Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Outcomes-Based Education forms the foundation of South Africa's revised national education curriculum, known as The Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9. The Van Hiele Model, developed for the teaching and learning of geometry, has already been used successfully in the school curricula of the Netherlands and Russia. Strong support for this theory exists in leading countries like America and Europe. This study has investigated the possible relationship between the Van Hiele theory and the "Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9" and through critical evaluation found a great compatibility between them. Both are giving strong support for the spiral approach to mathematics education. It is recommended that all geometry learning programmes and teaching units be moulded on the Van Hiele Model. / Suid-Afrika se hersiene nasionale onderwyskurrikulum, die "Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9" word deur uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys gefundeer. Die Van Hiele Model vir die onderrig en leer van meetkunde, is suksesvol in skoolkurrikula van Nederland en Rusland toegepas en geniet wye steun in lande soos Amerika en Europa. Hierdie navorsing het die moontlike verband tussen die Van Hiele raamwerk en die nuwe kurrikulum ondersoek en deur kritiese evaluering baie sterk versoenbaarheid tussen die "Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9" en die Van Hiele Model gevind. Verder is ook aangetoon dat beide sterk gebruik maak van die spiraalbenadering in wiskundeonderwys. Aanbevelings in die verband is dat leerprogramme en onderrigeenhede wat die kurrikulum vir meetkunde in skole implementeer op die Van Hiele Model geskoei word. / Mathematical Sciences / M. Sc. (Mathematics Education)

The study attempts to examine the implementation of Outcomes Based Education in selected secondary schools in Bushbuckridge, and to provide guidelines to enhance the implementation in the region. Findings reveal that the implementation of the curriculum is faced with challenges that hinder its effectiveness. Hindering factors such as lack of infrastructure, lack of school resources and inadequate teacher development programmes were identified through a literature survey and empirical investigation. Under the empirical investigation, qualitative approaches for data gathering, such as in-depth interviews were used. Participants were chosen from schools in the remote areas of Bushbuckridge, which are experiencing serious problems in the implementation of Outcomes Based Education. The research instruments used were validated and tested for reliability using experts’ opinion and pilot testing. The challenges of educators, school management teams, learners and curriculum specialists in the Department of Education were highlighted and recommendations made. / Educational Studies / (M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies))

The main objective of the research was to explore how teachers use formative assessment to enhance the teaching of reading comprehension to Grade 3 siSwatispeaking learners. While the research also sought to determine whether teachers’ practice of formative assessment supported learners’ comprehension of written text, it did not attempt to measure the learners’ achievements. The research was prompted by the low reading performance levels of South African Grade 3 learners, including Grade 3 learners in Mpumalanga. The study was qualitative in nature and was a case study of seven teachers from four primary schools. The paradigmatic position of the study was interpretive. Data was collected through individual semi-structured interviews, lesson observations and analysis of learners’ workbooks. Interviews were taped and transcribed. Data from the three sources was analyzed and reported in an integrated way through themes. The study developed a conceptual framework from the literature review. Various theories and concepts were identified, namely Vygotsky’s theory of learning and socio-cultural perspective (1978), Engeström’s activity system model (1987) and the formative assessment process (Harlen, 2000; Ruiz-Primo, 2011; Birenbaum, Kimron, Shilton & Shahaf-Barzilay, 2009). It was clear that effective use of formative assessment for reading comprehension requires collaboration between teachers and learners. Teachers should involve learners in the five phases of formative assessment of reading comprehension. The conceptual framework also implies that teachers should have pedagogical knowledge of the teaching of reading comprehension. Findings of this study revealed that participating teachers lacked knowledge of formative assessment; consequently they did not plan to use formative assessment to support the teaching of reading comprehension. Teachers did not communicate clear learning objectives and assessment criteria to the learners. As a result, learners did not know what they should achieve in a lesson and did not know how they should achieve it. Teachers did not develop learning activities that supported learners’ comprehension of the written text. Teachers often used literal and closed questions to assess reading comprehension. Teachers did not provide constructive feedback based on the learning objectives, and they did not comment on weaknesses and strengths with regard to the learning objectives. Teachers did not encourage learners to assess their own work or that of their peers. Therefore learners did not develop skills in assessing their own work; they relied on the teacher’s assessment. Furthermore, this study found that teachers were not trained in the teaching and formative assessment of reading comprehension. They did not have a variety of materials to teach reading to siSwati-speaking learners. Some schools did not receive the workbooks from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and had to make do with copies from the DBE workbook on a daily basis. Recommendations ensuing from this research are that the Department of Basic Education and the Mpumalanga Department of Education should equip Foundation Phase teachers with knowledge of and skills in formative assessment applicable to the teaching of reading comprehension. In addition, the Mpumalanga Department of Education should provide a variety of reading material for siSwati-speaking learners to support the teaching and learning of reading comprehension. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / Early Childhood Education / unrestricted

