M.Ed. / Innovation is not a constraint In education which will disappear if it is ignored. innovation, and for the purposes of this study, curriculum innovation is a means whereby man adapts and survives in a continuously changing society. Curriculum Innovation Is defined by Ceri (1969:13) in the following manner. "We understand Innovation to mean those attempts at change in an educational system which are consciously and purposefully directed with the aim of Improving the present system"...

This research was based on the question of how Foundation Phase teachers in the schools received the new curriculum for implementation. Current developments in introducing the new curriculum in South Africa have led to the hope that it would be received eagerly and become well implemented by its utilisers. The common trend of thinking was that if South Africa receives a new system of education, it will obviously be in keeping with changes cherished by its population that voted for such changes. However, these changes in education did not come as expected. In this research paper, the researcher made the case that receiving the new curriculum for implementation by teachers is a risk-taking exercise, especially at the entry level of the school, i.e. the Foundation Phase. He also problematised the notion of receiving a new curriculum by interrogating the ways or methods of implementation, the degree of knowledge and skills of teachers and their concomitant perceptions and attitudes towards the implementation of the new curriculum. In presenting this argument, the researcher firstly discussed the different perspectives of and the ‘rationale’ for introducing a new curriculum in the country, which in this case happens to be South Africa. Secondly, he highlighted the role of competent, receptive and enthusiastic Foundation Phase teachers in dealing with the new curriculum. And thirdly, alluded to the challenges facing South African schools in implementing the new curriculum, and made a claim that the present implementation in the country is making a mess out of education. The aims were to examine the manner in which the new curriculum was presented to teachers at entry level into the school(s), which in this case would be the Outcomes-Based Education curriculum in the Foundation Phase. The problems that were associated with the introduction of the new curriculum were investigated; the level of teachers’ participation in the implementation of the new curriculum was looked into; and the findings of the research provided a set of conclusions and recommendations for the Department of Education, Curriculum Specialists and teachers, that will hopefully enlighten them on this burning issue in the Foundation Phase. For this study a qualitative approach was used, and the methods applied included observation of the targeted population while engaging with its work, which happened to be the implementation of Curriculum 2005/the Revised New Curriculum Statement; and interviews with the Foundation Phase teachers in township settings. The researcher believes that through these interviews the respondents have unveiled many unmentioned and well kept secrets of teachers who are teaching in the Foundation Phase. Teaching is a proud profession, and it is not so easy for experienced teachers to acknowledge that they are struggling with the implementation of the new curriculum in their classrooms. And when the teachers are well qualified to teach on top of their long experience in the Foundation Phase, so much the more the feelings of inferiority and incompetence as far as the new curriculum and OBE and all the new assessment requirements are concerned. This study also broke the silence of the teachers’ frustrations and discomfort surrounding the attendance of in-service training opportunities and workshops. It should encourage the authorities to take heed of these remarks of the teachers, as this can easily and painlessly be rectified to serve the loyal teachers as best and fast as they can. One of the strongest pleas that were made concerns the upkeep and sustenance of the school’s physical facilities and playgrounds. The neatness and even aesthetic countenance of the classrooms have an enormous role to play in the general education of learners, and to this the SGBs and SMTs must seriously and hastily attend. The parents can also play an important role in this regard. As far as the limitations go, there are a few, namely the contextual factors, financial constraints and time factors. Nevertheless, the findings of this study can for sure be generalised and made applicable to Foundation Phase teachers’ problems in other regions, circuits and even provinces, as the results from the teachers came over very strongly, resounding the same difficulties that teachers all over are experiencing. / Dr. M.C. van Loggerenberg

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of the Masters degree in Education at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 15th March 2016 / In Lesotho the development of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy is considered a crucial milestone in the history of education in the country as it is the first official curriculum document to be published post-independence. The policy advocates an integrated approach with a merge of eleven subjects that were taught at primary school into five learning areas. Integrated curriculum is adopted as a means to make education relevant in an attempt to address the socio-economic needs of the country. Curriculum revision towards integrated curriculum is done in phases, and the process of implementing the new curriculum is currently at primary school level. In 2013 implementation started in grade one, two and three, it has moved progressively such that in 2015 implementation was in grade five. The aim of this research was therefore to explore challenges primary school teachers face in implementing integrated curriculum. This study intended to find out how grade three and grade five teachers’ interpret and enact integrated curriculum. The study followed a qualitative case study method in which six teachers from three schools participated. The data was gathered through semi structured interviews in order to find out how teachers understand integrated curriculum. To further understand how teachers interpret the curriculum lesson observations were conducted. The study was informed by Bernstein (1971) concepts of classification and framing as they provided the language for description of their pedagogic choices. The lessons were coded and classification and framing values were designated. The findings revealed that in two of the three schools the teachers attempted to implement the curriculum, however in terms of classification and framing their pedagogic understanding was limited and varied. The teachers’ understandings of integrated curriculum across the schools varied. Teachers in School A understood the curriculum to mean making links between everyday knowledge while the understanding of teachers in school B was interconnection between concepts across learning areas. In the third school the teachers were not implementing the curriculum; findings showed that they lacked understanding of integrated curriculum as all their lessons were strongly framed and classified. In all three schools the findings reflected that teachers’ pedagogic choices were related to their understanding and interpretation of the curriculum. Given this, there is still a need for further teacher development and follow up in schools. Key terms Curriculum reform, integrated curriculum, pedagogy

