This study describes the extent to which summative assessment tasks assess the different cognitive levels and learning outcomes with reference to the SAG (2008) for Grade 10 Life Sciences. Essentially, it describes the fit between the intended and implemented assessment, using documentary analysis as a research strategy. In order to determine the fit between intended and implemented assessment the Life Sciences SAG (2008) and question papers on summative assessment tasks were analysed. The question papers were obtained from three schools which were sampled purposively in the Mpumalaga Province. The Life Sciences SAG (2008) was analysed in order to determine the official percentage weightings (marks) of the cognitive levels and learning outcomes which must be assessed in the summative assessment tasks (intended assessment). Using the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy as an analysis tool, question papers on summative assessment tasks were also analysed in order to determine the average percentage weightings (marks) of the cognitive levels and learning outcomes which were assessed (implemented assessment). When the intended and implemented assessments were compared the following results were obtained: For practical tasks and end-of-year examinations there was an incongruity between the intended and implemented assessment in terms of the cognitive levels and learning outcomes. The discrepancy between the intended and the implemented assessment was also found in controlled tests but only in terms of the learning outcomes. In controlled tests the fit between intended and implemented assessment in terms of the cognitive levels could not be determined because the SAG (2008) does not prescribe the cognitive levels which must be assessed. Furthermore, a weak fit between the intended and the implemented assessment in terms of the lower cognitive levels and learning outcomes was found in mid-year examinations. However, there was a strong fit between the intended and implemented assessment in terms of the higher cognitive levels in mid-year examinations. Lastly, for the research projects the fit between the intended and implemented assessment could not be determined because the Life Sciences SAG (2008) does not prescribe the cognitive levels as well as the percentage weightings of the learning outcomes which must be assessed.

This study explored the participants‟ perceptions of their service-learning experiences in the Department of Interior Design at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The point of departure of the study was a Community Higher Education Service Partnerships (CHESP) Pilot Project initiated by JET Education Services (JET). The study is placed in the context of Higher Education transformation, where "community engagement" is a national imperative. In higher education such engagement includes service-learning. The key focus of the study was on how the participants perceived their experiences in terms of their academic learning, personal growth and social responsibilities. Of interest, too, were the participants' ideas of how service-learning could be improved, if indeed retained, in the interior design programme. Data comprised of reflective reports which were completed by the participants shortly after the service experience and from semi-structured interviews conducted one year later. The qualitative research design involved my immersion in the setting, the collection and categorization of the data and a review of the findings in relation to the current literature. This research highlights the social purpose of Higher Education and the opportunity service-learning presents to nurture the three domains of learning, namely academic, personal and social. Recommendations for future service-learning within the programme are made. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Computer Applications Technology is one of the subjects that equip learners with the new technological skills that are needed in today’s life. In the past, many schools used computers only for administrative purposes. This is the case even today in some schools. Very few schools in the rural areas offer Computer Applications Technology. Those that do, face many challenges including a lack of electricity. Computer Applications Technology helps learners acquire computer skills that improve their performance when they enter tertiary institutions. It can also help them to find jobs in companies that need people who are able to operate computers. This is particularly true for learners from the rural areas, since most of their parents are unable to pay for them to further their education at tertiary institutions. On obtaining their Grade 12 certificate, most rural learners look for jobs. This study focuses on the experiences of teachers in teaching Computer Applications Technology in rural areas; the challenges and benefits in teaching Computer Applications Technology; the qualifications of Computer Applications Technology teachers; the use of Computer Technology in teaching; Computer Literacy teachers as motivators in learners’ lives; and teachers and Computer Literacy. The findings of this study reveal that; teachers in rural areas lack a functional Computer Literacy foundation on which to build new technology and skills. The use of computers and related technologies was not a routine part of most teachers’ own educational environment. The number of years of experience and teachers’ status in a school has a significant relationship to familiarity with Computer Technology. A lack of hardware and software; and a lack of knowledge and skills in using computers is a challenge. A lack of or insufficient training opportunities and crowded classrooms are one of the important problems that Basic Education schools face. Insufficient guidance and help in instructional use, insufficient technical assistance, and an insufficient number of computers are other important problems. Most Computer Applications Technology teachers were not trained to teach computers as a