This thesis investigates the curriculum discourses of academics within a University of Technology, exploring their responses to curriculum challenges and considering the degree to which national and institutional shifts contest existing curriculum discourses. Curriculum discourses are identified and discussed against the national and institutional environment and are found, to some degree, to reflect the entrenched assumptions of teaching and learning that were dominant during the apartheid era. Existing curriculum discourses also reveal the influence of curriculum practices adopted within the highly bureaucratic technikon system out of which the institution has evolved. This critical inquiry rests on the assumption that with more insight into socio-cultural values and assumptions, understandings of knowledge, teaching and learning, and existing power relations within individuals’ working context, the possibility of transforming curriculum will be increased. Selecting a small sample of twelve participants from the Durban University of Technology, I conducted in-depth, open-ended interviews intended to explore these academics’ curriculum discourses. Adopting discourse analysis as my primary method of data analysis enabled me to explore the discourses which academics use to construct the notion of curriculum and their own roles in regards to the curriculum. Further to this, I used my own experience of the institutional context and the literature on the national and international contexts of higher education to inform the study and add to the richness of the data. Issues of professional, disciplinary and institutional knowledge and culture are acknowledged to play a central role in participants’ curriculum discourses. These socio-cultural factors are found to affect academic identity construction and change, assumptions about knowledge production and dissemination and notions of teaching and learning. These insights are then overlaid onto a consideration of the extent to which academics have the agency to transform their curricula to align with current higher education policy and the societal and economic transformation agenda. Competing curriculum discourses evident in post-apartheid policy, enormous institutional changes resulting from mandated institutional mergers, changed institutional management team profiles, significantly different student profiles and increased student numbers have all to a large degree overshadowed issues of teaching and learning and led to confusion, disillusionment and uncertainty among the academics participating in this study. There is evidence of a weakening institution-identity with academics feeling uncertain about their roles and responsibilities within the institution, feeling under-valued by the institutional leaders and over-burdened in their workloads with limited support and resources. On the other hand there is a strong identification with workgroups which include both professional and departmental groups that share sets of assumptions and established practices that provide academics with the stability, familiarity, security and affirmation that they need. The issue of individual agency as reflected in the findings, demonstrates that there was a continuum of participant agency that tentatively points to a correlation between the level of agency and the amount of stability and value gained from allegiance to and participation in workgroups. Despite the increasing pressure upon academics to interrogate their own systems and disciplinary structures that chiefly focus on a traditional mode of specialised knowledge production, there is limited evidence of significantly changed understanding of curriculum practices. Furthermore there is little to suggest that these academics’ curriculum practices have been impacted by international trends towards globalisation, marketisation and shifts in modes of knowledge production. Traditional views of knowledge construction and low skills training discourses were strongly evident in the data. With the challenges presented not only by the need for economic and social transformation within South Africa, but also by the need to respond to fast-paced technological and knowledge advancements, exceptional leadership and improved capacity are required to enable rather than inhibit curriculum transformation. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007. / This study explores the coming into being of a new Learning Area called Arts and Culture in the school curriculum in South Africa since 1997. The critical questions ask why Arts and Culture was deemed necessary in the new curriculum (Curriculum 2005); what factors influenced its design and did the Review process of 2000/1 effect significant changes to the Arts and Culture curriculum? The study draws its methodology from narratology, heuristic theory, discourse analysis and literary criticism in various ways. It uses narratology as the basis for analysis and as a representational device. As I was part of the policy development, the study commences with a personal narrative that sets the scene for the research. The primary data derive from interviews with policy makers, arts curriculum developers and arts practitioners and detailed analyses of relevant arts education policies. The first level of analysis entailed a narrative analysis of the interviews, focussing on the point of view and voice of the speaker. Documents were similarly analysed using a narratological lens developed for this study. The second level of analysis brought together the two sets of data and their individual stories to produce two differently focalized stories about the Arts and Culture curriculum: a curriculum of the Heart and a curriculum of the Head, both in the service of social transformation in South Africa. A third story, representing an unseen character - resistance arts, was introduced as pivotal in the Arts and Culture story. The third level of analysis dealt with abstractions from the group stories, arguing that nation building and identity formation and the potentially transformative role of the arts were central to this Arts and Culture curriculum. Discontinuities in the socio-political context and the curriculum discourse between 1997 and 2001 resulted in shifts in focalization of the curricula and may do so in the future. Current discourse allows for the creolisation of the arts and a re-imagined cultural identity.

