Thesis (MHumanRehabSt)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Internationally, ensuring that all persons, in particular the vulnerable and marginalised, have access to their human rights is advocated now more than ever. Access to education is one of these rights. For persons with disabilities, which includes learners with permanent mobility impairments (PMIs), realising the right of access to education can be achieved through developing an inclusive education system. This study set out to understand what mainstream high schools in East London consider as challenges in enrolling and accommodating learners with PMIs, and how decisions are based to include or exclude these learners. A cross-sectional, descriptive study, using a mixed methods design and which was exploratory in nature was used to address the study aim and objectives. The method of inquiry was achieved through survey research. The study setting was East London, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study population comprised 21 mainstream high schools in the city, as represented through a member of the educational staff. Only 12 schools (57%) actually participated in the study. These schools were either public or independent, English-, Afrikaans-, isiXhosa- or bilingual-medium, single gender or coeducational schools, with or without learners with PMIs in the school in urban or peri-urban East London. No sampling was done. Data was collected via e-mail through a self-administered questionnaire. It was found that four learners with PMIs were enrolled in the participating schools. The majority of participating schools did not receive applications from learners with PMIs. The greatest barrier to inclusion was related to infrastructure challenges. I had the impression that the participants’ understanding of ‘inclusion’ and ‘mainstreaming’ was confused, and it appeared that the main idea was to mainstream. Recommendations made for practice include completing access audits of mainstream high schools, developing human resources, developing consulting services, monitoring the implementation of the Education White Paper 6, and making global changes in line with inclusion of persons with mobility impairments. It is hoped that this study might serve as a pilot study for a provincial study in the Eastern Cape. Such a study should determine the prevalence of learners of high school age with PMIs,and the percentage of these learners in mainstream high schools. Further, it could determine perspectives regarding inclusion of learners with mobility impairments in mainstream high schools from all involved stakeholders. A study could also be conducted to determine whether or not, and why, learners with PMIs apply for enrolment in mainstream high schools. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die internasionale neiging is om te probeer verseker dat alle individue, en spesifiek die wat deel vorm van marginale groepe, soos mense met gestremdhede, se regte beskerm word. Toegang tot onderwys is een van dié regte. `n Inklusiewe onderwysstelsel kan help om die reg tot onderwys te verseker vir persone met gestremdhede, insluitend leerders met permanente mobliteitsgestremdhede. Die doel van die studie was om vas te stel watter uitdagings hoofstroom hoërskole in Oos-Londen voorsien of ervaar met die toelating van leerders met permanente mobiliteitsgestremdhede in die skole. Verder wou die navorser ook vasstel op grond waarvan leerlinge met permanent mobiliteitsgestremdhede in die skool toegelaat word al dan nie. `n Beskrywende, dwarssnitstudie was gedoen. Beide kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodes is gebruik om te verseker dat die doel van die studie ten volle aangespreek kon word. Die metode van ondersoek was deur opname-ondersoek behaal. Die studie was in Oos-Londen, in die Oos-Kaap Provinsie van Suid-Afrika gedoen. Die studiepopulasie het bestaan uit 21 hoofstroom, hoërskole in die stad. Geen steekproefneming was gedoen nie. Twaalf van die skole het toestemming verleen om aan die studie deel te neem. Data is ingesamel by die 12 skole (57%). Demografiese eienskappe van die skole het gewissel: daar was openbare en onafhanklike skole, Engels, Afrikaans, isiXhosa en tweetalige skole, enkelgeslag en gemengde skole, en skole met en skole sonder leerders met permanente mobiliteitsgestremdhede in stedelike of peri-stedelike Oos London. Data is ingesamel deur `n vraleys wat deur die deelnemers self voltooi was. Die vraelys is deur middel van e-pos of per hand by die skole afgelewer. Die studie het bevind dat daar vier leerders met permanente mobiliteitsgestremdhede in die deelnemende skole ingeskryf was. Die meerderheid van die deelnemende skole het geen aansoeke van leerders met permanente mobiliteitsgestremdhede ontvang nie. Volgens die deelnemende skole sal ontoeganklike infrastruktuur die grootste struikelblok veroorsaak met die toelating van leerders met permanente mobiliteitsgestremdhede. Voorts wou dit voorkom asof die fokus van skole nie op inklusiewe onderring was nie, maar eerder op die aanpassing van indivudele leerlinge by die hoofstroom.Die volgende aanbevelings uit die studie behoort te help om inklusiewe onderrigspraktyke te vestig in die studie skole: Toeganklikheidsoudits van die hoofstroom hoërskole, ontwikkeling van menslike hulpbronne, konsultasie met raadgewende dienste, die monitering van die implementering van die Onderwys-Witskrif 6, en globale veranderinge om persone met mobiliteitsgebreke te akkommodeer. Verder kan hierdie studie dien as 'n loodsstudie vir 'n soortgelyke provinsiale studie in die Oos-Kaap. Dié studie kan poog om die prevalensie van leerders met permanente mobiliteistgestremdhede van hoërskool-ouderdom in die provinsie te bepaal asook watter persentasie van die leerders in hoofstroom hoërskole is. Voorts kan die studie die perspektiewe van al die betrokke belanghebbendes bepaal. ‘n Studie kan ook gedoen word om te bepaal of leeders met permanente beperking in mobiliteit wel aansoek doen vir inskrywing in die hoofstroom hoërskole.

