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

This dissertation was motivated by the decline in percentage of the number of Standard 10 pupils who offered History for the National Senior Certificate (Matriculation) Examination in the Mathole Directorate in the Ciskei from 1987 - 1990. The research revealed that the decrease in the number of pupils doing History in Standard 10 did not indicate loss of interest in the subject. Instead, the multiplicity of new subjects introduced in the school curriculum and some peculiar subject combinations in some schools forced some pupils (reluctantly) to reject History as a school subject. Those who chose to do History in Standard 10 showed their liking for the subject and expressed their interest in it. The study took the form of a survey through the use of questionnaire and informal chats with pupils and teachers on their views about History as a school subject. A questionnaire was designed for pupils offering History in Standard 10 and administered in four of the eight Senior Secondary Schools in the Mathole Directorate in Ciskei. Generally, work on pupils' interest in and attitude towards History as a school subject is very rare. Some of the few available works merely compare pupils' liking for History as opposed to other school subjects and when the response is not favourable; conclude that pupils in Senior Secondary Schools do not enjoy studying History. Pupils' interest in and attitudes towards the subject, the extent of their interest, the causes of their attitude and the internal and external influences on their interest in and attitudes towards the subject were neglected by earlier works, but have been given attention in this study. As a result of very little available work and material, pupils' responses to the questionnaire formed the basis of the material used in this work. A large number of pupils' responses was put in tables according to sex instead of schools. Where applicable, X2 tests were administered to see if there were any appreciable statistically significant differences between the responses of the boys and girls. In most cases where the X2 tests were applied, no statistically difference was noticed. The study showed more boys than girls showing interest in and positive attitudes towards History. The general picture of the study showed a deviation from the view commonly expressed by other studies that pupils in modern Senior Secondary Schools do not like History. As this study revealed, it is not the subject itself that pupils did not like, but the way it is handled by some teachers and lack of teaching aids to concretise events. This leads to the role of Teacher Training Institutions: which must be to produce the versatile, duty-conscious and innovating History teacher to revolutionise History teaching to make History alive to pupils.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The definition of discipline-based art education presented in this thesis includes all domains of art learning and practice: art history, art criticism, art production, and aesthetics. The study develops a series of art history lessons for adolescents at the junior high and high school level. Activities are designed to present instructional strategies appropriate to the educational needs and concerns of these groups of students. These lessons primarily focus on art history, and art criticism as a means for approaching studio production concepts. One instructional unit includes a day-by-day description of art history learning activities covering a period of 10 days, or two regular school weeks. Also included is a description of the order in which the art history, art criticism and production activities occur for each lesson. Specifics regarding media, materials, artists to be studied, styles, reproductions and the vocabulary terms and images to be used for each day are also included. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The current era is characterised by the rapid development in the field of technology. One of the fields in which technology is making great strides is education. This study focused specifically on the use of the interactive whiteboard in the teaching of history. South Africa’s educational system has undergone many changes over the past decades. One of the biggest changes has involved the use and application of information and communication technology in schools. There has been a move from the traditional method of teaching (the use of the traditional blackboard) to the use of the interactive whiteboard. The swift change in pedagogy has been ascribed to the growing use of information and communication technology in classrooms and the worldwide informational and communicational era in which we live. Like other countries, South Africa has also made certain changes to be in line with the rest of world. South Africa’s development in the use of the interactive whiteboard is still very limited and, as its counterparts, it has its own specific challenges. Research has shown that new opportunities and possibilities for teachers of history have arisen through the use of the interactive whiteboard and that they need to be exploited. Against this background, the following research question was formulated: What are the innovation possibilities in the use of the