After the first democratic elections in 1994 the South African government was faced with the enormous challenge of blending a sophisticated First World education system for the minority with an underdeveloped Third World education system for the majority. The government committed itself to the principles of an inclusive education approach in order to provide equal quality education for all learners. The focus of the inclusive education will be to provide education for all learners (not only for the disabled) who for one or more reasons were discriminated against under the previous education policy. The aim of this study was to investigate the educators’ perceptions and experiences of inclusive education in schools where it is being implemented in Pietermaritzburg. The study also looked at the nature of concerns and attitudes held by these educators. Both a literature and empirical study were executed. The quantitative and qualitative approaches were used and data were collected by semi-structures questionnaires administered to thirty educators from schools where inclusive education is being implemented. Quantitative data was analysed using the descriptive statistics. A thematic analysis technique was used to analyse qualitative data. The results were presented against the central themes that emerged and include: inclusive education is challenging by its very nature; negative attitude towards inclusive education and learners with barriers to learning; negative perception towards adapting the curriculum to learners with barriers to learning; availability / lack of resources and support needed in inclusive classrooms; areas of needs in working with learners with barriers to learning; and many learners’ needs are not being met, while educators’ workload and stress have increased. A general sense of negativity was found with regard to the educators’ perceptions and attitudes towards inclusive education. They indicated that they were not well prepared for inclusive education. Recommendations were made to facilitate improving the preparedness or readiness of the educators, for inclusive education in inclusive schools in the Pietermaritzburg area. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

This thesis aimed at evaluating Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) policy in public schools in the Empangeni Region. Although South Africa is now a free and democratic country with a new system of education, some inequalities still exist among public schools which make it very difficult for them to implement OBE policy in the same way. It is therefore necessary to evaluate how educators view OBE policy. This research aimed at finding out (a) the policy measures that apply to OBE as a policy, (b) the extent to which normative factors apply in the implementation of education policy, (c) factors that hinder or promote effective implementation of OBE policy in public schools and (d) the model that can be recommended for the effective implementation of OBE policy. For purposes of orientation of the study it had to be located within its background which motivated it. The field of education in South Africa has always experienced problems especially with its policies. Some of these problems motivated the researcher to undertake this study and because of their significance they had to be stated in this research. The statement of the problem provided a foundation within which the aims of the study were explained. The significance of any research cannot be overemphasized. However, this one becomes even more significant because it comes up at a crucial period in South African education. This is a period when policies that were implemented in the country after 1994 should be evaluated. It is true that not all problems that relate to education policy can be solved at once. This therefore necessitated that delimitation of the study be clearly stated. There is virtually no study without its limitations, especially if it has to be done in public schools. These limitations were stated. For the purposes of clarity the terms that were constantly used in the study were defined and explained. The demarcation of the study provided a clear picture of the outline of chapters. The study had to be contextualized within the existing theoretical and conceptual perspectives that apply to public policy, policy-making process and OBE policy. Theory had to be drawn from different sources to find out whether OBE policy does adhere to the expectations of public policy in general. The policy-making process is one area that plays a very important role in the success of the implementation process. This necessitated that OBE policy be evaluated in terms of whether it followed necessary policy processes before and during its implementation. It also became necessary to present critical viewpoints on OBE policy as understood by its critics. This criticism culminated in the Revised National Curriculum Statement which was also discussed in great details in this study. This study had to outline the research methods and techniques used. The nature of the study necessitated the use of only questionnaires and interview schedule to elicit information from educators. It is true that there is no single research instrument without its limitations. It is for this reason that information obtained through the questionnaire had to be validated through the interview schedule. The researcher presented, analyzed and discussed research findings at the same time. The nature of the study enabled the use of tables and frequency distribution to present data. Because there was a lot of information to analyze, it sufficed to use descriptive statistical analysis. Discussion of data entailed interpretation and integration of data based on its presentation and analysis. In drawing conclusions the researcher realized that the present South African education system still has problems. To obviate these problems recommendations were made to the government, the education department in KZN and schools. This research culminated into a model of implementation which is the researcher's own creation intended to help all stakeholders have a clear direction in the implementation of OBE policy. The researcher did not only experience challenges inherent in the research process but also professional development. This learning experience is discussed as reflections on learning. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.

