The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the application of OBE principles such as the learner-centred approach, teacher facilitation and integration of knowledge in the teaching of African languages in the senior phase. The study was conducted in Vhembe and Mopani District in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Data were collected through observation, an interview schedule and documentary analysis. The constructivist grounded theory provided a theoretical framework for this study. Data were analysed simultaneously with the data-collection process informed by the constructivist grounded theory. This investigation revealed that teachers do not apply the investigated OBE principles in the teaching of African languages in the senior phase. Instead, they still teach in the manner they used before the introduction of the OBE approach. There were many reasons advanced by teachers for their failure to apply these principles in their teachings. A lack of knowledge and skills necessary to apply this new approach was prevalent. This lack of knowledge could be attributed to the inadequate teacher training received and noncommitment to OBE approach by the teachers. The study found that the investigated principles were not applied because of a lack of application strategies, the failure to interpret policy documents and resistance to change by teachers. In view of the findings in this study, the researcher deemed it imperative to make recommendations which could be used for further studies in order to achieve the proper application of OBE principles in the teaching of African languages. / D. Ed. (Didactics) / Educational Studies

Text in English / The primary aim of this study is to explore and describe experiences of peer helpers at an Open Distance Learning institution since the start of their joining the Unisa Peer Help Volunteer Programme. This study was conducted with the intention of granting the peer helpers an opportunity to reflect on their individual experiences and in so doing in laying the foundation for future studies, intended to steer the Unisa peer help volunteer programme to new frontiers, while simultaneously highlighting the contribution that has been made by the Unisa Peer Help Voluntary Programme. An intrinsic case study design has been utilised in order to gain comprehensive insight into peer helpers’ experiences. A sample of seven peer helpers were interviewed using the semi-structured interview technique. The main findings from this study can be categorised into four distinctive themes namely: (a) the peer helpers’ goals for joining the Unisa Peer Help Volunteer Programme; (b) construction of roles as peer helpers at an open distance learning institution; (c) positive experiences of participating in the Unisa peer help volunteer programme; and (d) the negative experiences of participating in the Unisa Peer Help Volunteer Programme. The findings have painted a positive picture of how the Unisa peer help volunteer programme has contributed in shaping the lives of the peer helpers. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology (Research Consultation))

The major goal of the Bachelor of Adult Education degree is to equip officers with the prerequisite skills, knowledge and attitudes to design and deliver programmed instruction to different categories of learners as well as to equip them with skills to conduct research in the field of adult education practice. The present study undertakes to investigate the reasons for lack of patronage for the adult education degree at Zimbabwe Staff College (ZSC) by exploring the quality of the adult education degree programme in terms of its effectiveness, relevance, value and its ability to enhance the quality of life. An adult education degree programme should reflect the sociocultural realities and experiences of adult learners. Participatory approaches should inform the development and implementation of curriculum. The aim of the study is to inform decisionmaking aimed at programme improvement. Effectiveness entails adequacy and appropriateness of teaching methods and support services. Relevance is ensured by considering the policy framework, curriculum provision, learners‟ needs and non–participation in the programme. Value constitutes the ability to improve the economic, professional, social and political aspects of life. Using the qualitative case study design, seven students and two administrators were selected using purposeful sampling, which is informed by the non-probability theory of sampling, to participate in individual and focus group interviews, which were subsequently conducted and generated data for analysis. Available relevant documents were analysed. The major finding revealed that a lack of recognition of the adult education programme by superiors at ZSC was the major obstacle to participation. Lack of recognition was found to be attributable to the absence of any national lifelong learning policy, ZSC policy framework, institutional structural conditions, and non–participatory curriculum development process and also to other associated barriers. The non-existence of the national and local policies on adult education was found to be negatively affecting not only participation but also the quality of the content provision because a lifelong learning policy framework is supposed to be informing design and practice. Recommendations focus on revision of the policy framework and the way the policies are implemented at national and local levels. A review of the implementation of policy is imperative if the restrictions responsible for the invisibility of adult education in the country and adult education programmes at ZCS are to be removed. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

周玉霞. / Thesis (doctoral)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 219-237). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Zhou Yuxia.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

