The study was conducted to investigate whether the use of a wider range of teaching methods can improve the quality of environmental learning in five Zambian primary schools. Nine teachers from five schools were involved in the preliminary stage of answering of questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions about the use of dominant teaching methods and new teaching methods; while only four were involved in the observations of four lessons. The study is a contribution to the on‐going debate on the investigation of whether teaching methods used by teachers can be one of the factors that can influence the quality of education. Definitions of quality and educational quality in particular, are not easy to establish and no agreed upon framework for educational quality exists at present. This study reviews the debates on educational quality, and identifies three major paradigms or discourses on educational quality; and considers the human rights, social justice and capabilities approaches and educational quality frameworks as being relevant to environmental learning and education for sustainable development in the Southern African Development Community context. This, together with a review of research on teaching methods in environmental education, provides the theoretical framework for this study. Using action research and an interpretative methodological framework, a series of research activities were undertaken to generate research data because the study was investigating the teachers’ practice with a view to probe change and to analyse the findings. Nine teachers participated in the preliminary stage of answering questionnaires and focus group interviews reflecting on existing teaching methods. In stage two of this study, teachers went through a planning workshop during which they planned lessons using new preferred teaching methods. The third stage was lesson observations of planned lessons. The final stage was the reflection workshop during which the teachers shared their experiences with the use of new teaching methods. The teaching practices of teachers using the new teaching methods were the subject of further analysis. In order to find out how the use of a wide range of teaching methods can improve quality of environmental learning in primary schools nine teachers were observed teaching lessons with new teaching methods. The Nikel and Lowe (2010) fabric of dimensions of educational quality was adapted and used to find out if teachers included dimensions of quality in the teaching process. Additional socio‐cultural and structural quality dimensions, identified through a review of southern African research, were used to find out if teachers included contextualized regional dimensions of educational quality. This was done to investigate whether the process of teaching and learning was relevant to the learners. Teachers involved in the research reflected that when they used a wider range of teaching methods the result was that the learning opportunities for learners were enhanced and that the methods added value to their teaching, improving the quality of their teaching. The use of a wider range of teaching methods showed the presence of several indicators of dimensions of educational quality, as reflected in the quality analysis tool. Teachers indicated that the use of a wider range of teaching methods led them to include the socio‐cultural dimensions such as the use of local languages and structural dimensions such as informal seating arrangements or group work that they would otherwise neglect if they used the traditional narrow range of teaching methods. A wider range of teaching methods provided learners with an enjoyable learning atmosphere during the lesson. The research also identified that this study can be taken further through broader observations, and that the educational quality dimensions tool is useful for different levels of the education system, and that it has potentially productive uses in teacher education, particularly for observations during teaching practice.

The relationship between religion (Church) and education (State) through religious education (RE) in Zambia has passed through different stages of development. During the missionary period (1883/1890- 1924), RE was, naturally, offered in the form of Religious Instruction (RI) and was thus fully denominational and confessional. Despite some general improvements in the provision of education, the subject remained largely confessional at the end of the colonial period (1925 - 1964). After Independence, the confessional model of the subject was inherited and continued throughout the First Republic (1964 - 72) and part of the Second Republic (1973 - 90). However, as a result of educational reforms started in the mid 1970s, RE became more educational by adopting an approach that was partly confessional and partly phenomenological from the mid 1980s. Despite new educational reforms in 1991/92 and after 1996, progressive development of RE as a curriculum subject seems to have been negatively affected by the state's self-contradictory declaration of Zambia as a Christian Nation in 1991. Thus the subject continued to be partly confessional and partly phenomenological during the Third Republic (1991 to date). While the state or Ministry of Education sees RE as a curriculum subject with educational aims like any other, research results show that many Zambians, especially members of different