Higher Education lecturers in Mozambique are witnessing a chain of transformations within this sub-system including expansion of institutions, diversity of offered courses, huge admission of students resulting in more diverse student populations and the need to introduce new methods of facilitating learning and research as response. These changes, along with the rapid increase of the body of knowledge, challenge lecturers to improve themselves as academics. Contemporaneous models of professional development view this process as a constructive and situated endeavour, which should be practice-, problem-, value- and evidence-based and have reflection as its essential element. Having considered these aspects, I formulated the following research question: How can we promote critical reflection on innovative practice contributing to professional development of academic staff in Mozambican Higher Education Institutions? In order to address this research question, I adopted action research complemented by a mixed-methods approach. Therefore I carried out a baseline study entailing the administration of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires on innovative practices of lecturers. This baseline study aimed at mapping the field concerning practices to promote professional development, employment of Learning Style Flexibility (LSF) and the adoption of tools for reflection by lecturers. LSF is an approach to facilitating learning drawn from the whole-brain model of Ned Herrmann. It calls for adopting strategies of facilitating learning associated with the entire brain, not relying solely on the promotion of left brain learning. I adopted action research to monitor my practice of facilitating learningshops as an experimental professional development intervention and animated mentoring sessions to support and assist lecturers’ professional learning. Such professional learning consisted of lecturers implementing LSF within their practice of facilitating learning and monitoring this process by means of their small-scale action research. In this way I was putting into practice a synchronous model. As data collection techniques I employed the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI), photography and audio- and video-recording of learningshops and mentoring sessions. Audio-recording the sessions I could collect the lecturers’ reflections. Later on, I analysed such reflections as nested within the lecturers brain profiles, pursuing a model of Learning Style Flexible Reflection (LSFR). Findings of the baseline study show the need to have a more organised and functional model of professional development in Mozambique, the need to explore the potential for scientific research through the adoption of a number of measures, as well as the need to promote lecturers’ reflection, deepening the use of tools already being employed in the context. Apart from this, this baseline information showed that the principles of LSF are not employed in a balanced and consistent manner since most lecturers indicated to facilitate student learning through strategies linked to the left brain. The action research findings show that the learninghops that I promoted with my hybrid group appeared to be effective in promoting lecturers’ critical reflection. In involving lecturers in this experimental professional development programme I promoted the possibility for them to account for what they were doing in their lecturing practice in a scholarly way. Therefore action research appeared to be the appropriate process to follow within the context of my mentorship. Moreover, action research proved to be the self-reflective inquiry lecturers can employ in pursuit of explanations for their transformative lecturing practices in the pursuit of ways to show that they are successfully working according to their values, and that their efforts are useful to improve their situations and institutions, since they are grounded within the idea of promoting reflection on one’s practice. All these aspects were evident from the lecturers’ case studies reported in this study. One of the main findings of the study is that the analysis of lecturers’ reflections, as nested within their brain profiles, and informed by the literature review, showed the emergence of LSFR, where lecturers could present different patterns of reflection associated with the different brain quadrants / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2013 / Humanities Education / unrestricted

This study examines the strategies used by facilitators at Adult Basic Education and Training Centre in order to determine whether the facilitators are responsive to adult learning principle and practices. If inappropriate strategies for the facilitation of learning are used, adult learners are likely to become bored, frustrated, overwhelmed or unable to cope with the challenges of learning. This may contribute to the high drop-out rate that many adult education programmes face. The failure to retain adult learners in ABET programmes may result in adult learners relapsing into illiteracy, which then poses a problem as the overarching goal of the South African government is to eradicate illiteracy. This study aims at answering the following research questions: <ul> <li>What are the perceptions of adult learners of the facilitation of learning in the programmes they are enrolled for?</li> <li>What are the strategies used by ABET facilitators to promote cooperative learning?</il> <li>How do ABET facilitators promote self-directed learning among adult learners?</li> </ul> The theoretical framework on which this study is based is constructivism. Constructivist theory advocates a paradigm shift from traditional methods of teaching to a more learner-centred approach of instruction and learning. Thus, constructivist theory embraces Outcomes-based Education that emphasises that active participation by learners should be the backbone of all learning activities. Both facilitators and learners are required to focus on the outcomes that should be achieved during each learning activity. This study employs a mixed-methods approach that includes quantitative and qualitative research methods. The research design for this study is the case study method. The population of this study comprises adult learners and facilitators at Gaegolelwe Adult Centre. A simple random sampling was used to select forty-seven adult learners to participate in this study. Convenience sampling was used to select 4 facilitators. The methods of data collection used were questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and observations. The findings of this study are the following: <ul> <li>Facilitators at Gaegolelwe Adult Centre cater moderately for learners with different learning styles.</li> <li>Learners are engaged in different learning activities, such as completing tasks individually, in pairs or in groups and are involved in research orientated activities in order to discover things for themselves.</li> <li>Facilitators promote active participation during learning opportunities.</li> <li>Most adult learners demonstrate responsibility towards their own work. However, some do not, and this may be attributed to many competing social roles that must be balanced against the demands of learning.</li> <li>Learners are challenged to develop critical thinking, problem-solving and higher order reasoning skills.</li> <li>Cooperative learning as one strategy of facilitating learning is not utilised to the maximum.</li> <li>It has been observed that the lecture method is predominantly used by facilitators; this is not in line with constructivist learning theory as the latter emphasises the use of different methods of facilitation in order to accommodate learners with diverse learning styles.</li> </ul> The following recommendations have been made: <ul> <li>Facilitators with extensive teaching experience should be engaged to facilitate adult learning. However, they should be educated and trained in methods of facilitating adult learners.</li> <li>Male adults need to be mobilised through mass literacy campaigns to join ABET programmes.</li> <li>Learners should be given the opportunity to make an input in the development of strategies for facilitating learning.</li></ul> Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Early Childhood Education / unrestricted

This study examines the significance of understanding learners’ learning styles in relation to an educator’s learning style. The study explores the extent to which an educator and learners make provision for learning style flexibility by knowing and understanding their learning styles. There were reasons for being actively involved in the study. I wanted to know my learning style and to know and understand the learning styles of my learners. Action research was used to focus on the significance of learning style flexibility in my teaching practice, with the aim to developing myself as a professional and improving my teaching practice. Action research develops through a selfreflective spiral, consisting of cycle, each with its own steps of planning, acting, observing, reflecting and planning again for further implementation. Action research was critical in helping me to enhance my competencies and the competencies of learners who participated in my study and enabled me to improve in an ongoing, cyclical fashion. The use of qualitative and quantitative research methods helped me to learn and understand my learning style and learners’ learning styles. Herrmann’s Whole Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) was used to identify my learning style. To identify learners’ learning styles I used a simplified questionnaire that helped me to understand learners’ thinking preferences according to the four quadrants of Herrmann’s model. Learners’ profiles were identified and indicated that they have didderent profiles. Feedback questionnaires for learners and lecturers were used to dtermine feedback on how I facilitate learning and accommodate learners according to their learning styles, and improve myself professionally. Learning style flexibility is an approach that enhances teaching and learning, including the achievement of complex learning outcomes that includes attitudes and personality traits. Educators should move away from a content-driven learning approach to learner-driven approaches that allow learners to discover and construct knowledge on their own. Learning style flexibility and educational change complement each other. Learning style flexibility is significant in teaching and learning and the professional development of educators. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Humanities Education / unrestricted