This study's aim was to solicit the beliefs, attitudes and perceptions of the teachers to the implementation of the road safety education programme in the context of curriculum change in five primary schools in the Pietermaritzburg Region. It is the beliefs and the attitudes of the teachers that imply assumptions about curriculum change and implementation that was the major focus of this study. The implementation of the road safety education programme was studied in the context of curriculum change. This was done by using a qualitative research methodology. A case study research method was employed to gather data. Through semi-structured teacher interviews, classroom observations and learner administered questionnaires, the researcher was able to answer the three critical questions of the study. For the analysis of the data, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used. The analysis of the data revealed that despite the teaching and learning constraints that teachers experience in the classroom with implementing curriculum change, they do the best that they can. They implemented the road safety education programme in very innovative and interactive ways. Feedback from teacher interviews regarding the implementation of the road safety education programme, indicated that it was a good programme which was well developed and aligned to the Revised National Curriculum Statement. It was informative and provided learners with a wide range of age appropriate knowledge and expertise to make them safe and responsible road users. This study also revealed the gaps in the literature where road safety education and its implementation, is concerned. This study makes a number of recommendations for successful curriculum implementation in the context of change. Because of the qualitative nature of the data collected it was difficult to establish whether there was, in fact behavioural changes regarding safe and responsible road user behaviour. Therefore the study recommends that more research must be carried out on the implementation of the road safety education programme because this study only represented five primary schools. This study also emphasized the importance of implementing road safety education from grade R to Grade 12 to enhance safe and responsible road user behaviour. This may be useful in reinforcing safe and responsible road user behaviour. Twelve years of road safety education will definitely have a cumulative effect which will be beneficial to the learner. A permanent space must be found in the CAPS school curricula to deliver appropriate and effective road safety education from Grade R to Grade 12. The basic epistemological approach of the research reflects the importance of moving beyond universal truths about implementation as a complex and highly contingent enterprise in which variations is the rule rather than the exception. This study subsequently concluded that the successful implementation of the road safety education programme was dependent on the teacher‟s beliefs, attitudes and perceptions of the innovation. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

During the years of apartheid (pre 1994) there were two main streams that one could follow while studying at school viz. academic or technical. The majority of South African learners followed the more traditional academic stream allowing some to enter careers as doctors, lawyers, policemen/woman, school teachers and the like, while the remainder ended up jobless. Those pupils who followed the technical stream were considered by some of the more academically inclined persons, to be the 'duller' type of pupil, who could learn a trade and end up as a blue-collar worker. As the cost of technical education has always been much higher than the purely academic courses, the number of schools offering technical subject courses in South Africa has always been in the minority. The entire scene changed after the banning of apartheid (post 1994) and the introduction of the notion of globalisation. Rapid developments suddenly appeared world-wide especially with the introduction of new technologies, mainly in informatics. Suddenly the world seemed to be a much smaller place as one could e-mail, fax, or use a cell phone anywhere in the world at the touch of a button. In order for South Africa to become part of the new world order, and to think about global markets, certain essential changes had to be made firstly to the local environment. A depressed economy needed rejuvenation. There was a growing awareness that serious change was needed in the way children think and learn at school and to start aligning ideas with international trends. To do this, the Department of Education in Pretoria (DoE), decided to radically transform the education sector by introducing a new system of education known as outcomes-based education (OBE). The new OBE system brought with it mixed reactions from the South African public and from the teachers within the system. Many teachers did not want to accept that education could be done in a different way than they had been used to, in the past twenty to forty years. Younger teachers on the other hand did embrace change but are still trying to get the right balance within the prescribed parameters laid down in national education policy documents. To try and achieve such balance, the minister of education called for an independent review committee to re-work the general education and training phase curricula in order for them to be made more 'user-friendly' as many complaints had been received about the policy documents being overly complicated and unmanageable in the normal classroom situation. This process was concluded in May 2001 and Technology education remained as one of the eight new learning areas within the general education and training phase (GET) of South African schooling. The first draft of the Technology education curriculum was handed out for public comment in October 1997 and was used as the basis for a pilot study at selected schools in 1998. This information was used as the basis for analyzing the design of the Technology curriculum at grade 9 level. Grade 9 was selected as it is the final exit from general education and training (GET) into further education and training (FET), and because it was the starting point for the pilot project in 1998. Valuable data was available at the pilot project school sites to be used in this study. Not all the provinces were able to initiate a pilot project due to a number of reasons but those that did viz. Kwazulu/Natal, Gauteng, and the Western Cape were visited individually to collect data. This study therefore 'unpacks' the Technology curriculum into component parts using an analysis tool developed from a theoretical framework. This unpacking of the parts allows one the opportunity to critically check whether or not certain important aspects of the design were omitted either intentionally or unintentionally by the design team (NTT). Chapter one orientates the reader and sets the scene from where I, as researcher, locate myself and what the prevailing conditions are like at South African schools. The study problem is highlighted as are the obstacles that have tended to have an impact on the final curriculum design. Chapter two provides an overview of the related theory associated with the field of curriculum study. Technology education is discussed as broadly as possible within the framework of the new OBE education system for South African schools. Chapter three discusses the methodologies applied to ensure reliability and validity of the findings. The design analysis tool is presented with an explanation of each of the eight components. Chapter four relates an interesting story about the findings. A description of the educational sites is presented together with descriptions of the educators at the six pilot schools, as well as some background of the national technology design team (NTT). All recorded evidence was gathered during personal visits to the schools and individual meetings with the design team members. Chapter five provides a discussion of the data to analyse the Technology curriculum. In this way the reader is directed to the problem areas that were identified and supported the purpose of this curriculum study. Chapter six firstly answers the three critical questions posed in Chapter one. An alternative model for curriculum design and development is presented. This theoretical model is intended to reduce the weaknesses of the present curriculum design if applied to any similar initiative in the future. This will allow educators greater freedom to do what they do best - to teach from a curriculum policy that they clearly understand and are trained to deliver. In this way South African schools and all learners will be rewarded by being well prepared for a variety of challenging careers in the global world that we live in. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.

