Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / On t.p.: Doctor of Philosophy in Education Policy Studies. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this dissertation I critically explore educational leadership and management practices in relation to how current school principals lead and manage schools in a democratic society. The aim of this study is to explore to what extent school leaders and managers are transformative in their approach to deepening democracy in schools. In order to contextualise my understanding, I choose to tell my story. Therefore, I give a narrative account of my personal career experience as a teacher, and specifically as a school principal. I argue that educational leaders and managers continue to think and act according to traditional notions of leading and managing school practices. I contend that educational leadership and management practices ought to change in order for schools to transform into institutions implementing democratic practices in a more thoroughgoing way. I argue that current understandings of leadership and management in schools seem to be embedded in positivist tendencies that undermine transformative practices in schools and that positivist leadership and management engender thin forms of democratic school practices. I show how positivist theories of educational leadership and management connect with indefensible forms of leading and managing, namely skewed authority, gender discrimination and exclusion of cultural diversity. I contend that school leadership and management practices ought to be reconceptualised in relation to a framework of democratic citizenship education. Cultivating democratic citizenship education with reference to the seminal thoughts of Jürgen Habermas, Seyla Benhabib and Iris Marion Young will hopefully strengthen my argument for social justice, renewal and redress in school practices. These theorists have shaped the thinking and actions of educational leaders and managers to provide a critical understanding of transformative educational leadership and management practices in schools. Such ideas conceptualise a critical understanding of deliberative leadership and management practices as constructs for deepening democracy in schools. It is within this context that the dissertation explores a pathway towards deepening democracy in schools through a deliberative leadership and management approach. Such an approach has the potential to cultivate communicative democratic moments in educational leadership and management practices through engaging the voices of “others”. For deliberative leadership and management practice to manifest itself, I propose that conditions ought to be established whereby the democratic rights of “others” as incorporated voices in classroom pedagogy, school management and school governance engender deeper citizenship through the inclusion of these “other” previously marginalised voices. By embracing the voices of “others”, the potential is created to move towards deepening democratic leadership and management practices which can possibly engender “schools of hope” for the future. Keywords: Educational leadership, educational management, positivist, critical, citizenship, deliberative democracy, communicative democracy / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif is ʼn kritiese ondersoek na skoolhoofde se onderwysleierskap en -bestuurspraktyke in die huidige demokratiese bestel. Die doel van die studie is om die mate van transformatiewe integrasie van demokrasie onder skoolleiers en -bestuurders te verken. Ek het besluit om my eie storie te vertel, dus gee ek ʼn verhalende verslag van my loopbaan as ʼn onderwyser, en spesifiek as ʼn skoolhoof. Ek beweer dat leiers en bestuurders in die onderwys nog steeds die tradisionele opvattings oor skoolleierskap en bestuur huldig, en dat hierdie opvattings hulle denke en optrede rig. Ek voer aan dat onderwysleierskap en bestuurspraktyke verander moet word sodat skole tot dieper, demokratiese praktyke kan transformeer. Ek argumenteer voorts dat dit voorkom asof huidige begrippe van leierskap en bestuur in skole in positivistiese tendense vasgelê is wat transformatiewe praktyke in skole ondermyn en dat positivistiese leierskap en bestuur “dun” vorme van demokratiese skoolpraktyke voortbring. Ek toon aan hoe positivistiese teorieë van onderwysleierskap en -bestuur verband hou met onverdedigbare wyses van lei en bestuur, naamlik verwronge gesag, genderdiskriminasie en die uitsluiting van diverse kulture. Ek voer aan dat onderwysleierskap en -bestuurspraktyke geherkonseptualiseer behoort te word binne ʼn raamwerk van demokratiese burgerskapsopvoeding. Die ontwikkeling van demokratiese burgerskapsopvoeding wat onder meer voortspruit uit die seminale denke van Jürgen Habermas, Seyla Benhabib