The study focuses on a partnered facilitation involving teachers, the media and the learner. The implications of educational technology-based strategies of learning and the need for teachers to develop a theoretical framework of understanding educational technology are considered. The partnership between the teacher, the learner and the media are seen as crucial to the implementation and enhancement of educational technology-based strategies of learning. In recommending the need for ongoing, sustained training of teachers in educational technology-based strategies of learning, the study concludes that satellite teachers' centre is indispensable as an agency to drive the entire process forward. In this regard it is considered that satellite teachers' centres have the potential to take the focus of training and development of skills closer to schools and arrange on-site programmes. The large mass of under-qualified and untrained teachers will be able to enhance their educational technology skills to facilitate resource-based learning which is so crucial to the new outcomes based approach to learning and education. South Africa has the media and a large population of learners who are yearning for quality education. In addition, the country has a large store of teachers who are in need of ongoing sustained training in educational technology-enhanced strategies of learning. The study concludes that teachers' centres have been under-utilised and that satellite teachers' centres could operate on a more structured basis in terms of an approved national policy. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1998.

The agency or personal involvement of the principal within a school is perceived as being of vital importance to the success of innovations. Leadership is necessary, not only to manage the escalating changes in academia, but more importantly to inspire, protect and encourage educators. One of the current trends in education is the move towards self-management which is a decentralization of power control from the state to the school. Selfmanagement implies choice and this enables the principal to validate the opinions and ideas of everyone who is involved in the process of school governance. The success or failure of an innovation usually depends on the support of the stakeholders. Change can be stressful, and unless the principal is part of the process, the implementation may not be successful. The context of this study is an independent primary school which has recently undergone many changes, most of which appear to have been initiated and managed by the principal. Independent schools have more autonomy than public schools as they are usually self-funded. The principal is accountable not only to the Board of Governors, but also to the parent body which generally has high expectations of the school. This study investigates the impact of the principal’s agency on the development of a multi-media centre at the school. The extent of his involvement within the school and his leadership style was first established and then the implementation of a new innovation, that of the media centre, was explored. Case study methodology based on semi-structured interviews with selected participants from within the school was employed. These participants represented different perspectives on the principal’s leadership and management of the media centre. In addition, documents and photographs were analysed for triangulation purposes. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

Abstract available in pdf file.

The objective of the study was an evaluation of the Tembaletu Resource Center within the Tembaletu Community Education Center. The Resource Center was evaluated in terms of its objectives. Each objective formed the basis for the subsequent research questions. The evaluation was from the perspectives of the three major user groups namely the teachers, the registered students and outside users. A survey was conducted whereby information was obtained from each group by means of a semi-structured questionnaire. Major findings in terms of the objectives were: many teachers, students and the general users use the Resource Center to read books and study, teachers read literacy books, many users have never bought literacy books for sale as many were unaware of this service, resource-based work has been given to students by teachers and this was seen to be a worthwhile exercise, more than half of the users had not borrowed educational videos, users had found information that helped them solve their personal problems although many users had never used the computer to access information. Lack of awareness of many of the services by users was indicated and was regarded as the stumbling block to the full use of the Resource Center. Recommendations based on the findings of the evaluation were made and this was followed by suggestions for further research. / Thesis (M.I.S.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1998.