A Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the degree Doctor of Education Faculty of Education and Social Sciences Mowbray Campus Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013 / The purpose of this study was to understand the development of preservice teachers’ knowledge for teaching early algebra as a result of an early algebra course and teaching practicum. Preservice teachers enter teacher education with a diversity of school experiences of learning algebra which usually involves a high degree of procedural understanding. This study argues the importance of preservice teachers having the experience and opportunity to develop both conceptual and procedural understanding of the mathematics they will teach. The research was based on a case study, using qualitative methodologies and framed within an interpretive paradigm. It included a group of third year preservice teachers studying for a Bachelor of Education degree in the General Education and Training (GET) band. The early algebra course, known as Maths 2, was designed to develop knowledge for teaching early algebra and to build mathematical proficiency through participation in a professional learning community. The design and content of the course were guided by Ball’s mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKfT) model and the choice of early algebra as functional thinking aligned with the goals of the Revised National Curriculum for Mathematics (RNCS) and the more recent Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in the mathematics content area: patterns, functions and algebra. The preservice teachers’ development of knowledge for teaching early algebra was identified through their manifestations of knowledge for teaching early algebra. These manifestations were illustrated by preservice teachers’ verbal and written responses from lesson reflections, questionnaires as well as video recordings of selected lessons. Focus group interviews were used to investigate the role of the early algebra course (Maths 2) in developing preservice teachers’ knowledge for teaching early algebra. The findings indicate that preservice teachers developed both common content knowledge (CCK) and specialised content knowledge (SCK) for teaching early algebra. Their responses indicated a growing awareness of the development of their mathematical knowledge for teaching through their own experiences of a richer and connected algebra and through guided support and reflection in the process of learning and teaching.

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. / Even before the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994, many Non-Governmental Organisations carried the torch of literacy for those South Africans who were not given the opportunity to learn to read and write, due to the inequalities of the apartheid education policies. Subsequent to the 1994 elections, the government took steps to formalise literacy initiatives and, in so doing, create national standards. Hence the birth of Adult Basic Education and Training. With the emergence of the South African Qualifications Authority, the ABET route was integrated into the National Qualifications Framework as part of the overall vision for standardised education in South Africa. Presently, the ABET route is mainly sponsored by the private sector who have shouldered the costs of these adult literacy initiatives. The formal ABET route is assessed by the Independent Examinations Board. This study illustrates how the formal ABET route does not adequately meet the goals of the department of Education in terms of its goals for reconstruction and development, nor does it guarantee the learner an improved future life, nor does it provide the private sector with the competencies they had hoped for in the workplace. Two of the most significant shortcomings of the formal ABET route were found to be the assessment process and the difficulty of the facilitation between the ABET route and qualification on the NQF. Based on the findings of this research, recommendations have been made. These aim to improve the flexibility of the ABET route and provide a number of options which may be more suitable for the needs of the learners, the corporate sector and the economy of South Africa as a whole.

D.Ed. / In schools for cerebral palsied learners there are also learners who, in addition to their primary disability, have a secondary mental disability. Teaching these learners poses a serious problem, as there is no set curriculum for them. In most cases teachers do not have the necessary skill and training required to teach these learners. It is this deficit in learners, teachers, therapists and parents/guardians that has become noticible to the researcher. The researcher, as educational psychologist has felt the need to develop a model that would make education in this LSEN-phenomenon (Learners with special education needs) more meaningful. The purpose of this research is to develop a model that will optimise learning in cerebral palsied and mentally disabled learners, and that will enable these learners to realize their full potential. The model has been developed from a programme which has been compiled after four years of practical experience in teaching LSEN. The programme involves creating a context in which these learners can master life and learning skills. In this research a qualitative exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was followed. The research was divided into four phases namely conceptualization, the relation within the concepts, the description of the model and the evaluation of the model. The validity and reliability of the research were described using Guba's model for determining trustworthiness. During phase one the researcher concentrated on identifying and classifying concepts, after which these concepts were defined. In order to do this, a multiple case study design was applied. Four learners were selected purposively. These learners suffered primarily from ii therapists, and parents/ guardians. Data was collected through operationalising the programme. Interviews were conducted with the various role players. The learners' progress was evaluated continually. Data was also collected through document analysis. During phase two the various concepts were brought into relation with each other, after which a model was devised during phase three. During phase four guidelines for the implementation of the model in practice were given. The programme included in this model refers to learning and life skills that learners would require within an education and learning situation. The learning skills or meta learning strategies referred to, are planning, evaluation, and correcting. The life skills refer to self care skills, social skills and work skills. life skills are addressed in all subject areas under a single theme, in the classroom situation, as well as with the therapist and at home. The most significant contribution of this research is the fact that a model has been devised, which contains a programme that enables learners to reach their full life potential, a result of the more purposeful guidelines provided by educational psychological intervention to the various role players.

