Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of teachers is increasingly becoming a priority in most countries throughout the world. It is widely viewed as the most effective approach to prepare teachers adequately, and to improve their instructional and intervention practices, for when they enter the workforce (Fraser et al 2007). Despite the general acceptance of CPD programmes as essential to the improvement of education, reviews of professional development research constantly point out the ineffectiveness of most of these programmes (see Cohen and Hill, 1998 and 2000). Furthermore, many teachers express dissatisfaction with the professional development opportunities made available to them in schools and insist that the most effective development programmes they have experienced have been self-initiated (National Research Council, 2007). There is a consensus that many CPD programmes have yet to understand professional development from a teacher‘s perspective. This perspective acknowledges what drives teachers to enlist in these programmes and how such programmes can make a difference to them and their classrooms. Therefore, this study seeks to return the emphasis of professional development to the teachers. The study explores the teachers‘ perspectives of CPD in general, the personal meaning of CPD, and its meaning in the context of their work. By interviewing the teachers who were part of the Mpumalanga Secondary Science Initiative (MSSI) project (a seven year science and mathematics professional development intervention), I explore: the teachers‘ opinions of the intervention; its meaning to them and their work; and its impact on their classroom practices and students for the duration of the intervention and beyond. In this study, I explore data from an extensive and longitudinal study of teachers who were part of the CPD programme in greater detail. In discussing my data, I propose that CPD, however well intentioned and executed, is received differently by each teacher as a result of their personal circumstances and investment in the programme. I argue that the greater the unity between the personal circumstances and motivations of the teachers and those of the CPD intervention, the more likely the outcome will be meaningful for the participating teachers. In turn, the ability to sustain the benefits of the intervention will be enhanced. / Further Teacher Education / D.Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

This study attempted to design and implement an intervention programme to improve the self-concepts and attitudes of prospective primary school teachers. The possible effects of the programme were researched by means of a combined quantitative and qualitative approach. A questionnaire to determine the effectiveness of the programme was also designed. Important findings of this study are that: (a) the Cronbach Alpha Coefficient indicated a 0,9 reliability of the designed questionnaire; (b) the average self-concepts of prospective teachers improved after the intervention programme was implemented, though not significantly and (c) the self-concepts of prospective teachers not majoring in Mathematics also improved after the intervention, though not significantly. A focus group interview was conducted to improve the intervention programme. On the basis of the responses of the participants in the focus group interview as well as of the quantitative study and of the literature reviewed, an improved version of the intervention programme was designed. According to the research, the programme should include: cooperative learning; everyday life contexts; manipulatives; hands-on activities, encouraging the asking of questions; a positive relationship between lecturer and student; writing assignments before doing a new topic; content relevance; a positive communication of assessment; games; various approaches to solving problems; understandable language; gender sensitivity and positive role modeling. The intervention programme implemented in this study was tested over a period of three months; hence the recommendation in this research for the replication thereof over a longer period. The study further recommends that since the study was conducted in one college of education only, there is a need for it to be conducted in a number of colleges, in order to elicit a broader and more representative picture of the impact of the intervention programme. The findings of this study advocate the need to combine both quantitative and qualitative research in studies: the results of the quantitative research did not conclusively indicate a positive impact of the intervention programme. However, the qualitative research saw respondents expressing improved confidence and attitudes. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The focus of this study was to explore and expand capabilities, sustainability and gender justice in Science, Mathematics and Technical subjects (SMTs) in teacher education curriculum practices as a process of Education for Sustainable Development in two case studies in Zimbabwe and South Africa. The study begins by discussing gender and science education discourse, locating it within Education for Sustainable Development discourse. Through this nexus, the study was able to explore gender and sustainability responsiveness of the curriculum practices of teacher educators in Science, Mathematics and Technical subjects; scrutinise underlying mechanisms that affect (promote or constrain) gender and sustainability responsive curriculum practices; and understand if and how teacher education curriculum practices consider the functionings and capabilities of females in relation to increased socio-ecological risk in a Southern African context. Influenced by a curriculum transformation