The focus of the study was to investigate the role of Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSMs) in determining a school performance and quality education. For sampling purposes, a rural disadvantaged school was selected to reveal how such schools organise and implement their instructional programs devoid of LTSMs. A school library, school laboratory and computer technology were prioritised for their bearing on National Curriculum Statement (NCS) implementation. According to the study‘s findings, the prioritised LTSMs were found to be vital in modernising, appropriating and improving a school performance and the quality of education. The study argued that without relevant LTSMs, schools can neither hope nor manage to successfully implement outcomes based education. Hence, learners in those schools are still excluded from quality education. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies and Didactics)

South African educators have experienced problems understanding and implementing various previous curriculum policies such as Curriculum 2005 and the Revised National Curriculum Statement. These problems have made it necessary for the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to introduce the national Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) in 2012. CAPS was intended to improve teaching and learning, but as with the implementation of any new curriculum it implies the following: The need for educator training; Need for new resources; Change in policy; An increased workload. This qualitative study which was conducted at a primary school in the Imfolozi Circuit aimed to determine how CAPS is implemented and its implications on teaching and learning. Data collected from focus group interviews and document analysis revealed that while educators welcomed the introduction of CAPS for its clarity, structure, clear guidelines and time frames however they experienced challenges related to the quality and the amount of training, inadequate resources, increased workload and the impact of rapid pace of the curriculum on teaching and learning. Based on these results recommendations are made for the improvement of the implementation of CAPS. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this qualitative research study was to determine the value that a group of teachers in South Africa would place on the process of lesson study as a model for their own learning and instructional improvement. A qualitative case study approach through an action research design was the methodology employed for this research. Participants in this 18-month study experienced three complete cycles and a fourth partially completed cycle of lesson study. The setting in South Africa offers a unique perspective to research on lesson study. Lesson study has been the primary method of professional teacher development in Japan for more than 50 years. It is also realizing some success in school districts across the USA. The recent educational reforms in South Africa have something in common with each of these countries. Like Japan, South Africa has adopted a national curriculum. The common link with the USA is that both countries have recently experienced educational reform at the national government level. The findings from this research include a discussion of the elements contained in lesson study that may be beneficial to incorporate into continuing professional teacher development programs, an analysis of the sustainability of lesson study, and an exploration of the connection between the model of lesson study and the design of action research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie kwalitatiewe navorsingstudie was om die waarde wat ʼn groep onderwysers in Suid-Afrika op die proses van lesstudie as ʼn model vir hulle eie leer- en onderrigverbetering sou plaas, te bepaal. ʼn Kwalitatiewe gevallestudie-benadering met behulp van ʼn aksienavorsingontwerp was die metodologie wat tydens hierdie navorsing aangewend is. Deelnemers aan hierdie studie wat oor 18 maande gestrek het, het drie volledige siklusse en ʼn vierde gedeeltelike siklus van lesstudie onderneem. Die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks bied ʼn unieke perspektief op navorsing oor lesstudie. Lesstudie was vir meer as 50 jaar die primêre metode van professionele onderwyserontwikkeling in Japan. Dit behaal ook ’n mate van sukses in skooldistrikte oor die VSA heen. Die onlangse onderwyshervormings in Suid-Afrika het iets gemeen met elk van hierdie lande. Soos Japan, het Suid-Afrika ʼn nasionale kurrikulum in gebruik geneem. Die skakel met die VSA is dat albei lande onlangs onderwyshervorming op nasionale regeringsvlak ondergaan het. Die bevindinge van hierdie navorsing sluit ʼn bespreking van die elemente vervat in lesstudie in wat inkorporering in programme vir voortgesette professionele onderwyserontwikkeling tot voordeel kan strek, ʼn ontleding van die volhoubaarheid van lesstudie, en ʼn verkenning van die verband tussen die lesstudie-model en die ontwerp van aksienavorsing.

No description available.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / In hierdie studie word die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van demokrasie in die opvoeding in tydperspektief, naamlik aan die hand van 'n tiental opvoedkundiges se opvoedingsidees en onderwyspraktyke vanuit 'n histories-opvoedkundige perspektief ondersoek. Die nuwe uitkomstegebaseerde onderwys- en leerbenadering in Suid-Afrika word ook ondersoek. Die opvoedkundiges is onder meer: • Plato (427-347 vC) • Marcus Fabius Quintilianus (35-100 nC) • Aurelius Augustinus (354-430 nC) • Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536 nC) • Johan Amos Comenius (1592-1670) • John Locke (1632-1704) • Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) • Maria Montessori ( 1870-1952) • John Dewey (1859-1952) • Paulo Freire (1921-1997) Daar is bevind dat die demokrasie van die vroegste tye af (sedert die antieke Grieke) tot in ons huidige eeu in die opvoeding en onderwys aangespreek, gevestig en uitgebou is. Ten slotte word die uitsprake en praktyke van die vermelde opvoedkundiges en 'n uitkomstegebaseerde onderwys- en leerbenadering in Suid-Afrika beoordeel in terme van demokratiese wesenskenmerke en aanbevelings met betrekking tot die kontemporere en toekomstige opvoeding en onderwys in Suid-Afrika word gemaak. / In this study the origin and development of democracy in education through the ages is traced in terms of a historico-educational examination of the ideas and practices of about ten educationists. The new outcomes-based education and learning approach in South Africa is also examined. The educationists are inter alia: • Plato (427-347 BC) • Marcus Fabius Quintilian (35-100 AD) • Aurelius Augustine (354-430 AD) • Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536 AD) • John Amos Comenius (1592-1670) • John Locke (1632-1704) • Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) • Maria Montessori (1870-1952) • John Dewey (1859-1952) • Paulo Freire (1921-1997) It was found that democracy in educational theory and practice was addressed, established and developed since ancient times (the ancient Greeks) right up to the present. Finally, the educational philosophy and practices of these educationists as well as the outcomes-based educational approach in South Africa are examined in terms of their essential democratic features and recommendations are made regarding the present education system in South Africa. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Historiese Opvoedkunde)