Magister Educationis - MEd / This mini-thesis attempts to explain the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure in public schools in the Western Cape. The mini-thesis uses the case study as research design to explore aspects such as the motivation for using ICT, funding models, infrastructure models, ICT curriculum integration and teacher development. In order to gather data on the above, interviews and observations are used as research tools. The study begins with the exploration of the history of ICT infrastructure in South African schools and subsequently an international perspective is added through the literature review. Officials and teachers of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) were interviewed to obtain their perspectives and a school was visited to observe procured ICT infrastructure. The results revealed that the WCED is using the Khanya project to deliver an ICT infrastructure to schools and to provide facilitation in the integration of ICT into the curriculum. It further showed that due to the rapid change in technology, Khanya had to adapt the hardware configuration on a regular basis and that this put considerable strain on and already small budget for ICT. The challenge that emerged is the lack of adequate ICT training for teachers. This could potentially hamper the integration of ICT and if not addressed, could serious hamper the WCED in its quest to deliver a technology based curriculum. The study concludes with conclusions drawn for the data as well as recommendations for effective ICT integration. / South Africa

Magister Educationis - MEd / This study provides educators with an opportunity to share their commitments and biases, their beliefs about what these learners need and what, as educators, they have to offer them. The study focuses specifically on what curriculum educators believe should be offered to the youth in these centres. It is important to note that the focus of the thesis is on the educational debates and challenges within SYCECs, and not on the overall goals and role to be played by these institutions in rehabilitating youth. This piece of work acknowledges the systemic issues that impact on learning and development of youth, but foregrounds what learners in SYCECs should be taught and why. This is its main contribution. / South Africa

The use of literature both in and outside the classroom is of the utmost importance and must be taken note of by language teachers. The National Curriculum Statement provides the guidelines for teachers to select texts themselves. This leads to teachers only selecting the well-known texts which results in learners only getting to know very few literary works. Older texts are the ideal option for text-selection for the teaching of literature in the classroom. They are still very relevant for classroom use and are considered to be necessary and an integral part of the study of literature. But the teaching of older literature is often neglected especially in the Afrikaans classroom. The Afrikaans literary tradition is still very young in comparison to other languages and consequently does not provide the same type of older texts that for instance English can provide in the form of Shakespeare for teaching purposes. An alternative would be to make use of Middle Dutch and nineteenth century Afrikaans texts. Although these texts aren’t always accessible for learners in the twenty-first century, this problem can be solved by writing a study guide for the purpose of studying older texts. This study guide is obviously meant for learners who can cope with the difficulty of the texts and is therefore meant for home language speakers in the grade 12 classroom. A study guide such as this must be written with a heterogeneous group in mind and should reflect the guidelines as contained in the National Curriculum Statement, especially with regard to the learning activities included in the study guide. To make the study guide user friendly it is better to present the older texts parallel with a translation. This will prevent readers from constantly having to search for footnotes at the bottom of the page. A parallel translation will also make the texts much more accessible. The purpose of the study guide is not to force learners to read Middle Dutch, but rather to expose them to older literature connected to Afrikaans. The teacher can use his own discretion to decide which of the older texts he/she wants to discuss or explore. Concerning the nineteenth century Afrikaans texts it is unnecessary to translate them. It is, however, important to provide sufficient background information in the case of both the Middle Dutch and the nineteenth century Afrikaans texts. By providing cultural history as background information the reader will be enabled to make better sense of the characters and the texts themselves. Readers should then be able to better understand the context in which the texts were produced. / Dissertation (MA (Afrikaans))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Afrikaans / MA / unrestricted