subject. This could be because; even in training institutions, computers were only used for administration purposes. Greenwood (1993) notes that; many teachers entered the profession with arts-based qualifications. The introduction of computers in schools is a process which needs time to become self-generating with younger teachers who are now entering schools having used computers in their own training. In South Africa, students have only recently started taking Computer Studies as a major subject in teaching. Previously computers were studied only in certain fields like Computer Science or Information Technology. In rural schools, it is rare to come across a computer laboratory in good condition in terms of space and the number of computers, let alone someone with knowledge of the internet. Rural schools do not have computer centres, internet access, experienced teachers and ample sporting and cultural activities to choose from. However, learners can benefit substantially from this new technology because they can be able to do their work as a group while they are not all in the same physical space. They can share their challenges as they study and prepare for class tests or examinations using the internet. The researcher recommends that the Department of Basic Education should employ teachers who are well trained in Computer Applications Technology. A technician should be employed to service computers at schools and help teachers who are experiencing problems. The Department should encourage primary schools to teach Computer Studies so that when learners study Computer Applications Technology at high school they have a basic grounding in computers. It is recommended that Schools ask companies for donations to enable them to buy computers. They should tighten up their security to make sure that computers are safe. Schools should organise technology specialists to train their teachers. They can use their computer laboratories to offer afternoon classes to the community and charge them for this service. This will help them to raise funds to buy more computers for the school. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Since 2002, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) has included mathematical literacy as a compulsory fundamental component for the Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC). This constituted a radical development in education and is intended to empower individuals so that they can function effectively in, and contribute to the democratization of the country. This exploratory study examined the mathematical literacy experiences of 12 Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners training toward the National Certificate in ECD at NQF L4. The study was conducted at a non-government, nonformal ECD training organization based in Durban. The practitioners were undertaking their training as part of a Learnership programme. A qualitative research methodology was employed. The data was gathered through focus group interviews, semi-structured interviews, and documentary analysis. The study revealed that the practitioners held a positive view of mathematical literacy training. In addition, it was found that such training should remain as part of the ECD qualification owing to the fact that it added value at both a personal and professional level. In interrogating the curriculum, practitioners recommended the inclusion of ECD examples, and engagement with how mathematical literacy is used in the different contexts. In terms of relevancy of content, practitioners recommended content areas that could be applied in their personal and professional lives. Mathematical literacy that related to national issues was seen as abstract, for example balance of payment in terms of the national budget. The study revealed that the background of the ECD practitioners need to be taken into account as some practitioners may not have studied mathematics before. This implies that providers will need to take into account the NQF Level 3 entry requirements and the expected embedded knowledge that practitioners are supposed to have prior to the registration of practitioners for the NQF L 4 certificate. In this regard, policy makers may also need to re-examine the issue of whether mathematical literacy is needed at the level of the qualification. Dialogue on these issues between SAQA and the different stakeholders may be necessary. Not surprisingly, the study revealed the need for suitably trained mathematical literacy facilitators given that this is a new programme. This study is by no means exhaustive, and is but a small sample of views that could be further explored in a more comprehensive study. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

Assessment is the single most powerful influence on student learning, and if it is not designed well, it can easily undermine the positive academic benefits of our teaching and learning. It is therefore important to regularly review and reflect on our teaching, learning, and assessment, especially, conventional individualistic conceptions of assessment practices taken for granted in institutions of higher learning. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether involving students in assessment practices in higher education would help them acquire some understanding of how assessment and grading work, thereby influencing their approaches to learning. Self and peer assessment are used in this study as instructional strategies to support student learning, and are integrated into essay-writing, one of the conventional methods of assessment used in an academic course. The objective was to evaluate the impact of self and peer assessment on students’ learning. The study’s rationale was to involve students in the assessment of their own work and work of others in order to improve substantive acquisition of subject knowledge and understanding, thereby improving their academic performance and achievement. Qualitative data were collected using mainly questionnaires and interviews to solicit students’ perceptions about the impact of self and peer assessment. Quantitative data were used to supplement and complement the questionnaire and interviews methods. Results showed that in the initial involvement in assessment practice students demonstrated inexperience, uncertainty, and deficiency in assessing. There was observable overmarking and undermarking in self and peer assessment, respectively. However, the research study indicated that there were some academic benefits if students are involved in assessment practice over time. There was an overall approval and appreciation of self and peer assessment by students. Furthermore, self and peer assessment promoted interactive, collaborative and cooperative learning among students as opposed to competitiveness. Given the small-scale nature of this research study, there was limited improvement in the development of assessment skills, but a marked improvement in writing an essay. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

Work on gender in education has only recently gained impetus in South Africa. The GETT report (1997) draws attention to the paucity of context-based and qualitative research in this area particularly with regard to the extent to "which knowledge, skills and attitudes developed by boys and girls through schooling are gendered, and the extent to which such factors as ... teaching practices and out-of-school experiences are involved" (GETT, 1997: 116). It was in specific response to the above area of concern that this project was conceived. In this light, the project provides a detailed analysis of a classroom in which the teacher taught (what she considered) a seemingly innocuous, 'gender neutral ' short-story to a grade 10 (standard eight ) class. An in-depth examination of how pupils interacted with the short-story as well as the teacher's approach to the text was undertaken to establish how a gendered discourse was generated and how that discourse fed into, or undermined, dominant hegemonic gender practices. In addition, a closer look at interactional processes (that is, learning styles and strategies; and teacher-pupil and pupil-pupil interaction) was conducted to uncover whether gender was implicated in their operation within the classroom. Hence, the project constitutes an attempt to explore the extent to which the text, pedagogical practices, and out-of-school (lived) experiences were involved in shaping the pupils' knowledge and understanding of their gender identities. The particular class of forty grade 10 pupils who formed the main focus of the study came from an ex-House of Delegates (HOD) secondary school at which I am presently a senior teacher of English. The school was established in 1961 in Asherville, a middle- to working class Indian residential area about 5 kilometres west of Durban's Central Business District. The school serves about 950 pupils from the surrounding areas of Clare Estate, Overport and Sydenham. It must be borne in mind that despite its location, there are pupils from as far as Umlazi, Chesterville and Kwa Mashu which are former apartheid townships for a largely African population. The complexity of this project required careful planning of the research design and methodology. The data drawn on here was collected using three different methods, namely, questionnaires; interviews; and classroom observation. The questionnaire was designed in a way to draw on the pupils' 'lived experiences' in order to understand how they positioned themselves with regard to the shaping of their ' masculinities ' and 'femininities'; and, to discover the kind of gender identities they were developing in response to the text. The primary aim of the interview phase was to solicit the pupils' attitudes towards their teacher's pedagogical approach to the text. It also involved participants reflecting on their own lives. The former was an attempt to understand how their sets of learned gendered experiences (which they brought with them into the classroom) interacted with the teaching-learning context. Because of my commitment to qualitative research, the data obtained was entirely the participants' personal reflections. The theoretical considerations underpinning the study are based on perspectives of gender and education with particular reference to the role that school textbooks play in the construction and articulation of gendered subjectivities and classroom interaction investigations of conversation (talk). Interwoven with the overall theoretical discussion will be post-structuralist feminist perspectives on language and gender. This contextual approach project demonstrated that the gendered meanings which were generated during the English lesson were deeply embedded in the variety of lived experiences and discourses that the pupils drew on to make sense of their lives. In other words, it showed how the text, pedagogical practices, and lived experiences interacted in shaping the pupils' gendered identities. Through the analysis of classroom interactional processes, it also became evident that although the teacher played a considerable role in influencing the pupils, they were not without agency as some of them were capable of resisting the ideologically hegemonic patterns and even influencing the teacher. Although constrained by some limitations, this research project has implications both for further research on discourse patterns in the classroom and for strategies to foster gender sensitive education. I believe that I have identified an important area in South African education which should be explored in much greater depth. Whatever the outcomes are of such comprehensive qualitative research, the urgency is still the same - to sensitise teachers to practices which subtly implicate gender differentiation in their operation within a classroom. It is hoped that teachers cognisant of the processes illuminated in the study may translate these insights into concrete action for change through collective efforts. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1998.

Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006. / The educational reforms implemented by the Department of Education during the last decade have resulted in a number of high profile public university mergers taking place in South Africa. The private higher education sector has simultaneously been significantly restructured by new educational legislation, to such an extent that a numerous private providers have been forced to cease operations due to the onerous requirements of the new laws. In this context, private higher education institutions are increasingly being compelled to consider alternative strategic options in order to continue to operate as viable entities. This study examined two private theological higher education institutions operating in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, and considered whether a merger of the two organisations would be advantageous in light of the pressures being faced by the institutions. The objectives of the study were to assess first, whether a merger of the two institutions would be feasible and second, whether it would be desirable. The study reviewed the literature relating to various forms of organisational co-operation , focusing particularly on mergers. The benefits associated with mergers were highlighted as well as the major causes of the extraordinarily high merger failure rate experienced in practice. The tendency of leaders of merging entities to overlook cultural and people issues when planning and implementing a merger was noted. Attention was given to the managerial approaches necessary to reduce the risk of merger failure. Factors specific to mergers within the non-profit and educational sectors were considered, focusing on structural options for multi-campus educational institutions in particular. The methodology used to address the research objectives called for the conducting of structured interviews with a sample of employees and Board or Council members from both institutions, as well as an examination of various institutional records. Employees of both institutions completed a simple questionnaire designed to provide data for an analysis of the respective organisational cultures of the two institutions. The findings of the study suggested that a merger between the institutions would be feasible, but that employees of the two organisations are not generally of the view that a merger would be desirable in the short term. There was however more support in principle for a merger in the medium to long term and the study consequently recommends that a joint task team be established to prepare a roadmap for the ultimate merger of the two institutions. In the short term it is recommended that a joint venture or strategic alliance be entered into by the two organisations primarily in order to test the compatibility of the two organisational cultures. Further recommendations cover issues such as the ideal structure for the merged entity and the process necessary to successfully manage the integration of two separate organisational cultures.

As part of the transformation agenda of education and training policy, the main thrust of Recognition and Prior Learning (RPL) in the South African policy context was to contribute to addressing social justice issues such as equity, redress and access of the majority of adult learners, who were historically denied access to formal learning. The study focuses on the following critical questions: What are the official policy claims of the assessment and recognition of prior learning at the national and sectoral level? How do assessors mediate official policy in recognising and assessing prior learning of adult learners in an institutional context? What are the experiences and engagements of adult learners in having their prior learning assessed? This research responds to the conceptual gaps in the study of RPL policy and practice and the National Qualifications Framework. The study examines epistemological issues such as: what and whose knowledge is considered as valid; the relationship between knowledge and experience; the relationship between different types of knowledge and learning; and the relationship between knowledge and access to power. The study also addresses a contextual gap: very limited research exists on the RPL experiences of societies in transition with similar transformational agendas as South Africa. The present research study also examines the implementation process in a transitional context, exploring the gap that develops between intended policies and actual practice. This is a qualitative study using the case study approach to examine the complexities of the assessment and recognition of prior learning process in a Technical College Institution located in the Further Education and Training Band. The analysis of selected international case studies of RPL contributed to identifying and exploring conceptual gaps in RPL policy and practice. These conceptual issues provided the first set of preliminary lens for the production, description and analysis of data in the research study. The preliminary lens were then re-interpreted and elaborated in relation to Bernstein 's theory (1996) of symbolic control and cultural production. reproduction and change. The synthesised conceptual framework provided a theoretical vocabulary to redescribe and reinterpret data at deeper levels of abstraction. The key findings of the research were as follows: The undertheorisation of RPL in policy circles and the ways in which policy has tended to gloss over issues such as "equivalence", "integrated competence", knowledge-power dynamics and the differences between mainstream and outsider knowledge; The gap between policy rhetoric and sectoral practice. The sector advocated a technicist approach to RPL that was preoccupied with matching adult experiential learning against prescribed standards. The sector practice marginalized or even excluded adult learners who had acquired their knowledge and learning in non-formal and informal contexts; Nevertheless, assessors who were socially and culturally sensitive to the RPL process had an implicit understanding of the different types of knowledge and knowers. Their developmental approach to RPL provided an enabling environment for adult learners to demonstrate their learning and knowledge from experience. Adult learners without high levels of formal literacy were able to demonstrate their ability to reflect on their experiential learning to transfer their abstract and critical thought processes to solve new problems in the assessment context. The research highlights the commensurability between informal and formal knowledge and the ability of workers who have learnt their skills informally to demonstrate high levels of conceptual and transferable skills. The present research makes the following theoretical contributions: Firstly , Bernstein's theory was extended to examine policy formulation and the policy process. Within the framework of critical policy analysis, a new construct: "relations outside" was created as an analytical tool to examine the nuances of the macro-contexts (historical, political, social, economic) which shape the meaning and significance of policy. Secondly, the research study produces a new conceptual framework to analyse the complex and dynamic nature of RPL policy and practice in a transformational context. The present study advocates a critical and holistic approach to RPL that interrogates how power-relations within and across contextual, epistemological and pedagogical issues reproduce or challenge the existing patterns of inequalities in society. / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Durban-Westville, 2004.