Thesis (Ph.D. (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

This study evaluates a teacher development course on the use of English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT). The course was developed and implemented in a sample of Intermediate Phase classrooms in four rural primary schools of the Free State Province. The course was a language intervention programme in an integrated district development project funded by the Flemish Government. The project was implemented from 2002 to 2004. The course was developed and implemented by Sacred Heart College Research and Development Unit in collaboration with the School of Languages of the North-West University. The course aimed at developing teachers' knowledge and skills in using learners' basic interpersonal communication skills in their home languages and in English to develop their English cognitive academic proficiency. It practically demonstrates communicative language teaching, co-operative learning and reflective practice. The evaluation of the English as LoLT Course explored the multiple perspectives of its evaluation audience; the interrelatedness of the course content and the learning milieu; planning, learner participation and assessment in Outcomes-based education (OBE), teaching practice, and the conceptual development and transfer of English in everyday communication and as the LoLT. The findings and recommendations of the study highlight the need to develop teachers' own English language usage and their participation in professional working groups to develop their knowledge and skills as facilitators, reflective practitioners, and curriculum developers. In addition, the study evaluates the Context Adaptive Model (Lynch, 1996; 2003) selected to guide the evaluation of the English as LoLT Course at a meta-evaluation level. The validation of the language programme evaluation model is mainly related to the epistemological claims of utilitarian pragmatism and interpretivism in programme evaluation research. The ability of the model to facilitate valid findings according to these epistemological claims in the evaluation of the English as LoLT Course is evaluated. Core criteria of flexibility, appropriateness, clarity of description and clarity of logic were identified and used to evaluate the language programme evaluation model. The findings and recommendations of the study attempt to offer a response to the need for quality assured language learning programmes in teacher development, especially for programmes in the use of English as a LoLT in the multilingual and multicultural rural context of South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D. (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

This study evaluates a teacher development course on the use of English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT). The course was developed and implemented in a sample of Intermediate Phase classrooms in four rural primary schools of the Free State Province. The course was a language intervention programme in an integrated district development project funded by the Flemish Government. The project was implemented from 2002 to 2004. The course was developed and implemented by Sacred Heart College Research and Development Unit in collaboration with the School of Languages of the North-West University. The course aimed at developing teachers' knowledge and skills in using learners' basic interpersonal communication skills in their home languages and in English to develop their English cognitive academic proficiency. It practically demonstrates communicative language teaching, co-operative learning and reflective practice. The evaluation of the English as LoLT Course explored the multiple perspectives of its evaluation audience; the interrelatedness of the course content and the learning milieu; planning, learner participation and assessment in Outcomes-based education (OBE), teaching practice, and the conceptual development and transfer of English in everyday communication and as the LoLT. The findings and recommendations of the study highlight the need to develop teachers' own English language usage and their participation in professional working groups to develop their knowledge and skills as facilitators, reflective practitioners, and curriculum developers. In addition, the study evaluates the Context Adaptive Model (Lynch, 1996; 2003) selected to guide the evaluation of the English as LoLT Course at a meta-evaluation level. The validation of the language programme evaluation model is mainly related to the epistemological claims of utilitarian pragmatism and interpretivism in programme evaluation research. The ability of the model to facilitate valid findings according to these epistemological claims in the evaluation of the English as LoLT Course is evaluated. Core criteria of flexibility, appropriateness, clarity of description and clarity of logic were identified and used to evaluate the language programme evaluation model. The findings and recommendations of the study attempt to offer a response to the need for quality assured language learning programmes in teacher development, especially for programmes in the use of English as a LoLT in the multilingual and multicultural rural context of South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D. (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

No description available.

Race, ethnicity and culture have been a central theme in South African history, and while not disregarding the recent socio-political changes, many South Africans of different races continue to lead essentially different lives. Public schools are becoming more racially and culturally integrated and it is important that this leads to incisive change and not merely altering the racial demographics of the learner and educator bodies. Culture in South Africa is dynamic and the values and norms of members of a particular group are in a state of flux. Moreover, the shift from a traditional teacher-centred curriculum to an outcomes-based curriculum in South African education means that the teacher is encouraged to accept each learner in the culturally diverse classroom as an individual, who brings a unique life experience into the classroom and contributes to learning in the context. The learner's cultural background, family and community should be considered in both the selection of learning material and in classroom interaction. This study investigates the South African adolescent's perspective of culture by means of a literature review, a photographic essay and an empirical investigation using a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. The literature review expanded on the concepts of race, culture and ethnicity. Topics relating to the life in Johannesburg that adolescents perceived as significant were commented on in the photographic essay. Thereafter, adolescent learners from two ex-model C schools in Johannesburg were selected as participants in the empirical research. The quantitative research considered aspects such as learner prejudice, ethnic group preference and the value attached to cultural traditions using questionnaires and sociograms as data gathering methods. The qualitative phase used focus group discussions using as a stimulus a posed photograph of a racially diverse group of learners engaged in a group activity. Learners were selected, for the focus discussion groups, on the basis of the results of the sociogram used in the quantitative phase. Findings showed that learners regard diversity as a resource although evidence suggests that black learners are moving away from traditional cultural practices. Based on the findings of the literature study and the empirical inquiry recommendations for the improvement of practice are made. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)