Since the implementation of Curriculum 2005 and the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) in 2004, educators seem unsure of how to manage teaching and learning in the classroom. They find it difficult to develop their own teaching style, display leadership in class, plan and organize effectively to optimize teaching and learning experiences for their learners. The RNCS moved away from homogeneous ability grouping to heterogeneous grouping. Emphasis is placed on the acceptance of individual needs and differences, and equal learning opportunities. Large class groups and masses of administration have left educators with little time to spend with individuals. Group work seems to be the answer and a popular way to organize class work, especially if the educator controls the action well, but learners have minimal contact with the educator who mainly supervises and little cognitive development or interchange happens. Learners sit in groups, but mostly do not work collaboratively as groups. They talk to each other, but work as individuals. The aim of this qualitative study at a parallel medium primary school was to determine the utilization of co-operative learning in the management of a productive Grade 3 class. The results of the study were compared with findings of a similar Dutch study conducted by Veenman, Kenter&Post in 2000. Data was collected through observation, a semi-structured educator interview, and semi-structured group interviews with Grade 3 learners, randomly selected from a class list, the educator’s reflection on group formation, official documents like lesson plans and written assignments of learners based on two open questions put to them. From the study it is clear that the aim of co-operative learning is to empower learners to gain confidence, develop to their full potential to become responsible and disciplined citizens of our democratic society. To reach these goals, educators should fully understand co-operative learning implement it in a structured and well-planned manner. As educational leader in a productive classroom the educator needs to be well organized, creating a culture of teaching and learning in class. Learners, exposed to harmonious classroom relationships in a well-managed productive classroom where participation of all members are encouraged and valued and open communication is part of daily processes in class, will participate freely, be resourceful, happy, helpful and co-operative and be able to make the most of co-operative learning approaches in class through responsible, enthusiastic and confident participation. / Dissertation (MEd (Education Management Law and Policy))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Education Management and Policy Studies / MEd / unrestricted

The implementation of the National Curriculum Statement in 2006 saw the name of the subject known as Biology change to Life Sciences accompanied by changes in subject content. The curriculum committee excluded systematics as a separate unit from the new outcomes-based Life Sciences curriculum for grades 10 to 12 that was implemented in 2006. Educators had to include aspects of systematics in teaching these concepts without guidance from the curriculum. This posed the question whether mastery of population dynamics and biodiversity is dependent on content of systematics in the context of the new curriculum. The New Content Framework for Life Sciences implemented in 2009 reintroduced systematics as a single unit. This raised the question why systematics has been reintroduced in the Life Sciences curriculum. This study aims to determine the influence the exclusion of systematics as a separate unit from the Life Sciences curriculum, implemented in 2006, had on the teaching of population studies and biodiversity. Data was gathered by evaluating and analysing the relevant curriculum statements, work schedules and content frameworks. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, first in 2008 when systematics was excluded from the curriculum and then in 2009 after the reintroduction. The first interviews dealt with the exclusion of systematics and the second interviews queried the reintroduction of systematics in the New Content Framework. Interviews were conducted with grade 11 Life Sciences educators at two secondary schools and two curriculum developers involved in compiling the Life Sciences curriculum. An expert in systematics and another in ecology were interviewed about the exclusion of systematics. The workbooks of some grade 11 learners were studied. Classroom observations were conducted when the relevant topics were being covered in class. A number of reasons for the exclusion of systematics from the NCS were advanced. These included: there was no population dynamics expert in the curriculum development team, emphasis was placed on outcomes and not content, the academic background of the members of the curriculum team and the difficulty of teaching systematics, perceived to be uninteresting. There was disagreement whether systematics is essential for understanding population dynamics but there is consensus that the study of systematics influences biodiversity and its exclusion left a regrettable void. However, systematics should be taught in a more interesting way. Prior knowledge is important for understanding of certain processes and concepts as well as for the application of practical skills like problem-solving and scientific inquiry. The curriculum does not provide detailed guidance on the content and practical activities to be covered and educators are encouraged to develop their own curriculum and activities. Experienced educators with strong academic backgrounds in animal and plant sciences referred to or used knowledge of systematics in some lessons. In 2009, systematics was reintroduced in the Life Sciences curriculum to ensure that learners understand biodiversity and evolution through natural selection. It provides learners a better foundation to understand similarities and differences in the structure and function of different organisms and body plans and ensures that they use higher-order thinking skills when doing problem-solving and scientific inquiry activities. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