All Deaf people in South Africa belong to the Deaf Community of South Africa. Within this Deaf Community there is a separate, minority language and cultural group which accepts Sign language, as its first and natural language. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa calls for the acknowledgement of and respect for all minority cultural groups, and recognises the language of the Deaf, that is, Sign language as an official language. This research has attempted to investigate the views of this cultural group and how they want to be perceived by the hearing people, how they want to conduct their lives within the realm of an overarching hearing society and more importantly, the implications of this acquired identity for the education of Deaf learners in South Africa. To document the data on Deaf Culture and the implications for education, the researcher engaged in qualitative research using the questionnaire approach. This instrument was administered to 18 profoundly Deaf adults from various provinces throughout South Africa and representative of the demographic population profile of the Deaf Community of South Africa. The study confirmed an emerging Deaf Culture and concluded that there needs to be redress and change with regard to the curriculum, the educators, the issue of mainstreaming, the status of Sign language and the provision of tertiary education in order for Deaf learners to be educated in the most enabling environment. / Thesis (M.Ed) - University of Natal, Durban, 1998.

A qualitative case study of critical consideration for the SMT in developing inclusive schools is reported in this study. The study was conducted in one rural district in the south coast area in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of the study was to determine the SMT’s understanding of inclusive education and to establish what they consider as important in ensuring that their schools are inclusive. Lastly, it sought to identify the challenges that they faced in making their school inclusive. This was a single case study. The study targeted 5 SMT members who were involved in a focus group interview. Data analysis in the study influenced by systems theory. The two concepts defined are inclusive education and school management teams. Both the theoretical framework and the theory were used as lenses to understand the critical considerations for the SMTs in developing inclusive schools. The findings gathered from the study indicate that the SMT had very limited and often distorted understanding of the policy of inclusive education. It was also clear that they are not sure of what they consider critical for them as the SMT in the process of developing inclusive schools. At the same time they were able to indicate many challenges that they are faced with in their school. The findings suggest that this might be lack or inappropriate training on inclusive education as well as misunderstandings on inclusive strategies. The study concludes that the introduction of policy processes that requires implementation should ensure that all stakeholders involved are brought on board. It is important to get buy in from other educators to embrace diversity and understand the purpose. The process of paradigm shift is difficult to individuals especially when there are so many changes in the system, people tend to resist change. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

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.

This study explores the schooling experiences in South Africa of migrant children from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Migration has been an area of interest within political, social and academic circles. In recent times, studies have been and are being conducted on issues on migration especially with the aim of exploring migrants’ experiences and challenges. This study addresses the experiences of migrant children from the Democratic Republic of Congo in schools in South Africa and their social identity as migrants. It aims to bring these issues into focus and to encourage further research and debate with the aim of finding ways of ensuring better schooling experiences for these migrant children. As its objective, and in line with the aspirations of inclusion and diversity of the present system of education in South Africa, this study: enables an insight into the Congolese migrant children’s school experiences and the resulting challenges for schooling in South Africa, provides an avenue to explore these challenges and experiences in the light of educational policies in place in South Africa and how these challenges affect the children’s education, raises critical issues regarding inclusion and diversity in the South African educational context, and contributes to ongoing debate, awareness and research interest in the area of study. The study addresses the extent to which the inclusive schooling system in South Africa does in reality include these migrant children. This study is situated within the critical paradigm and engages Social Identity Theory as its theoretical framework. It employs a case study methodology to explore the schooling experiences of migrant children from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The theoretical framework as well as the methodology used in this study makes provision for a critical engagement in the analyses of these experiences. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2010.

The quest for change in the new South Africa on political , economical and social frontiers were primarily directed at entrance into the global markets, establishing democracy and leveling the playing fields amongst South Africa&rsquo / s diverse population. Those previously disenfranchised on political, economical and social grounds waited in anticipation on the rewards for their participation in the struggle against the discriminative minority regime of the past. These rewards would be in the form of radical policy changes sometimes far removed from the realities of the ordinary citizen. These reforms especially those on the educational level would prove to be flawed with constraints not anticipated by these policy developers as well as the government of the day. The educational transformation process was thus deemed as significant in order to address equity and equality and in so doing also provide skilled citizens which are able to be globally competitive.<br /> <br /> These educational changes in terms of schools were externalised in the form of Curriculum 2005 and Outcomes-based Education. Curriculum 2005 was viewed as a planned framework (process) of curriculum innovation underpinned by factors such as redress, access, equity and development. Outcomes-based Education in turn was the approach focusing on what is learned and how learning is taken place. This study will focus on Curriculum 2005 and OBE as education transformation tools and to what extent grade 7 teachers as implementers and modifiers understand and practice C2005 and OBE in their respective classrooms. One of the biggest problems facing the educational transformation process is the fact that there exists a gap between theory (policy) and practice (implementation). This gap can be attributed to different factors present in the historical disadvantaged school context in South Africa.<br /> <br /> This study will follow a qualitative approach which is directed at an inquiry process of understanding based on a distinct methodological approach. Data- gathering tools such as direct observation, structured interviews and questionnaires will be used. The research was primarily conducted in historically disadvantaged schools in the Metropole-east circuit of the Western Cape Educational Department. The sample was made up of schools in Macassar, Firgrove, Somerset-West, Strand, Temperance Town and Sir Lowry&rsquo / s Pass.

