published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

This naturalistic case study documents a year long Teacher Professional Development Program (TPDP) initiated by an elementary school staff in British Columbia. The TPDP was designed to enable the teachers to meet their objective of making science instruction more frequent, more active, and more student-centered in all classrooms in the school. This case study addresses two research questions: 1. What attributes of the Teacher Professional Development Program supported the school's "objective" for improved science instruction? 2. How did the outcomes of the Teacher Professional Development Program relate to the achievement of the school's educational objective? The site for the research was a kindergarten - Grade 7 school. A university professor and the researcher were invited to visit the school on a bi-weekly basis during one school year (1993-94) to facilitate a series of science workshops involving the entire teaching staff and to provide classroom support to teachers. Teachers were offered university course credit for their participation. This case study draws on qualitative data including: audio recordings of planning/debriefing sessions, workshop discussions, and interviews with participants; field notes and written observations; a survey of teachers' opinions about the TPDP; and documents relating to the school accreditation process in 1994-95. The results of the study show that teachers, administrators, and parents were satisfied that the school's objective for science instruction was met, and that the TPDP contributed significantly to this outcome. The study identifies TPDP attributes which supported the school's objective with reference to the teachers and their context, the planning process, and the organizational context, that is, the school. This study contributes to our understanding of teacher professional development by examining an alternative to more common approaches to elementary teacher science inservice in British Columbia, which are typically short-term, designed by inservice providers with little input from participants, and removed physically and conceptually from the classroom. Such inservice experiences often lack administrative and collegial support for the teacher who attempts classroom implementation. While this study relates to science, the discussion is relevant to other curriculum areas such as fine arts or physical education.

The Sediba project originated when investigations showed that there were many teachers in the North-West Province that did not possess sufficient subject knowledge to teach physical sciences and mathematics. In spite of many in-service training opportunities for teachers, the achievements of learners are still not satisfactory. From interviews with teachers in the Sediba Mathematics Programme the problem of unmotivated learners became apparent. From the literature it appeared that the motivation of teachers has an effect on the motivation of their learners. This study was undertaken as a result of those findings to determine whether the Sediba Mathematics Programme has an effect on the intrinsic motivation of the teachers in the programme. To understand the nature of motivation better, the motivation theories of Maslow, Herzberg, Adams and Vroom were investigated. This investigation made valuable contributions to the study and gave insight into the behaviour patterns of the teachers in certain situations. By means of the literature study a profile of a motivated mathematics teacher could be compiled. It was found that self-concept, self-efficacy, task value and the effect that change has on teachers, could be regarded as determinants of intrinsic motivation. Aided by a questionnaire, an empirical study was done to test the degree to which these determinants were present in the teachers. To bring about triangulation this was followed up by conducting interviews with a sample of the teachers. Furthermore, a mathematics competence test was done. Several models of in-service training were further investigated and the Sediba Mathematics Programme was evaluated on the basis of a set of essential elements for an ideal programme. It was found that the Sediba Programme fulfilled these requirements to a large degree. The empirical investigation, the mathematics competence test and the interviews that were held with teachers delivered the following results. It was found that the Sediba Mathematics Programme did have an effect on the intrinsic motivation of the teachers in the programme. The subject knowledge of the teachers improved significantly after only one year of study. The teachers' self-concept and self-efficacy improved, they regarded their task as important and endeavoured to implement change meaningfully in spite of existing uncertainties. Negative conditions such as overcrowded class-rooms, no/little aids, lack of safety and discipline at many schools that made it difficult for teachers to deliver quality teaching, could affect motivation negatively. Keywords for indexing: motivation, mathematics teacher, professional development, Sediba-program, in-service training and motivation, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, in-service training for mathematics teachers. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Despite calls for better training of college composition teachers utilizing computer-assisted writing instruction (CAWI), English departments have only recently begun to systematically address the faculty development needs of these teachers. Other fields such as adult education and staff development have begun applying theory and research to faculty development efforts, but CAWI proponents have yet to attain that depth of study and commitment.By investigating methods and characteristics of CAWI faculty development programs, this study found that academic-year workshops were the most common development activity, although teachers preferred personal, collaborative approaches like mentors, consultants, and discussion groups. These patterns were consistent across types of colleges and universities, indicating general context descriptors like institutional size and mission did not significantly influence or limit faculty development practices. This discrepancy between preferred and offered programs indicates faculty needs are not being met, and offers potential reasons for a lack of satisfaction with CAWI faculty development and administration.Faculty respondents identified adequate time and funding as the most important contributors to the success of CAWI faculty development, noting that faculty support-particularly the personalized attention teachers prefer-is time-intensive and requires extensive commitment from those providing the services. These time concerns reflect staffing patterns: CAWI administrative duties were added to the workload of current departmental administrators just over half of the time, and CAWI support duties were assigned to current administrators over onethird of the time. These support duties were assigned to non-tenure-line personnel over one-quarter of the time, a practice that raises questions about authority and credibility needed to administer faculty development programs.Despite a relative lack of concern among faculty, evaluation and reward systems play an important long-term role in CAWI support. Current structures do not adequately recognize and reward CAWI-related scholarship and service, including faculty development work. Applying Boyer and Glassick's expanded concepts of scholarship might prove useful in improving and professionalizing CAWI faculty development efforts, thereby helping secure scholarly identity for CAWI and its support activities. / Department of English

