The impact of HIV and AIDS has threatened to destroy the education sector in South Africa. This qualitative study set out to investigate the psychosocial problems and needs of educators infected with HIV and/or affected by HIV and AIDS in Johannesburg Inner City schools. The study explores and describes the need to develop and implement a comprehensive and holistic treatment, care and support programme for educators infected with HIV and/or affected by HIV and AIDS. This study also reviews HIV/AIDS policies and programmes implemented by the Department of Education to indicate that these interventions are not effective in addressing the problems and needs of these educators. Therefore, the study contends that the Department of Education should revise and reformulate these HIV/AIDS policies and programmes to cater for the needs of educators infected with HIV and/or affected by HIV and AIDS. Ten educators infected with HIV and/or affected by HIV and AIDS from two selected Johannesburg Inner City schools participated in this study. Phenomenological strategies and in-depth interviews were used to capture day-to-day personal life experiences of these educators. The findings of the study reveal that there is a need for an urgent response by the Department of Education to develop and implement treatment, care and support programmes for educators infected with HIV and/or affected by HIV and AIDS. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS)

Text in English / The Department of Education nationwide introduced HIV and AIDS care and support for learning and teaching programmes as intervention strategies for supporting vulnerable learners. Despite these interventions, teenagers continue to fall pregnant and this increases their vulnerability to HIV infection. HIV and STIs are rife among teenagers owing to ignorance and peer pressure, among other factors. The aim of this exploratory qualitative study was to explore factors that influence condom use among high school teenagers aged between 16 and 18 in Dutywa District. Focus group discussions and in-depth face-to-face interviews with 12 high school teenagers from one high school (High School X) were used to collect data. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The findings of this study revealed that high school teenagers are not using condoms to any significant degree. In their opinion, condoms limit sexual pleasure; they indicate a lack of trust and unfaithfulness between partners and are associated with sexually transmitted diseases. The findings of this study are significant for the policy implementation of schools. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV and AIDS)

The study, “Teacher support in the inclusive primary school: addressing barriers to learning in the classroom”, aims to investigate teacher support in addressing and reducing barriers to learning, particularly in primary school. The objective of the introduction of the Education White Paper 6 of 2001 was to ensure that learners with different learning needs are accommodated in ordinary or mainstream schools, with the support of the District-Based Support Team (DBST) and the School-Based Support Team (SBST). Although the schools have established a team to support teachers to address barriers to learning in the class, it seems teachers are not getting the expected support from the SBST. Therefore, an investigation on teacher support addressing barriers to learning was explored. This qualitative study employed interviews, observations and document analysis as methods of data collection. The study was collected in one primary school situated in an informal settlement in Tshwane South District in Gauteng, with eight teachers from Grade 1 to 7 as participants. Creswell’s method of data analysis was adopted, and the findings revealed that the following were factors affecting teachers when addressing barriers to learning: challenges with diverse-needs learners, systemic challenges and challenges of teacher support. Recommendations from the study were given. Key topics for future research are regarding the role of the SBST and DBST in supporting teachers, teachers’ intervention strategies, training, monitoring and evaluation, and teacher development. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the socio-economic impact of learners’ achievement at public schools in Nkangala District in the Mpumalanga Province. The benefits of the study were highlighted within the narrative of the study. The study was qualitative in nature and included a literature study, observations and semi structured interviews. It was discovered from the data that the socio- economic conditions in the district, the learners’ home environment, the school environment and the Department of Education impacted on learners’ achievement. Based on the findings, recommendations were made for improvements to assist in addressing the socio economic impact on learners’ achievement. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study encompasses a reflection of the way back at the beginning of the democratic South Africa when there was an immense yearning for a curriculum which could transform the education system in South Africa into a new national system for schools. After numerous attempts, in search of a tangible, user-friendly curriculum, Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) was finally brought forth and at the moment, it is regarded as being the turning point of our education system and also geared at promoting the highest possible standard of education in all schools in South Africa. This study investigates some problems experienced at the apex of the management and implementation of CAPS, especially in some schools in rural areas. It focuses on some of the drawbacks which are putting a strain on the smooth running of schools during these prime stages