There has been a growing need in environmental education to develop students' ability and will to take part in democratic processes that enable them take environmental action in their local environment. This study examined learner action competence in waste management practices in two primary school contexts in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. An interpretive case study design is used to probe how learner participation in Eco-School waste management practices enabled the acquisition of knowledge in purposeful learning and action experiences that developed the vision and agency of informed action. The research was centred on two guiding questions: 1. How informed, purposeful and action-orientated is learner participation in Eco-School waste management activities? 2. What Eco-School waste management activities are fostering active participation towards a learner-led agency? Educators in the two schools were interviewed and Eco-School portfolios were examined for evidence of the learning activities and learner achievement. This provided the contextual data for reviewing focus group interviews to probe what was significant to learners, what they came to know and how they had contributed to the process of developing better waste management in the Eco-School context. The evidence generated in the study was used to identify the roles of the various players, the significant activities and processes that enabled and constrained the emergence of learner-led agency. The main findings in the study were that teacher intentionality and school management ethos were significant in engaging learners in meaningful waste management activities in both cases. The study also revealed that although most of the waste management activities in both cases were teacher-initiated, there were spaces open for learner initiatives. However, it appeared that the activity based waste management practices mostly allowed learners to learn how to do waste management more than allowing them to find out more about the scope and nature of ii the problem of waste. This then resulted in learners talking more about what they were doing with waste than talking about what they knew about waste. There were differences in the way in which learners approached waste in the two cases. In the one case, Kingswood Junior School learners used waste artistically and carried out activities that allowed for better use of waste resources like paper while in the other School, Grahamstown SDA School, learners approached waste as a resource for making money. However, in both cases, learners appeared to enjoy the positive experiences of doing things that contributed to a cleaner environment and were of benefit to others and this gave them a sense of pride to share their experiences with others. This study was significant as it allowed me to probe learner participation and examine the development of their action competence through listening to the voices of the learners themselves and understanding what was important to them about the knowledge they gained and their vision of better waste management.

The transformation processes occurring in the South African curriculum context has highlighted a need for improving ways of interpreting and implementing curriculum requirements, in ways that are relevant to the context of learners and their experiences. Outcomes Based Education (OBE) encourages teachers to develop learner centred and active learning approaches. In this research I explore the development of how a School Environmental Policy can contribute to active learning in the context of the National Curriculum Statement for Grades R-9 (NCS R-9). I employed a participatory action research approach in which I worked with other teachers in my school to develop a School Environmental Policy, and then implement associated lessons. In cycle 1 this research focused on the School Environmental Policy development processes. In cycle 2 the research focused on designing and implementing three Lesson Plans in Makana Public Primary School (in three phases). I used a range of data generation strategies such as observations, use of a reflective journal, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, a workshop, photographs and document analysis to generate data for the study. All participants collaboratively discussed and agreed upon the research , and the two teachers who developed the lessons with me also reflected on the process of Lesson Planning and active learning, but I was responsible for the final interpretation presented in this thesis. The research indicates that the School Environmental Policy led to the planning of active learning processes and that the School Environmental Policy and the active learn ing approach are consistent with OBE policy and philosophy. The study also indicates that the School Environmental Policy and the active learning approach strengthened the use of Learning Outcomes, but not necessarily Assessment Standards and that the active learning approach promoted enquiry in lessons. The research further indicates that the School Environmental Policy and active learning processes contributed to school improvement and work towards a healthy environment. The School Environmental Policy also encouraged educators to address school community environmental issues and build stronger links with parents. The study also led to a set of recommendations to improve the School Environmental Policy and active learning process in ways that address the NCS requirements for learning and assessment.

Environmental education is an approach to education which emphasises the interrelatedness of people and their human and non-human environments and seeks to encourage environmental awareness, concern and action. This case study documents the implementation and development of Project WATER, Grahamstown, a practical environmental education project dealing with catchment conservation and water quality monitoring. The Grahamstown project is one of a number of local water quality monitoring initiatives affiliated to GREEN (the Global Rivers Environmental Education Network). Participants in the project included student teachers from the Department of Education at Rhodes University and pupils and teachers from three farm schools in the district and four high schools in the town. Project WATER, Grahamstown developed as an Action Research and Community Problem-Solving project. The study focuses on fragmentalist and holistic approaches to education, people's responses to Project WATER and the choice of action research as the research method.