This study attempts to investigate teachers' opinions on technical and vocational education curriculum in the light of political changes and educational policies which are emerging in South Africa. This report starts with a discussion of the methodological considerations, followed by the theoretical framework. The analysis and interpretation are presented as follows: 1. Profile of the sample, 2. Technical and vocational education and economic growth, 3. Technical and vocational education curriculum, 4. Teachers' opinions on curriculum transformation of technical and vocational education at secondary school level. Each chapter is rounded off with concluding remarks. The general conclusion and recommendations are given at the end of the report. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, 1997.

Among all the other files in my cabinet is one marked 'adult education'. It is a bulky file of documents dating back a number of years. It contains reports, articles and official documents both from NGOs and the Department of Education. The content of the collected document files include the pros and cons surrounding the long debate regarding the history of adult education provision at the Beatrice Street YMCA (BS YMCA). Another issue surfacing in these files is the issue of fund-raising, as a lack of funds poses serious concerns about the provision of adult education. The economic, social and political situations presented to the BS YMCA an irresistible challenge, especially in the city of Durban and surroundings. The Board of Management is sensitive to the needs of young people and has identified adult education as a means of offering support. Adult education provision at the BS YMCA offers invaluable skills. These skills include survival English (i.e. communication and numeracy), functional (workplace and society) and compensatory tools (life skills). It was not an easy road to travel for them, especially as the core need of the young people is employment. Over the years there were much needed changes in the adult education programmes offered at the BS YMCA. The development of educational policies from 1993 became the vehicle for the new dispensation in adult education. Adult education programmes at the BS YMCA changed from a traditional (teacher-centered) approach to a participatory approach based on dialogue. (which was more learner centered). The new programmes aim to offer more employment opportunities. The provision of adult education by the BS YMCA has been recognised by different educational departments over the years. The BS YMCA , being part of the educational struggle for transformation , was instrumental in pioneering "finishing schools" in the 80s. Skills training was also introduced to the BS YMCA educational programmes in 1994. The initiated programmes are vital in addressing the needs of the young people in the city of Durban. This dissertation is concerned with the history of adult education provision at the BS YMCA, whose concerns include a holistic approach regarding the mind , body and spirit (The world alliance of YMCAs 'Red Triangle '). The BS YMCA's philosophy and origins of the Red Triangle show a link between the body, mind and soul. The history of provision of adult education at the BS YMCA was a struggle of a non-governmental organisation becoming a state public center. There is also a link between curriculum design and social change of young people. In conclusion, the study aims to examine various adult education curricula changes over the years. These changes address responsible attitudes towards civil society and the effects of social evils and personal guidance. / Theses(M.Ed)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

Sekusile Adult Education Centre is owned and operated by the Assemblies of God Association. Initial funding was provided for three years by the Swedish Government. Sekusile was modelled on the Swedish concept of the Folk High School. Strong ideological and pedagogical inferences inhered within the curriculum as envisaged by the founders. As a Non Government Organisation (NGO) operating within the Adult Education (AE) and Adult Basic Education and Training field (ABET), it did not escape the debilitating effects of reduced funding that have characterised this field since 1994. Like many other adult education providers, Sekusile had to redefine itself in terms of the educational programmes it offered, and in terms of its intended learner market. Economic, political and social realities forced changes in curriculum. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that led to curriculum change at Sekusile, in order that planned satellite centres may possibly improve on the performance of Sekusile. Literature review revealed numerous sources that informed the study. Particularly, literature dealing with Swedish Folk High Schools (Titmus1981; Abrahamsson 1996), South Africa (Mather and Amos 1996; Asmal 1999; Aitchison 1999) and Kwa Zulu Natal (Wallace 2000) were useful in providing a background to the research.· Some silences were identified concerning curriculum and funding. This literature was essential for setting the Sekusile study into both a global and local context. Literature on case study approaches included Bless and Higson-Smith (1995), Deshler and Hagan (1988), McNamara (1999) and Stenhouse (1988). The theoretical framework for the study was drawn from the work of Bhola (1989) for his work on the Configurational Theory of Systems Development and Change, and Knowles (1981) for his process theory of andragogy. The research site is located in Newlands East, Durban. The population consisted of the key role players who contributed towards curriculum design and implementation at Sekusile. This included management, facilitators and learners. Data was drawn from archival (founding) documents as well as other documents on file, such as minutes of meetings. This was a qualitative case study, using non standardised interviews with key informants, the purpose being to allow the voices of informants to be heard and for their contribution to provide data that have some texture over those derived from documentary sources. Data was categorised in terms of the research questions and in analysis, a narrative was allowed to emerge. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