en Iris Marion Young, versterk my betoog vir sosiale geregtigheid, vernuwing en herstel binne die skoolpraktyke. Hierdie teoretici vorm die denke en optrede van leiers en bestuurders in die onderwys as deurslaggewende begrippe van transformatiewe onderwysleierskap en bestuurspraktyke in skole. Sulke idees konseptualiseer ʼn deurslaggewende begrip van oorlegplegende leierskap en bestuurspraktyke as konstrukte vir grondliggende integrasie van demokrasie in skole. Binne hierdie konteks ondersoek die proefskrif ʼn werkwyse vir ʼn grondliggende integrasie van demokrasie in skole deur oorlegplegende leierskap en bestuur. So ʼn benadering het die potensiaal om kommunikatiewe demokratiese momente in onderwysleierskap en -bestuurspraktyke aan te moedig deur na die stemme van die “ander” te luister. Ek stel voor dat, ten einde demokratiese leierskap- en bestuurspraktyke te vestig, toestande geskep moet word waardeur die demokratiese regte van die “ander”, wat voorheen gemarginaliseer was, in klaskamerpedagogie en skoolbestuur ingesluit moet word om “dieper” burgerskap te verseker. Met ander woorde, deur na die stemme van die “ander” te luister, word die potensiaal geskep om verdiepende demokratiese leierskap en bestuurspraktyke aan te moedig sodat “skole met hoop” tot stand gebring kan word. Trefwoorde: Onderwysleierskap, onderwysbestuur, positivisties, kritiese, burgerskap, oorlegplegende demokrasie

Thesis (PhD (Education Policy Studies))--University of Stellenbosch / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation explores the lack of racial integration in public schools in South Africa. The main argument of this study defends a deliberative conception of racial integration that builds on previous, more limited, conceptions such as assimilation, integration, multicultural education and antiracist education. In this work I further narrate my story in relation to encounters with issues of race, thereby contextualising the topic. I argue that philosophy of education can be used as a tool to explore and illuminate the educational dimensions of a major philosophical problem, that is, racial integration. I further offer a historical account of racial integration, mapping three interrelated phases of such integration in South African public schools, namely the colonial/apartheid period, the democratic period and the post-democratic period. The dissertation also offers a conceptual account of the major theoretical understandings that constitute racial integration. It furthermore investigates racial integration as it is currently unfolding in South African public schools and simultaneously points out the limitations of this project. I argue how and why the lack of effective and genuine racial integration results in social injustice. Moreover, I advance an argument for deliberative racial integration in South African public schools; a notion that, it is hoped, could address some of the weaknesses associated with the present form of racial integration in South African public schools. The study also identifies the implications of deliberative racial integration for school governance, management, leadership, and teaching and learning. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif behels 'n ondersoek na die gebrek aan rasse-integrasie in openbare skole in Suid-Afrika. Die hoofargument in die studie is 'n verdediging van .n beraadslagende begrip van rasse-integrasie wat op vorige, meer beperkte, begrippe soos assimilasie, integrasie, multikulturalistiese onderwys en anti-rassistiese onderwys voortbou. Ek konseptualiseer die onderwerp aan die hand van 'n narratief van my eie ervaring ten opsigte van aangeleenthede wat met ras verband hou. Ek argumenteer dat filosofie van die onderwys aangewend kan word om die onderwysdimensies van 'n beduidende filosofiese probleem, naamlik rasse-integrasie, te ondersoek en te belig. Ek bied verder 'n historiese oorsig van rasse-integrasie deur te verwys na die koloniale/apartheidstydperk, die demokratiese tydperk en die postdemokratiese tydperk. Die proefskrif bied ook 'n konseptuele verslag van die vernaamste teoretiese beskouinge wat rasse-integrasie uitmaak. Die studie behels voorts 'n ondersoek van rasse-integrasie soos dit tans in Suid-Afrikaanse openbare skole ontvou en dui terselfdertyd op die beperkinge van die projek. Ek argumenteer hoe en waarom die gebrek aan doeltreffende en ware rasse-integrasie sosiale ongeregtigheid in die hand werk. Verder ontwikkel ek 'n argument vir beraadslagende rasse-integrasie in Suid-Afrikaanse openbare skole; 'n idee waarmee, so word gehoop, die gebreke wat met die huidige vorm van rasse-integrasie in Suid-Afrikaanse openbare skole geassosieer word, die hoof gebied kan word. Die studie identifiseer ook die implikasies van beraadslagende rasse-integrasie vir beheer van skole, bestuur, leierskap en onderrig en leer.