The aim of this study was to explore the role of environmental education in dealing with solid waste in the Central Business District of Thohoyandou. The study was carried out in the Thohoyandou Central Business District (CBD). Two organisations were identified as practising environmental education in Thohoyandou, namely, the Environmental Education Desk (Environmental Affairs) and the Environmental Health Services (Thulamela Municipality). Officers from these organisations were interviewed. Vendors and hawkers in the Thohoyandou Central Business District were asked to complete a questionnaire on the role of environmental education in dealing with solid waste. The literature review in the study included the theoretical perspectives on environmental education and solid waste. From this review that solid waste can have both a positive and negative impact on the local and global environment. Therefore, environmental education that has a role in dealing with solid waste has an important part to play in sustainable development. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.(Environmental Education)

Text in Afrikaans / Educational Studies / M.Ed.

This research investigates the benefits of adventure-based activities used as a learning experience at school level. In order to scientifically investigate these benefits the study is located at a school where an adventure-based programme is being developed as part of the school's curriculum. This programme consists of a range of adventure type experiences including, rock climbing, abseiling, canoeing, mountain biking, group dynamic activities, survival camps, ropes courses and adventure racing. At Lilyfontein School these activities form part of the Life Orientation and life Skill programmes from grade 1 to grade 11. Specialized and qualified staff are used to conduct some of these programmes. Adventure-based activities are rigorous and contain elements of risk which require problem solving, good decision making and sound emotional management. These aspects present both physical and mental challenges to any participant. This study postulates that learners engaged in these adventure type activities are faced with using meta-cognitive strategies to help them through these mental and physical challenges. In doing these activities regularly learners will develop meta-cognitive strategies that will enable them to become better self-regulated learners. A self-regulated learner is able to use meta-cognitive strategies like problem solving, decision making, selfevaluation, self-monitoring, self-reflective thinking or emotional control in life generally. The aim of this research is to conduct an on-going action research study of the adventure-based programmes to determine their worth for the learners at Lilyfontein School and consequently the future of such experiences in a school's curriculum. This forms the primary goal of this research. The secondary goal is to gather valid and reliable evidence required to make an argument for the School's Governing Body (SGB) and Curriculum Development Committee (CDC) to be able to substantiate decisions relating to any such future programmes. This research regards the school context as the activity system which forms a primary case study. In order to extract maximum information from this educational system, embedded case studies will be conducted and monitored. These embedded case studies will be made up of the following groups of people: firstly the learners engaged in a variety of adventure-based experiences, secondly the educators as they observe and perceive the consequences of these experiences, and thirdly the parents as they identifY possible influences of adventure-based experiences on the behaviours, beliefs or habits of their children. In this research study data collecting techniques are used to extract infonnation from the embedded cases. Infonnation is elicited from parents and educators through the use of questionnaires and interviews. For learners, narratives and interviews are used to get a more qualitative sense of their beliefs and feelings on adventure-based experiences. However, in order to capture and document the learners' use of metacognitive strategies as they engage in the rigours of an adventure-based activity a more empirical approach is used. This approach uses in-depth observation, recording and measuring of the learners in action. Video footage is used to record the learners' reactions as they battle with fear, mental-strength, fatigue and decision making to accomplish their goal during an adventure activity. This study claims that an adventure-based experience helps to mediate the learning that will develop selfregulatory strategies in a learner. The limited research in the adventure-based learning field and more significantly the lack of empirical evidence of how meta-cognitive strategies fonn a crucial component of adventure-based activities has meant that the researcher has developed his own recording, measuring and analytical tools to serve this end. He has chosen to use Engestrom's third generation Activity Theory model which provides a useful underlying theory as well as an analytical and interpretive framework for this study. The research was conducted over a period of three years. Findings are considered in relation to the National Curriculum Statement for the GET and FET bands to ensure its relevance in the school context to the National Department of Education's expectations for the Life Orientation curriculum. The empirical findings of this study at Lilyfontein School and their relevance to the curriculum content of the National Curriculum Statement ought to provide convincing data for very important curriculum policy decisions at Lilyfontein School and in the broader educational context.