From Introduction: As headmaster of a technical high school it is my responsibility to admit standard six pupils to this school. Often the refrain from parents is heard: "My son is weak in mathematics but good with his hands." These parents desperately seek a secondary education for their non-academic children. To what extent has the vicious circle of low achievement - negative attitude - lower achievement - despair already been established in these pupils as far as mathematics is concerned? How does this low self-concept in mathematics ability serve as a factor in deciding upon which career to follow, which type of high school to attend? Parents and the public at large seem to be ill-informed about the subjects offered at technical high schools. The mathematical character of these schools is especially undervalued. People often seem to think that the mathematics at a technical high school is easier than at other high schools. Furthermore, people do not realize that mathematics forms the cornerstone of any technical field of study. Failure in mathematics will inevitably lead to low marks or failure in technical subjects. It seems that many pupils who have already developed a defeatist attitude towards mathematics, seek entry into this type of high school. If so, then why? This study aims to elucidate the mathematical cognitive demands made by mathematically related subjects in a technical high school. At the same time possible relationships will be investigated between choice of type of high school (technical vs non-technical) and : i) attitudes to mathematics; ii) achievement in mathematics; iii) general academic achievement; iv) attitude to school. Pupils at standard five level have already established their attitudes towards subjects. For this study standard five boys from East London English and Afrikaans-speaking primary schools were involved. The reason why girls were not considered was to eliminate the variables of sex-related behaviours. Also, girls do not report in any large numbers for technical education as yet. The results of this study should be of use to those advising standard five pupils on their choice of type of high school. If satisfactory relationships are found between affective-cognitive variables and choice of high school, future researchers may use this towards the construction of a required profile for prospective pupils of technical high schools. There are of course, many other factors in the issue. Variables like social status, parents' own experiences, vested interests of academic high schools and many more are not considered in this study. It is conceded that any in-depth study into attitudes towards mathematics or into choice of type of high school is a many-faceted problem, the scope of which lies beyond this thesis. Suffice to admit that attitudes are complex dispositions resulting from the interactions between a number of affective, cognitive and psychomotor variables.

Teachers' Centres are one of the means whereby teachers needs for in-service education and training (Inset) can be met. The professional basis of Teachers' Centres as providers of in-service education and training derives from the need of teachers to develop professionally throughout their careers. Aspects which need to be considered are the need for professional growth and the professional nature of teaching. The effective provision of in-service training requires a knowledge of effective in-service training practise and the barriers that could be encountered in presenting it. Central to any Inset for teachers would be the teachers' needs for such activity. Following on a general statement of teachers needs for Inset the role of the Teachers' Centre in meeting these needs will be examined. Teachers' Centres have specific advantages in meeting certain areas of need for Inset by teachers. A knowledge of the professional activities of teachers activity and methods of establishing the needs for Inset of teachers should promote the effective provision of these programmes. The teacher as an adult learner is important to effective Teachers' Centre operation and the nature of adult learning and variables which affect it will determine the Teachers' Centre reaction in providing Inset. Subject study group activity is very important in Teachers' Centres in the Cape Province and the principles involved in their operation together with practical considerations regarding their operation are important in the provision of Inset. The practical application of theory is illustrated by examples from the East London Teachers' Centre with an emphasis on organisation and the creation of a climate within the Centre for the existence of study groups. The presentation methods used in these study group activities are important and will vary according to the needs of the study group. The selection of methods together with the organisation of presentations and practical methods used in presentation will have an important effect on how they operate. Teachers' Centres have a role to play in promoting change and innovation in schools. The theories of promoting innovation and the roles of the change agent are important. Practical examples from the East London Teachers' Centre are provided. This research, thus, provides a theoretical study of the role of Teachers' Centres in meeting some of the inset needs of teachers as well as practical examples of such activities.

This interpretive case study sought to determine what influenced action competence-oriented teaching and learning processes in a high school environmental club. The goals were to describe a year of activities, within the TALON environmental club at Hudson Park High School in East London, South Africa and to identify how pedagogical, contextual and relational factors influenced action competence processes amongst club members. I explored how action competence theory and praxis have helped in other school education settings with the aim of establishing better environmental practices. The IVAC model of pedagogy (Jensen & Schnack, 1997) was used as a framework to operationalise action competence processes within the TALON Club. This entailed carefully examining investigative, visioning, action and change processes unfolding through the four themes of the club: plants, animal welfare, waste issues and our community outreach programme at Bongulethu High School. Using questionnaires, interviews, observation and a journal as the main methods of data collection I was able to make five analytical statements that related to the influence of pedagogy, the influence of context and the influence of relational dynamics within the TALON Club. The pedagogical processes were affected by the TALON members wanting to avoid any activities that were ‘too much like school’. However this served to compromise the action and visioning phases within the club, resulting in superficial and poorly-informed action-taking. The influence of context served to both enable and constrain action competence processes. The club and school structures therefore shaped the form that fledgling actions took as the TALON members participated in the meetings and outings and fulfilling the traditional expectations of the school community. Relational dynamics and a desire for fun took precedence over the action competence processes. Although the Club members were motivated by a sense of moral responsibility they were unable to articulate this concept into the club activities. In addition there were the power gradients between the educators and members to consider as determinants of the extent of participatory, democratic interactions. This complex interplay of factors influenced the action competence processes in the club. Recommendations were made on how best to work with the concepts of participation and democracy towards improving the reflexivity and knowledge base of both the educators and learners. In this way action competence processes will be better supported within the club in future.

This dissertation of a limited scope focuses on the Heads of Departments’ perceptions of the Integrated Quality Management System for teachers at selected quintile 5 Primary Schools in the East London Region of the Eastern Cape Province. It reveals the positive and negative aspects of the staff appraisal system, its implementation and purpose, as well as views on its improvement. By means of a qualitative case study and the Cognitive Evaluation Theory as theoretical framework, the researcher has determined that the Performance Measurement component of the appraisal system has a detrimental effect on the intrinsic motivation of teachers and that it should be separated from the Developmental Appraisal. Individual interviews with the Heads of Departments revealed the need for revising the assessment rubric in order for Performance Measurement to be conducted effectively. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)