Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was contextualised in the broad process of change and transformation in education in South Africa In this study I investigate how SWAP (Schools Water Project) as a resource could possibly enable teachers to use the local environment as a means of promoting environmental learning in their classes: a professional development process for teachers. The purpose of this study is to understand and give meaning to the processes of professional development that might be made possible through using SWAP as suggestion materials for teaching about water quality issues in a local water source close to schools. This process was framed in my research question, "could an in-service process using SWAP as learning support material enable professional development in teachers working at rivers in a local environment?" It is organised as a number of delimited or bounded case studies within an interpretive paradigm. In this study the bounded systems are primary schools represented by a selection of teachers from the participating schools. The research process involved a short period of training for teachers to familiarise themselves with the resource, a supported field trip to provide an opportunity for hands on application and follow-up support visits to assist teachers with field trips and implementation of SWAP activities in their classroom practice. Data was generated at various stages and suggests that materials are an important facet of professional development and the SWAP materials proved to be a useful tool in this regard as evidenced through the development of new skills, acquisition of new knowledge and new ways of teaching. Issues that emerged were that in-service processes need to be organised over long periods of time and support is needed at school level to ensure meaningful implementation of curriculum innovations. An important insight developed is that professional development processes in schools occur in complex systems and are thus influenced by many factors that either support or hinder the process. These factors need to be recognised as impacting factors and taken into account during such processes so that they can benefit the process maximally and not hinder initiatives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is globaal geraam binne die transformasie proses in onderwys in Suid Afrika, met die fokus op die nuutgevonde belangrikheid van omgewingsopvoeding in die hersiene Kurriulum 2005. Die studie fokus op hoe "n waterkwaliteitmoniteringstoetsstel (SWAP) moontlik kan bydra tot leerkragte se gebruik van die onmiddelike omgewing om omgewingsopvoeding in die klaskamer te bevorder; "n professionele ontwikkelingsproses vir leerkragte. Die doel van die studie is om die prosesse betrokke by die professionele ontwikkeling van leerkragte te verstaan, verklaar en daaraan betekenis te verleen. In die geval is die prosesse gekataliseer en ondersteun deur SWAP materiaal te gebruik om onderrig te gee oor waterkwaliteitknelpunte wat dalk bestaan rondom "n varswaterbron naby die skool. Hierdie proses word gestel in die navorsingsvraag: kan "n indiensopleidingsprogram wat SWAP as leerondersteuningsmateriaal aanwend bydra tot die professionele ontwikkeling van leerkragte om hulle onmiddelike omgewing as "n onderrigmiddel te gebruik? Verder, hoe verloop hierdie proses en wat verhinder of ondersteun die proses? Wat is die invloede op die leerkragte wat professionele ontwikkeling ondersteun of verhinder? Die navorsing is georganiseer in die vorm van 5 gevallestudies binne "n interpretivistiese navorsingsraamwerk. Die navorsingsproses het 'n kort werkswinkel vir leerkragte, "n uitstappie na hul naaste rivier waar hulle die toetse gedoen het en "n kritiese refleksie daarna, ingesluit. Die leerkragte is verder bygestaan deur opvolgbesoeke waar die fasiliteerder hul bygestaan het op uitstappies na die rivier en klasbesprekings. Data is gegenereer tydens verskeie stadiums van die proses en wys dat SWAP materiaal "n baie goeie ondersteuning was vir die ontwikkeling van nuwe vaardighede, die verkryging van nuwe kennis en die gebruik en ontwikkeling van nuwe strategiee in die klaskamer. Om sinvolle implementering van kurrikulum innovasies te verseker het ek gevind dat sulke professionele ontwikkelings projekte oor langer periodes geimplementeer moet word en dat gekonsentreerde ondersteuning by die skool nodig is om te verseker dat die indiensopleiding optimaalondersteun word. 'n Baie belangrike bevinding was dat die professionele ontwikkelingsproses plaas vind midde in die komplekse sisteem van 'n skool wat deur "n groot aantal faktore beinvloed word, beide ondersteunend of afbrekend. Hierdie faktore/invloede moet erken en in ag geneem word as beinvloedende faktore sodat die proses in leerkragte maksimaal kan gefasiliteer word.