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The provision of quality education for all South African learners has been an issue of central concern since the advent of the democratic dispensation in 1994. One initiative since 1998 was the implementation of a new curriculum for South African public schools, C2005 as it was then called. This curriculum was later revised and streamlined as the NCS. There was a mixed reception to this new curriculum. Some perceived it as a progressive initiative by the Ministry of Education, while others argued that it was ambitious and that it undermined the conditions and context of South African schools. Essentially the curriculum policy implementation was intended to change the entire system and introduce new ways of doing in all sectors of education. This links strongly to processes of systemic change and that is the considered policy backdrop to this research. In this study I work from an interpretive perspective and draw on the cognitive sense-making framework to develop in-depth, understanding of teachers’ roles as interpreters and enactors of education policy change in South Africa related to the implementation of the NCS. More specifically, the study examines the ways in which six Arts and Culture school teachers in six diverse South African educational contexts experienced and responded to the implementation of the NCS. Data from the study indicates that teachers found it difficult to adjust to the more complex and demanding teaching methodologies, which took up a great deal of time and required very different roles in the classrooms. Data from the study also suggests that the way teachers come to understand and enact policy or reform initiatives is influenced by their prior knowledge, the social context within which they work, and the nature of their connections to the policy or reform message. The study further suggests that teachers adapt a curriculum rather than adopt it as it is, and that their prior understandings and beliefs about knowledge, beliefs and experiences combined with their contexts in which they work frame their classroom practices explaining why policy is not enacted as intended. Conceptualising the problem of policy implementation in this way focuses attention on how implementing agents construct the meaning of a policy message and their own behaviour, and how this process leads, or does not lead, to a change in how they view their own practice, potentially leading to changes in both understanding and behaviour. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die voorsiening van kwaliteit-opvoeding vir alle Suid-Afrikaanse leerders was ʼnsentrale besorgdheid na die totstandkoming van die nuwe demoktratiese bestel in 1994. ʼnInisiatief was die implementering van ʼn nuwe kurrikulum vir Suid-Afrikaanse openbare skole sedert 1998, die C2005 of NKV soos dit tans bekend staan. Die instelling van hierdie kurrikulum was op verskeie maniere ontvang. Sommige het dit as ’n progressiewe inisiatief van die Ministerie van Onderwys beskou, terwyl ander verskillende perspektiewe het en geargumenteer het dat dit ambisieus is en die toestande en konteks van SA skole ondermyn. Vir onderwysers was die resultaat na die oorgang van meer komplekse en veeleiesende onderrigmetdologie moeilik, omdat dit baie tyd geverg het en swaar gerus het om hulle rolle in die klaskamer te verklaar. Wat belangrik was, is dat die doel van hierdie kurrikulum beleidsveranderinge daarop gemik was om die totale skolestelsel te transformeer tot ’n vernuwende manier van hoe dinge in alle sektore van die onderwysstelse egter behoort gedoen te word. Dit sluit sterk aan by prosesse van sistemiese veranderinge en hierdie is die oorwegende beleidsagtergrond van hierdie navorsing. Die doel van die studie was om maniere te ondersoek hoe ses Kuns en Kultuur onderwysers in verskillende onderwyskontekste die NKV ervaar en hoe hulle daarop reageer, veral in die Kuns en Kultuur leerarea omgewing. Die studie was meer spesifiek daarop gemik om te eksamineer hoe onderwysers die KK leer-area in die klaskamer aanneem, aanpas en implementeer. Die studie openbaar, deur die kognitiewe raamwerk te gebruik, dat die wyse waarop onderwysers die beleid of hervormings-inisiatiewe verstaan en begryp, beïnvloed word deur hulle bestaande kennis, die konteks waarin hulle werk en die aard van hulle verbintenis tot die beleid of hervormings boodskap. Die studie suggereer verder dat onderwysers ’n kurrikulum aanneem soos wat dit is en dat hulle bestaande begrippe en opvattings in verband met kennis en opvattings en ervaringe gekombineer word met die kontekste waarin hulle werk en dat dit hulle klaskamer praktyke vorm en hierdeur word verduidelik waarom beleid nie kan plaasvind soos wat dit beplan is nie.

Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Traditionally the success of learners in South Africa was based on one examination. The education depended on memorization, at the expense of other important skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and analysis. The modern working situation requires learners with critical thinking skills who can solve problems. Traditionally learners were seen as ‘empty vessels’ and their existing knowledge was not considered. The traditional assessment methods were not good enough to give teachers the information they needed to know about the learner. The education therefore requires reconstruction. In 1997, education in South Africa experienced a paradigm shift with the introduction of Curriculum 2005 and Outcomes-Based Education (OBE). The education system has been systematically reconstructed since then. In 2001, Curriculum 2005 was implemented in the senior phase. Along with this paradigm shift came a change in learner assessment. The Further Education and Training band will only be influenced by the curriculum in 2004, but since 1996, teachers have been instructed to assess learners continuously. The Institute for Mathematics and Science Teaching of the University of Stellenbosch (IMSTUS) was contracted in 2000 to implement continuous assessment (CASS) in Mathematics in Grade 10 – 12 in the Northern Cape. The project is known as the CASS project. One of the aims of this project is to motivate teachers to implement the new guidelines of the Northern Cape Education department for continuous assessment. The research is firstly an empirical investigation of the perceptions of teachers in the IMSTUS project being conducted in the Northern Cape on continuous assessment. Secondly, it is an investigation to determine whether teachers are convinced that alternative/formative assessment can improve teaching and learning. It focuses on whether continuous assessment is regarded by teachers as an educational tool or a bureaucratic process. A questionnaire was given to teachers who participated in this project. The questionnaire consisted of questions on teachers’ perceptions on continuous assessment, the rationale for assessment, how assessment and feedback can be done, and the equity in the assessment of Mathematics. There were 34 questionnaires of which 31 (91%) were returned. Twenty-three of the responses were from schools in the Kimberley district, while the other 8 were from the De Aar district. The participating schools were from traditional advantaged, as well as disadvantaged communities. The conclusions of the research are that the participating teachers have the following perceptions on continuous assessment: 1. Continuous assessment is used for: • grading purposes and for year marks, in other words for bureaucratic purposes; • the improvement of teaching, learning, and for diagnostic purposes, to identify learners’ misconceptions and strengths -in other words, it can also be used for educational purposes. 2. The process of continuous assessment does not reflect learners’ real mathematical potential. 3. Some respondents were of the opinion that the process of continuous assessment does however reflect learners’ real mathematical potential. 4. Continuous assessment is time-consuming. 5. Continuous assessment must be systematical. The way in which teachers implement continuous assessment testifies to a summative process, although they in a way learners formative assess. This does not improve formative assessment and therefore is it exclusively a bureaucratic process. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die sukses van leerders in Suid-Afrika het tradisioneel op ’n eenmalige eksamen berus. Die onderwys was te lank op memorisering geskoei, ten koste van ander belangrike vaardighede soos kritiese denke, probleemoplossing en analisering. Die hedendaagse werksomstandighede vereis leerders wat krities kan dink en wat probleemoplossings kan hanteer. Tradisioneel is leerders se bestaande kennis nie in ag geneem nie en die tradisionele assesseringmetodes het onderwysers nie genoeg informasie gegee wat hulle van die leerders moet weet nie. Die onderwys verg dus rekonstruksie. In 1997 het onderwys in Suid-Afrika ’n paradigmaverskuiwing ondergaan met die invoering van Kurrikulum 2005 en Uitkomsgebaseerde Onderwys (UGO). Die onderwys is stelselmatig gerekonstrueer en Kurrikulum 2005 is in 2001 in die senior fase geïmplementeer. Hierdie kurrikulumverandering bring ook ’n verandering in assessering mee. Die Voortgesette Onderwys en Opleidingbaan sal eers in 2004 deur die Kurrikulum beïnvloed word, maar onderwysers moet reeds sedert 1996 leerders deurlopend assesseer. Die Instituut vir Wiskunde en Wetenskaponderwys van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch (IWWOUS) is in 2000 gekontrakteer om deurlopende assessering (DASS) in Wiskunde in Graad 10 - 12 in die Noord-Kaap te implementeer. Die projek staan bekend as die DASS-projek. Een van die doelstellings van hierdie projek was om onderwysers te motiveer om die Noord-Kaap Onderwysdepartement se nuwe riglyne vir deurlopende assessering te implementeer. Die navorsing is eerstens ’n empiriese ondersoek na die persepsies wat die onderwysers in die IWWOUS-projek in die Noord-Kaap oor deurlopende assessering het. Tweedens is dit ’n ondersoek of onderwysers oortuig is dat alternatiewe/formatiewe assesssering onderrig en leer kan bevorder. Dit fokus of deurlopende assessering ’n opvoedkundige of burokratiese proses vir hierdie onderwysers is. ’n Vraelys is aan onderwysers, betrokke by die projek, gegee. Die vraelys het vrae bevat oor onderwysers se persepsies oor deurlopende assessering, die rasionaal vir assessering, hoe assessering en terugvoering gedoen word en gelykberegtiging in die assessering van Wiskunde. Daar is 34 vraelyste versprei waarvan 31 (91%) terugbesorg was. 23 van die vraelyste was van skole in die Kimberley-streek, terwyl die ander 8 vraelyste in die De Aar-streek was. Die deelnemende skole kom uit die tradisioneel bevoordeelde sowel as benadeelde gemeenskappe. Onderhoude is met 10 onderwysers in die Kimberley-streek en 2 onderwysers in die De Aar-streek gevoer. Die bevindinge van die navorsing is dat die deelnemende onderwysers die volgende persepsies oor deurlopende assessering het : 1. Deurlopende assessering word gebruik vir • bevorderingsdoeleindes en vir jaarpunte, met ander woorde vir burokratiese doeleindes; • die verbetering van onderrig en leer en diagnostiese doeleindes om leerders se wankonsepte en sterkpunte te identifiseer. Deurlopende assessering word dus ook vir opvoedkundige doeleindes gebruik. 