interactive whiteboard in the teaching of history? The purpose of this qualitative study was to analyse, describe and explain the experiences of five history teachers who were working with an interactive whiteboard in their classrooms. The study was conducted within an interpretive paradigm which guided the qualitative research design. A multiple case study was used within the qualitative research design. Data were generated by means of semi-structured individual interviews. The interview data were transcribed and analysed. The findings show that the use of the interactive whiteboard has many advantages for learning and teaching. Learners are now stimulated visually, perceptually, kinesthetically and auditorily. The different interactions allow the learners to be stimulated in more than one way at a time. The interactions can be pedagogical, physical, conceptual, technical or dialogical. The findings also shown that, traditionally, too much emphasis was placed on the source-based approach and the analysis of historical sources. It is no longer sufficient for a history teacher to teach learners just one historical skill. There should be deliberate attempts to teach learners to acquire all the historical skills. It is essential for schools to emphasise the integration, the implementation strategy and the maintenance of the interactive whiteboard. Moreover, it is essential for teachers to be trained in the use of this educational tool, and regular opportunities must be given for training. Teachers must first learn the basic computer skills before an interactive whiteboard is installed in the classroom. The user’s outlook will determine how effectively and successfully the interactive whiteboard will be used in the classroom. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige era word gekenmerk deur die snelle ontwikkeling van nuwe tegnologie. In die onderwys is een van hierdie ontwikkelinge die gebruik van die interaktiewe witbord. In hierdie studie het die kollig geval op die aanwending van die interaktiewe witbord in geskiedenisonderrig. Die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel het oor die afgelope dekades verskeie veranderinge beleef. Een van die grootste veranderinge was ten opsigte van die benutting en aanwending van inligting- en kommunikasietegnologie in skole. Daar is van die tradisionele manier van onderrig (gebruik van die gewone skryfbord) na die gebruik van die interaktiewe witbord beweeg. Die rede vir hierdie skuif in die pedagogiek is die groeiende gebruik van inligting- en kommunikasietegnologie in die klaskamers en die wêreldwye snelle toename in die gebruik van inligtingstegnologie op alle terreine. Soos die meeste lande het Suid-Afrika ook die skuif gemaak om in pas te kom met die res van die wêreld ten opsigte van die gebruik van die interaktiewe witbord. In Suid-Afrika is die ontwikkeling van die interaktiewe witbord nog redelik beperk en soos die ander lande het Suid-Afrika ook sy unieke uitdagings en probleme. Navorsing het getoon dat die interaktiewe witbord nuwe geleenthede en moontlikhede vir die geskiedenisonderwyser na vore bring wat behoorlik ontgin moet word, met die gevolg dat die volgende navorsingsvraag omstaan het: Wat die innovasiemoontlikhede ten opsigte van die interaktiewe witbord in geskiedenisonderrig? Die doel van hierdie interpretatiewe navorsing was om vyf geskiedenisonderwysers wat tans met ’n interaktiewe witbord werk se ervarings te beskryf en te verduidelik. Die studie is gedoen vanuit die interpretatiewe paradigma wat die kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp gerig het. Binne die kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is ’n meervoudige gevallestudie gebruik omdat meer as een geval ondersoek is. Data is deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde individuele onderhoude gegenereer. Die onderhoudsdata is getranskribeer en verwerk. Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za iv Bevindinge het getoon dat die interaktiewe witbord baie voordele vir leer en onderrig inhou en dat die leerders nou visueel, perseptueel, kinesteties en ouditief gestimuleer word. Hierdie voordele is te danke aan die verskillende interaksies wat die leerders met die interaktiewe witbord het. Daar vind nou pedagogiese, fisiese, konseptuele, tegniese en dialogiese interaksies plaas. Verder is daar bevind dat daar tradisioneel te veel klem op die brongebaseerde benadering en die analisering van historiese bronne geplaas is. Dit is vandag nie meer vir ʼn geskiedenisonderwyser voldoende om vir leerders net enkele geskiedenisvaardighede aan te leer nie. Daar moet dus doelgerigte pogings aangewend word om vir die leerders al die vereiste historiese vaardighede aan te leer. Dit is duidelik dat skole voortaan baie groot klem op die integrasie, implementeringstrategieë en instandhouding van die interaktiewe witbord moet lê. Daarbenewens is die opleiding van die onderwysers van kardinale belang en gereelde geleenthede vir opleiding moet geskep word. Onderwysers moet ook eers oor die basiese rekenaarvaardighede beskik voordat die interaktiewe witbord by ’n skool geïnstalleer word. Die effektiwiteit van die interaktiewe witbord en hoe suksesvol dit in die onderrig gebruik word, sal grootliks deur die ingesteldheid van die verbruiker daarvan bepaal word.

