This research is aimed at identifying the challenges facing the effective management of a multicultural teaching environment in Gauteng primary schools by the school management team and educators. The research addressing the problems and sub-problems involved a literature review conceptualising multicultural education. The empirical investigation included the use of observations, a questionnaire and interviews to gather data. The findings linked to the literature review, revealed areas of strength and weakness of the school management team and educators. Based on the findings recommendations were made for school management teams and educators to design development programmes to inculcate in school management teams and educators the competencies necessary to perform effectively in a multicultural environment. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Thesis (Ph. D. (Curriculum Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / The aim of this study was to investigate knowledge, attitudes and practices of primary school children towards healthy diet in Dikgale Village, Limpopo Province, South Africa. This study was an intervention study at eight primary schools in Dikgale Village. The study used both qualitative and quantitative research where mixed methods research design. A total of 324 participants consisting of Grades 6 and 7 males and females was purposively selected. These participants were divided into experiment and control group after pre-test but before the intervention. This study used a 27-item questionnaire which covered, knowledge on healthy diet, attitudes, practices, subjective norm and self-efficacy questions as well as focus group interviews. The main findings of the study comprise the following: (i) Learners in the experiment condition did not reflect more health-related practices (F(1.315)=0.20; p>887), i.e., when considering co-variables and changes in health attitude, subjective norm and self-efficacy; and (ii) After intervention, there was a significant increase (F(1.315)=115.72; p<0.001) in health-related knowledge on the experiment group, i.e., when considering co-variables and changes in health attitude, subjective norm and self-efficacy. In addition to this significant increase, 58.3% of the differences between both groups seemed related to the intervention with regard to changes in knowledge acquisition. However, there was no significant increase on both health knowledge and health practices on the control group. The results suggested that, even if there can be changes in knowledge due to intervention, healthy practices may be difficult to change mainly because knowledge alone cannot decrease the prevalence of health-related conditions. As a result, this study suggest that the curriculum should cover Food knowledge practice so as to persuade learners to practice healthy diet. Also, School Management Teams (SMTs) and School Governing Bodies (SGBs) should play their role in emphasizing the importance of Food-Based Dietary Guidelines in schools. Future interventions are therefore encouraged to include a moderate intensity intervention by trained professionals and feasibility of involving educators, SGBs and SMTs, particularly in policy adherence. Therefore, this study proposed a healthy food intervention strategy incorporating the Theory of Planned Behaviour in order to justify the knowledge, attitude and practices of children in healthy diet. Intervention should adopt the Training Partnership Model wherein children, parents, educators are trained by health professional on adherence to healthy diet. / Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad (VLIR)

Mildly intellectually disabled (MID) learners, in South Africa, experience a great deal of discrimination. For the Black MID learner, the situation has been the worst in that even at a time when their white counterparts received education in separate schools, nothing of the sort existed for them. Most of them found themselves in ordinary schools, a situation described by many authors as "mainstreaming by default". The new education dispensation of 1994 brought along with it the need to begin looking at ways in which these learners are to be accommodated in the education system. However, such accommodation is made difficult by the fact that teachers are not familiar with ways of catering for diversity in the classrooms. An investigation was undertaken of the phenomenon mild intellectual disability. The characteristics of these learners were studied, in order to understand how these characteristics impact on their learning. The teaching principles and learning principles that make it easier for them to learn were studied. Most of these learners experience problems with reading, writing and mathematics. Existing educational programmes in developed and developing countries were examined, together with aspects of those programmes that might be of use in South Africa. A closer look was taken at provisions for these learners in South Africa before the new dispensation. An empirical study was undertaken to investigate what manifestations these learners display, how they are assisted once they are identified and to establish if teachers receive any support from parents, school management teams and the Department of Education. Finally, it was investigated if methods used for Outcomes-Based Education can be used to accommodate MID learners. Implications were then tabled on three levels, namely, the macro level, which is the provincial level, where decisions regarding educational policy and legislation for the Province are made, the meso level, which concerns implementation at the district level, and the micro level, which is the school itself. This level concerns the teacher's task in the classroom. Finally, a training manual for school support teams was designed, tested and finalised as a document to be used in assisting teachers to support MID learners / Early Childhood Education and Development / D. Ed. (Special Needs Education)

