The dynamics of the social interaction within the cooperative learning group are accepted and considered to be one of the aspects that will influence the individual learner's feelings regarding the group activity. The impact of the groupings on the quality and quantity of the observable learning within the class is considered. For this study the cooperative learning groupings were manipulated, considering aspects of the learner's social relationships uncovered with the use of a social questionnaire, which the learners completed. These details were summarised by means of a sociometric table and a sociogram. This study approaches the topic from two main perspectives. Primarily observation and naive sketches, from the learners, formed the source of the data and provided the initial perspective on the area of study. From the viewpoint provided in this information specific grouping paramaters were applied to later groups of learners, and a survey conducted. / Educational Studies / M. Ed (Socio-Education)

The researcher investigated the management and implementation of the Common Tasks for Assessment Instrument as a tool for assessing Grade 9 learners in public schools. The objectives were to investigate: * what the CTA Instrument entails for teaching and learning * its positive and negative aspects * training and development of the school management teams (SMTs) and Grade 9 educators in preparation for the implementation * the management of its implementation * learner performance Four schools, comprising two urban and two township schools from the former Transvaal Education Department and the House of Delegates, respectively, were involved in this qualitative study. Grade 9 educators, SMT members and district officials were interviewed in this exploratory case study. The study indicates that: * The CTA Instrument entails a large amount of work for little marks. * Educators identified a few positive and a large number of negative aspects of the Instrument. * Training and development for SMTs and Grade 9 educators were inadequate. * Management styles and models, and leadership styles and models varied. The quality of management practices differed from one school to another. * On the whole, although implementation was satisfactory it was fraught with numerous problems largely relating to management's lack of effective support, their inadequate training and poor assessment competence, insufficient guidance for instruction, limited resources, learner apathy, staff instability, and absenteeism, amongst other problems. * Although some of the learners performed very well, this should not distract attention from the majority who performed badly. Factors such as poor socio- economic backgrounds, learners' negative attitudes, their insufficient participation and poor commitment to their studies, amongst others, affected their involvement and the overall results. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Education Management)

The advent of democracy in South Africa necessitated a radical transformation in education. It was recognised from the outset that the revision of History education was an activity that had to be accorded special consideration if the renaissance of education in South African public schools was to become a reality. Yet, precisely at a time when the nurturing of historical consciousness, especially among the youth, is so urgent an undertaking, the subject History is increasingly being judged as lacking in utilitarian purpose, and is deemed irrelevant and meaningless. A strong need is thus felt among History educationists to strengthen History studies because of its importance not only in itself but also because a knowledge of the past is crucial to an understanding of the present. In a South African educational context this thesis attempts to make a contribution to this worthwhile endeavour. It investigates the nature, functions, changing modes and historical role of historical consciousness in the writing and teaching of History in South Africa; proposes a heightened interest in adopting an outcomes-based approach to the teaching of history; and advocates an historical consciousness approach to the teaching of History to learners in the Further Education and Training phase (schools), within the framework of the above-mentioned Outcomes-based Education system. It recommends, among others, the training and retraining of teachers in the historical consciousness approach; the adoption of a fresh methodology; and the revamping and strengthening of the content and scope of the present curriculum to accommodate the new historical consciousness approach. The thesis concludes with a set of recommendations which could serve as a basis for the nurturing of historical consciousness in the South African History classroom. / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (Didactics)

Text in Afrikaans / Practical research has shown that children experiencing learning restraints may suffer from high stress levels. These children encounter difficulty adapting to normal scholastic challenges and their performance often appear marginalised. The objective of this study is to explore the phenomenon of stress experienced by three eleven year old learners with learning restraints in the intermediate phase. The literature study on this topic has shown that learning restraints not only affect a child scholastically, but in his entire being. Based on this understanding, learning restraints may cause stress due to habitual underachievement in the learning environment. These learners might not necessarily have extremely poor cognitive abilities, but perceive themselves as incompetent or "dumb". In the empirical study, projection techniques were mainly utilised to determine stress levels experienced by learning restrained learners, from their internal frame of reference. From these findings, certain recommendations are proposed for psychotherapy. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)

Assessment is an integral component of outcomes-based education which requires a paradigm shift in assessment processes. Outcomes-based assessment is more intense than traditional assessment since it reports on many dimensions of performance. Performance is analysed in relation to outcomes and the learning demonstrated and record-keeping is more complex. This study explored the experiences of the Senior Management Team and Foundation Phase educators of a selected primary school regarding outcomes-based education, outcomes-based assessment and its management. A literature review of outcomes-based education, outcomes-based assessment and instructional leadership and an empirical study using a qualitative approach were conducted. Document analysis and semi-structured interviews with educators and school management were used for data-gathering. Findings indicated that the initial implementation of outcomes-based education was problematic, however, effective instructional leadership had improved educators' understanding and implementation of assessment. Thereafter recommendations were made for the improvement of practice. / Educational Studies / Thesis (M.Ed.)