religious traditions, still see the subject as having confessional aims as well. However, since the country is pluralistic and democratic, RE in Zambia should continue developing in line with the constitutional values of religious and cultural freedom and the liberal national education policy provisions for spiritual and moral education. Thus the subject should go beyond its current unclear state of being largely confessional and partially phenomenological and become more educational; it should take the religious literacy and critical understanding model which takes both religious truth-claims and educational skills and understanding of religion seriously. To ensure this, a specific national policy which broadly outlines the nature and form of RE in schools needs to be put in place as a guide to all interest groups. / Religious Studies & Arabic / (D. Litt. et Phil. Religious Studies))

The relationship between religion (Church) and education (State) through religious education (RE) in Zambia has passed through different stages of development. During the missionary period (1883/1890- 1924), RE was, naturally, offered in the form of Religious Instruction (RI) and was thus fully denominational and confessional. Despite some general improvements in the provision of education, the subject remained largely confessional at the end of the colonial period (1925 - 1964). After Independence, the confessional model of the subject was inherited and continued throughout the First Republic (1964 - 72) and part of the Second Republic (1973 - 90). However, as a result of educational reforms started in the mid 1970s, RE became more educational by adopting an approach that was partly confessional and partly phenomenological from the mid 1980s. Despite new educational reforms in 1991/92 and after 1996, progressive development of RE as a curriculum subject seems to have been negatively affected by the state's self-contradictory declaration of Zambia as a Christian Nation in 1991. Thus the subject continued to be partly confessional and partly phenomenological during the Third Republic (1991 to date). While the state or Ministry of Education sees RE as a curriculum subject with educational aims like any other, research results show that many Zambians, especially members of different religious traditions, still see the subject as having confessional aims as well. However, since the country is pluralistic and democratic, RE in Zambia should continue developing in line with the constitutional values of religious and cultural freedom and the liberal national education policy provisions for spiritual and moral education. Thus the subject should go beyond its current unclear state of being largely confessional and partially phenomenological and become more educational; it should take the religious literacy and critical understanding model which takes both religious truth-claims and educational skills and understanding of religion seriously. To ensure this, a specific national policy which broadly outlines the nature and form of RE in schools needs to be put in place as a guide to all interest groups. / Religious Studies and Arabic / (D. Litt. et Phil. Religious Studies))

The phenomenon of strategy implementation is crucial to the improvement of learner performance, and to the effectiveness of schools. Literature reveals that research on strategy implementation has received much attention in business studies. However, little attention has been given to it in schools. It is this gap which this study endeavours to fill. The key research questions for this study aimed at garnering evidence on factors that influence strategic plan implementation. In the empirical study, two secondary schools and three education offices were purposively selected. A mixed methods research design was adopted, and in this regard, data was collected using interviews, focus group discussions, document analysis, participant observation and questionnaires. Data was analysed by means of organising, coding and categorising. The main findings of the study are that the factors that affect School Strategic Plans (SSPs) implementation are largely related to education management at all levels. There is also anecdotal evidence that teacher, learner and external stakeholder factors affect the implementation of SSPs. In all these factors, monitoring was the major factor. One recommendation proposes that the education managers at provincial and district levels and implementers at school levels should all be empowered with skills and knowledge on effective strategy implementation. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed (Education Management)

This study was conducted to assess the implementation of the expanded core curriculum for learners with visual impairments in special schools in Zambia sub – Saharan Africa. A qualitative case study was used. The main instruments in data collection were face-to-face interviews, a focus group discussion, questionnaire and documents. Data was collected from 28 learners with visual impairments from Grade 5 to 12, 22 teachers from 3 selected special schools; 10 university students, 1 lecturer at university level; 2 college lecturers and 2 curriculum specialists. All the participants were sampled using the purposive sampling procedure. The study found that ECC was taught in segmented patterns without a curriculum guide and learners did not learn all the skills. Methodologies used in teacher training and at school level were inadequate. The main challenges were lack of clear curriculum on ECC, lack of time allocated for teaching ECC, non-availability of teaching and learning resources. The strategies to improve delivery of ECC included formulation of clear ECC and improvement in personnel preparation. The findings offer insight into the kind of ECC skills offered in schools and the challenges that hinder the full teaching of skills. In order to improve skills delivery, all stakeholders: teachers, trainers, curriculum specialists and parents, should collaborate. / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