The African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP) was established in 2002 after the discovery of a colony of coelacanths off the Maputaland coast at Sodwana Bay, KwaZulu Natal. The environmental education and awareness sub-programme developed learning support materials (LSM's) for use in schools and the materials were disseminated annually through teacher education workshops. This study aimed to uncover the use of these LSM's in the rural schools of Maputaland. The active learning framework was used to analyse the materials. Collectively, the ACEP materials cover a range of active learning aspects; however alignment with the curriculum has resulted in an increased focus on experiments, accompanied by a loss of environmental content and a narrowing scope for active environmental learning. Workshop questionnaires and four school case studies revealed the patterns of practice of use of materials in schools. The stated use of materials by teachers is not fully realized in the actual classroom practice which centres on learning content and concept definitions. There is no culture of use of materials in the schools following the annual introduction of ACEP materials. It was also found that the marine and coastal knowledge holding power is outside the realm of the teachers' practice and control. The findings of this study come at a time when there is uncertainty over the future of South African education and the curriculum. This research may inform the environmental education and coastal and marine education field as to their role in education and more specifically the development of learning support materials.

This study was conducted to investigate perceptions of Environmental Education among senior Ciskeian educationists, and to explore the possibility of implementing Environmental Education in school and college curricula in the Ciskei region. Data was collected from interviews with a sample of senior Ciskeian educationists, then analysed and assessed. Corroborating information was obtained from attendance at several regional workshops organised by the Environmental Education Policy Initiative. The data indicated a sound general awareness of environmental problems in Ciskei and a belief in Environmental Education as a means toward their solution. Although the interviewees' understanding of Environmental Education was imperfect, there was broad support for its aims and principles. Since the study was motivated by concern about the implementation of Environmental Education in Ciskei, the results obtained were encouraging.

This study explores environmental understanding among the health care practitioners serving a rural community in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. During the preliminary phases of the research, the decision was made to adopt a participatory approach to the inquiry as far as was possible. Semi-structured interviews, participant observation and focus group discussions were the techniques chosen to focus the participants' thinking about: the meaning of environment, environmental issues and problems which impact on health, and, environmental education in practice. Comparisons between the recently transformed health education idea proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), known as "health promotion", and a popular environmental education model are made. It is argued that many of the obstacles to effective health education described by the participants in the study can be overcome by using environmental educationlhealth promotion approaches. The findings show that the health practitioners studied relate to a wide range of environmental issues with varying levels of engagement. They are influenced by changing values, their feelings about indigenous knowledge, and their notions about how people should respond to the environment. An urgent need for more and better communication among the different levels of health practitioners is identified. Finally, it is recommended that health care practitioners be supported with opportunities for professional development which can lead to a confident, seIfreflective approach to health education.

The teaching and learning of Environmental Education as an integrated approach to education and training aims at a holistic modality. This requires a commitment by stakeholders to support formal and informal Environmental Education implementation. By means of descriptive qualitative and quantitative methods, I investigated local, national and global, past and present Environmental Education practices with a view to recommend criteria for a model for the integration of Environmental Education into the school curriculum of the Northern Province. The findings revealed that various countries have attempted to address the position and status of Environmental Education in the school curriculum. The one subject approach and a cross-curriculum approach emerge consistently as the options adopted. Neither of the two approaches are cited as completely successful. The integrated nature of Environmental Education issues are countered by country systemic constraints, for example the political climate, among other things. Other impediments to implementing Environmental Education are policy makers' lack of knowledge and negative attitudes, lack of resources, curriculum design deficiencies, inadequate pre-service and in-service teacher training and misconceptions about Environmental Education. The history, principles and the peculiarities of Environmental Education, the lessons learnt from other countries and the empirical investigation in the Northern Province give indicators that form the basis of the model recommended by this research. In view of the findings the recommendation is made that Environmental Education be integrated into the school curriculum of the Northern Province for General Education and Training and Further Education and Training for all school grades using a project approach, a discipline-specific thematic approach and as a discipline. / Educational Studies / D. Ed (Didactics)

