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.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As a novice teacher I experienced many difficulties and obstacles in my first two years of teaching in a South African context. This experience was further disempowering as there were no support programmes like induction or mentoring programmes in place to support the transition from student to teacher and to grow professionally. It thus became my concern to ascertain the possibilities of professional development through reflective practice, to highlight some of the strategies which might bring about change, however imperfect, and to consider the human agency in all of this. The focus of the study is particularly on reflective practice as a potential process of professional development and a self-support mechanism for novice teachers. It thus is a study of processes to encourage and maintain a teacher’s professional development. I tell of my lived experience as a novice teacher through narrative inquiry. The data comprises of journal entries and field notes which were constructed from conversations and observations. Main ideas were developed within my narrative to analyse the narrated text. Four main themes emerged from my global analysis of data. These are: lack of support; lack of an induction programme; engaging in self-support activities to grow professionally; and the importance that agency plays in this process of personal and professional development. Based on this study of my personal experience as a novice teacher, it would seem that becoming a reflective practitioner could indeed contribute to a sense of empowerment and serve as a support mechanism in personal and professional development. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: As ‘n nuweling-onderwyser het ek baie probleme en struikelblokke in my eerste twee jaar van onderwys in ‘n Suid Afrikaanse konteks ervaar. Hierdie ervaring was verder ontmagtigend aangesien daar geen ondersteuningsprogramme soos induksie en mentorskap in plek was om die oorgang van student tot onderwyser en professionele groei te ondersteun nie. Ek het my dus daaroor begin ontferm om die moontlikhede van professionele ontwikkeling deur die praktyk van refleksie te ondersoek en lig te werp op strategieë wat moontlike veranderinge teweeg kon bring en menslike agentskap in alle betrokke prosesse kon inwerk. Die fokus van hierdie studie is op reflektiewe praktyk as ‘n potensiële proses vir professionele ontwikkeling en ‘n self-ondersteunende meganisme vir nuweling-onderwysers. Dit is dus ‘n studie van prosesse wat professionele ontwikkeling aanmoedig en volhou. Ek maak gebuik van narratiewe ondersoek om my beleefde ervaring as ‘n nuweling-onderwyser te deel. Die data bestaan uit joernaalinskrywings en veldnotas wat saamgestel is vanuit gesprekke en waarnemings. Kernidees is binne die narratief ontwikkel om die verhaalde teks te analiseer. Vier hooftemas is identifiseer vanuit die data-analise. Dit is onder andere: gebrek aan ondersteuning, gebrek aan ‘n induksieprogram, gebrek aan self-ondersteuning om professioneel te groei en die rol van agentskap in die proses van persoonlike en professionele ontwikkeling. Gebaseer op die studie van my persoonlike ervaring, wil dit voorkom dat indien ‘n nuweling-onderwyser ontwikkel as ‘n reflektiewe praktistyn, dit inderdaad tot ‘n sin van bemagtiging kan bydra en ook kan dien as ‘n self-ondersteunende meganisme in persoonlike en professionele ontwikkeling.

Thesis (MPhil)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Limited research in South Africa has been conducted on factors contributing to doctoral success, particularly on how doctoral candidates and graduates experience their studies and the transformation of candidates that can be associated with doctoral studies. This lack of information pertains to the successful completion of a doctoral study within a minimum period of time. It is difficult to predict who will eventually successfully complete their doctoral studies if the prediction is merely based on the results of previous qualifications. Such previous achievements are often insufficient and inadequate to ensure the successful completion of a doctoral study. Knowledge institutions such as universities seem not to pay adequate attention to the transformation of the person of the doctoral candidate and his or her becoming an independent researcher. Often, a narrow concept of the intellect of doctoral candidates is over-emphasised. Knowing, although limited, is transformative as it can often change who candidates are (or become) as graduates. Such transformation and the idea of a doctoral identity has rarely been the focus in doctoral education, as epistemological gain is regarded as being more important. The aim of this study was to establish a basic understanding of doctoral success at Stellenbosch University, mainly directed at exploring the challenges faced by doctoral candidates and thereby possibly contributing to the future support of doctoral candidates at the institution. By using an interpretive reseach paradigm and narrative analysis, a number of characteristics were identified as being useful by contributing to a clearer theoretical and conceptual understanding of doctoral success at Stellenbosch University. In the study a