1. The contextual analysis and curriculum evaluation. This paper ... aims to investigate the Upper Primary Education Curriculum with specific emphasis on the subject syllabus for English Grades 5- 7. The paper shall attempt to look at the rationale, goals and aims as well as the learning content located in this subject curriculum. It will further investigate the sociohistoric and economic context in which this curriculum has been designed; the learners for whom the curriculum is designed and the learning environment in which the curriculum is presented. 2. The epistemological foundation of the reform process. This paper attempts to explore the theory of knowledge that underpins the practices of behaviourism and constructivism. 3. The literature review. The purpose of this literature review is to examine the effect of methodology in teaching English as a second language in primary schools. It is to find out the ways of teaching English that can produce good results. It is also to find the styles of teaching English as a second language that make some teachers less effective so that such teaching styles can be discouraged. When English was introduced as the medium of instruction in Namibian schools, primary school teachers were retrained and upgraded. 4. The research proposal. The aim of the proposed study is to explore a selection of learners' perceptions of ESL classroom teaching and learning activities. Through this it is hoped to cause greater illumination on the nature of learning and teaching English. 5. The empirical study (research paper). This interpretative case study hoped to find out from learners themselves about their perceptions of ESL classroom teaching and learning activities. A variety of research tools were used, including questionnaires, interviews, observations, interactive workshops and focus group discussions, all of which provided a rich source of data for interpretation. The research findings of this study clearly indicated that there is a mismatch between the teachers and learners' perceptions about the language skills and tasks encountered in the classrooms. From what was gained from the participants in this research, tentative suggestions are made.

What is the portfolio and what are its purposes? I must define the portfolio as a summative document bearing the valuable experiences learned in a particular course of study. In this context, portfolio can be viewed as a selective entity that represents the level of learning, in terms of academic/professional growth and development, attained in one's participation in a particular course of study such as this Master one I have been attending. Portfolio can be educationally utilized to reflect and evaluate one's learning. As one goes throughout paging, one locates the level of learning achieved in terms of anticipated knowledge, understanding, and experiences, skills and attitudes or overly learning competencies. The level of development one has gone through in attempts to respond to the expected learning outcomes surface out more easily. And if further learning be conducted, the portfolio must as well shows the ways ahead. With these few words, I have attempted to present the portfolio as a useful tool that represents the level of advancement attained in learning. This portfolio comprises of my educational partaking in Rhodes University's master program (theory and practice, in particular what and how I have gained from that program participation. It may also present what I cold not learn. The arrangement of the portfolio contents assumes a progressive procession, being structured in terms of the assignments taken. There are five pieces of assignments in this research portfolio. The first assignment is a contextual analysis of the Education Theory and Practice (ETP) curriculum of our current teacher education program, namely Basic Education Teachers' Diploma. It looks at the theoretical framework that informs and shapes everyday teaching and learning practices, particularly the degree to which we have been able to implement the theoretical perspectives into operational practices. To this is how our college is equipped with the technologies necessary for possible practices of the curriculum. The other emphasis focuses at the historical backgrounds that necessitated the undertaking of the BETD as an instrument of reforming and transforming the basic education rightly at the independence. The other area is on the question of how the curriculum or program intakers, the entering students, have been prepared to consume the curriculum program. Since the program has been as well designed to address and meet the four major national goals of education for all, another part has been focused on these goals so far as to locate the degree of attainment. The second assignment is about contrasting and comparing the two main held dominant worldwide views of knowledge- namely behaviorism and constructivism. Each branch of knowledge is looked at firstly with particular attentions paid to its own individual versions of knowledge and its development and acquisition. The other focuses examine which base seems to offer better explanations of what knowledge is and how it can best be constructed and acquired in any educational setting. The third assignment is that of literature review. I have chosen action as an area that I would be interested in exploring much further. Action research is what eventually became a part of my research proposal in which I would research on how our college students carry out their action research projects to examine their own classroom makings. It has been therefore important to read what others have written about this field and locate the lessons that can be illuminated on our own curriculum context. The literature review paves the way to the research proposal. The research proposal or a research plan as I would often call it, sets the context, purpose, theoretical position and information gathering methods under which the research process will take place. The research proposal has thus been the navigating compass despite the that realities as the practical journey itself took off some deviation unavoidably came in as necessitated by the underlying research process itself. The research proposal finally accumulates into the sought, the final assignment. A critical view illustrates that this piece is actually another contextual inquiry like the first work only that this is viewing our supposed curriculum outcomes: our students, our products and how they have been equipped to carry out the research. Their research, with its successes and shortcomings, I have concluded, firmly serves to reflect the kind of education delivered from our teacher colleges. The portfolio contents also demonstrate the course orientation: focusing on one's professional field. At end, I see this research portfolio as myself, a mirror that reflects my academic and professional participation in Rhodes University's world and its vision and mission expresses in the theme of where leaders learn. It thus represents the personal, academic and development accomplished throughout this Masters' course. In the other way around, I see it as reflecting what Rhodes can offer as from when the prestigious Augustana College, my American institution, has prepared after its boundaries.