In 2001 White Paper 5 on Early Childhood Development announced that a year-long Reception Year (Grade R) programme would gradually be phased in at primary schools. In addition, the Report on the Nationwide Audit of ECD Provisioning noted that the overwhelming majority of ECE teachers are inadequately trained. Despite the teachers’ lack of capacity, the national Department of Education introduced the official curriculum, the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), into Grade R classes in 2004. Prior to 2004, there was no official curriculum for Grade R. Instead, teachers designed their own curricula. The NCS, by its very imposition, is an example of radical curriculum change. I undertook a qualitative study from Grade R teachers' perspectives in order to illuminate how nine ECE teachers in Gauteng, South Africa are responding to this curriculum change. My findings are consistent with the four main responses discussed in the literature, and on which I based my conceptual framework, namely ignore, resist, adopt and adapt. The Grade R teachers in my study viewed the NCS as developmentally inappropriate for their five-year-old learners. Although they manifested all four responses, they mainly resisted, adopted or adapted curriculum change. Their response could best be typified as "reluctant compliance". After six years of implementation, ignoring it completely is no longer a realistic option. In addition, they either reinterpreted their traditional practices as already compliant with the NCS or they implemented formal academic activities to develop school readiness skills The Grade R teachers in my study had one outstanding characteristic in common they are passionate about their work. Overall, the teachers reported that the NCS has detracted from their enjoyment of their work. In most cases, the Grade R teachers noted that they would pursue Foundation Phase posts because of the absence of a career path for Grade R teachers. Instructional leadership should be developed to support Grade R teachers to implement the NCS appropriately. Once this is in place, Grade R teachers need to be convinced of how the NCS could be implemented in developmentally and culturally appropriate ways and how this could benefit their learners. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the application of OBE principles such as the learner-centred approach, teacher facilitation and integration of knowledge in the teaching of African languages in the senior phase. The study was conducted in Vhembe and Mopani District in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Data were collected through observation, an interview schedule and documentary analysis. The constructivist grounded theory provided a theoretical framework for this study. Data were analysed simultaneously with the data-collection process informed by the constructivist grounded theory. This investigation revealed that teachers do not apply the investigated OBE principles in the teaching of African languages in the senior phase. Instead, they still teach in the manner they used before the introduction of the OBE approach. There were many reasons advanced by teachers for their failure to apply these principles in their teachings. A lack of knowledge and skills necessary to apply this new approach was prevalent. This lack of knowledge could be attributed to the inadequate teacher training received and noncommitment to OBE approach by the teachers. The study found that the investigated principles were not applied because of a lack of application strategies, the failure to interpret policy documents and resistance to change by teachers. In view of the findings in this study, the researcher deemed it imperative to make recommendations which could be used for further studies in order to achieve the proper application of OBE principles in the teaching of African languages. / D. Ed. (Didactics) / Educational Studies