The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges that are met by the teachers in selected secondary level special schools, catering for physically impaired learners in South Africa, when they teach Environmental Education. The study was qualitative in nature. In order to meet the qualities of a qualitative research, a multiple case study design was employed in this research study. The data was collected from four special schools, two from Gauteng Province and the other two from the Eastern Cape Province. The sample consisted of 5 Grade 10 teachers, teaching Life Sciences from these 4 schools. Data was collected through interviews, document analysis and learners’ books. The interviews were analysed through the phenomenological approach by Giorgi (1975). The study revealed that most of the teachers in the study did not have the relevant educational qualification to teach environmental education nor do they have adequate training in the subject, for the workshops were conducted for only three days. The study also revealed that even though the teachers welcomed the integration of environmental education into the school curricula, they experienced challenges in teaching the subject, which included curriculum related, learner related, teacher related, policy related, administration related and office based related. The study also revealed that teachers’ knowledge of EE was superficial and that they only taught in and about environmental education, they did not teach for environmental education which is the main goal of environmental education. The results also showed that the teachers were unable to translate the policies of inclusive education and by implication, they could not adapt the mainstream curriculum for special needs learners, as expected from teachers in special schools. It was also found out that the teachers lack knowledge of the philosophy that underpins the CAPS curriculum, which is social constructivism. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

This investigation has as its theme the State and the Catholic Church, as instances of promoting education, focusing on the training of primary teachers in Minas Gerais. The temporal scope encompasses the time between 1892-1904, the first years of the Republic in Brazil. This period is justified for reasons that are interlinked: First, the demise of the functioning of the schools for the training of teachers as recorded at the time that the analysis of primary sources. Second, with the new regime, given the separation between of the State and Catholic Church took place in the legal framework, it is decreed the secularity of school education. It is also during this period that the movement occurs expansion of primary schooling and, in consequence, the expansion of Education Schools for the training of teachers to work in this level of education. Thus, this study aims to analyze and interpret the action of the Catholic Church in state affairs, so to evidence that the relationship between these two institutions continued very close in the educational field, including teacher training courses, even when the laws, as the Brazilian Constitution of 1891, decreed otherwise. The method of investigation is proposed to documentary research, consisting of documents produced in the daily Education Schools of Minas Gerais, as well as a set of laws produced in the time encompassed by our study and literature that helps us in interpreting and enforcing our arguments. The sources are listed, mostly in the custody of the Minas Gerais Public Archives in Belo Horizonte. These are documents produced in the secretariats of the Education Schools: certificates and attestations with seal of authentication to prove the trustworthiness, civil and religious, women of Minas Gerais; timesheet (containing the subjects taught in course teacher training) and normal evaluative tests (written exams) of some normal schools of Minas Gerais. As additional sources are used the encyclical Rerum Novarum (1891), legislation that organized educational laws that organized teaching in Brazil, laws and decrees of Minas Gerais as the law no. 41 of 1892 (Afonso Pena Reform) and law no. 281 of 1899 (Silviano Brandão Reform) which regulated primary education and teacher training to act in this level of education. The analysis of the sources gives us like result that the action of the Church in the training courses for teachers were part of the rescue project of Catholic ideals in Brazil, in general, and in Minas Gerais, in particular. This project of the Catholic Church has dovetailed with the plans the State which had the interest to train the girls in the traditional model of the family of Minas Gerais. Working together in education, church and State, formed women within the Catholic doctrine - with the goal that it extended this education in the family environment - at the same time that professionalize them to act in the primary teaching. / A presente investigação tem como tema o Estado e a Igreja Católica, como instâncias promotoras de educação, com enfoque na formação de professoras primárias em Minas Gerais. A abrangência temporal engloba o período entre 1892 a 1904, primeiros anos da República no Brasil. O recorte temporal se justifica por motivos que se encontram interligados: primeiro, devido às fontes primárias que revelam a efemeridade do funcionamento das Escolas Normais, formadoras de professores. Segundo, é nos primeiros anos da república que sucedeu a separação entre Estado e Igreja Católica ocorrida no âmbito legal, sendo decretada a laicidade da educação escolar. Nesse período, ocorreu o movimento de expansão da escolarização primária e, em consequência disso, a ampliação de Escolas Normais para a formação de professores para atuar nesse grau de ensino. Sendo assim, este estudo tem como objetivo analisar e interpretar a atuação da Igreja Católica nos assuntos do Estado, de maneira a evidenciar que a relação entre essas duas instituições continuaram muito próximas no campo educacional, incluindo os cursos de formação docente, mesmo quando as legislações, como a Constituição brasileira de 1891, decretaram o contrário. Como método de investigação propõe-se a pesquisa documental, composta de documentos produzidos no cotidiano das Escolas Normais de Minas Gerais, bem como um conjunto de legislações produzidas no tempo abarcado para nosso estudo e pesquisa bibliográfica que nos ajuda na interpretação reforçando nossos argumentos. As fontes elencadas encontram-se, em sua maioria, sob a guarda do Arquivo Público Mineiro, em Belo Horizonte. Trata-se de documentos produzidos nas secretarias das Escolas Normais: certidões e atestados com selo de autenticação que comprovam a idoneidade, civil e religiosa, das mulheres mineiras; quadro de horários (contendo as disciplinas ministradas no curso de formação docente) e exames avaliativos (provas escritas) das normalistas de algumas escolas normais de Minas Gerais. Como fontes complementares são utilizadas: a encíclica Rerum Novarum (1891), as legislações educacionais que organizaram o ensino no Brasil e as leis e decretos mineiros como a lei n. 41 de 1892 (Reforma Afonso Pena) e a Lei n. 281 de 1899 (Reforma Silviano Brandão) que regulamentaram o ensino primário e a formação de docentes para atuar nesse nível de ensino. A análise das fontes nos apresenta como resultado que a atuação da Igreja nos cursos de formação de professoras fazia parte do projeto de resgate dos ideais católicos no Brasil, em geral, e em Minas Gerais, em particular. Esse projeto da Igreja Católica se encaixou nos planos do Estado que tinha o interesse de formar as moças dentro do modelo tradicional da família mineira. Atuando conjuntamente na educação, Estado e Igreja, formaram mulheres dentro da doutrina católica com o objetivo de que ela estendesse essa educação no meio familiar ao mesmo tempo em que as profissionalizavam para atuar no magistério primário. / Doutor em Educação