number of factors that facilitated doctoral success were also identified, and factors contributing to such success as indicated by participants themselves were defined. A conceptual framework of understanding that may underscore and justify strategies and actions promoting doctoral success are suggested in the study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar bestaan tans beperkte navorsing in Suid-Afrika oor faktore wat tot die sukses van doktorale studies bydra, veral ten opsigte van hoe doktorale kandidate en gegradueerdes hulle studies ervaar en die transformasie van kandidate wat deur doktorale studies meegebring word. Hierdie gebrek aan inligting het ʼn impak op die suksesvolle voltooiing al dan nie van ʼn doktorale studie binne ʼn minimum tydperk. Dit is moeilik om te voorspel wie uiteindelik hulle doktorale studies suksesvol sal voltooi as die voorspelling bloot op die resultate van vorige kwalifikasies gegrond is. Sodanige vorige prestasies is dikwels onvoldoende en ontoereikend om te verseker dat ʼn doktorale studie suksesvol voltooi sal word. Kennisinstellings soos universiteite gee skynbaar nie voldoende aandag aan die transformasie van die doktorale kandidaat as persoon of aan die proses waardeur hy of sy gaan om ʼn onafhanklike navorser te word nie. Dikwels word ʼn eng konsep van die intelligensie van doktorale kandidate oorbeklemtoon. Kennis, selfs al is dit beperk, is transformerend van aard omdat dit dikwels kan verander wie die kandidate as gegradueerdes is (of word). Sodanige transformasie en die konsep van ʼn doktorale identiteit was nog selde die fokuspunt in doktorale studie omdat epistemologiese voordele as belangriker beskou word. Die doel van hierdie studie, wat hoofsaaklik gerig was op ʼn ondersoek van die uitdagings wat doktorale kandidate moet aanspreek, was om ʼn basiese begrip van doktorale sukses aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch te vestig. Dit was dus ʼn poging om by te dra tot die toekomstige ondersteuning van doktorale kandidate aan hierdie instelling. Deur ʼn interpretatiewe navorsingsparadigma en narratiewe ontleding te gebruik, is ʼn aantal waardevolle eienskappe geïdentifiseer wat tot ʼn duideliker teoretiese en konsepsuele begrip van doktorale sukses aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch kan bydra. In die studie is ʼn aantal faktore geïdentifiseer wat doktorale sukses vergemaklik, terwyl ʼn oorsig ook gegee word van faktore wat volgens die deelnemers aan die studie tot sukses sal bydra. Hierdie studie stel ʼn konsepsuele begripsraamwerk voor wat strategieë en optrede wat doktorale sukses sal verhoog, ondersteun en regverdig.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In some contemporary discourses, a new dimension of knowledge is increasingly being recognised. Sustainable development is no longer the exclusive domain of western science and technology. There is a growing interest in the role that indigenous people and their communities can play in sustainable development. The integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) into formal school curricula, especially environmental education (EE), is seen as a key approach to making education relevant to rural students. This will also promote the intellectual diversity required to manage the scope, complexity and uncertainty of local and global environmental issues. This study is guided by constructivist approaches and postcolonial perspectives that recognise the differences between IK and western sciences but at the same time concerned with ways in which the two can work together. In particular, this study uses a qualitative case study of selected schools in the Northern part of Namibia to investigate how IK can be used to support EE in rural schools. The National (Namibian) Curriculum for Basic Education and the Life Science curriculum documents have been analysed, focusing specifically on how IK is coupled with EE at school level. The review of the curriculum documents revealed that IK is not only ignored and underutilised in schools, but also systematically undermined as a potential source of knowledge for development. The curriculum continues to reinforce western values at the expense of IK. To gain more insight into existing EE practices in schools and the role that local knowledge can play in school syllabi, six teachers, two advisory teachers and two traditional leaders were carefully selected and interviewed. The basis for this was to possibly challenge and address the needs that learners and their environment have. The participants in this study embraced the inclusion of IK in EE. However, the processes of combining IK with science may be constrained by challenges related to: teachers‟ attitudes, the design of the curriculum, and the way learner-centered education is conceptualised and practiced in schools. The study suggests that, to incorporate IK into EE effectively may require a shift away from the current strong subject-based, content-focused and examination driven EE curriculum. A cross-cultural Science Technology and Society (STS) curricula that includes a broad range of disciplines and provides a context within which all knowledge systems can be equitably compared and contribute to our understanding of the environment is proposed as an alternative curricula framework.