In this doctoral thesis I develop a methodological system to facilitate the comparison of syllabus topics in history education across international contexts. The thesis brings together many years of work and while rooted in the philosophy of Hegel draws on the ideas and concepts of a wide plurality of thinkers. Essentially, the thesis is a 'synthesis', developing from my pre-doctoral experiences as an educator in the UK and overseas (thesis) and my critique of comparative textbook research (antithesis). In the doctorate, syllabus topics are understood to be composed of constellations of influencing variables or parts; the relationship between topic and variable conceived as reciprocally constituting and dialectical. Essentially, I argue that to compare curriculum knowledge the researcher need not necessarily compare 'things in themselves' - e.g. textbooks, examinations, official censorship guidelines etc., - but rather relationships and effects. Syllabus topics are thus understood as the expression of relationships with influencing variables. Only when variables and relationships have been identified and appropriately valued does it become possible to compare syllabus topics in a meaningful way. In this thesis I develop a concept of the researching subject that is neither totally centred nor totally de-centred. Modernism's centred subject assumes a research horizon that is both limitless and objective, while the de-centred postmodern subject denies the concept of horizons by championing only relative particularities and subjective experience. Identifying the hermeneutic element in the work of Hegel, Gadamer and Foucault I chart a location 'beyond' the oppositions. The subject is thus understood as an agent empowered to act, and perform critique, but within limits that are sensitive to cultural difference. The comparative researcher is thus conceived operating within a specified 'sphere of liberty'; the liberty to compare depending on the training, intercultural skills and first-hand experiences of the researcher. In this research the Second World War is utilised as an 'exemplar topic'. With the end of the Cold War the importance and significance of the war has receded in political terms. Nevertheless it remains as a popular subject in history classes around the world. Morally, the war continues to raise fundamental questions. But to understand the impact of the war as a syllabus topic in educational terms we must identify its form and content as an object. The syllabus topic as a whole is composed of a constellation of parts, influencing factors, push and pull variables. What is the 'power/knowledge' relationship between whole and parts in particular contexts? How does a particular syllabus topic express these relationships? It is argued that relationships between topic and parts must be identified if we are to begin to understand their effects in classroom settings.

The purpose of this study is to ascertain the place and function of history in the curriculum of the secondary school in the United States, as reflected in the published writings of professional educators, historians, and psychologists.

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

M.A. / The main purpose of this postgraduate study has been to record and investigate the ways in which Byzantine history is presented in the history textbooks of the Hellenic general education. Our attempt has been to demonstrate the ways in which this part of the Hellenic history is presented within the curriculum and syllabi, in order to investigate the various parameters (social, political, cultural, pedagogic and religious) that affect the historic Donsciouness of the Hellenic Primary and Secondary school learners.For research purposes, we contemplated that the study should be separated into two parts. In the first part we examined the theoretical constituents which define History as a subject under the subheadings of "What is history", "Historical event and its elements", "Historical knowledge and validity" as well as "History in general education". We then attempted to sketch out a rough outline of Byzantium and its history through a timeline of the dynasties. In the beginning of each dynasty, we referred to the ruling emperors and then attempted to identify the main factors which, in our opinion, had shaped each period so that the reader can, at least, conceptualize the long, eventful and diverse history of the Byzantine Empire. In the beginning of the second part, we refer to articles and paragraphs of the Hellenic constitution and Hellenic legislation that form the framework within which are defined: the overall purpose of Hellenic education, the structure and function of Primary and Secondary education, the framework for dealing with cross-cultural issues, as well as the general framework and defming directives that are set to promote the development of the European citizen's awareness but also to sustain the national and cultural identity. We, then, proceeded in dealing exclusively with the aforementioned Hellenic general education textbooks.