xii, 149 p. A print copy of this title is available through the UO Libraries under the call numbers: KNIGHT LB2831.93.O7 M45 2008 / Principals of schools have a unique set of responsibilities that range from the transactional to the transformational. Principals are expected to set a clear vision for the school community, support teachers in their work, while at the same time being responsible for all the details that allow a school to function smoothly. Thus, the first year of a novice principalship is a complex challenge. The first year in a high performing school carries with it an added set of challenges that a novice principal must come to understand and navigate. First-year principals work to not only gain understanding of their role in the school community, but also to develop a personal leadership style that supports teachers, children, parents and the larger community. It is through their experiences and reflections that novice principals begin to develop their unique voice as a leader. These experiences lay the foundation for their coming years in the principal's office. / Committee in Charge: Dr. Diane Dunlap, Chair; Dr. Gerald Tindal; Dr. Philip McCullu;m Dr. Jean Stockard, Outside Member

The researcher has observed and noted that out of the four regions of Swaziland, Shiselweni is the leading region with high schools that manifest a poor culture of learning and teaching. The summary of 2009 Junior Certificate results revealed that it is not only that Shiselweni had the lowest pass rate, but also that it recorded the highest number of failures when compared with the other three regions. The purpose of the study was to determine strategies that could be used by principals in promoting a culture of learning and teaching in Shiselweni high schools in Swaziland. The study pursued a qualitative research design which was explorative and descriptive. Qualitative methods were used to collect data from the respondents. Data was collected by means of focus group interviews with learners and teachers, and then through one-onone interviews with principals and parents. The sample was drawn from six high schools in the Shiselweni region that differed in their academic performance. Purposive sampling was used when selecting the schools and those who were to participate in the study. Data was constantly compared and analyzed using the coding method. Participants signed letters of consent and they were assured of the anonymity and confidentiality of the study. They were also made aware that they were not forced to participate in the study and that they were free to withdraw if they were so persuaded. Triangulation and the Guba’s trustworthiness model were used to enhance the reliability and validity of the study. Findings helped the researcher to arrive at recommendations on the role that principals should play in promoting a culture of learning and teaching in Shiselweni high schools in Swaziland. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Educational Management)

Denna studie baseras på elevers skrivande av berättande texter i ämnet svenska från årskurs 5 och 6. Syftet var att undersöka hur lärare kan arbeta stöttande för både låg- och högpresterande elever i arbetet med skrivande av genretexter. Vidare ville vi undersöka vilka utmärkande drag vi kunde finna i låg- respektive högpresterande elevers berättande texter och hur lärare beskriver sin undervisning i förhållande till begreppen inkludering samt differentiering. I studien analyserades 16 elevtexter från de utvalda elevgrupperna, Fyra lärare till dessa elever har intervjuats för att få ta del av deras tankar om undervisningen. Studien baseras på genrepedagogiken med tillhörande bakomliggande teorier, inklusive den sociokulturella teorins scaffolding- och ZPD-begrepp samt systemisk funktionell grammatik. Intervjun undersöks även i relation till begreppen inkluderande och differentierande undervisning samt hur det används i arbetet med eleverna. I resultatet från textanalysen kunde vi se att den största skillnaden mellan de två elevgrupperna var berättelsens händelseförlopp vilket bidrog till diskussionen om grammatiska orsaker. I intervjun beskrev lärarna att de använder sig av explicit undervisning och formativ feedback med ZPD som utgångsläge, vilka utgjorde deövergripande teman som var mest jämförbara med genrepedagogikens stöttning. Lärarna strävade efter att eleverna skulle kunna arbeta med samma uppgifter så långt som möjligt och fokuserade på att anpassa kraven efter elevernas förmågor. Det visade sig att lärarna undervisade något mer differentierande än de själva var medvetna om då vissa av deras kommentarer om inkluderande undervisning även kan kopplas till differentierad undervisning.

The primary purpose of the study was to investigate the factors that cause most Lesotho secondary schools to perform poorly in the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate examinations. The findings of the study show that the problems that contribute to the ineffectiveness of most secondary schools are multiple and interrelated. These problems can be identified at the macro or policy-making level at the Ministry of Education, and at the micro or the individual school level. At macro level, there appears to be a lack of adequate capacity among the senior management staff to perform the management and governance functions effectively, so that substantive improvement could be realised in the day-to-day operations, and academic results of schools. An upshot of this is that the professional support that the Ministry of Education provides to secondary schools is inadequate. Furthermore, despite the deepening poverty in Lesotho, the state does not provide textbooks to learners in secondary schools. Consequently, many learners do not have all the textbooks, and this affects their learning negatively. At micro level, the problems that contribute to the ineffectiveness of most secondary schools include teacher tardiness, teacher absenteeism and a lack of learner determination. It is contended that these factors indicate that the management of the school principals is weak. Moreover, because of poverty, many parents fail to pay school fees for their children on time. As a result, many learners are frequently sent back home by the principals to fetch money, and this reduces their academic learning time. The study also revealed that prior academic achievement of learners in primary schools is, to a large extent, a major predictor of their achievement in secondary schools. In this regard, the highly effective schools, which have selective admission policies and accept mainly Form A applicants, tend to consistently outperform the average and less effective schools, which have open admission policies. In order to improve the academic performance of secondary schools, it is recommended that the Ministry of Education officials, principals, teachers and learners should work more diligently and refocus their efforts on the core business of schools, namely, teaching and learning. / Teacher Education / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The primary purpose of the study was to investigate the factors that cause most Lesotho secondary schools to perform poorly in the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate examinations. The findings of the study show that the problems that contribute to the ineffectiveness of most secondary schools are multiple and interrelated. These problems can be identified at the macro or policy-making level at the Ministry of Education, and at the micro or the individual school level. At macro level, there appears to be a lack of adequate capacity among the senior management staff to perform the management and governance functions effectively, so that substantive improvement could be realised in the day-to-day operations, and academic results of schools. An upshot of this is that the professional support that the Ministry of Education provides to secondary schools is inadequate. Furthermore, despite the deepening poverty in Lesotho, the state does not provide textbooks to learners in secondary schools. Consequently, many learners do not have all the textbooks, and this affects their learning negatively. At micro level, the problems that contribute to the ineffectiveness of most secondary schools include teacher tardiness, teacher absenteeism and a lack of learner determination. It is contended that these factors indicate that the management of the school principals is weak. Moreover, because of poverty, many parents fail to pay school fees for their children on time. As a result, many learners are frequently sent back home by the principals to fetch money, and this reduces their academic learning time. The study also revealed that prior academic achievement of learners in primary schools is, to a large extent, a major predictor of their achievement in secondary schools. In this regard, the highly effective schools, which have selective admission policies and accept mainly Form A applicants, tend to consistently outperform the average and less effective schools, which have open admission policies. In order to improve the academic performance of secondary schools, it is recommended that the Ministry of Education officials, principals, teachers and learners should work more diligently and refocus their efforts on the core business of schools, namely, teaching and learning. / Teacher Education / D. Ed. (Education Management)