This is an interpretive case study that explores the workplace epistemologies and institutional structures of two nested cases within the broader context of the Environmental Education, Training and Development Practices - Level 5 qualification (EETDP qualification) that is registered on the South African National Qualifications Framework. The study provides insights to inform EETDP curriculum development that is enabling of reflexive environmental education and training processes. The study develops an understanding of workplace epistemologies related to environment and education, the structural factors that enable and constrain agency of environmental educators and the role of reflexivity in practice and in education in two nested cases: the agricultural and local government sectors. It draws on findings from workshops, semistructured interviews and document analysis of education materials in these two nested cases. The study notes that there are diverse and seemingly ambiguous understandings of both environment/sustainability and education processes in the two nested cases. This ambiguity seems to relate to environmental education practitioners drawing on different forms of knowledge, including differentiated or theoretical knowledge, and 'common-sense' ways of knowing, in their education practice. The understandings related to theoretical knowledge are, in both nested cases, dominated by scientific or technical understandings where environment is understood in the terms of the natural sciences and education is seen in instrumentalist terms as the transfer of mainly technical environmental knowledge to learners in order to effect behaviour change. The study opens up deeper understandings of the epistemological, socio-cultural and structural features of context, in the two nested cases, that have a bearing on environmental educators. It provides insights into workplace structures that can be both enabling and constraining of agency and notes that the causal power of structures to enable or constrain does not lie only in the structures but also in relation to the intentionality of the environmental education practitioners/agents. The study then examines reflexivity as one of the means through which environmental educators in the nested cases are able to consider appropriate actions or responses to structural constraints or enablements. Based on the insights offered by the research findings, the study makes recommendations for the EETDP curriculum development. It frames these recommendations within an understanding of curriculum as a contextualised social process that involves structural aspects of curriculum such as materials, as well as socio-cultural processes such as learning on the course and in the workplace.

Entrepreneurship education can contribute beneficially to learners’ schooling and should be structured and implemented (within programmes or curricula) to facilitate these benefits. In the South African secondary school curriculum, only Consumer Studies includes significant entrepreneurship education. Despite this potential of Consumer Studies, entrepreneurship education benefits do not always reach learners, due to underprepared teachers and the ineffective implementation of the curriculum. The study aimed to explore how and to what extent entrepreneurship education is embedded in the intended and enacted curriculum for Consumer Studies, with the purpose of proposing a framework to provide guidance to teachers for the effective structuring and implementation of entrepreneurship education in Consumer Studies. A multi-phase sequential exploratory and descriptive mixed-methods research design, rooted in constructivism, was used. Document analysis, an online survey and focus group interviews were used for data collection. Initially, entrepreneurship education in the overall