commitment, an expansive learning phase was conducted to promote gender and sustainability responsive pedagogies in teacher education curriculum practices. As shown in the study, the expansive learning processes resulted in (re)conceptualising the curriculum practices (object), analysis of contradictions and developing new ways of doing work. Drawing from the sensitising concepts of dialectics, reflexivity and agency, the study worked with the three theoretical approaches of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), feminist theory and capabilities theory. The capability and feminist lenses were used in the exploration of gender and sustainability responsiveness in science teacher education curriculum practices. CHAT, through its associated methodology of Developmental Work Research, offered the opportunity for researcher and participants in this study to come together to question and analyse curriculum practices and model new ways of doing work. Case study research was used in two case studies of teacher education curriculum practices in Science, Mathematics and Technical subjects, one in Zimbabwe and one in South Africa. Each case study is constituted with a networked activity system. The study used in-depth and focus group interviews and document analysis to explore gender and sustainability responsiveness in curriculum practices and to generate mirror data. Inductive and abductive modes of inference, and Critical Discourse Analysis were used to analyse data. This data was then used in Change Laboratory Workshops, where double stimulation and focus group discussions contributed to the expansive learning process. Findings from the exploration phase of the study revealed that most teacher educators in the two case studies had some basic levels of gender sensitivity, meaning that they had ability to perceive existing gender inequalities as it applies only to gender disaggregated data especially when it comes to enrolment and retention. However, there was no institutionalised pedagogic device in place in both case studies aimed at equipping future teachers with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to promote aspects of capabilities (well-being achievement, wellbeing freedom, agency achievement and agency freedom) for girls in Science, Mathematics and Technical subjects. Science, Mathematics and Technical subjects teacher educators' curriculum practices were gender neutral, but in a gendered environment. This was a pedagogical tension that was visible in both case studies. On the other hand, socio-ecological issues, in cases where they were incorporated into the curriculum, were incorporated in a gender blind or gender neutral manner. Social ecological concerns such as climate change were treated as if they were not gendered both in their impact and in their mitigation and adaptation. It emerged that causal mechanisms shaping this situation were of a socio-political nature: there exist cultural differences between students and teacher educators; patriarchal ideology and hegemony; as well as other interfering binaries such as race and class. Other curriculum related constraints, though embedded in the socio-cultural-political nexus, include: rigid and content heavy curriculum, coupled with students who come into the system with inadequate content knowledge; and philosophy informing pedagogy namely scientism, with associated instrumentalist and functionalist tenets. All these led to contradictions between pedagogical practices with those expected by the Education for Sustainable Development framework. The study contributes in-depth insight into science teacher education curriculum development. By locating the study at the nexus of gender and Science, Mathematics and Technical subjects within the Education for Sustainable Development discourse, using the ontological lenses of feminist and capabilities, it was possible to interrogate aspects of quality and relevance of the science teacher education curriculum. The study also provides insight into participatory research and learning processes especially within the context of policy and curriculum development. It provides empirical evidence of mobilising reflexivity amongst both policy makers and policy implementers towards building human agency in policy translation for a curriculum transformation that is critical for responding to contemporary socio-ecological risks. / Microsoft� Word 2010 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in

MEd (Curriculum Studies) / Department of Curriculum Studies / The purpose of this study was to investigate how continuing professional teacher development can improve learners’ achievement and schooling in Mathematical Literacy. This study adopted a qualitative research design. The qualitative research method was used to collect data. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The population comprised of all Mathematical Literacy teachers, heads of departments and principals of schools in the Soutpansberg North Circuit. Purposive sampling was used to the select participants. The sample consisted of 3 school principals, 3 heads of departments’ and 9 teachers. Data was analysed thematically. The study revealed that continuing professional teacher development improves learner achievement, teacher skills and knowledge. The study recommended that teachers should be supported by the community, schools and the department of Basic Education, in order to improve their knowledge, skills and learner achievement. In addition, Learners’ needs, engaging parents, assessment strategies and teacher practice were used to measure the impact of CPTD on learner achievement. Of equal importance, teachers should further their studies and engage themselves in reading materials relevant to their profession. / NRF