This study shows how correctional educators incorporate traditional as well as nontraditional teaching methods to address the specific problems associated with juvenile offenders.

The aim of this study was to investigate, from an educational management perspective, the factors that influence job satisfaction amongst special needs educators in selected New Zealand special needs schools. A qualitative research method was utilised to investigate the educational management strategies that influence the job satisfaction of special needs educators in selected New Zealand special needs schools. This dissertation presents the findings from a questionnaire on participants’ geographical details and data from related interviews. The findings from this study indicate that the job satisfaction of special needs educators is mainly influenced by factors such as management support, adequate resources, collaborative working relationships, ability of students with special educational needs to progress, and communication, among others. The study makes certain recommendations to help special needs educational managers effectively manage factors that influence job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction for special needs educators. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

South African schools have educators that are faced with numerous challenges in managing their day-to-day classroom activities in general. This challenge is further made worse when it comes to managing classrooms with learners experiencing barriers to learning. The study investigated the suitability of different classroom management styles by educators in accommodating the needs of diverse learners experiencing barriers to learning. The study used a qualitative approach in which data was collected through the use of interviews, focus group discussions, lesson observations as well as literature review. The data analysis and findings revealed that many educators possess qualifications to teach and manage classrooms in regular or mainstream schools and not in special schools. With time these educators end up having to cope with managing learners experiencing barriers to learning through in-service training and professional development. The study established that there is no single classroom management strategy that should be used to manage learners experiencing barriers to learning. Educators should adapt their classroom management and teaching methods to accommodate the needs of learners experiencing barriers to learning. The study recommended that the government and the Department of Basic Education should train more educators in special education to enhance efficiency in managing learners with barriers to learning. Support structures and mechanisms should also be put in place to assist educators with different challenges that they face in the classroom on a daily basis. The study also recommended that all stakeholders in education like the government, SGBs, DoE, educators, Principals, parents, religious leaders and the community should come together to help manage lack of discipline among learners as well as giving all the necessary support to help manage learners experiencing barriers to learning. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Text in Afrikaans / The goal of the research is to explore the personality profile of aggressive victims of bullying in a special school. Qualitative, applied research of an explorative and descriptive nature was followed. In order to address the problem, namely that the personality profile of children can lead to aggressive victims, the researcher undertook a literature study to describe bullying in middle childhood with the focus on aggressive victims, the Five Factor Model of Personality, bullying in special schools and organismic selfregulation within Gestalt therapy. The researcher's knowledge of the Five Factor Model of Personality enabled her to compile the interview schedules for the semi-structured interviews. Purposeful sampling was conducted to identify respondents for the interviews. The interviews were conducted with four aggressive victims of bullying, their parents, as well as their class teachers. During the analysis of data, themes were identified. These themes were verified with literature and recommendations were made. / Social work / M.Diac.(Play therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / The goal of the research is to explore the personality profile of aggressive victims of bullying in a special school. Qualitative, applied research of an explorative and descriptive nature was followed. In order to address the problem, namely that the personality profile of children can lead to aggressive victims, the researcher undertook a literature study to describe bullying in middle childhood with the focus on aggressive victims, the Five Factor Model of Personality, bullying in special schools and organismic selfregulation within Gestalt therapy. The researcher's knowledge of the Five Factor Model of Personality enabled her to compile the interview schedules for the semi-structured interviews. Purposeful sampling was conducted to identify respondents for the interviews. The interviews were conducted with four aggressive victims of bullying, their parents, as well as their class teachers. During the analysis of data, themes were identified. These themes were verified with literature and recommendations were made. / Social work / M.Diac.(Play therapy)