2. Die proses van deurlopende assessering weerspieël nie leerders se werklike wiskundige vermoëns nie. 3. Die proses van deurlopende assessering weerspieël ook leerders se wiskundige vermoëns. 4. Deurlopende assessering is tydrowend. 5. Deurlopende assessering moet sistematies wees. Deurlopende assessering soos deur hierdie onderwysers geïmplementeer, is ’n summatiewe proses, alhoewel hulle tog in ’n mate hulle leerders formatief assesseer. Dit verbeter egter nie formatiewe assessering nie en daarom is dit uitsluitlik ’n burokratiese proses.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Please refer to full text for abstract

Thesis (MEd (Special education))--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The value of partnerships within the South African education system has for many years been emphasised by various researchers. It is only since the first democratic election in South Africa in 1994 that the government was committed to the extension of partnerships between schools, parents, learners and the community on both local and national level. In Article 29 of the Constitution (RSA, 1996a) parents are given the assurance that the state will execute their role as educational partner. The state also gives other partners enough scope to implement their educational partnerships according to their worldview and philosophy of life. The aim of this study was the exploration of challenges and mechanisms for partnership between three rural primary schools and the Department of Educational Psychology and Specialized Education, now referred to as the University of Stellenbosch (US), as tertiary institution. The needs expressed by the particular schools, the social consciousness role of the US within the community and thirdly the empowerment role of partnerships served as motivation for the study. A constructivist, interpretative paradigm was used and the research design can be classified as empirical research with primary data generating textual data. The literature review explored the challenges within systems, mechanisms for partnerships and different systems within partnerships in view of a meta-theoretical frame of reference. The research results regarding challenges within specific systems are summarized under three headings, namely positive findings, negative findings and differences of opinion. Results regarding the exploration of the partnership shows that the researcher throughout the study consistently recognised the uniqueness of each school; trusting relationships were established; the schools were continuously involved in all the processes; a partnership of collaboration was emphasised; the processes were continuously evaluated and the schools were predominantly positive about the collaborative partnership with the US. The findings of this study have important implications for the further exploration of partnerships between schools and persons and/or institutions on both local and national level. The positive results accomplished through this partnership with the three schools acts as motivation for further extension of partnerships. Recommendations serve as foundation for a partnership of consultation, collaboration and teamwork between schools and other systems. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die waarde van vennootskappe binne die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwys is reeds vir jare deur verskeie navorsers beklemtoon. Dit is egter eers sedert Suid-Afrika se eerste demokratiese verkiesing in 1994 dat die regering hom verbind het tot die uitbou van vennootskappe tussen skole, ouers, leerders en die gemeenskap op beide plaaslike en nasionale vlak. In Artikel 29 van die Grondwet (RSA, 1996a) word aan ouers die versekering gegee dat die staat sy rol as opvoedingvennoot sal deurvoer. Die staat gee ook aan ander vennote genoeg ruimte om hulopvoedende vennootskappe volgens hul bepaalde wêreld- en lewensbeskouing in skole uit te leef. Die doel van hierdie studie was die verkenning van uitdagings en meganismes tot vennootskap tussen drie landelike primêre skole en die Departement Opvoedkundige Sielkunde en Spesialiseringsonderwys, voortaan na verwys as die Universiteit van Stellenbosch (US), as tersiêre instelling. Die behoeftes uitgespreek deur die betrokke drie skole, die US se sosiale bewustheidsrol binne die gemeenskap en derdens die bemagtigingsrol wat vennootskappe inhou het as motivering gedien. Daar is vanuit 'n konstruktivistiese, interpretatiewe paradigma gewerk en die navorsingsontwerp kan geklassifiseer word as empiriese navorsing met primêre databronne wat tekstuele data genereer. Die literatuuroorsig het gepoog om aan die hand van 'n meta-teoretiese verwysingsraamwerk ondersoek in te stel na uitdagings binne sisteme, meganismes tot vennootskappe en verskillende sisteme binne vennootskappe. Die navorsingsbevindinge rakende uitdagings binne bepaalde sisteme word bondig saamgevat onder drie hoofde, naamlik positiewe bevindinge, negatiewe bevindinge en meningsverskille. Bevindinge ten opsigte van die verkenning van die vennootskap het aangetoon dat die navorser deurentyd die uniekheid van elke skool erken het; dat In vertrouensverhouding gebou is; dat die skole sover moontlik op In deurlopende basis in al die prosesse betrek is; dat die navorser deurlopend klem gelê het op In vennootskap van samewerking; dat prosesse deurlopend geëvalueer is en dat die skole oorwegend positief was oor die vennootskap van samewerking met die US. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie hou belangrike implikasies in vir die verdere verkenning van vennootskappe tussen skole en persone en/of instansies op beide plaaslike en nasionale vlak. Die positiewe resultate behaal deur hierdie vennootskap met die drie skole moet dien as aansporing vir verdere uitbouing van vennootskappe. Aanbevelings wat dien as grondslag vir 'n vennootskap van samewerking, konsultasie en spanwerk tussen skole en ander sisteme word gedoen.