This study focuses on the role of educators in the establishment and maintenance of effective discipline in the school and classroom. In a mainly qualitative investigation, empirical data from three secondary schools in the Nkangala region of the Mpumalanga Province were collected by means of focus group and individual interviews as well as observation. These data were analysed in accordance with accepted procedures for qualitative data processing. The study confirmed most of the views found in the existing body of knowledge on school discipline. In the dissertation, detailed attention is paid to the disciplinary problems those educators who were interviewed, experienced, the perceived origin of those problems and suggested solutions. The rights and duties of educators in regard to the management of discipline were also considered. To conclude the study, eight strategies to promote the establishment and maintenance of discipline in secondary schools were proposed. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Educational Management)

This research focuses on educators' experience of implementing outcomes-based education in grade nine in secondary schools in South Africa. Two schools were chosen as settings for the qualitative research project. Three focus groups with 20 educators, two focus groups with 14 managers and seven personal interviews were conducted. Twelve classrooms were also observed where grade nine learners were being taught. Findings indicated that some educators found the experience of implementing OBE positive in that it improved their repertoire of facilitating and assessing skills. The reasons for citing OBE as a negative experience were given as the following: an increased workload, poor training and lack of follow-up by the Department and the school management team's degree of involvement. Recommendations were made on how to ease the burden on educators implementing OBE in their classrooms and to empower school managers to manage the implementation of OBE within their respective areas of responsibility. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Using the University of Durban-Westville as an illustrative case study, the study examines quality assurance policies and their implementation in the South African higher education system. The scope of the study covers a wide-ranging analysis of discourses underpinning quality assurance and a focused analysis of institutional policies. As one of its central aims, the dissertation investigates the tension between quality assurance as it is conventionally understood and quality assurance conceived as continuous organizational improvement based on the principles of total quality management. The study has two fairly distinct dimensions: a literature survey focusing on global trends and practices, and an empirical investigation focusing on the University of Durban-Westville. The literature study looks global systems, trends and practices, and provides a suitable point of departure for a contextual analysis of quality management in the South African higher education system. Relying on a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews as research instruments, the study's empirical component investigates the attitudes and perceptions of academic managers at UDW towards national and institutional quality assurance policies and mechanisms. The study's findings all point to a preference for a decentralised system of quality management with the government playing a peripheral monitoring role rather than a central policing role . This study also demonstrates that the distinction between academic development and quality assurance is a spurious one and should only be made for analytical purposes. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Educational Management)

The South African Schools' Act No 84 (SASA 1996) replaced Parents, Teacher and Students' Associations ( PTSAs) with School Governing Bodies whose members are democratically elected to perform mandated duties. The study focused on the role of SGBs in improving school performance in rural areas. The purpose was to investigate the role SGBs play in improving school performance in the rural areas of Taung. The SGB, as a concept and praxis, emanated from the need to involve communities, especially parents, in education. The assumption was that school improvement is dependent on responsibilities delegated to community members, especially parents, in the affairs of public schools. The study investigated the topic by a literature review on school governance, observation and interviews conducted with SGB members in three selected schools. Six focus group interviews were conducted on parents and educator components of the SGBs. The principals of the three selected schools were interviewed individually for the views on the topic. The data collected were arranged under selected themes and manually analysed and interpreted. The study reveals that * community members, particularly parents, caregivers and guardians are beginning to see themselves as equal partners with educators in education of children * the improvement in learner performance is the co-responsibility of the home and the school * community members (parents and guardians) must be empowered with relevant skills to enable them perform their tasks as school governors. The study recommends further research into greater representivity and involvement in Education. / Educational Studies / M. Ed (Education Management)

The aim of the study was to investigate the changing role of the secondary school principal in building sustainable communities. It is supposed that communities that are not sustainable affect secondary schools. The focus is on how the secondary school principal should go about building, sustaining and uplifting the school community. The direct and indirect involvement of secondary school principals in community issues, could contribute to sustainability within the community, which gradually becomes a reality. The task of the secondary school principal is realised through the results of effective educative teaching and learning practices. Through literature study it was found that the role of the secondary school principal in enhancing sustainable communities would contribute to the upliftment of communities. The qualitative approach was successful in obtaining information about how the changing role of the secondary school principal in building sustainable communities is viewed. Recommendations were made concerning research findings for stakeholders and officials to note. / Educational Studies / M.Ed(Education Management))