A curriculum is a mirror reflecting the identity, goals, aims and objectives of any nation. The kind of graduates a country has are a reflection of the type of curriculum and the success of any curriculum depends on the involvement of those who implement it. Teachers in particular are the ‘engine’ of curriculum success but can also be the architects of its downfall. Zambia launched the 2013 curriculum framework in January 2014. However, with a worldwide historical trend of discrimination against disability and to some extent against teachers of learners with disabilities, it was imperative to undertake this study to establish how the 2013 revised curriculum was being implemented in teaching Learners with Special Educational Needs in Zambia. Without knowledge of whether special education teachers were involved in the curriculum process or not, it was further imperative to study their involvement in the curriculum development process and its implementation. This study sampled one hundered and twenty (120) special education teachers, twelve (12) Education Standards Officers and two (2) Curriculum Specialists for special education. Questionnaires, interviews, checklists and teacher observations were used to collect data. Questionnaires were administered to special education teachers to collect data of their knowledge about and involvement in curriculum development process, the methods and strategies and the challenges they faced implementing the curriculum. Interviews were administered on Education Standards Officers and Curriculum Specialists for special education to establish their role the curriculum development process, their appreciation of the curriculum change, the challenges they and the teachers faced implementing the curriculum and how they helped to overcome the challenges. By using the observation checklist during lesson observation and post lesson discussions, the researcher managed to collect data about the actual experiences in natural settings – the classroom. The study employed the Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods Design. Quantitative data was analysed by use of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to derive statistical interpretations such as frequencies, percentages, standard deviation, mean, significant differences and relationships. Qualitative data was analysed with the help of NVIVO qualitative data software to create themes by coding density and basic cross tabulations by node attribute values. Results were triangulated to come up with a consolidated conclusion. It was established that special education teachers were not involved in the CDP except at implementation and they were implementing the revised curriculum amidst numerous challenges. Lack of involvement in the curriculum development process was linked to special education teachers’ lack of understanding of key concepts necessary for curriculum implementation for LSENs. The study recommends a deliberative cycle of training of special education teachers in the revised curriculum as it relates to special education. The study further calls for the provision of necessary specialised and adapted materials for effective implementation of the revised curriculum. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Phil. (Education)

The phenomenon of strategy implementation is crucial to the improvement of learner performance, and to the effectiveness of schools. Literature reveals that research on strategy implementation has received much attention in business studies. However, little attention has been given to it in schools. It is this gap which this study endeavours to fill. The key research questions for this study aimed at garnering evidence on factors that influence strategic plan implementation. In the empirical study, two secondary schools and three education offices were purposively selected. A mixed methods research design was adopted, and in this regard, data was collected using interviews, focus group discussions, document analysis, participant observation and questionnaires. Data was analysed by means of organising, coding and categorising. The main findings of the study are that the factors that affect School Strategic Plans (SSPs) implementation are largely related to education management at all levels. There is also anecdotal evidence that teacher, learner and external stakeholder factors affect the implementation of SSPs. In all these factors, monitoring was the major factor. One recommendation proposes that the education managers at provincial and district levels and implementers at school levels should all be empowered with skills and knowledge on effective strategy implementation. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Within the multilingual context of Zambia, Grade Ten Literature in English language pedagogy could incorporate the learners’ language and culture to help enrich participation and facilitate understanding of concepts among the learners who are in the foundational year of the literature course. However, current Literature in English language pedagogy is characterized by a monolingual practice with English dominating the literature learning/teaching classroom space – thus rendering the learners’ local linguistic and cultural knowledge impotent. To remedy the situation, the study investigated a dominant local language – Bemba – for a linguistic genre suitable for use in Literature in English language pedagogy. Archival retrieval and live recording of Bemba oral traditional narratives produced the initial research data. Transcription and translation techniques created an anthology from which a bilingual resource (BR) was derived. The BR was then trialled among Grade Ten Literature in English language learners in schools in the Copperbelt province of Zambia. Focus group discussions by participants generated evaluative data whose analysis using qualitative techniques indicate that learners responded positively to the bilingual materials and approach. Teachers were equally enthusiastic, describing the bilingual approach to Literature in English language pedagogy as unique, innovative and liberating. A Linguistic Synergy theory was thus developed to account for teachers’ and learners’ experiences in a bilingual Literature in English classroom. / English Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (English)

This research was based on ‘Catholic secondary education and identity reformation in Zambia’s Southern Province. Its main purpose was to explore the nature and scope of the undesired identity reformation experienced in Catholic secondary schools in Zambia’s Southern Province as well as suggest possible ways of how the problem can be resolved. The study was guided by the following main research question ‘How has a conflict of values between the evolving Catholic education policies and Zambian national education policies affected the identity of Catholic secondary schools in Zambia’s Southern Province?’ This question formed the main basis for the achievement of the study’s overarching purpose highlighted earlier. A qualitative methodology was utilized to gather data for this research. Data was gathered using semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews/discussions and documentary/content analysis. Research participants included: the Secretary of Catholic education, the PEO, school headteachers, teachers of RE, parents and grade twelve learners. Key documents analyzed using document analysis were Catholic education policies and Zambian national educational policies. The following findings resulted from the study: a conflict of values is non-existent between Catholic education policies and Zambian national education policies; there are four real/major causes of undesired identity reformation in Catholic secondary schools in Zambia’s Southern Province; the various contemporary challenges experienced by Catholic secondary schools in Zambia’s Southern Province are responsible for the undesired weakening of the school’s ‘academic’ and ‘religious’ mission; RE has experienced undesired changes at the levels of its nature, role and place in the Catholic secondary school curriculum over the years; Catholic secondary schools in Zambia’s Southern Province can be characterized as ‘partially Catholic’; realigning Catholic secondary schools with Catholic education policy involves returning such schools back to Catholic educational practice as recommended in Catholic education policies. The main conclusion of the study was that undesired identity reformation is present in Catholic secondary schools in Zambia’s Southern Province but it is not linked to a conflict of values in Catholic education policies and Zambian national education policies. To resolve the problem of undesired identity reformation in Catholic secondary schools, all study recommendations emphasized an urgent return by the schools to educational practice as recommended in Catholic education policy if they are to regain their lost desired total-Catholic character or identity. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

The researcher undertook a study of the management of curriculum change in basic schools in Mongu Township in Zambia with a view to provide recommendations for improvement in the management of curriculum change. A conceptual analysis of key concepts relevant to the research was done in Chapter 2, while Chapter 3 presented how curriculum change was managed in several other countries. This formed the theoretical basis for directing the empirical study. For the qualitative empirical study two basic schools were investigated out of the 10 schools in Mongu Township in the Western Province of Zambia. The basic research objective of the empirical research was to investigate the management of curriculum change provided by the managers and class teachers. The qualitative research strategy adopted was a case study. The research methods that were used to collect empirical data were semi-structured, unstructured, and focus group interviews, institutional and classroom observations, and document analyses. The researcher discovered that the management of curriculum change, the implementation of the educational programmes and the interpretation of the educational policies were