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published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The research was done in a period of curriculum transformation and reform in South Africa, a period during which teachers attended many interventions by service providers other than the education department to sharpen their skills. In this study, I investigate teacher professional development and professional development programmes using two case studies, MTN-SUNSTEP (Mobile Telecommunications Network – Stellenbosch University Schools Technology in Electronics Programme) and SWAP (Schools Water Project). These INSET programmes were intended to assist with the improvement of science teaching in terms of the new curricula suggested for the country. The study proceeds by way of two case studies within an interpretive paradigm. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the two programmes based on the criteria developed through a literature review and to understand and give meaning to the process of teacher professional development that might have occurred in the programmes. This process is framed by my research question, “can resource kits enable professional development in science teaching”. Data was collected at various stages by way of field notes, questionnaires, interviews and observations at workshops. Teachers generally found the processes useful but do indicate dissatisfaction with certain areas of the programmes. Issues that emerged from the study were that teacher development processes need to be organized over a long period, the development of teacher networks needs to be nurtured, and support at school level was essential to ensure implementation. An important insight was that the research, once again, emphasized a key aspect of effective teacher development programmes. Effective programmes require a team consisting of three agents that bring their own expertise to the process namely, teachers, district officials and university staff. This team has to take into account the factors that ensure effective teacher professional development and should occur within the parameters of accepted professional development practices and learning support materials play an important role in supporting this process.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) is a component of the South African Police Service (SAPS). The Questioned Document Unit (QDU) is a section within the FSL. It has been practice in the QDU to recruit members of the SAPS for training as Questioned Document Examiners within the FSL. Although the SAPS has a policy on education, training and development, it is not applied. Even after the establishment of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), the QDU and the rest of the FSL continued their training practices at the workplace outside the outcomes-based paradigm. As part of standard practice, the FSL has taken content experts (forensic analysts) and turned them into trainers. These forensic experts had no training qualifications and little or no facilitation skills. Their knowledge of outcomes-based education (OBE) and adult learning was also either inadequate or non-existent. This shortcoming has influenced the quality of learning in this environment. In 2004 the Forensic Science Laboratory began to give some members an opportunity to be trained as trainers, assessors and moderators of learning. However, this has been a disjointed effort. Generally, learners have had to endure a frustrating period of more than four years of internal training before being certified as competent to act as examiners. Before 1994 the QDU employed mostly white personnel as examiners. Most black personnel still occupy the lower salary levels amongst examiners. There are no black trainers. At present (2006) in the FSL, the tendency is that white personnel hold senior positions and black personnel are juniors. There is covert racial tension among the members. In the QDU, the training manager has always been a trainer as well. In the training environment at the QDU there have been obvious problems, namely – 􀂾���������� poor practice of OBE and adult learning; 􀂾���������� relationship problems between trainer and learners; 􀂾���������� distrust and a lack of communication and dialogue between trainer and learners; and 􀂾���������� underlying racial tension. The action research process on which we (the learners, training manager and I) embarked was aimed at – 􀂾���������� opening dialogue/communication between the training manager and learners; 􀂾���������� increasing learner participation in the process; and 􀂾���������� providing the opportunity for both the learners and the training manager to increase their knowledge of adult learning and OBE. We hoped that by making the entire action research process transparent we could create a platform for the learners and the training manager to build relationships in order to bring about an improvement in learning practice. We used an action research process that included participation by both the learners and the training manager. Change occurs within the action component of the action research process, while the research component is meant to generate knowledge. We used a cyclic method that entailed stages of planning, action, observation and reflection. Continuity was achieved by the reflection stage of one cycle informing the planning stage of the next. The action research process used in this setting has supported the existing theory and assumptions that adult learners want to participate, be involved in decision-making, and learn by doing. It has also shown that they are critically aware. The learning practice at the QDU has improved. The action research process that took place at the unit can serve as a powerful case study for trainers who endeavour to improve practice in other environments. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Forensiesewetenskapslaboratorium (FWL) is 'n komponent van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD), terwyl die Betwistedokumente-Eenheid (BDE) ʼn afdeling binne die FWL is. Sedert die stigting van die BDE was dit algemene praktyk om lede van die SAPD te werf en hulle binne die FWL as eksaminatore van die BDE op te lei. Alhoewel die SAPD ʼn beleid het ten opsigte van onderwys, opleiding en ontwikkeling, word dit nie toegepas nie. Selfs ná die totstandkoming van die Suid-Afrikaanse Kwalifikasieowerheid (SAKO) en die Nasionale Kwalifikasieraamwerk (NKR), het die BDE en die res van die FWL hul werkgebaseerde opleidingspraktyke buite die paradigma van uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys voortgesit. Die FWL het tot dusver forensiese skeikundiges in opleiers omskep. Hulle het geen kwalifikasies in opleiding gehad nie en hul kennis van uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys (UGO) en volwasseneleer, asook hulle fasiliteringsvaardighede, was onvoldoende. In sommige gevalle het dit geheel en al ontbreek. Hierdie tekortkoming het ʼn nadelige invloed op die gehalte van leer gehad. Onlangs (2004) het die FWL begin om sommige polisielede die geleentheid te bied om as opleiers, assessors en moderators van leer opgelei te word, maar hierdie pogings is nog nooit behoorlik gestruktureer nie. Binne die huidige opset is daar leerders wat meer as vier jaar interne opleiding moes ondergaan voor hulle as bevoeg gesertifiseer is om as opleiers op te tree. Die BDE het in die verlede meesal wit personeel in diens geneem as eksaminatore. Die meeste van die swart eksaminatore in die BDE is op die laer salarisvlakke, en daar is geen swart opleiers nie. Tans (2006) is daar hoofsaaklik wit personeel in die seniorposte in die FWL, met die swart personeel meesal in juniorposte. Daar is onderliggende rassespanning onder die lede. In die BDE was die opleidingsbestuurder nog altyd ook ʼn opleier. Die volgende probleme is in die opleidingsomgewing van die BDE geïdentifiseer: 􀂾��������� swak praktyk t.o.v. UGO en volwasseneleer; 􀂾��������� troebel verhoudings tussen die opleier en die leerders; 􀂾��������� wantroue en gebrekkige kommunikasie en dialoog tussen die opleier en die leerders; en 􀂾��������� onderliggende rassespanning. Die aksienavorsingsproses wat ons (ek, die leerders en die opleidingsbestuurder) aangepak het was daarop gemik om – 􀂾��������� dialoog/kommunikasie tussen die opleidingsbestuurder en die leerders te vestig; 􀂾��������� leerderdeelname in die proses te verhoog; en 􀂾��������� vir beide die leerders en die opleidingsbestuurder die geleentheid te bied om hul kennis van volwasseneleer en UGO uit te brei. Deur die hele aksienavorsingsproses deursigtig te maak, het ons gehoop om vir alle rolspelers ʼn geleentheid te skep om verhoudinge te bou ten einde ʼn verbetering in die leerpraktyk teweeg te bring. ʼn Aksienavorsingsproses is aangewend wat deelname deur beide die leerders en die opleidingsbestuurder ingesluit het. In aksienavorsing vind verandering binne die aksiekomponent van die proses plaas, terwyl die navorsingskomponent daarop gemik is om kennis vir die deelnemers – en as deel van die proses self – te genereer. Ons het ʼn sikliese metode gebruik wat beplanning, handeling, waarneming en refleksie behels het. Kontinuïteit is verseker deurdat die refleksiestadium van een siklus die basis gelê het vir die beplanningstadium van die volgende. Die aksienavorsingsproses wat in hierdie opset gebruik is, het die bestaande teorie en aannames ondersteun dat volwasse leerders wil deelneem, dat hulle by besluitneming betrokke wil wees, dat hulle wil leer deur te doen, en dat daar ‘n groter kritiese bewussyn is. Die leerpraktyk aan die BDE het verbeter. Die aksienavorsingsproses aan die BDE kan ʼn betekenisvolle gevallestudie wees vir diegene wat poog om hul praktyk in ander omgewings te verbeter.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / The inclusion policy which is currently being implemented according to White Paper 6 (July 2001) has raised many questions and debates. In South Africa at the moment there is a focus on the implementation of inclusion policies in primary schools. Although many studies have been conducted on Down syndrome, there seems to have been little focus on the adolescent. Specifically their experiences in the high school context appear to have received little attention. This paper focused on the experiences of an adolescent with Down syndrome who has been mainstreamed into a high school. The experiences are discussed within identified indicators of quality of life namely; peer relationships, experiences of academic, general school and extra-mural activities. In addition the effects of Down syndrome on areas such as adolescence, inclusion strategies, behaviour and social skills are also investigated. The findings of this paper were that of adolescents with Down syndrome can be successfully mainstreamed if their individual needs are catered for. These needs include opportunities to spend time with learners with the same abilities as their own. Satisfaction was experienced by the participant and her parents regarding her academic placement and scholastic achievements. A factor that played a role in her successful placement was the supportive environment she was in. Although satisfaction was experienced with regards to the process of inclusion there were parental concerns regarding her future independence.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education