Mildly intellectually disabled (MID) learners, in South Africa, experience a great deal of discrimination. For the Black MID learner, the situation has been the worst in that even at a time when their white counterparts received education in separate schools, nothing of the sort existed for them. Most of them found themselves in ordinary schools, a situation described by many authors as "mainstreaming by default". The new education dispensation of 1994 brought along with it the need to begin looking at ways in which these learners are to be accommodated in the education system. However, such accommodation is made difficult by the fact that teachers are not familiar with ways of catering for diversity in the classrooms. An investigation was undertaken of the phenomenon mild intellectual disability. The characteristics of these learners were studied, in order to understand how these characteristics impact on their learning. The teaching principles and learning principles that make it easier for them to learn were studied. Most of these learners experience problems with reading, writing and mathematics. Existing educational programmes in developed and developing countries were examined, together with aspects of those programmes that might be of use in South Africa. A closer look was taken at provisions for these learners in South Africa before the new dispensation. An empirical study was undertaken to investigate what manifestations these learners display, how they are assisted once they are identified and to establish if teachers receive any support from parents, school management teams and the Department of Education. Finally, it was investigated if methods used for Outcomes-Based Education can be used to accommodate MID learners. Implications were then tabled on three levels, namely, the macro level, which is the provincial level, where decisions regarding educational policy and legislation for the Province are made, the meso level, which concerns implementation at the district level, and the micro level, which is the school itself. This level concerns the teacher's task in the classroom. Finally, a training manual for school support teams was designed, tested and finalised as a document to be used in assisting teachers to support MID learners / Early Childhood Education and Development / D. Ed. (Special Needs Education)

Abstract in English and Nyanja / According to the Department of Education White Paper 6 of 2001, all learners have the right to learn at any school of their choice without being discriminated because of their barriers to learning. The aim of this study was to investigate teachers’ experiences in implementing inclusive education in primary schools in Johannesburg East district, Gauteng Province. The study sought to establish the teachers’ experiences in the implementation of inclusive education in primary schools. The researcher used qualitative method to conduct the study to get in-depth information on the teachers’ experiences in the implementation of inclusive education in primary schools. Five level 1 teachers and five Heads of Departments (HODs) were purposively sampled for the study in five different schools in the Johannesburg East district, Gauteng. Data were collected through in-depth interviews as this allowed participants to elaborate on their responses. Participants were also observed in their respective classrooms. Data was analysed to identify recurring themes. It emerged from the study that many teachers have not been adequately trained on implementing inclusive education in primary school classrooms; many schools do not have adequate resources and there is very little support from the relevant stakeholders. The study makes recommendations for the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to workshop teachers more often on inclusive education, to supply more resources in schools and for relevant stakeholders to support teachers at schools. / U ya nga ha Nḓivhadzamulayotibe ya Muhasho wa Pfunzo ya vhu 6 ya 2001, vhagudiswa vhoṱhe vha na pfanelo ya u guda kha tshikolo tshiṅwe na tshiṅwe tshine vha funa vha sa khethululwi nga nṱhani ha zwithivhela ngudo zwavho. Ndivho ya ngudo iyi ho vha u sengulusa tshenzhelo dza vhadededzi kha u shumisa pfunzonyangaredzi zwikolo zwa phuraimari kha tshiṱiriki tsha Vhubvaḓuvha ha Johannesburg, Vundu ḽa Gauteng. Muṱoḓisisi o shumisa ngona yo khwaḽithethivi u ita ṱhoḓisiso u itela u wana mafhungo a vhudzivha nga ha tshenzhelo dza vhadededzi kha tshumiso ya pfunzonyangaredzi kha zwikolo zwa phuraimari. Vhadededzi vhaṱanu vha ḽevele 1 na ṱhoho dza muhasho (dzi HOD) ṱhanu vho nanguludzwa u ya nga vhukoni u itela ngudo kha zwikolo zwiṱanu zwo fhambanaho kha tshiṱiriki tsha Vhubvaḓuvha ha Johannesburg, Gauteng. Data yo kuvhanganyiwa nga kha inthaviwu dzo ṱanḓavhuwaho, saizwi zwi tshi tendela vhadzheneleli u ṱanḓavhudza phindulo dzavho. Vhadzheneleli vho lavheleswa hafhu kiḽasini dzavho dzo fhambanaho. Data yo saukanywa u itela u vhona thero dzi dovhololaho. Ho wanala u bva kha ngudo uri vhunzhi ha vhadededzi a vho ngo gudiswa zwavhuḓi kha kushumisele kwa pfunzonyangaredzi kiḽasini dza tshikolo tsha phuraimari; vhunzhi ha zwikolo a zwi na zwishumiswa zwo linganaho, nahone hu na thikhedzo ṱhukhu u bva kha vhadzhiamukovhe vho teaho. Ngudo dzo themendela Muhasho wa Pfunzo ya Mutheo (DBE) uri u pfumbudze vhadededzi tshifhinga tshoṱhe kha pfunzonyangaredzi, u ṋekedza zwishumiswa zwinzhi na u wana thikhedzo u bva kha vhadededzi na vhadzhiamukovhe vho teaho. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Thesis (M. Tech)(Education) -- Central university of Technology, Free State, 2007 / The aim of the study is to determine the impediments to parental involvement in the governance of selected primary schools in the Bloemfontein area. It also examines the impact of the principals’ attitudes as perceived by the parents towards their involvement in the governance of the school; the means of communication between the school and parents; whether co-operation between the principal and parents affects school governance; and whether familiarity with parents’ roles as stipulated in the South African Schools Act affects their participation in school governance. The literature was consulted on the segregated education of the previously disadvantaged people under apartheid. The transition from apartheid to education under the new political dispensation, as set out in the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 also received attention. The study further addresses the issue of parents’ reluctance to participate in school governance and the views of teachers and parents on their roles in school governance. Ministerial investigation into the effectiveness of school governing bodies is presented and an international perspective on school governing bodies is also provided. A quantitative method using survey research method was employed in this study and a questionnaire was used to collect data. The aim was to elicit responses from the parents in as far as impediments to parental involvement in the governance of schools is concerned. It was revealed, however, that despite the parents’ reluctance to take part in school governance, principals’ attitudes were found to have a positive effect on parental participation in school governance. Methods of communication between the school and the parents were found to be effective, though a suggestion is made for improvement. Parents were found to be willing to co-operate with one another for the betterment of the school. Furthermore, parents were found to be familiar with the roles of members of the school governing body, irrespective of whether they are members of the school governing body or not.