South African secondary school curriculum was explored. Subsequently, entrepreneurship education in the Consumer Studies curriculum was focused on, investigating (a) the potential value it contributes to the subject, (b) the extent to which the curriculum is structured to support trepreneurship education, and (c) how teachers implement it in practice. Phase 3 identified best practice for entrepreneurship education internationally, which was compared to the findings from the previous two phases. Based on the previous findings, a framework for the effective structuring and implementation of entrepreneurship education in Consumer Studies, was ultimately proposed. It was apparent from the findings that entrepreneurship education only appears infrequently, unstructured and in isolated subjects in South Africa. Furthermore, even though Consumer Studies has great potential to contribute value to learners’ lives and is well structured to support constructivist entrepreneurship education, it transpired that this potential does not always reach learners, owing to the ineffective structuring and implementation of the curriculum. This study revealed the dearth of well-structured entrepreneurship education as part of the South African secondary school curriculum, with the exception of Consumer Studies. We anticipate that the framework will enhance teachers’ implementation of entrepreneurship education in Consumer Studies, which should augment the benefits thereof for learners. / Summary in English, Xhosa and Zulu / Thuto ya bogwebi e ka tshwaela ka tsela e e mosola mo go ithuteng ga morutwana mme e tshwanetse go rulaganngwa le go diragadiwa (mo mananeong gongwe kharikhulamo) go gokaganya dipoelo tseno. Mo kharikhulamong ya dikolo tsa sekontari tsa Aforikaborwa, ke fela Dithuto tsa Badirisi tse di akaretsang thuto e e botlhokwa ya bogwebi. Le fa go ntse go na le bokgoni jono mo Dithutong tsa Badirisi, dipoelo tsa thuto ya bogwebi ga di fitlhelele barutwana ka gale ka ntlha ya barutabana ba ba sa ipaakanyang mo go lekaneng le tiragatso e e seng mosola ya kharikhulamo. Maikaelelo a thutopatlisiso e ne e le go sekaseka gore thuto ya bogwebi e tseneletse go le kana kang le gone jang mo kharikhulamong e e lebeletsweng le e e fetisitsweng ya Dithuto tsa Badirisi, ka maikaelelo a go tshitshinya letlhomeso la go tlamela barutabana ka kaedi ya go rulaganya le go diragatsa thuto ya bogwebi mo Dithutong tsa Badirisi ka tsela e e mosola. Go dirisitswe mokgwa wa patlisiso wa magatomantsi le o o kopaneng mme o theilwe mo go lebeleleng maitemogelo. Go dirisitswe tshekatsheko ya dikwalo, tshekatsheko ya mo inthaneteng mmogo le dipotsolotso tsa ditlhopha tse di rileng go kokoanya data. Kwa tshimologong go ne ga sekasekiwa thuto ya bogwebi mo kharikhulamong ya dikolo tsa sekontari tsa Aforikaborwa ka kakaretso. Morago ga moo, go ne ga lebelelwa thuto ya bogwebi mo kharikhulamong ya Dithuto tsa Badirisi, go sekasekiwa (a) boleng jwa bokgoni jo e bo tshwaelang mo serutweng, (b) gore kharikhulamo e rulagantswe go tshegetsa thuto ya bogwebi go fitlha fa kae, le (c) ka moo barutabana ba e diragatsang ka gona. Legato la 3 le supile ditiragatso tse di gaisang tsa thuto ya bogwebi boditšhabatšhaba, tse di neng tsa bapisiwa le diphitlhelelo go tswa kwa magatong a mabedi a a fetileng. Go ikaegilwe ka phitlhelelo tse di fetileng, go ne ga felelediwa go tshitshintswe letlhomeso la go rulaganya le go diragatsa thuto ya bogwebi ka bokgoni mo Dithutong tsa Badirisi. Go ne go bonala go tswa mo diphitlhelelong gore thuto ya bogwebi e tlhagelela fale le fale, e sa rulagana mme gape e le mo dirutweng tsele le tsele mo Aforikaborwa. Mo godimo ga moo, le fa Dithuto tsa Badirisi di na le bokgoni jo bogolo jwa go oketsa boleng mo matshelong a barutwana mme di rulagane sentle go ka tshegetsa thuto ya bogwebi e e ikaegang ka maitemogelo, go