This contextual analysis is concerned with the study of the Basic Education Teacher's Diploma In-service Curriculum. It is based on the following assumptions: firstly, that the BETD (Inset and Preset) represents the Namibian Educational Reform in the realm of Teacher Education. Secondly, it is assumed that the BETD as a vehicle for reform in Teacher Education should yield teachers who are capable of change and development. Based on the above-mentioned assumptions, this analysis examines this Teacher Education course/programme against some criteria pertinent to its philosophy. A critical analysis of its curriculum in terms of some core subjects, as well as its practical implementation, will form the basis of this scrutiny. Secondary to the above, this analysis also intends to reflect this sociohistoric and economic context in which the BETD has been designed. An underlying motive in this analysis is to study the dynamics between the philosophy, which represents the heart and intention of the Namibian educational reform on the one hand and implementation which in turn delivers the end product or final outcome of the course on the other hand. This analysis should also fit into the current debate between conservatives who claim that the BETD lacks content and is therefore inferior, and those who claim that the course adequately prepares teachers for the needs of Basic Education.

[From Introduction]. The study involved student teachers and teacher educators providing me with information concerning their perception and understanding of the BETD broad curriculum and needlework and clothing syllabus. The above mentioned are the people who are involved in teacher education thus I found it relevant to have their opinions and understanding of the documents. The contextual analysis has engaged me in exploring a possible area of research specialisation for the two years during the course of studies with Rhodes University; this will serve as an introduction to the particular research to be done through the course of my studies. The focus of this report includes the following: • A critical analysis of (BETD) needlework and clothing syllabus in relation to the BETD broad curriculum; • A socio-historic and economic analysis of the context for which the syllabus has been designed; • An analysis of the learners for whom the syllabus is designed. In this case students provided their autobiography; • An analysis ofthe learning environment in which the syllabus operates; the physical structure and resources. Together with the critical analysis of the curriculum a small scale survey intending to find out the following information from the student teachers and teacher educators was conducted. • The extent to which the broad curriculum differs from the previous teacher education on issues related to democracy, quality, access, cultural bias, racial discrimination and classes (level of economic status); • How the needlework and clothing syllabus addresses the needs of student teachers; • Whether the needlework and clothing syllabus has enough content; • The challenges facing teacher education and how they can be addressed; • Whether the needlework and clothing syllabus is learner-centred; • Whether the syllabus is gender oriented or biased. This evaluation framework provides a foundation for later investigation

Environmental education (EE) as an approach to all education is needed to be incorporated in all the subjects of the school curriculum. In Namibia, there are Ministerial documents that support the incorporation of education About, In/ Through and For the environment within the curriculum. Even though there are documents that support this, EE continues to suffer barriers that hinder its effective incorporation into the curriculum. The findings reveal that EE in Namibia is incorporated into the traditional environmental subject homes only. The barriers that prevent the incorporation of EE into the Namibian broad curriculum for secondary schools are, amongst others, the lack of adequate teacher education programmes and the lack of interdepartmental collaboration at school level. These barriers and many others have been identified and discussed in detail in this investigation. Measures are recommended to ensure effective incorporation of EE in the Namibian broad curriculum for secondary schools. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Environmental Education)