Learning beyond classrooms is becoming more common in formal and non-formal education internationally. Research on outdoor learning and education has focussed on barriers, outcomes, and equity rather than processes or teachers' practice. Despite claims around the importance of natural and outdoor places in education, the ways in which teachers consider and use particular places in preparing for and teaching outdoors is not well understood. Despite calls to do so, non-anthropocentric, posthumanist, and new materialist place theories remain under-utilised in empirical research in this area. Notably, there are only a handful of studies that include any reference to teachers' views or practices with respect to the role of more-than-human elements. The aim of this thesis was to find out from teachers themselves when and how more-than-human elements became harnessed into the planning and enactment of curricula for outdoor learning. A multicase study was employed to inquire into the practice of five in-service school teachers based on place-responsive methods, namely, walking interviews and memory-box interviews. Drawing on postqualitative orientations to analysis, Deleuzoguattarian inspired vignettes produced four findings. In different ways, these teachers' practice emerged through (1) their ability to notice the more-than-human, (2) attending to how their learners noticed and responded to the more-than-human in educational experiences, (3) seeking to become more attuned to the places visited, and (4) supporting the assembling of material, discursive, human, and more-than-human elements together in curriculum making. Implications for teacher education and in-service practice that encourage consideration of the more-than-human in educational practice are signposted. The thesis' contribution provokes new considerations of how outdoor educational provision can be re-oriented to include more-than-human elements. These contributions may be significant in supporting education that could improve human environment relations and address environmental concerns.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 194-208).

The value of teachers' perceptions of science is noted, given that teachers play an active part in implementing curricula. The possibility that teacher's perceptions of science may be different from the image of science portrayed in the official curriculum is considered. Given that during the apartheid era, education was dominated both politically and culturally by one group, objections to the ideological-cultural dimension of the official curriculum were expected. An exposition of the philosophical basis for science teaching and curriculum development is attempted. A process model of curriculum is adopted as it is seen as more effective in portraying the political context of curriculum practice. It is argued that both curriculum practice and the notion of being "scientific" are not objective but depend on the dominant culture. Therefore, there is a need to be open-minded and eclectic about the notion of being "scientific". An attempt is made to identify teachers ' perceptions rather than test the teachers' perceptions against a given norm. In this context a qualitative approach is attempted in identifying teachers perceptions of science by using unstructured and open-ended interviews. A content analysis of the overarching philosophical view in prescribed books and syllabus documents is attempted. Findings are that , broadly speaking teachers perceptions of science were not dissimilar from those in the official curriculum when the study was conducted. In making recommendations for curriculum development it is noted that teachers views need to be accommodated. However including teachers in curriculum development should go hand in hand with workshops to raise teachers awareness o f the issues involved. It is also argued that there is a need f or separate curricula for those who go on to be scientists as well as those who need science for their general education. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Durban, 1994.

The purpose of the study was to create a differentiated staff paradigm for a new senior high school with a prescribed learning program but without a designated faculty. The paradigm was designed by identifying elements of a viable differentiated staffing pattern from a review of related literature and research, and incorporating the elements into a predetermined learning program for the selected school. The school selected for the study was a new senior high school in Elkhart, Indiana, which was under construction at the time the study was being conducted. The school was scheduled to open in September of 1972.The review of related literature and research included an examination of existing theory related to differentiated staffing and a description of three models of existing differentiated staffing programs. A review of the planning history and basic foundations for the school being studied was presented. Concepts upon which were developed the educational specifications for the high school, and which related directly to staffing considerations for the school, were described.A rationale for the paradigm explained why the selected school appeared to be an appropriate one to consider a differentiated staffing arrangement. The rationale reviwed process considerations for development of a differentiated staff paradigm. From the review essential elements of a differentiated staffing plan were identified and these elements were used as a framework for presenting a paradigm for the selected school.General conclusions drawn from the study included:1. Sufficient research on differentiated staffing programs does not exist to draw absolute conclusions about the concept.2. The process of relating a review of research and literature to a defined learning program for an impending high school can be utilized to design a differentiated staffing paradigm for that school.3. A functional differentiated staff will be founded on specialization of job responsibilities while insuring flexible utilization of individual competencies.4. Teachers must be intimately involved in the planning and implementation of a differentiated staffing program.5. The existence of a differentiated staffing pattern in one school will affect administrative and decision-making functions on a system-wide basis.6. Individuals accepting differentiated staffing positions with broader job scope than traditional teaching assignments accept, concurrently, a greater degree of responsibility.7. The greater the responsibility in a differentiated staffing position the greater should be the remuneration and involvement in decision making in that position.8. Evaluation of performance within a differentiated staff should be based upon measured achievement of described tasks.9. The role of the principal cannot be an autonomous one in a school which employs a differentiated staffing pattern.10. Both pre-service and continuous in-service training activities are vital to success of a differentiated staffing plan.11. In order to relate specialized positions to defined goals and individual skills, periodic evaluation and resultant restructuring of a differentiated staff organization is called for.Recommendations for further study were as follows:1. If a differentiated staff plan should be implemented within the selected high school a study of the actual plan vis-a-vis the pattern posed in the paradigm should be made.2. Successes and limitations of differentiated staffing programs in achieving stated objectives should be measured.3. Contrasting methods of evaluation of performance in a differentiated staff should be compared and analyzed.4. The effect of a differentiation of assignment on staff performance and morale should be assessed.5. The effect of implementing a differentiated staffing pattern in one school on the system-wide educational program should be studied.6. The relationship between differentiated teaching assignments and a concept of accountability in achieving educational goals and objectives should be reviewed.7. The role of the principal in a differentiated staff should be analyzed and reported.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of Education Policy and Management, 2004. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 275-298).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Western Sydney, Nepean, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2008. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on June 22, 2009) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.