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the three (3) extant Environmental Education Centres of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and Culture (KZNDEC) as contributors to the environmental learning, and to education, in KwaZulu-Natal. In the process, it is an exploratory response as to how better the Centres can answer the call of the Reconstruction and Development Programme to "empower all communities to act on environmental issues" (African National Congress 1994:40). The research traces the history, the philosophical background and functions of environmental education, of environmental education centres, and of personnel employed at environmental educators, in the ex-Natal Education Department and in its successor, the KZNDEC. The researcher recommends that environmental education centres should become "agents of change" in the wider environment, and in the educational processes, of the communities of which they are a part. The study suggests methods by which people's lives at a "deep rural" level may be improved by helping restore the balance of "the three pillars of sustainable development - economic, social and environmental - and [in the process, having a positive] focus on poverty eradication" (WSSD 2002). The centres, the researcher contends, can become more effective agents of the KZNDEC for the protection of the environment "for the benefit of present and future generations" (Constitutional Assembly 1996:11). / Educational Studies / M.Ed.

The purpose of this study was to establish whether educators of Grade 10 integrate environmental awareness issues in the teaching of the Life Sciences learning area as prescribed by the National Curriculum Statement (NCS). Related literature was reviewed on the changing curriculum in South Africa (NCS) as well as Environmental education to place in context the problem of the study, namely to figure out whether educators do integrate environmental awareness in the teaching of Life-Sciences learning area. A qualitative methodology research was used. School principals and educators were selected to participate in the research. The findings of the research showed that educators did not integrate environmental awareness in the teaching of Life sciences learning area. Respondents suggested that educators need to be retrained so that they could implement the principles of NCS effectively. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Specialization in Curriculum Studies)

The provision of environmental education towards sustainability with reference to the Inner City Enviro Centre in Tshwane is a comprehensive research project that describes the establishment and development of the Inner City Environmental Centre over a six-year period. This research focuses on the informal education sector and the methods used by centres, both locally and internationally to provide environmental education and / or education for sustainability. The Inner City Enviro Centre is used as a case study. The development of the ICEC is investigated in terms of the objectives it was to fulfil. The achievements and difficulties that the ICEC experienced are examined. This was done using document analysis and by interviewing those involved. This information was then assimilated and helped the researcher to make informed, objective judgements concerning the ICEC. Educators working on a project with the ICEC were given questionnaires which asked questions relating to environmental education and excursions. The data collected from findings is used to provide guidelines for future development of the ICEC and for others who might want to embark on similar projects. / Further Teacher Education / M.Ed. (Environmental Education)

The study is about how the development of a teaching and learning programme may lead proper waste management in Limpopo. It is a case study and ten schools were identified. The questionnaire was handed out to learners and educators who participated as respondents. From the analysis of the views expressed on the questionnaire completed by the learners and educators, they indicated that there is no waste management programmes. Literature review in this study indicated how teaching and learning programmes have been developed globally and in South Africa with reference to industries, communities and schools. The questionnaire revealed that many schools did not have waste management programmes therefore it was confirmed that the development of a teaching and learning programme could lead to proper waste management. / Further Teaching Education / M. Ed. (Environmental Education)

This study departs from the assumption that the environmental literacy of educators is significant in the effective implementation of environmental education. The study explores and interprets the environmental literacy of currently serving educators (in-service educators) in the towns of Makwassie and Wolmaransstad. Semi-structured and unstructured interviews were used for data collection in this qualitative, case study-based research inquiry. The interview schedule was designed to cover six concepts/issues, namely, pollution, global warming, the ozone layer, water, human population growth, and sustainable development. The findings reveal that the level of environmental literacy varies from educator to educator and that various factors influence the environmental literacy of educators. The study recommends meaningful, ongoing educator training and support, more research in the area of educator environmental literacy, as well as an investigation into classroom practice in order to determine the level of the implementation of environmental education. / Science and Technology Education / M.A. (Comparative Education)