Thesis (MEd (Education Policy Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / On the surface the National Assessment Policy is transformative in nature because it promotes notions of shaping educational practice that will enhance the interests of learners in a meaningful way. It promotes ideas of transparency and a partnership between learners and educators that presupposes that learners are fully involved at every stage of their learning in decisions that affect their progress. This creates the impression that teaching and learning take place in a democratic environment where constant consultation and consensus are the order of the day. The policy ultimately envisages a kind of learner who would have the ability to participate as a critical citizen in society. Looked at from a critical perspective, this criteria-referenced outcomes framework seems to be a contradiction to transformative policy and practice. The predetermined criteria outlined in the policy seem to negate its intention of creating a schooling system through which critical citizens can emerge. The focus of this thesis, therefore, is firstly to make a critical analysis of assessment in OBE and its stated transformation objectives and, secondly, to reconceptualise assessment practices in South African schools by making an argument for critical action. This analysis will explore the issue of power relations in the classroom and their impact on participatory, deliberative and democratic classroom interaction as a condition imperative for a transformative OBE curriculum. This issue is pertinent and central not only to the improvement and promotion of teaching and learning, but also because of the profound implications it has for how we view educational transformation in South Africa.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There are many new developments in education taking place specifically in the field of schooling. Some of these developments - school based management, OBE curriculum developments and the devolution of control to the school level have brought with it many significant policy changes. Many educational leaders are struggling to keep abreast with these transformational changes that are confronting them with regard to leadership and management of education, and educational structures within the school. Therefore, visionary leadership is an essential ingredient in understanding the democratic changes and restructuring taking place at present. Many principals at schools are struggling with the changes, while possibly not fully understanding the political, social and economic dynamics of these changes. This assignment seeks to establish the need for visionary leadership in order to meet the challenges and constraints educational leaders face in their attempts to effect transformation in South Africa. I strongly identify with the democratic principles used to overcome the challenges and constraints to redress education in South African schools. Interviews were conducted and data was constructed with principals of six different schools in the East London area. The educational leaders interviewed, ranged from primary to high school principals giving a vast expanse of expertise as leaders within a specific school community. This assignment is based on the assumption that there is scope for educational leaders to bring about greater change and transformation in schools. There are many ways to visualise an effective school landscape based on a combination of personal, organisational and professional strategies. This assignment can be considered a contribution in this regard. KEY WORDS: Educational leaders, transformation and visionary leadership / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is baie nuwe verwikkelinge wat plaasvind in die onderwys veralop die gebied van skole. Baie van hierdie verwikkelinge, onder andere, skoolgebaseerde bestuur, kurrikulumontwikkeling en die oordrag van gesag op skoolvlak het baie nuwe, aanpasbare opvoedkundige beleide en veranderings verwesenlik. Baie opvoedkundige leiers worstelom aan te pas by hierdie veranderinge. Hierdie veranderinge vereis dat leiers en bestuurders in die onderwysomgewing en strukture binne skoolverband om meer responsief op te tree. Visionêre leierskap is 'n belangrike vereiste om die demokratiese veranderinge en herstrukturering van skole te bevorder. Baie skoolhoofde worstel met hierdie veranderinge, omdat hulle nie heeltemal besef wat van die politieke, sosiale en ekonomiese uitdagings wat verandering bied, verwag word nie. Hierdie taak poog om die noodsaaklikheid vir visionêre leierskap en die vereistes en beperkinge wat onderwysleiers konfronteer in hulle benadering om transformasie in Suid-Afrikaanse skole te bewerkstellig, te ondersoek. Onderhoude was onderneem en data was gekonstrueer met skoolhoofde van ses verskillende skole in die Oos-London-omgewing. Die onderhoude met die onderwysleiers het plaasgevind by primêre- sowel as hoërskole. 'n Omvattende uitbreiding van wysheid en vaardigheid as leiers binne 'n spesifike skool omgewing was geopenbaar. Hierdie taak is gebaseer op die aaname dat daar ruimte is vir onderwysleiers om beter transformasie in skole aan te bring. Daar is baie maniere om visuele, effektiewe skole se terrein, gebaseer op 'n kombinasie van persoonlike, organisitoriese en professionele strategieë, te verwesenlik. Hierdie taak kan beskou word as 'n definitiewe bydrae in hierdie verband. KERNBEGRIPPE: Onderwysleiers, transformasie en visionêre leierskap.