This study sought to investigate the effects of continuous curriculum policy changes on the professional lives of foundation phase teachers in post-apartheid South Africa. Since the inception of Curriculum 2005 (C2005) in 1994, there have been several policy initiatives aimed at the Foundation Phase. These include: The Revised National Curriculum Statement (2002) , followed by the Foundations for Learning Campaign and the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in 2012. This study aims to understand the process and experience of change from a teachers‟ perspective, as teachers‟ participation in education policy formulation has been limited or non-existent. The study sought to answer three critical questions: Why have there been continuous curriculum policy changes in post-apartheid South Africa? What are the implications of continuous curriculum policy changes for foundation phase teachers? What are the effects of these changes on the professional lives of foundation phase teachers? The literature review sought to explore the motivation for continuous curriculum changes and the implications that these changes have for foundation phase teachers. The literature review indicates that policy changes derive largely from two contending imperatives, namely pedagogical enhancement and/or political symbolism. The qualitative data generated for the analysis is underpinned by the interpretive paradigm using data collected through structured interviews. Foundation phase teachers from three primary schools were selected to participate in the study. The questions have also been explored using relevant theoretical explanations that derive from empirical data. This study has been framed within four theoretical frameworks, namely: Foucault‟s (1991) theory of governmentality, Jansen‟s (2002) theory of political symbolism, Carnal‟s (1993) theory of change, and Hargreaves (1994) theory of professionalism and intensification. The analysis reveals that continuous policy changes lead to intensification of teacher workloads and poor uptake and implementation of new/revised policies. As the trajectory of curriculum policy change reveals, teachers who have hardly been able to internalise pre-existing policies are required to engage with new policies. The data reveals that frequent policy changes have resulted in uncertainty and confusion among teachers, and contrary to the policy rhetoric, do not improve the performance of learners, as is evident from South Africa‟s poor performance in international literacy and numeracy tests. Nor does it assist with teacher development. The haste usually associated with the policy process results in the use of the much maligned “cascade” model of teacher development. Policy bureaucrats, who have inadequate understandings of policy, superficially cascade these understandings to teachers through quick-fix workshops. The study contends that the state of policy-flux is counterproductive and can be attributed to the phenomenon of governmentality. This is an attempt by the ruling party (which governs policy development almost exclusively) to be seen to be making substantive changes, but these changes remain at the level of policy rhetoric and policy symbolism. The report concludes with the assertion that for policy to have substantive force, there needs to be more productive policy dialogue among practising teachers and policy makers. It is still possible to infuse a sense of legitimacy in the policy process, if teachers are positioned at the centre of the endeavour rather than at the margins. / Theses (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

The Natal Education Department's "Native" education system which functioned from 1910 to 1953 has often been termed a good example of "liberal" education for Africans. However an investigation into the administrative structure and curricula content of this education order proved that numerous similarities existed between "Native" education, as formulated by the Natal Education Department, and "Bantu" education as established by the Nationalist government as part of its apartheid program. "Native" education in Natal could be considered a forerunner of "Bantu" education. Both systems were designed to achieve similar aims, eg. to maintain the social divisions, aid in the reproduction of semi-skilled labour and bolster the reserve system and migrant labour system. Course content was geared, in both "Native" and "Bantu" education, to promote a specific way of life for the African - a life that was both rural and agrarian in nature. A continuity of both method and aim existed between the two education orders. In effect, despite the different rhetoric and arguments used by the authorities of these two education systems, both implemented systems aimed at maintaining segregation. Emphasis is placed on exposing the true character of "Native" education as well as developing the argument that "Native" and "Bantu" education should be seen as the continuation of a specific education order rather than two distinct and different systems. This study focuses on Natal's 'Native' education and reveals it as a system designed to promote segregation and protect white interests. It too did not have the true interests of African children at heart. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1990.

I am employed by the Department of Education as a Senior Education Specialist, / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.