Text in Afrikaans / Practical research has shown that children experiencing learning restraints may suffer from high stress levels. These children encounter difficulty adapting to normal scholastic challenges and their performance often appear marginalised. The objective of this study is to explore the phenomenon of stress experienced by three eleven year old learners with learning restraints in the intermediate phase. The literature study on this topic has shown that learning restraints not only affect a child scholastically, but in his entire being. Based on this understanding, learning restraints may cause stress due to habitual underachievement in the learning environment. These learners might not necessarily have extremely poor cognitive abilities, but perceive themselves as incompetent or "dumb". In the empirical study, projection techniques were mainly utilised to determine stress levels experienced by learning restrained learners, from their internal frame of reference. From these findings, certain recommendations are proposed for psychotherapy. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)

This study investigated the opportunities and impediments that were present in C2005 and which impacted on the implementation of environmental education in selected schools in the Lusikisiki District of the Eastern Cape Province. The sample consisted of 12 learners from grade 2 to grade 7, 26 educators and 2 parents from 2 GET band schools. Two Department of Education Officials also formed part of the sample. Interviews were conducted and observations were made within the two schools to get an insight on the position and status of environmental education in the two schools. The study's findings indicated that the position and status of environmental education in the two schools were low although all the stakeholders had a desire to see things improving. The study puts forward some recommendations and review of environmental education implementation strategies. It also makes suggestions for further related investigation in this area. / Educational Studies / M.Ed(Environmental Education))

Public concern about the quality of teaching and learning is at an all time high in respect of certain schools in South Africa. This study focuses on the participation of the SMT members in managing the instructional programme with a view on improving the academic performance of learners. The lack of the involvement of all the members of the SMT thus prompted this investigation. Apart from the literature review, an empirical investigation, based on a qualitative paradigm involving interviews, was undertaken to collect data at selected primary schools in Circuit 1 in the Metropole North Education District of the Western Cape Education Department. Other methods used included observations as well as the analyses of documents relevant to the investigation. As a case study this research examined the involvement of all the members of the SMT by utilizing the principles of participative management. It is hoped that this study will contribute to the improvement of the academic performance of schools by virtue of what has been highlighted as a reason for the poor performance of schools namely the lack of involvement of all the members of the SMT in the management of the instructional programme. The literature findings revealed that School Management Teams (SMTs) have to be properly structured. The SMT should be involved in decision-making in matters that concern them. This, together with a more effective and efficiently managed instructional programme, should improve the academic performance of learners. Empirical findings indicated that the members of the SMT consider themselves professionally trained individuals with the expertise needed to deliver what is expected from them. The study further revealed that the success of a school depends on effective instruction as a result of the effective management and leading of the instructional programme by all members of the SMT. / Education management / M.Ed. (Education Management)

Accelerated social change emphasises knowledge and innovation, creating a need for learners to excel at learning and thinking. The study’s purpose was to replicate previous cognitive research findings, which emphasise the positive influence of learning strategies on learners’ self-efficacy and academic achievement and to verify the validity of training learners in learning strategy-use to promote learner-autonomy and accountability. The research targeted a selected primary school in a Black township in Gauteng Province using quasi-experimental and qualitative methods. The sample comprised 152 4th - 7th graders assigned by quota system to the treatment group and the control group. Learners participated in pre-tests and post-tests for learning strategies, self-efficacy and academic achievement. Only the experimental groups received strategy instruction before the post-test. The experimental group’s improved performance compared to the control group’s lower performance suggests the effectiveness of strategy-training. Subsequent learner reports of improved self-efficacy beliefs and academic achievement confirm strategy-effect on these variables. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Educational Psychology)