Thesis (MEd) -- Stellenbosch University , 1995. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The development in economics, science and technology, and politics characterises our world today. Nations have become interdependent to a degree never known before. Isolation of anyone nation from the world community has become unthinkable. This universal interdependence is also a reality on a national level amongst the people of the same country. What does the interdependence mean to education? Education must be regarded not as a series of individual compartments of learning and teaching but as a whole unit - as total preparation for life for humanity at all levels. This could be achieved by approaching education from a holistic perspective. Holism is a comprehensive world view which produces order and coherenc;e not only among the most recent discoveries in the empirical sciences, but also in aesthetics and morals. This study identifies the need for South Africa to establish an education system which emphasised unity and which aims to develop the full potential of all South Mricans. The persons involved in education should be regarded as integrated human beings. The physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual domain should be regarded as integrated aspects of the whole person. In keeping with this it is concluded that the whole education system needs to change from a segregated and fragmented system to an integrated and united system in order to meet the needs and expectations of the whole South African population. The apartheid education system was based on the traditional authoritarian approach to education and is to a huge extent the antithesis of a holistic approach to education. This system is described as well as the reaction of those who regarded themselves as victims of the system. The philosophy underpinning the apartheid system is also considered and compared with the philosophy of holism. In order to stay abreast of the dynamic changes that are occurring in South Africa and the world at large it is suggested that a new education system should follow a futuristic approach to education - knowledge that may dominate education today, may become obsolete tomorrow. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontwikkeling op die gebied van die ekonomie, wetenskap en tegnologie, en die politiek is kenmerkend van die hedendaagse wereld. Nasies het interafltanklik geword soos nog nooit te vore nie. Isolasie van enige gemeenskap in die wereld het ondenkbaar geword. Hierdie universele interafltanklikheid is ook 'n realiteit op nasionale vlak tussen mense van dieselfde land. Wat beteken die interafhanklikheid vir opvoeding en onderwys? Opvoeding moet nie as 'n reeks afsonderlike kompartemente van onderrig en leer beskou word nie, maar as 'n totale eenheid - as 'n totale voorbereiding vir die lewe van die mensdom op aile vlakke (Iewensterreine). Dit kan bereik word deur opvoeding vanuit 'n holistiese perspektief te benader. Holisme is 'n omvattende wereldsienswyse of -beskouing wat orde en eenheid skep, nie slegs onder die heel jongste ontdekkings in empiriese wetenskappe nie, maar ook in die estetiese en morele aspekte. Hierdie studie identifiseer die behoefte in Suid-Afrika om 'n onderwys-/opvoedingstelsel te vestig wat eenheid beklemtoon en wat ook ten doel het om die volle potensiaal van aile Suid-Afrika~ers te ontwikkel. Die persone betrokke by die opvoeding en onderwys behoort as geintegreerde mense beskou word. Die fisiese, intellektuele, emosionele en geestelike aspekte behoort beskou te word as integrale aspekte van die totale mens. Na aanleiding hiervan word tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die opvoedingstelsel in die geheel moet verander, naamlik van die van 'n gesegregeerde en gefragmenteerde stelsel na die van 'n geintegreerde en verenigde stelsel. Dit is noodsaaklik sodat aan die behoeftes en verwagtinge van die hele Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking voldoen kan word. Die apartheidsonderwysstelsel was op die tradisionele outoritere benaderingtotonderwys en opvoeding gebaseer. Dit is in 'n groot mate die antitese van die holistiese benadering tot onderwys en opvoeding. Hierdie stelsel, asook die reaksie van diegene wat hulle as slagoffers van die stelsel beskou, word ook beskryf. Die filosofiese grondslag van die apartheidstelsel word ook in ag geneem en met die filosofie van holisme vergelyk. Om gedurig tred te hou met die dinamiese veranderings wat in Suid-Afrika en oor die hele wereld plaasvind, word voorgestel dat 'n nuwe onderwys-I opvoedingstelsel eerder 'n futuristiese benadering moet volg - kennis wat vandag die onderwys en opvoeding domineer, is dalk weer more verouderd.