The present study investigated Grade 9 learners’ perceptions of factors influencing their academic performance in Mathematics in Tshwane municipality, South Africa. The study was based on positivism paradigm. The quantitative research approach was used while the research design was a descriptive survey design. The sample was made up of 400 learners (280 females and 120 males). Convenient sampling method was employed as a result of the nature of data. A self-designed questionnaire was administered to collect data. Data were analysed using quantitative approach with the statistical package for the social sciences, version 24.0, and the few open ended data on strategies for improving learners’ performance were analysed deductively. Frequency tables and ratios were calculated to establish the rating of each item. A Chi-square test was used to establish relationships of the variables on learners’ Mathematics performance. The study revealed that the Grade 9 learners perceived the factors influencing their performance in Mathematics were teacher-learner relationship, school environment and influence of learners’ attitude towards their performance in Mathematics, while peer relationship and home background (parents’ relationship and support) were perceived as not having any relationship with learners’ academic performance. The following recommendations were made to improve the Grade 9 learners’ performance in Mathematics, they are: policies that may consider Mathematics as a compulsory subject in the place of maths numeracy; there should be a regular in-service training for Mathematics teachers; parents should give adequate attention and care to their children in their Mathematics assignments; there should be provision of additional classrooms and infrastructures by the government and other stakeholders; learners should be encouraged to cultivate a more positive attitude towards Mathematics as a subject. Lastly, the study proposed a model for improving Grade 9 learners’ academic performance in Mathematics in Tshwane municipality, South Africa. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Abstract in English, Tswana and Northern Sotho / The study aimed to explore teachers’ mathematical knowledge in respect of teaching the concept of fractions to Grade 6 learners. To that end a qualitative study was done, using a case study design. Data were collected through the observation of, and interviews with, three teachers at three schools in the Capricorn South district. Rooted in the theory of constructivism, the study was supplemented by the conceptual framework of mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) (Ball et al., 2008) and Shulman’s (1986) notion of pedagogical knowledge for teaching (PCK). The key finding of this investigation revealed that, of the three teachers, two did not develop the concept of fractions for their learners, but merely followed the traditional method of teaching the concept by encouraging their learners to memorise rules without understanding. Only one teacher emphasised an understanding of mathematical concepts. The main observation which the researcher made, was that teachers require a great deal of knowledge and expertise, in carrying out the work of teaching subject matter related to fractions. / Maikaelelo a thutopatlisiso e ne e le go tlhotlhomisa kitso ya dipalo ya barutabana malebana le go ruta barutwana ba Mophato wa 6 mogopolo wa dikarolwana. Go fitlhelela seo, go dirilwe thutopatlisiso e e lebelelang mabaka, go dirisiwa thadiso ya thutopatlisiso ya dikgetsi. Go kokoantswe data ka go ela tlhoko le go nna le dipotsolotso le barutabana ba le bararo kwa dikolong tsa kgaolo ya Capricorn Borwa. Thutopatlisiso eno e e theilweng mo tioring ya kago ya kitso e ne e tshegeditswe ke letlhomeso la sediriswa sa tokololo sa kitso ya dipalo ya go ruta (MKT) (Ball et al. 2008) le mogopolo wa ga Shulman (1986) wa kitso e e kgethegileng ya go ruta (PCK). Phitlhelelo ya botlhokwa ya patlisiso eno e senotse gore mo barutabaneng ba le bararo, ba le babedi ga ba a tlhamela barutwana ba bona mogopolo wa dikarolwana, mme ba latetse fela mokgwa wa tlwaelo wa go ruta mogopolo ka go rotloetsa barutwana go tshwarelela melawana kwa ntle ga go tlhaloganya. Ke morutabana a le mongwe fela yo o gateletseng go tlhaloganngwa ga megopolo ya dipalo. Temogo e kgolo e e dirilweng ke mmatlisisi ke gore barutabana ba tlhoka kitso le boitseanape jo bogolo go tsweletsa tiro ya go ruta dithuto tse di amanang le dikarolwana. / Dinyakišišo di ikemišeditše go utolla tsebo ya dipalo ya baithuti mabapi le go ruta kgopolo ya dipalophatlo go baithuti ba Kreiti ya 6. Ka lebaka la se go dirilwe dinyakišišo tša boleng, go šomišwa tlhamo ya dinyakišišo tša seemo. Tshedimošo e kgobokeditšwe ka go lekodišiša, le go dira dipoledišano le, barutiši ba bararo ka dikolong tše tharo ka seleteng sa Borwa bja Capricorn. Ka ge di theilwe go teori ya gore baithuti ba itlhamela tsebo, dinyakišišo di tlaleleditšwe ke tlhako ya boikgopolelo ya tsebo ya dipalo go ruteng (MKT) (Ball le ba bangwe, 2008) le kgopolo ya Shulman (1986) ya tsebo ya diteng tša thuto (PCK). Kutollo ye bohlokwa ya dinyakišišo tše e utollotše gore, go barutiši ba bararo, ba babedi ga se ba ba le kgopolo ya dipalophatlo go baithuti ba bona, eupša fela ba no latela mokgwa wa setlwaedi wa go ruta kgopolo ye ya dipalophatlo ka go hlohleletša baithuti ba bona go tsenya melawana ye ka hlogong ka ntle le go e kwešiša. Ke fela morutiši o tee yo a gateletšego gore go swanetše go ba le kwešišo ya dikgopolo tša dipalo. Temogo e tee yeo monyakišiši a bilego le yona, ebile gore barutiši ba hloka tsebo ye kgolo le botsebi, go phethagatša mošomo wa go ruta diteng tša thuto tšeo di amanago le dipalophatlo. / Mathematics Education / M. Ed. (Mathematics Education)