The study explores the incorporation of Environmental Education (EE) for sustainability in the Namibian Colleges of Education. The thrust is held in this study because of the view that the incorporation of EE promotes sustainable development. Cross-curricular teaching is the preferred model for the incorporation of EE in the Namibian Colleges of Education because it brings all teacher educators to contribute to the teaching of environmental education themes just as sustainable development requires all players to incorporate its principles in core operations of institutions. The study explores the global environment crisis, the environmental degradation in Africa in general and Namibia in particular. Education is seen as an instrument that could be used to address the environmental problems that affect the ability of the ecosystem to regulate climate, to provide resources and to support natural and human life in the broader environment. The study presented the EE goals such as the ecological foundation, the conceptual awareness: issues and values, investigation and evaluation as well as the environmental action, training and application. The study explores theoretical perspectives for the incorporation of EE, theories of modern environmentalism and theories of sustainability as well as policies that were undertaken in Namibia to incorporate EE in the Namibian Colleges of Education. The methodology of research is both quantitative and qualitative and is rooted in the classical and grounded theory approaches to research. The documentation of data and the questionnaire were used as techniques and tools to collect both direct and indirect data. It emerged from the findings of the study that the ecological foundation and the conceptual awareness subgoals are part of EE teaching while the investigation and evaluation as well as the environmental action, training and application subgoals are not part of EE teaching in the Namibian Colleges of Education. The findings of the study reveal that teacher educators in the Namibian Colleges of Education have a variety of understandings and perceptions about the incorporation of EE in the Namibian Colleges of Education. The findings also show that the barriers that affect the incorporation of EE in the Namibian Colleges of Education are institutional, dispositional and situational. The recommendations of the study support the clarification of the concept of cross-curricular teaching in light of the emerging paradigm of sustainable development. They also promote the re-orientation of the administration, the curriculum and teacher educator attitudes in the Namibian Colleges of Education. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The focus of this study is on Biology teachers in selected Namibian schools. The researcher seeks to understand how Biology teachers implement Environmental Education (EE) as part of the Biology curriculum as is mandated in the curriculum policy. Literature indicates that the EE curriculum and the science curriculum are underpinned by different philosophical and pedagogical perspectives. This prompts the research questions, and the subsequent research reported on in this thesis. During a case study guided by a qualitative interpretive paradigm, Biology teachers and Biology advisory teachers are interviewed about their experiences and actions and invited to make suggestions. In addition curriculum document analysis and observation are used. The data point to the aspects that can facilitate the implementation of EE in the curriculum, However the implementation of EE is associated with many obstacles and challenges. Teachers struggle to implement EE because of an inadequate understanding of EE and its underlying philosophy. Further enhancement of EE will also require the reduction of tensions between policy and practice, logistic barriers, and the gap between EE and science, while increasing the involvement of teachers in curriculum development, collegiality among teachers and principals, teachers and advisory teachers’ knowledge of EE, teachers and advisory teachers’ curriculum understanding and professional support. Teachers cannot achieve the objectives of EE unaided; therefore the establishment of EE co-coordinators in schools is suggested, since schools have failed to implement EE without such support. In addition, it is suggested that activity systems be studied in totality and that boundaries be crossed to enrich the outcome of EE. . Subject advisors are mandated by the government to support teachers experiencing problems, and it is suggested that ideas linked to the activity systems and activity theory be investigated and implemented to solve the problems. This should improve the implementation of EE as part of science teaching in the schools where the study was conducted and in other schools. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die fokus van hierdie studie was op biologie-onderwysers in geselekteerde Namibiese skole. Die navorser probeer om te verstaan hoe biologie-onderwysers Environmental Education (EE) implementeer as deel van die biologie van die kurrikulum wat in die kurrikulum beleid mandaat. Literatuur dui daarop dat die EE kurrikulum en die wetenskap kurrikulum word ondersteun deur "anders" filosofiese en pedagogiese perspektiewe wat die navorsing vrae gevra, en die daaropvolgende projek berig in hierdie tesis. Het egter Biologie-onderwysers se pre-diens onderwys sluit nie EE. Tydens 'n gevallestudie gelei deur 'n kwalitatiewe interpretatiewe paradigma, is biologie-onderwysers en biologie raadgewende onderwysers ondervra oor hul ervarings, aksies en voorstelle. Kurrikulum dokumente is ontleed en waarnemings van onderwysers in klaskamers in Benewens onderhoude en dokument-analise is gebruik. Data dui daarop dat die implementering word omring deur baie struikelblokke en uitdagings. EE is beperk tot opvoeding oor die omgewing en word gelei deur wetenskapsfilosofie. Dit lyk asof daar 'n gebrek aan begrip van EE en sy onderliggende filosofie deur onderwysers. Die meeste onderwysers noem baie struikelblokke as struikelblokke tot die implementering en dit sluit in logistieke hindernisse, en die gaping tussen EE en wetenskap, 'n gebrek van die betrokkenheid van onderwysers in kurrikulumontwikkeling, 'n gebrek van kollegialiteit onder onderwysers en skoolhoofde, gebrek aan onderwysers en raadgewende onderwysers se kurrikulum begrip en professionele ondersteuning. Terwyl, dokument-analise het gewys op die spanning tussen beleid en praktyk. Verdere data wys na die aspekte wat kan ondersteun as die inlywing van EE in die kurrikulum EE implementering, Biologie word gesien as 'n goeie voertuig vir EE, onderwysers benaderings is kennis van leerder, onderwysers se houding teenoor die implementering is positief. Advisory onderwysers kennis van hul algemene verantwoordelikhede, maar hulle lyk nie te verstaan hoe dit is van toepassing in EE weens gebrek aan EE kennis. Onderwysers kan nie die doel bereik sonder hulp, dus die vestiging van EE mede-koördineerders in skole word voorgestel, aangesien skole het misluk EE te implementeer sonder ondersteuning. Daarbenewens word dit voorgestel dat die aktiwiteit stelsels in totaliteit bestudeer word en dat die grense oorgesteek om die uitkoms te verryk. In hierdie verband, vakadviseurs mandaat deur die regering om onderwysers te ondersteun wat hindernisse ervaar, en daar word voorgestel dat die idees gekoppel aan die aktiwiteit en aktiwiteit-teorie ondersoek word en geïmplementeer word om die hindernisse aan te pak. Dit moet EE implementering te verbeter as deel van die wetenskap-onderrig in die skole waar die studie gedoen is.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the contradiction between the teaching of integration in ETP and the actual practice of compartmentalisation within ETP at the Rundu College of Education. The second part of this study is to explore and examine the way teacher educators could integrate subjects into their specialisation areas at college level. It is hoped that this study will contribute to the following: • The reason (s) why there is a contradiction between the teaching in ETP and the actual practice of compartmentalisation within the ETP. • Examining and investigating factors that have contributed to the teaching in a compartmentalised way.