inadequately executed in the studied schools. Research findings inter alia also indicated: that the managers and class teachers were found to possess inadequate management skills; that professional capacity building programmes had little impact on managing curriculum change; that the job descriptions and management roles of the managers and class teachers were not adequately executed to conform to the management functions model which was used to describe how curriculum change should be managed. The institutional and classroom challenges experienced by the managers and teachers contributed to the inadequate execution of their curriculum management tasks. It was possible for the researcher to indicate many shortcomings in the management of curriculum change and change processes, and to make meaningful recommendations to address them. / Umcwaningi wenze ucwaningo lokuphatha ukushintshwa kwekharikhyulamu ezikoleni eziyisisekelo sokuqala emaLokishini aseMongu eZambia ngomqondo wokwenza izincomo ngokuthuthukiswa ukuphathwa koshintsho lwekharikhyulamu. Uhlaziyo lwemiqondo esemqoka kucwaningo lwenziwe kwiSahluko 2, kanti iSahluko 3 sibeka indlela yokuthi ukuphathwa koshintsho lwekharikhyulamu kwenziwe kanjani emazweni ambalwa. Lokhu kube yisisekelo sethiyori yocwaningo olwenziwe ngezinto ezibambekayo ngaphandle. Ukwenza ucwaningo ngaphandle lwe-qualitative, empirical kuphenyisiswe ngezikole ezimbili zesisekelo phakathi kwezikole ezilishumi zaseLokishini laseMongu kwiProvinsi (isifundazwe) seNtshonalanga saseZambia. Injongo enkulu yocwaningo lwesisekelo lwangaphandle bewukuphenyisisa ngokuphathwa koshintsho lwekharikhyulamu okwenziwa ngabaphathi kanye nothisha bamaklasi. Kwenziwe i-case study njengesu lokwenza ucwaningo lwe-qualitative research. Izindlela zocwaningo ezisetshenzisiwe ukuqoqa i-empirical data, kusetshenziswe amaqembu okugxila ngezingxoxo ngokwenza ama-semi-structured, kanye nama-unstructured interview, kanye nokubukela ngokuqaphela ukusebenza kwamaklasi ezikhungweni kanye nokuhlaziya imibhalo. Umcwaningi uthole ukuthi ukuphathwa kwekharikhyulamu, ukusetshenziswa kwezinhlelo zemfundo kanye nokutolikwa kwemigomo yezemfundo kwakungasetshenziswa ngokwenele ezikoleni okucwaningwe ngazo. Imiphumela yocwaningo phakathi kokunye, ikhombise: ukuthi abaphathi kanye notshisha bamaklasi abanawo amakhono alingene okuphatha; nokuthi izinhlelo zobuprofeshini zokuthuthukisa amakhono zaba nomphumela omncane ekuphathweni koshintsho lwekharikhyulamu; kanti futhi ukuchazwa kokwenziwa komsebenzi kanye nezindima zokuphatha kwabaphathi kanye nothisha bamaklasi kwakungalandelwa ngokwanele ukuze kulandele imodeli yemisebenzi yezokuphatha, okwakusetshenziswa ukuchaza ukuthi ukushintshwa kwekharikhyulamu kumele kuphathwe kanjani. Izinselele ezikhona ezikhungweni nasemagumbini okufunda, abaphathi nothisha abahlangabezana nazo zaba nomthelela ekuphathweni ngokungenele kwemisebenzi yokuphatha ikharikhyulamu. Kwakhonakala ukuthi umcwaningi akhombise ukuntengantenga okukhulu kwezokuphathwa koshintsho lwekharikhyulamu kanye nokushintsha izinqubo zoshintsho, kanti futhi nokwenza izincomo ezibambekayo zokubhekana nokuntengantenga. / Monyakišiši o dirile nyakišišo ya taolo ya phetošo ya kharikhulamo ka dikolong tša motheo tša Lekheišene la Mongu go la Zambia ka kgopolo ya go fa ditšhišinyo tša kaonafatšo taolong ya phetošo ya kharikhulamo. Tshekatsheko ya kgopolo ya dikgopolo tše bohlokwa go nyakišišo e dirilwe ka go Kgaolo ya 2, mola Kgaolo ya 3 e bolela ka ga ka fao phetošo ya kharikhulamo e laotšwego ka dinageng tše dingwe tša go balega. Se se bopile motheo wa teori wa go hlahla nyakišišo ya epirikale. Go nyakišišo ya epirikale ya khwalithethifi, dikolo tše pedi tša motheo di nyakišišitšwe go tšwa go dikolo tše lesome tša Lekheišene la Mongu ka Profenseng ya Bodikela bja Zambia. Maikemišetšo a motheo a nyakišišo ya epirikale e be e le go nyakišiša taolo ya phetošo ya kharikhulamo ye e fiwago ke balaodi le barutiši. Nyakišišokakaretši e amogetšwe bjalo ka leano la nyakišišo ya khwalithethifi. Mekgwa ya nyakišišo yeo e šomišitšwego go kgoboketša datha ya epirikale e be e le dipoledišano tša sebopego sa seripa, tša go hloka sebopego, le tša tebantšho ya sehlopha, tša institšhušene le ditlhokomelo tša ka phapošing ya borutelo, le ditshekatsheko tša tokomane. Monyakišiši o utulotše gore taolo ya phetošo ya kharikhulamo, phethagatšo ya mananeo a thuto le tlhathollo ya dipholisi di be di sa phethagatšwe ka go lekana ka dikolong tše di nyakišišitšwego. Dikutullo tša nyakišišo magareng a tše dingwe gape di laeditše: gore balaodi le barutiši ba phapoši ya borutelo ba hweditšwe go ba ba na le mabokgoni a taolo a go hlaelela; gore mananeo a kago ya bokgoni a profešenale a na le khuetšo ye nyane godimo ga go laola phetošo ya kharikhulamo; le gore ditokomane tša tlhaloso ya mošomo le mešomo ya taolo ya balaodi le barutiši ba phapoši ya borutelo ga se di phethagatšwe ka go lekana go latela mmotlolo wa mešomo ya bolaodi, yeo e šomišitšwego go hlalosa ka fao phetošo ya kharikhulamo e swanelago go laolwa. Ditlhotlo tša institšhušene le tša phapoši ya borutelo tše di lemogilwego ke balaodi le barutiši di bile le seabe go phethagatšo ye e sa lekanego ya mešongwana ya taolo ya kharikhulamo ya bona. Monyakišiši o kgonne go laetša ditlhaelelo tše ntši ka taolong ya phetošo ya kharikhulamo le ditshepetšo tša phetošo, le go dira ditšhišinyo tša go kwagala go di lokiša. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)