The Sediba project originated when investigations showed that there were many teachers in the North-West Province that did not possess sufficient subject knowledge to teach physical sciences and mathematics. In spite of many in-service training opportunities for teachers, the achievements of learners are still not satisfactory. From interviews with teachers in the Sediba Mathematics Programme the problem of unmotivated learners became apparent. From the literature it appeared that the motivation of teachers has an effect on the motivation of their learners. This study was undertaken as a result of those findings to determine whether the Sediba Mathematics Programme has an effect on the intrinsic motivation of the teachers in the programme. To understand the nature of motivation better, the motivation theories of Maslow, Herzberg, Adams and Vroom were investigated. This investigation made valuable contributions to the study and gave insight into the behaviour patterns of the teachers in certain situations. By means of the literature study a profile of a motivated mathematics teacher could be compiled. It was found that self-concept, self-efficacy, task value and the effect that change has on teachers, could be regarded as determinants of intrinsic motivation. Aided by a questionnaire, an empirical study was done to test the degree to which these determinants were present in the teachers. To bring about triangulation this was followed up by conducting interviews with a sample of the teachers. Furthermore, a mathematics competence test was done. Several models of in-service training were further investigated and the Sediba Mathematics Programme was evaluated on the basis of a set of essential elements for an ideal programme. It was found that the Sediba Programme fulfilled these requirements to a large degree. The empirical investigation, the mathematics competence test and the interviews that were held with teachers delivered the following results. It was found that the Sediba Mathematics Programme did have an effect on the intrinsic motivation of the teachers in the programme. The subject knowledge of the teachers improved significantly after only one year of study. The teachers' self-concept and self-efficacy improved, they regarded their task as important and endeavoured to implement change meaningfully in spite of existing uncertainties. Negative conditions such as overcrowded class-rooms, no/little aids, lack of safety and discipline at many schools that made it difficult for teachers to deliver quality teaching, could affect motivation negatively. Keywords for indexing: motivation, mathematics teacher, professional development, Sediba-program, in-service training and motivation, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, in-service training for mathematics teachers. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