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The greatest challenge facing the Head of Department is how to successfully manage change. Since 1994 a plethora of changes have taken place in Education. Increasingly schools are being held responsible for every aspect of education. The department is the most appropriate and most important unit for change to provide sustaining quality teaching to learners. The Head of Department is the key to the development of a department or phase at school level. The responsibility of the Head of Department is to develop staff members and to ensure that learners are exposed quality teaching and learning. The Head of Department finds himself/herself in a unique position in that he/she is both a manager of managers and a leader of leaders. The HOD is seen as the driving force of the improvement of the learning process at school. The need for distributed leadership is clear because of the complexity of the management of a school. More staff members are required to lead and the extension of leadership leads to the development of educators. The aim of the study was to analyse and describe what the role of the distributed leadership style of the HOD plays in the development educators and the provision of sustainable quality teaching to all learners. I wanted to determine how educators and the HOD experience the distributed leadership style and to determine if the it enables the HOD to carry out the expected duties using this leadership style. I wanted to determine the appropriateness of distributed leadership and to explore the challenges in the execution of this leadership style by the HOD. The roles and responsibilities of the HOD and the accompanying challenges with the implementation of a distributed leadership style were explored. The experiences, interpretation and the perspectives of the HOD and the educators of the Head of Department’s distributed leadership style were analysed and described. The problem was investigated on the basis of the Head of Department and teachers’ personal experiences and opinions. The result will be of a descriptive, interpretive and analytical nature. The study had a qualitative perspective in the research approach and the research methods were used within an interpretative framework. The research methods that I used in this study were conceptual analysis and interviews. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The research findings generally indicated that with more distributed leadership style educators within the department or phase are given an opportunity to make contributions, to develop and to grow in self-confidence. Staff development is visible in the department to deal with the complexity of the education profession. Distributed leadership offers growth and development opportunities for individuals and the department to provide sustainable quality teaching to all learners. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die grootste uitdaging vir die departementshoof is om verandering suksesvol te bestuur. Vele veranderinge in die onderwysberoep het sedert 1994 plaasgevind. Skole word al hoe meer verantwoordelik gehou vir elke aspek van opvoeding. Die departement is die belangrikste en gepaste eenheid vir verandering om volhoubare gehalte onderrig aan alle leerders te verskaf. Die departementshoof is die sleutel tot die ontwikkeling van ‘n suksesvolle departement en ‘n skool. Die departementshoof het die taak om die personeel te ontwikkel en kwaliteit onderrig en leer te verseker aan die leerders. Die departementshoof word blootgestel aan vele uitdagings om kwaliteit onderrig en leer te verseker. Die departementshoof bevind hom in ‘n unieke posisie dat hy ‘n bestuurder van bestuurders is en ‘n leier van leiers is. Die departementshoof word gesien as die dryfveer en dus die sleutel tot die verbetering van die leerproses by die skool. Die behoefte vir deelnemende leierskap is sigbaar weens die kompleksiteit van die bestuur van ‘n skool, meer personeellede word benodig en die verspreiding van leierskap lei tot die ontwikkeling van opvoeders. Die doel van die studie was om die rol wat die deelnemende leierskapstyl speel vir die departementshoof om opvoeders te ontwikkel om volhoubare gehalte onderrig te verskaf aan alle leerders te analiseer en beskryf. Ek wou vasstel hoe die opvoeders en die departementshoof die deelnemende leierskapstyl ervaar en die departementshoof instaat is om verwagte pligte uit te voer met ‘n deelnemende leierskapstyl. Ek wou die geskiktheid van die deelnemende leierskapstyl bepaal en die uitdagings in die uitvoering van die deelnemende leierskapstyl deur die departementshoof verken. Die pligte en rolle van die departementshoof en die gepaardgaande uitdagings met die uitleef van ‘n deelnemende leierskapstyl is verken. Die departementshoof en opvoeders se belewenisse, interpretasie en hul perspektief van die departementshoof se deelnemende leierskapstyl is geanaliseer en beskryf. Die probleem is ondersoek aan die hand van die departementshoof en opvoeders se persoonlike ervarings en opinies. Die resultaat sal beskrywend, interpreterend en ontledend van aard wees. Die navorsingstudie het ‘n kwalitatiewe perspektief beslaan in die navorsingsbenadering en navorsingsmetodes gebruik binne ‘n interpretatiewe raamwerk. Die navorsingsmetode wat ek in hierdie studie gebruik het, was konseptuele analise en onderhoude. Data is versamel deur semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude. Die navorsingsbevindinge het in die algemeen daarop gedui dat met ‘n deelnemende leierskapstyl die opvoeders van die departement geleentheid gegee word om ‘n bydrae te maak, te ontwikkel en te groei in selfvertroue. Personeelontwikkeling is sigbaar in die departement om die kompleksiteit van die onderwys-professie te hanteer. Deelnemende leierskap bied groei en ontwikkelings-geleenthede vir die indiwidu en die departement om volhoubare gehalte onderrig aan alle leerders te verskaf.