of curriculum implementation such as disciplinary problems, overcrowded classes, large workloads for educators, the gap between well-resourced and under resourced schools as well as non-delivery of textbooks to schools in some provinces. This study examines how school management teams (SMTs), imbued with management and leadership responsibilities are able to put up systems that will ensure that evaluation, assessment and monitoring tools are utilised effectively in support of teaching and learning in schools. It is against this background that this study is therefore informed and guided by the instructional leadership paradigm which, if correctly engaged, can effectively strengthen curriculum management and implementation. For the purpose of conducting empirical research, the mixed method design was used as it offers a wider scope of collecting data and promotes triangulation. Six schools were selected on the basis of proximity to the school I am attached to, two primary schools and four secondary schools. All these were done after having obtained ethical clearance with the College of Education at Unisa and permission from the Limpopo Department of Education. Questionnaires were distributed to all educators in the six schools to fill, while one-to-one interviews were conducted with the principals of each of the six selected schools. The research highlighted that instructional leadership is critical in the implementation of CAPS with the SMTs members affirming their commitment to various aspects of instructional leadership. Furthermore, the findings also affirmed the opportunities that shared leadership offered schools to share moral purpose. However, the findings also enumerate lack of resources, lack of curriculum knowledge and larger workloads of teachers as crucial factors that inhibit the implementation of CAPS. As a result of this research, a number of recommendations and opportunities for further research are offered to Limpopo schools and their SMTs, the systemic authorities responsible for Limpopo Education and for those responsible specifically for policy making and curriculum development in the South African education system. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The education ministry has introduced a number of important curriculum forms, including Curriculum 2005 (C2005) in 1998, the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) in 2002, and most recently, the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) in 2012 in Grade 10. The latter was aimed at replacing the NCS in order to improve the quality of teaching and learning. The need for replacement was necessitated by problems that teachers experienced concerning understanding and implementing various previous curriculum policies. The literature study and theoretical framework explored scholarly contributions that are relevant to CAPS implementation. The purpose of this study is to determine teachers‟ perceptions, and identify and clarify possible barriers relating to the implementation of CAPS in Grade 10 in selected schools at Ndwedwe in Durban. For sampling purposes, rural disadvantaged schools were selected to explore the knowledge and experiences teachers hold with regard to curriculum implementation. Exploratory qualitative research design was executed with a sample of purposively selected participants which constitute one Head of Department and two teachers from each of the five different schools. Data collection was facilitated by means of interviews. The findings revealed that teachers were at first eager to welcome and accept CAPS. Furthermore, this study indicated that some challenges emerged and impeded teachers from effectively implementing CAPS. The challenges experienced relate to resource shortages, teacher training, resistance to change, class size, lack of time, professional development, workload, administrative support, monitoring and language as a barrier ( on the part of the learners). The study argues that without proper infrastructure, schools can neither hope nor manage to successfully implement CAPS. Based on the findings from literature and interviews, teachers still need immediate assistance with CAPS related matters. Recommendations are made to teachers, head of departments, principals, subject advisors, DBE and parents to aid effective implementation of CAPS. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Currently, South African special need schools that cater for intellectually disabled learners are implementing the continuous assessment policy statement (CAPS). This study explored the CAPS curriculum which is used in special needs schools, in order to determine whether or not it can develop disabled learners intellectually. In other words, can the curriculum be used to ensure that disabled learners are also prepared for future employment opportunities? Disabled learners also have a constitutional right to be lead through education to independent adulthood. This study looks at the characteristics of the intellectually disabled. It mentions some of the official South African documents in this regard and then discusses the theory of Paolo Freire. The researcher addresses two programmes that she feels could improve the curriculum quality of learners with special needs in special needs schools. A few negative aspects, as well as the time frame for South Africa to completely implement inclusive education, according to the White Paper, contributed to this research. Comparisons are drawn between two international policies and acts and South African policies and programmes, in order to determine the effectiveness and standard of South African inclusive education. This research was conducted in a special needs school in a suburb of Laudium in the Gauteng Province South Africa. It was a qualitative study and adopted a case study design. The researcher collected data from the principal, HOD, occupational therapist, two teachers and an administrative staff member, who were the participants in the study, using a questionnaire as an instrument for data collection. Inclusive analysis was used to narrate and explain the data. The researcher found that the CAPS curriculum does not equip, prepare or develop learners who are intellectually disabled. The teachers and staff members feel that they need more training and development to support learners with special educational needs, together with a suitable curriculum to ensure effective teaching and learning. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between attitudes towards supervisory support after training and work performance of employees at the Department of Education’s Nkangala District in Mpumalanga during 2008. The sample comprised a complete sampling frame of HR and finance personnel. A five-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the attitudes of respondents towards supervisory support, and their work performance scores were correlated with the ratings of the attitudes towards supervisory support after training. Pearson’s product- moment correlation coefficient (PPM) was used to assess the relationship between the two variables. The results showed no significant relationship between attitudes towards supervisory support and work performance. The ANOVA test found that a significant (p= .016) difference only existed between attitudes towards supervisory support and educational level. The hypothesis stated in this study was therefore rejected. / Human Resource Management / M. Tech. (Human Resource Development)

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has associated the poor pass rate in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) Grade 12 Physical Sciences examinations to the learners’ lack of practical skills and the inability of learners to solve problems by integrating knowledge from the different topics in Physical Sciences. The CAPS (Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement) is central to the planning, organising and teaching of Physical Sciences. Even though more than a third of the learners achieved below 30% in the NSC Grade 12 Physical Sciences: Physics (P1) November 2017 examination, there was a lack of references made to the CAPS, rationalising the poor performance. A disjointed alignment between the CAPS and the P1 is a possible cause for the poor performance. Since there have been no previous studies that investigated the alignment between the CAPS and the P1, this study aims to fill that gap. This study used a positivist research paradigm and a case study research strategy. A purposive sampling procedure selected the CAPS Grades 10 – 12 Physical Sciences document; the Physical Sciences Examination Guidelines Grade 12 documents and the final and supplementary P1 examinations in the period starting November 2014 to March 2018 as the documents for analysis. A summative content analysis research technique was conducted using the Surveys of Enacted Curriculum (SEC) research method. The SEC method employed the use of the four topics of Grade 12 Physics and the four non-hierarchical levels of cognitive demand as described in the modified version of Bloom’s taxonomy. The physics topics included mechanics; waves, sound and light; electricity and magnetism; and optical phenomena. The cognitive demand levels included recall; comprehension; application and analysis; and synthesis and evaluation. This study found a 100 percent categorical coherence, a 67.3 percent balance of representation, a 79.4 percent cognitive complexity and an average Porter’s alignment index of 0.77 between the CAPS and the P1. The overall Cohen’s kappa for all the documents analysed was 0.88. The findings of this study indicate that the mechanics topic was under-emphasised whilst the application and analysis cognitive demand was over-emphasised in the P1. The CAPS and the P1 did not utilise the highest cognitive demand, synthesis and evaluation which may be interpreted as an environment that fosters lower order thinking. To change this environment of lower order thinking and simultaneously increase the alignment between the CAPS and the P1 this study recommends that firstly, the CAPS decreases the recall based content of the mechanics topic. Secondly, the CAPS and the P1 increase the synthesis and evaluation cognitive demand-based content at the expense of the recall cognitive demand-based content. Thirdly, the CAPS must include the content of the school-based physics practical assessments while decreasing the focus on physics definitions. The ultimate aim is an improvement in the pass rates of the NSC Grade 12 Physical Sciences examinations. / Science and Technology Education / M. Sc. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (Physics Education))

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:32:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Thais Sodre Manzano.pdf: 1942936 bytes, checksum: 588a63e3f13bca00a50380aa42ee84d9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-11 / This work aims to understand how the continuous formation of literacy teachers occurred in the Educational System in the city of São Paulo in 2013, by means of the implementation of the National Pact for Literacy at the Right Age (PNAIC), which started in Brazil in 2012. Firstly, the program is contextualized inside the logic of decentralization of the educational politics of the model of regulating state and neo-liberal principles, as well as it is highlighted, on one hand, the importance given to the literacy studies in the country and, on the other hand, the main characteristics that orientate the politics of continuous formation for teachers, specially literacy teachers and its implications to the teachers work. As theoretical reference, we