D.Phil. / This research will focus on a description and exploration of the management principles, procedures and processes in a university-based, in-service training programme for unqualified practicing teachers in community schools in the Orange Farm area. It is aimed at the construction of a theoretical framework, illuminating the evolving management model in such a way that it could be conceptually transferred to similar organic training programmes. The conceptual framework, which will be constructed from a literature investigation, will be complemented and integrated with a problematised and interpretive documentation of the management structures as they evolved in the project. Main theory concepts that will be investigated are community education, inservice teacher education, educational management and adult education. The research report commences with an orientation to the study in which the groundedness of the design is presented and discussed. It includes a brief presentation of the researcher's presuppositions and assumptions as well as a - description of the context of the research. The main research question is of an open and ethnographic nature and states the problem as being the unknownness of management structures in organic community education programmes. The need for an ecologically or conceptually valid management model is expressed concisely in the literature on NGO education programmes. Management models that function successfully in formal education are assumed to fail in community programmes, which often reveal highly idiosyncratic characteristics. The literature study is presented subsequently. General management principles are explored and discussed. This is followed by a detailed discussion on educational management and its relation to general management. A discussion of the function of INSET and the management of change conclude this section. In the following section of the research report the design of the field research is discussed against the background of the paradigm of qualitative research, describing the case format as mode of exploratory descriptive research. The analysis of the written documentation as major research activity is emphasised. The data of the report are then presented in the format of examples and description of the various management activities in the programme. The final categories of data are emphasised with a view to support the construction of the envisaged management model. The report is concluded with the interpretation and validation of the data.

M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies) / The subject of this thesis is the female primary school teacher as adult learner. The characteristics of the female primary school teacher as adult learner have been discussed, with particular attention paid to probable underlying reasons why the female primary school teacher does not involve herself in further studies. Furthermore, careful consideration has been given to the importance of study by the female primary school teacher, and in what way the desire to learn can be induced in the female primary school teacher. The main objective of the thesis was to investigate factors, from an educational perspective, which could be responsible for the female primary school teacher not taking up further studies. For this purpose, a questionnaire was distributed to female primary school teachers in Pretoria, who are currently in the teaching profession yet not involved in present.

M.Cur. / The student nurse is primarily an individual undergoing personal and professional development towards becoming a competent and creative professional nurse. The presence of the student nurse in the clinical practice during her term of training is aimed at the realisation of this development. Consequently it appears essential that the student nurse be granted the opportunities for gradual personal and professional growth. This constitutes the basis for the advancement of her status as student. On the basis of a literature study a conceptual framework has been developed to serve as the basis for granting student status in South Africa. A descriptive, exploratory survey was undertaken by means of a questionnaire submitted to student nurses registered with a nursing college in the Transvaal. The purpose of the survey was to determine to what extent o student status is being advanced in the clinical practice, and o the service component of the student's training programme possibly obstructs advancement of her student status. From the survey it appears that frequently much of the sparkle attached to being a student is not realised in the clinical practice. This can be ascribed to the dominant utilisation of the student nurse as the primary service unit in the clinical practice. The research results indicate that in the clinical practice student status is only advanced to a limited degree due to the fact that the service component, which requires the student nurse to act as primary service unit during her term of training, greatly obstructs the advancement of her student status. Based on these results certain recommendations have been made.

M.Ed. (Tertiary and Adult Education) / At this time of transition in South Africa, the key to creative and pro-active change is education. In this sphere, as in many others in South Africa, there is a large developing sector juxtaposed with a small developed one. The majority of teachers, especially those in the junior primary phase, are unqualified or under-qualified and in urgent need of systematic inservice education. In response to this need the Subject Advisory Service of the Department of Education and Training (DET) was established in 1990 with the specific aim of improving the quality of classroom competence of teachers. The objective of this study is to explore the perceptions which a group of junior primary advisers have of their work in the Subject Advisory Service. To attain this objective a sample is used consisting of all the junior primary advisers in one of the eight regions of the DET who consented to participate at a specific time. An investigative approach is used to explore the perceptions which these junior primary advisers have of their work. This is done' by means of qualitative research which includes detailed descriptions of the context and manner of responses as well as analysis of the content. Qualitative research is believed by the researcher to be the best means of reflecting and recording the complex phenomena of human thought and behaviour. Data are obtained by requesting participants to write a n.live sketch based on a stimulus, and later to participate in a focus group interview based on the same stimulus.