unga män i samtyckesundervisningen, vilket kräver strategier för att inkludera deras perspektiv och få dem att förstå betydelsen av samtycke. Slutsatserna framhäver behovet av att det inte är tillräckligt att införa nya riktlinjer utan att frambringa stöd för implementeringen av dessa, samt att det förefinns ett behov av fortsatt forskning kring könsskillnader och samtyckesundervisning.

Thesis (M.A. (Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / This study sought to explore the perceptions of practitioners such as school principals, Heads of Departments and teachers towards the Grade9 curriculum changes in Economic and Management Sciences (EMS).This stems from the need for South African schools to have teachers with positive perceptions of teaching Economic Management Sciences since this is one subject that prepares learners for one of the scarce skills in the country entrepreneurship.The problem identified in this study is the perpetual poor performance of Grade 9 Economic Management Sciences learners.The review of the literature points out that since Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) in Grade 9 comprises the Accounting section, Business Studies section and Economics part, it is the former that contributes to the experienced learner's poor performance.This is a qualitative case study carried out at the Malelane circuit in Mpumalanga.This case study method allowed the researcher to use multiple data collection methods to enhance the qualityof the findings.The qualitative data generation methods applied in this study included the interviews, documents review and observations. Out of 12 secondary schools in the Malelane circuit, Mpumalanga, 3 secondary schools were conveniently sampled. In each secondary school, 3 research participants became part of this study. Teachers were specifically sampled for this study based on teaching Economic and Management Sciences in Grade 9. Key findings of the study revealed that a lack of sufficient teaching and learning resources in EMS delays the successful teaching of the subject. Furthermore, overcrowded EMS classes in secondary schools, make it difficult for the subject to be taught with enthusiasm by teachers. Finally, the difficult accounting section, which is part of the EMS, triggers negative perceptions against EMS by the EMS teachers. Lastly, inadequate support given to EMS teachers from secondary schools was worsening the negative perceptions against the subject. Based on the expressed findings, the researcher recommends that the Mpumalanga Education Department allocates more time for Economic and Management Sciences subjects in secondary schools to enable learners to build a better foundation of the subject. Inaddition, adequate teaching and learning resources for EMS are necessary

Studien undersökte implementeringen och undervisningen av klimat och väder som år 2011 lades till under Fysik 1 i den svenska gymnasieskolan. Undersökningen använde sig av metodkombination som omfattade lärarintervjuer kompletterade med intervju av ett undervisningsråd på Skolverket och med textanalys av kursböcker. Lärarna upplevde en del problem kopplat till vad det nya ämnesområdet skulle innehålla. Oklarheten kring vad området skulle innehålla märktes också i kursböckernas framställning. Intervjupersonerna var överens om att viktiga aspekter inom ämnesområdet var växthuseffekten och global uppvärmning. Växthuseffekten och global uppvärmning hade även en framträdande roll i kursböckernas framställning. Från lärarintervjuerna framkom att lärarna gärna inkluderade Samhällsfrågor med Naturvetenskapligt Innehåll (SNI) i sin undervisning, men i bedömningen av elevernas lärande var det fysikalisk begreppsförståelse som accentuerades. Ämnesöverskridande samarbeten beskrevs av lärarna som önskvärt och förekom ofta. / This study examined the implementation and teaching of climate and weather which was added in the year 2011 under Physics 1 in the Swedish upper secondary school. The study performed a mixed-methods approach consisting of teacher interviews supplemented with an interview with an official at the Swedish National Agency for Education and with text analysis of course books. The teacher’s experienced some problems related to what the new subject area would contain. The uncertainty about what the area would contain was also seen in the course books. The interviewees’ opinion that the important issues in the subject area were the greenhouse effect and global warming were shared among the teachers. The greenhouse effect and global warming also had prominent roles in the course books. From the interviews it was found that teachers were positive to include Socio-Scientific Issues (SSI) into their teaching, but when assessing students learning the concepts of physics were emphasized. Cross-disciplinary cooperation was described by the teachers as desirable and often occurring.

Mathematics has got roots in Finland in the last quarter of the 19th century and came to flourish in the first quarter of the next century. In the first quarter of the 20th century, mathematicians were involved in teaching mathematics at schools and writing school textbooks. This involvement decreased and came to an end by the launching of the ‘New Math’ project. Mathematics education for elite was of positive affect to higher education, and this has changed by the spread of education, the decrease of mathematics teaching hours at schools and the changes in school mathematical curricula. The impact of curriculum changes is evident in Finnish students’ performance in the IEA comparative studies, PISA and IMO.

Mathematics has got roots in Finland in the last quarter of the 19th century and came to flourish in the first quarter of the next century. In the first quarter of the 20th century, mathematicians were involved in teaching mathematics at schools and writing school textbooks. This involvement decreased and came to an end by the launching of the ‘New Math’ project. Mathematics education for elite was of positive affect to higher education, and this has changed by the spread of education, the decrease of mathematics teaching hours at schools and the changes in school mathematical curricula. The impact of curriculum changes is evident in Finnish students’ performance in the IEA comparative studies, PISA and IMO.

Rationalisation and redeployment of educators in South Africa negatively affects teaching and learning in schools. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of educators and stakeholders on rationalisation and redeployment as a policy. The study was conducted in schools of the Mopani district in Limpopo Province. Limpopo schools experience redeployment every year as the learner enrolment fluctuates. This increase or decrease of learner enrolment causes compulsory transfer of educators from the school with low enrolment to the school with greater enrolment. A legal framework, social justice and transformational leadership theory underpinned this study. The study used a qualitative research framework and methodology located within the constructivist paradigm to explore the experiences of educators and stakeholders on rationalisation and redeployment as a policy. This qualitative study employed a case study design, the case being redeployment of educators. Principals, educators, secretaries of school governing bodies, union members and circuit managers were selected as stakeholders to participate in the study. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with principals, secretaries of governing bodies, union members and circuit managers. Two focus groups with educators, who were once redeployed, were used, one from a primary school and the other from a secondary school. Observations and document analysis were also used in this study for triangulation. Data were coded and analysed through qualitative content analysis. The study found that rationalisation and redeployment affect the morale of educators It was also revealed that principals use the process for their personal advancement. Again, rationalisation and redeployment hinder the school performance as it takes place in the middle of the year. This study recommended that rationalisation and redeployment be done once within a three-year cycle. It was also recommended that redeployed educators should be counselled to boost their low morale. / Educational Management and Leadership / Ph. D. (Education Leadership and Management)