Language proficiency in the language of learning and teaching (LOLT) is essential for academic success. In South Africa and elsewhere, many secondary school learners lack the required academic proficiency in English, the language of learning and teaching. The English language proficiency of Xitsonga speaking Grade 7 learners was evaluated in order to suggest ways in which these learners could be helped to maximise academic success. The author investigated theories of first and second language acquisition by means of a literature study and presented an overview of language policy in South African schooling before and after 1994. A sample of Grade 7 Xitsonga speaking learners was selected from three secondary schools in the Tshwane metropolitan area, Gauteng Province. Language proficiency levels were determined by means of the Human Sciences Research Council's Standardised English Reading and Writing Proficiency Tests. These tests were also translated into Xitsonga and administered to the learners. The tests were administered a month apart in each of the schools. The tests revealed that: * there is a significant correlation between the learner's performance in the reading and writing performance test for both languages * the learners' reading and oral skills in both languages correlate * irrespective of the level of language proficiency, most learners performed poorly in their reading skills, such as, recognising inferences related to tone, punctuation, different types of discourse as well as the prevailing atmosphere. The greatest weaknesses were in learners': * failure to understand instructions, which meant that their responses to task demands were inadequate * inappropriate use of tone register and spelling errors * incorrect use of punctuation and verb tenses. The analysis of the learner's performance in both English and Xitsonga showed that these learners were generally not capable of handling the requirements of the Grade 7 curriculum. It was recommended that the learners be guided to make optimal use of existing facilities, such as, libraries. This could enhance the learners' language development. Using learners' L1 as a medium of instruction for cognitively demanding texts and intensive in-service and pre-service training for language teachers are also recommended. / Educational Foundations / D.Ed. (Comparative Education)

This study seeks to explore mathematical concepts embedded in traditional Xhosa dance and how these concepts can be incorporated into a learning programme for the teaching and learning of mathematics. The study seeks to gain insight into whether learners could benefit from the implementation of such a learning programme. Learners from a Grade 7 class in a rural school performed traditional Xhosa dances and their performances were captured through video recording. The video recordings were then observed and analysed to determine the mathematical concepts embedded in the dances. These concepts were then linked to those found in the Grade 7 mathematics curriculum. A learning programme integrating mathematical concepts from the dance activities with mathematical concepts from the Grade 7 curriculum was then designed. The learning programme contained mathematical problem solving activities that required learners to re-enact the dance performances in order to find the required solutions. The learning programme was then implemented with the learners over a period of three weeks. During the implementation, learners’ behaviour towards the learning experience was observed, their engagement with the problem solving activities as well as their strategies for solving the problems, were carefully observed. Also, their interactions with each other were noted. After the implementation of the learning programme, focus group interviews were held with learners to determine their opinions, attitudes and feelings about their experience of learning mathematics through traditional Xhosa dance. Key findings indicated that traditional Xhosa dance can be used as a medium for learning many concepts in the mathematics curriculum; the use of the dance gave learners an opportunity to learn mathematics from a familiar context and to participate actively and collaboratively in their learning. Also, it emerged that the use of dance to teach mathematics had potential to help improve learners’ attitudes towards mathematics. Conclusions were reached that the dance had potential for use as a means for the meaningful learning of mathematics. However, limitations and challenges with the study were identified, such as its limited replicability in other mathematics classrooms.