adopted Antonio Viñao Frago s school cultures, Carlos Marcelo s and Denise Vaillant s teachers professional development and Thomas Popkewitz s social regulation concepts. The hypothesis is focused on that the teachers have little autonomy in the processes of continuous formation, in which hegemonic formative actions are privileged, that not only disregard the teachers cultures and, moreover their practices and conceptions, but also regulate them. This model of literacy teachers formation would be marked by authoritarian conceptions of the teachers professional formation, in which the decisions would be taken considering, mostly, the application of legal dispositions, uniform orientations, and regulation of practices, facilitating technical and methodological aspects to the detriment of knowledge about the political, social and human issues, involved in literacy. Were analyzed the official documents of the program concerning the teachers continuous formation and interviewed the participants of the processes of formation in progress in 2013, in the city of São Paulo: 01 local coordinator from the Department of Education of the city of São Paulo, 01 professor from Superior Education Institution, 01 studies tutor and 03 teachers. The data analysis, organized and synthesized in tables, allowed to conclude that PNAIC is an educational program whose conception of literacy teachers formation reveals itself outdated and authoritarian and its implementation in the city of São Paulo has been the expression of the model of the Regulating State, and the literacy teachers formation is more characterized as regulating of practices than as promoting the teachers professional development. The implementation of the courses of teachers formation of the PNAIC program has a clear segregation between those who discussed and elaborated the materials, their curricular and pedagogical references and those who put them into practice. The conceptions of teachers formation and literacy present at PNAIC program converge to the same ideal of society and individual, in which the formation, professional or elementary, is essential to format and subject the individuals (teachers and students) to a model of government management by means of social regulation. With that in mind, was confirmed the hypothesis that in the course of literacy teachers formation of the PNAIC program, the teachers have little autonomy in the processes of continuous formation, in which hegemonic formative actions are privileged, which not only disregard the teachers cultures, practices and conceptions, but also regulate them / Esta pesquisa visa compreender como ocorreu a formação continuada de professores alfabetizadores na Rede Municipal de Ensino de São Paulo em 2013, por meio da implementação do Pacto Nacional pela Alfabetização na Idade Certa (PNAIC), que entrou em vigor no Brasil a partir de 2012. Primeiramente, o programa é contextualizado dentro da lógica de descentralização das políticas educacionais do modelo de Estado Regulador e princípios neoliberais, assim como se destacam, de um lado, a importância que vem sendo atribuída à alfabetização no país e, de outro lado, as principais características que orientam as políticas de formação continuada para professores, especialmente alfabetizadores e suas implicações ao trabalho docente. Como referência teórica foram adotados os conceitos de culturas escolares de Antonio Viñao Frago, desenvolvimento profissional docente de Carlos Marcelo e Denise Vaillant e regulação social de Thomas Popkewitz. A hipótese é a de que os professores tem pouca autonomia nos processos de formação continuada, nos quais são privilegiadas ações formativas hegemônicas, que não apenas desconsideram as culturas dos professores e, com isso suas práticas e concepções, como também as regulam. Esse modelo de formação de professores alfabetizadores estaria marcado por concepções autoritárias de formação profissional docente, no qual as decisões seriam tomadas considerando-se, sobretudo, a aplicação de disposições legais, orientações uniformes, regulação de práticas, privilegiando aspectos técnicos e metodológicos em detrimento de conhecimentos sobre as questões humanas, políticas e sociais envolvidas na alfabetização. Foram analisados os documentos oficiais do programa referentes à formação continuada de professores e realizadas entrevistas com participantes dos processos de formação em andamento no ano de 2013, no município de São Paulo: 01 coordenador local da SME, 01 formador da IES, 01 orientador de estudos e 03 professores. A análise dos dados, organizados em quadros-síntese, permitiu concluir que o PNAIC é um programa educacional cuja concepção de formação de professores alfabetizadores revela-se ultrapassada e autoritária e sua implementação no município de São Paulo tem sido a expressão do modelo de Estado Regulador, sendo a formação de professores alfabetizadores caracterizada mais como reguladora de práticas do que promotora do desenvolvimento profissional docente. Observou-se na implantação dos cursos de formação de professores do PNAIC uma clara separação entre aqueles que discutiram e elaboraram os materiais, suas referências curriculares e pedagógicas e os que as executaram. As concepções de formação de professores e de alfabetização e letramento presentes no PNAIC convergem para um mesmo ideal de sociedade e indivíduo, no qual a formação, profissional ou elementar, é essencial para formatar e sujeitar os indivíduos (professores e alunos) a um modelo de gestão governamental por meio da regulação social. Com isso, confirma-se a hipótese de que no curso de formação de alfabetizadores do PNAIC, os professores tiveram pouca autonomia nos processos de formação continuada, nos quais foram privilegiadas ações formativas hegemônicas, que desconsideraram as culturas e regularam as práticas dos professores