Prior to independence in Namibia in 1990 the education system of the day did not encourage the majority of Namibian learners to explore and investigate the wonder of the natural and physical world. The post independence education system has nurtured the study of the sciences and has emphasized participation, problem solving and independent studies. The inclusion of projects and other independent studies has been regarded as a key vehicle to develop scientific understanding and competencies related to this understanding. However, very few studies have hitherto investigated the teachers’ understanding and implementation of projects in the Namibian context. This study investigates how Grade 10 Life Science teachers understand and implement projects in selected schools in Namibia. The study focused on two teachers in two schools, a combined and a senior secondary school in the Oshikoto educational region of Namibia. The research was conducted through an interpretive case study aiming to gain a better understanding about the implementation of projects in schools. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observation and document analysis. The findings indicate that despite the focus on projects in the Life Science syllabus and broad curriculum, policy documents do not give detailed guidelines on how projects should be planned, organized and assessed. The results revealed that knowledge about projects and their implementation is primarily informed by practical activities rather than the critical enquiries or investigations required by the Life Science curriculum policy. The study also revealed that despite the in-service training received by the two teachers participating in this study on syllabus interpretation, it is apparent from the findings that project work in these in-service programmes was neglected. This has further hampered teachers’ understanding and implementation of projects. The findings of this study point to a need for project guidelines as well as in-service programmes in this area if the stated nature and role of projects in the context of Namibian education policy is to be achieved.

This study focuses on the implementation of a thematic approach in the Namibian Lower Primary Phase of schooling. The purpose of the study is to investigate teachers’ perceptions and understanding of the thematic approach and also to explore how teachers plan and implement a thematic approach in their classrooms. It is argued that a thematic approach allows for a combination of subjects that integrate content across the curriculum in such a way that learners can see the relations among concepts and so build up their knowledge in a more meaningful way. The work was done in a qualitative paradigm using a case study approach. Findings reveal that the majority of teachers have a shallow conceptual understanding of the principles of a thematic approach and this causes difficulties in their practice. The investigation concludes that in order for teachers to deepen their conceptual understanding of the thematic approach, follow-up workshops are necessary to help them develop appropriate strategies for their classrooms.