tlhageletse gore ga se gantsi bokgoni jono bo fitlhelelang barutwana, ka ntlha ya thulaganyo le tiragatso e e seng mosola ya kharikhulamo. Thutopatlisiso eno e senotse tlhaelo ya thuto ya bogwebi e e rulaganeng sentle jaaka karolo ya kharikhulamo ya dikolo tsa sekontari tsa Aforikaborwa, kwa ntle fela ga Dithuto tsa Badirisi. Re solofela gore letlhomeso le tlaa tokafatsa tiragatso ya barutabana ya thuto ya bogwebi mo Dithutong tsa Badirisi, tse di tshwanetseng go oketsa mesola mo barutwaneng. / Imfundo yezamabhizinisi (intrepreneurship education) ingalekelela kakhulu impela, ihlomulise umfundi emfundweni yakhe, futhi kumele ihleleke futhi iqaliswe (ngaphakathi ezinhlelweni zokufunda noma amakharikhulamu) ngendlela ezohlinzeka umfundi ngale mihlomulo. Kwikharikhulamu yezikole zamabanga aphezulu (amasekhondari) zaseNingizimu Afrika, yisiFundo Sezabathengi (Consumer Studies) kuphela esiqukethe ingxenye enkundlwana impela yemfundo yezamabhizinisi. Nakuba isiFundo Sezabathengi sihlinzeka ngalolu sizo, imfundo yezamabhizinisi ayivamisile ukufinyelela kubafundi, ngenxa yothisha abangavuthiwe kahle noma abangazilungiselele ngokwanele, kanye nokuqaliswa nokuqhutshwa kwekharikhulamu ngendlela engagculisi neze futhi engakhiqizi izithelo ezinhle. Lolu cwaningo kuhloswe ngalo ukuhlola nokuhlaziya ukuthi imfundo yezamabhizinisi ifakwe kanjani futhi kangakanani kwikharikhulamu ehlosiwe futhi esiphasisiwe yesiFundo Sezabathengi, ngenhloso yokwenza isiphakamiso sohlaka oluzolekelela futhi lube ngumhlahlandlela wothisha ekuhleleni kahle nokuqhuba imfundo yezamabhizinisi esiFundweni Sezabathengi. Kulolu cwaningo kwasetshenziswa idizayini yocwaningo ehlolayo ezigaba-ziningi ezilandelanayo kanye nedizayini yocwaningo esebenzisa izindlela ezixubile ezichazayo, ezigxile ku-constructivism. Ukuhlaziywa kwemibhalo, ucwaningokuhlola (isaveyi) lweinthanethi kanye nezimposamibuzo (interviews) ezigxile emaqenjini athile, kwasetshenziselwa ukuqoqa idatha. Ekuqaleni, kwahlolwa futhi kwahlaziywa imfundo yezamabhizinisi kwikharikhulamu yonkana yezikole zamabanga aphezulu zaseNingizimu Afrika. Emva kwalokho, kwagxilwa kwimfundo yezamabhizinisi esiFundweni Sezabathengi, kuphenywa (a) ubugugu nokubaluleka kwemfundo yezamabhizinisi kulesi sifundo, (b) izinga lokuhleleka kwekharikhulamu ukuze ikwazi ukweseka imfundo yezamabhizinisi, kanye (c) nokuthi othisha bangayiqalisa futhi bayiqhube kanjani ngokoqobo futhi ngendlela ephathekayo imfundo yezamabhizinisi. Isigaba 3 sahlonza inkambiso yemfundo yezamabhizinizi ephuma phambili emhlabeni wonke jikelele, eyaqhathaniswa nalokho okwatholwa ezigabeni ezimbili ezedlule. Ngokususela kulokho okwatholwa ezigabeni ezedlule, kwahlongozwa uhlaka lokuhlelwa nokuqaliswa kahle kwemfundo yezamabhizinisi esiFundweni Sezabathengi. Uma kubhekwa izinto ezatholakala ocwaningweni, kwabonakala ngokucacile ukuthi imfundo yezamabhizinisi yayithe gqwa gqwa laphaya nalaphaya, futhi itholakala ngendlela engahlelekile, ezifundweni ezithile, ezimbalwa eNingizimu Afrika. Ngaphezu kwalokho, nakuba isiFundo Sezabathengi singaba nomthelela omuhle kakhulu ezimpilweni zabafundi futhi sikulungele noma sihleleke kahle ukuze sikwazi ukweseka i-constructivist entrepreneurship education, kwahlaluka ukuthi lo mthelela omuhle awuvamisile nezeukufinyelela kubafundi, ngenxa yokungahlelwa kahle kanye nokungaqaliswa ngendlela efanele kwekharikhulamu. Lolu cwaningo lwabonisa ukuntuleka kwemfundo yezamabhizinisi ehleleke kahle, njengengxenye yekharikhulamu yezikole zamabanga aphezulu zaseNingizimu Afrika, ngaphandle kwesiFundo Sezabathengi. Sibheke ukuthi lolu hlaka lwenze ngcono ukuqaliswa nokuqhutshwa kwemfundo yezamabhizinisi ngaphansi kwesiFundo Sezabathengi, futhi lokho kuyokhulisa imihlomulo yemfundo yezamabhizinisi kubafundi. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Phil. (Curriculum Development)