M.Ed. / The Department of Education in North West is inundated with disputes as a result of procedures not being followed, in respect of promotional posts. This state of affairs has caused the Department a lot of money, a lot of stress to those affected as well as affecting the progress of many schools in the North West Province. The aim of this study is to describe a prevention strategy to be used in order to reduce the number of disputes experienced in the Department of education. In this work exploratory and descriptive, qualitative design is mainly used. The aim being to develop new insight into the phenomena and to increase understanding. Through interviews, the research has been able to explore and describe the viewpoints of, Director for co-ordination, District managers, affected Education Labor relations Council, with regard to causes of such disputes. The researcher has been able to develop prevention and an intervention strategy in North West. Prevention strategies, focusing on causes of such disputes, should be designed taking cognizance of factors highlighted by this study such as low level of illiteracy among School Governing Body members and unclear procedures on selection.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment for the Masters in Technology: Entrepreneurship, Durban Institute of Technology, 2003. / The Department of Education has, since 1998, introduced entrepreneurship education in government schools, for the first time. One of the overall developmental outcomes of the curriculum, of which there are five, is to develop entrepreneurial capacities. Economic and Management Sciences, one of the eight learning areas, encourages learners to develop basic skills and knowledge needed to manage their lives and their environments effectively; to understand the basics of the economy and how it works, and develop basic entrepreneurship, financial management and planning skills to operate effectively in the economy / M

M.Ed. / Peoples' daily actions is a display window of their values. In the same way are the creations of people, whether it is art, cultural or technology creations, a reflection of what people (creators) regard as beautiful, meaningful and useful - that which they value. The presence of dualism in the values of educators appears to create confusion in relation to the value orientation of young people. Continuous, rapid changes in all walks of life could be seen as a possible reason for the confusion in relation to values that young people in South Africa are currently experiencing. Economic improvement, the result of technological development, resulted in secularisation as well. Secularisation is responsible for the superficialisation in the value-orientation of people. This superficialisation persists and although the "right things" are said in the education process, it appears from the actions of the very same educators, that other things are right and acceptable. The problem statement of the research is that it is not determined yet that through the integration of values to the learning content of school curricula, the value orientation of the learners could be established and enhanced. In lieu thereof the aim of the study was to determine whether the ethical value orientation of learners can be enhanced by an integrated learning programme. A case study consisting of action research was done. A qualitative research approach was followed and focus group interviews were conducted as a data collecting method. Empathy, an ethical value, was integrated to the learning content of Afrikaans Seconds Language and were taught through following an interdisciplinary approach between Technology and Language, Literacy and Communication. The results of the study shown that as a result of the close interwoveness within valueorientations, not only was empathy intensified, but other values were sensitise too. Although only two learning areas were involved in the case study, it is recommended that values be integrated to the learning content of all learning areas at school level.

M.Ed. / The problem of academic performance standards among first year students is cause for concern for many tertiary institutions. The incidence of failure and attrition is unacceptably high, primarily because of the repercussions not only on the institutions concerned, but also on the individual students who drop out of those institutions feeling bewildered and frustrated ...

M.Ed. (Didactical Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The study is on Healdtown Missionary Institution. A broad background has been given from 1855 when the Institution was established by Sir George Grey. The emphasis has, however, been from 1925 when the earliest respondents were admitted, up to 1955 when the Department of Bantu Education took over from the missionaries. This period has been deliberately chosen since Healdtown was largely run by the Wesleyan Missionaries during that time. It must also be mentioned that the administration side of Healdtown has not been covered, since Professor Hewson has given a broad picture of this aspect in his doctoral thesis (1959). Similarly, the situation in the classrooms has not been considered except where appropriate references have been cited by respondents. The stress is on the different activities that took place, mainly in every day life in the Institution. Some of these are the positions of responsibility held by respondents in the Institution and their effect on them (the respondents) in later life. This can be coupled with the contribution the respondents made to their communities after leaving Healdtown. The most important thing about the study is what has been revealed with regard to the three generations: the parents of the respondents, the respondents themselves and the children of the respondents. In this aspect a picture of how elite produces elite has been highlighted. To add more flavour, the memories, both good and bad, have been analysed and in order to see whether these are common or peculiar, a comparison was made with similar day schools (secondary) in Soweto. In the conclusion, especially, the limited opportunities for Black pupils to have secondary education during this period is also highlighted. This goes with the eagerness and efforts shown by parents to give secondary schooling to their children. Last, but not least, in the conclusion to this thesis certain deductions from the study have been exposed. What the graduates think about the future of the Institution together with how they view the pupils of the eighties has received a place. It must also be mentioned that the graduates seem to view Healdtown as having prepared them for life