From 1998- 2009, mainland China has been the number one source of immigrants in Canada (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2011). For newcomer families, adjusting to the local school is a major concern, since their children’s education is a crucial factor in families’ immigration decision. In my research, I examined Chinese immigrant parents’ experience with Canadian schooling. The study focuses on four families living in the Greater Toronto area, who have immigrated from mainland China. I employed narrative inquiry to tell the stories of the lived experience of the four families in my study. The data for these stories are mainly drawn from field notes of each of my home visits and my interviews with the family members over a six month period. I found that the challenges and difficulties the immigrant parents face are deeply rooted in the differences between Chinese and Canadian cultures and social systems. The discussion on the features of Chinese culture in its comparison with Western culture provides a reference point for understanding the Chinese immigrant parents’ values and opinions on such matters as schooling, moral education, and parenting practice. Parental involvement in schools is different between China and Canada, and the parents, and school teachers and administrators have different understanding on this issue. What’s more, the language barrier impeded the parents’ involvement in their children’s school life. The acculturation gap between the parents and their children is another major reason for miscommunication over such issues as extracurricular activities, choice of university major, and future career. The less heard voice of immigrant parents will open new venues for the understanding of cross-cultural experiences of immigrant students. I find that instead of mainly using the traditional Chinese practice and Chinese educational values in approaching their children’s education, it is important for Chinese immigrant parents to make efforts to familiarize themselves with the ideas and values that their children are exposed to in the new environment.

From 1998- 2009, mainland China has been the number one source of immigrants in Canada (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2011). For newcomer families, adjusting to the local school is a major concern, since their children’s education is a crucial factor in families’ immigration decision. In my research, I examined Chinese immigrant parents’ experience with Canadian schooling. The study focuses on four families living in the Greater Toronto area, who have immigrated from mainland China. I employed narrative inquiry to tell the stories of the lived experience of the four families in my study. The data for these stories are mainly drawn from field notes of each of my home visits and my interviews with the family members over a six month period. I found that the challenges and difficulties the immigrant parents face are deeply rooted in the differences between Chinese and Canadian cultures and social systems. The discussion on the features of Chinese culture in its comparison with Western culture provides a reference point for understanding the Chinese immigrant parents’ values and opinions on such matters as schooling, moral education, and parenting practice. Parental involvement in schools is different between China and Canada, and the parents, and school teachers and administrators have different understanding on this issue. What’s more, the language barrier impeded the parents’ involvement in their children’s school life. The acculturation gap between the parents and their children is another major reason for miscommunication over such issues as extracurricular activities, choice of university major, and future career. The less heard voice of immigrant parents will open new venues for the understanding of cross-cultural experiences of immigrant students. I find that instead of mainly using the traditional Chinese practice and Chinese educational values in approaching their children’s education, it is important for Chinese immigrant parents to make efforts to familiarize themselves with the ideas and values that their children are exposed to in the new environment.

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The work of this thesis involves an exploration of teachers' practice in environmental education in New Zealand schools, conducted between 1999 and 2002. Some new theorising is conducted in response to the problems faced by teachers. This seeks to reconceptualise the way we think about environmental education in schools. The purpose of this is to provide a theoretical framework that assists teachers to rethink their practice and, as a result, be empowered to act for the environment. The thesis begins by providing a general background to the field of environmental education and by setting this in the socio-political context of New Zealand from the early 1980s until the present. The research process is described, and theorised using Problem-Based Methodology. The work then proceeds to report on the research with teachers in schools that occurred in a number of phases. It emerges that environmental education occurred in only a minority of cases. School contexts and educational structures appeared to place major barriers in the path of teacher innovation and these seem to increase with school size. Teachers that do begin sound practice appear to have strong values and a theoretical background that informs their work. In response to the complex barriers to improved environmental education practice, Problem-Based Methodology is suggested to provide an inadequate platform for addressing the issues because it is restricted to addressing micro level problems in schools. Drawing on the philosophy of critical realism that proposes three levels of reality, a Critical Problem-Based Methodology is proposed. This involves three loops of critical reflection. To support this an issues matrix that contains a sociological analysis of schooling and draws heavily on curriculum theory is developed. A reconsideration of the environmental education literature is then undertaken in the light of these proposals. The thrust of the thesis is that environmental education lacks a substantive engagement with sociology or curriculum theory and the proposals here seek to address that. It is proposed that triple loop reflection assists a better description of the problems of poor progress in the field. It is argued that many educators have a faith in schooling that is not justified by evidence and have failed to engage at a political level. It is concluded that unless engagement occurs at the three levels proposed in this thesis, and a deeper engagement with educational theory supports this, things are unlikely to change.