This qualitative interpretative study used a case study approach to explore the depth of insight foundation phase educators in a public primary school in KwaZulu-Natal had about learners’ educational resilience, especially those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. The study design was underpinned by a theoretical framework that integrated concepts of Ecological and Resiliency Theory and was aimed at answering two research questions; • Do foundation phase educators recognize and understand educational resilience? • Do foundation phase educators enhance educational resilience in learners they consider to be ‘at-risk’ of academic failure? A purposive sample of three Grade 3 educators completed qualitative open-ended questionnaires before participating in a focus group discussion on educational resilience. Reliability and validity was ensured through triangulation of data collection methods; member checking of data verified its accuracy. Classroom observations yielded information about educator instructional style; demographic details and language literacy results of six educator-identified resilient and non-resilient learners provided corroborative data. Findings were analyzed and collated into common themes which revealed that foundation phase educators’ insight about resilience was superficial. Educators were able to identify non-resilient learners but failed to be responsive in their teaching methods. Lack of parental support was considered by educators to be a significant factor in the difference in resilience between learners who experienced the same socioeconomic disadvantage. Educators acknowledged their lack of formal training in the concept of educational resilience. The study concluded that the need for foundation phase educators to deepen their insight level about educational resilience does exist and recommends that pre-and in-service resilience education is included in the professional development of foundation phase educators in South Africa. Limitations of the study were noted. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal,Durban, 2010.

The traditional view in education leadership separates school leaders from teachers. However, traditional views has been challenged by recent research which calls for distributed forms of leadership where all teachers are viewed as having the capacity to lead and where power is distributed across the organization. Therefore, leadership must be understood as a shared process which involves working with all stakeholders in a collegial and creative way to seek out the untapped leadership potential of people and develop this potential in a supportive environment for the betterment of the school. In other words, it is within these professional learning communities that power in the school is redistributed and where teachers can operate as leaders as they strive towards a more equitable society. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

Traditionally South African Schools are characterised by the hierarchical nature of their management structures. The principal is the head of the school and is accountable to the Department of Education. Post 1994 school management teams are in place in schools and membership includes the principal, deputy principal and HOD‟s who hold the formal management positions. Teachers who are not formally appointed to leadership positions are categorized as level-one teachers. Hence, this dissertation works from the premise that these teachers play an important role as leaders, albeit in an informal capacity. These teachers play an important role as leaders, albeit in an informal capacity. Teacher leadership enactment is prevalent in South African Schools, but to varying degrees. Every teacher is a potential teacher leader and therefore every school has an immense wealth of expertise in terms of teacher leadership. However, within the context of their environments, human resources are utilized to varying degrees in the different schools. The research questions which guided this study included: “How is teacher leadership enacted in an urban primary school?” and “What factors promote or hinder this enactment?” The study was designed as a case study which was conducted within the interpretive paradigm and was mainly qualitative in nature. Data were gathered by means of survey questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, a focus group interview, journal entries and observation schedules. The case study was of an urban primary school in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Data were predominantly qualitative and were analysed using thematic content analysis. Findings of the study were that teacher leadership enactment occurred across all four zones, mostly in zone one (in the classroom) and zone two (working with other teachers and learners outside the classroom in curricular and extra-curricular activities). Teacher leadership enactment was very restricted in zone three (outside the classroom in whole school development). Enhancing factors included that there was shared decision-making, a collaborative learning environment and delegation of duties from an informal position. 4 The main barriers were a lack of dialogic space, an overemphasis on control by the SMT and lack of time to enact teacher leadership. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of principals and educators of primary school libraries in implementing Outcomes Based Education (OBE) and imparting and enhancing information skills in the Ndengezi Ward, Pinetown District, KwaZulu-Natal, with a view to proposing a set of recommendations based on the findings that would contribute to more effective use of the school library. The study population consisted of 15 principals and 385 educators. The survey instrument used to elicit data was a self-administered questionnaire that was distributed to a sample population of 15 principals and 105 educators. The questionnaire sought to establish if principals and educators are aware of the role of the school library in the successful implementation of OBE. A total of 104 responded, 10 principals and 94 educators, indicating a response rate of 89.5%. The results were analyzed in terms of frequency responses and are graphically displayed in the form of tables. The study findings show that the educators used both school libraries and other libraries for their curricula needs. Other libraries were more heavily used than school libraries. In the Ndengezi Ward there are no functional and well-resourced school libraries and this has contributed to their underutilization. Principals experience problems in development and establishment of school libraries. There is a need for training educators in library and information skills and creating awareness amongst principals about the role of the school library in implementing OBE. Recommendations for action and further research, based on the conclusions of the study, are made. / Thesis (M.I.S.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

This study reports on a qualitative study that sought to explore the experiences of female Heads of Department in Primary Schools. The study was carried out in KwaNdengezi, Pinetown South. It made use of qualitative methodology to obtain data using semi-structured interviews and observations as its methods of data collection. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants of the study, and the study sample consisted of four female heads of department in four primary schools, with whom the interviews and observations were conducted. The main findings of the study revealed that female heads of department experience and internalize negative stereotypes and believe males do not listen to them and they also experience gender stereotypes and their impact when performing their management duties in schools. Other findings include the experiences related to dynamics of being mothers and teachers at the same time. Further the communication with teachers, teacher discipline and the role that gender stereotyped held by members of the society. There is the issue of unequal power relations between men and women within the schools, which is an underlying factor behind all the gender-based experiences of female heads of department in the schools. Despite the fact that female heads of department encounter gender-based experiences in their management roles and responsibilities, they are engaged in empowering style of management by means of involving all the colleagues in the decision making processes. The study concludes by recommending that female heads of departments require support from all the stakeholders of the school, and that the government should hold workshops and seminars to support them. At the school level, they should resist all attempts at being treated in a condescending manner, and become role models to other aspiring females to assume school management positions for effective management and delivery of quality education. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2012.

Post 1994, the vision of the South African education policy terrain is to transform schools into more effective places of teaching and learning. To achieve this vision, policy suggests a shift in management practices from traditional autocratic headship to more participatory leadership practices, including the leadership of teachers. Theorizing from a distributed leadership perspective, the aim of this study was to explore the concept of teacher leadership and the challenges that are faced by post level one teachers as they operate as leaders in their schools in the South African context. The study sought to investigate how the concept of teacher leadership was understood, how post level one teachers lead in their schools and what challenges to teacher leadership are in schools. The study was conducted in one rural and one semi-urban primary school and it was qualitative in nature. A case study methodology was suitable for this study since it was aimed at gaining teachers understanding and perceptions of teacher leadership. Different methods of collecting data were used and these included interviews, questionnaires, and document analysis. Data were analyzed thematically using Grant’s (2008) model of teacher leadership. The findings indicated that teacher leadership as a concept was still new to certain teachers, even though research on the topic in the South African context is increasing. Some teachers did not think of the roles they played in a school as teacher leadership. The findings further indicated that teacher leadership was experienced differently across the two schools with teacher leadership in the rural school being more restricted than the teacher leadership in the semi-urban school, where it was more emergent. In the rural school, leadership could, at best, be described as authorized distributed leadership while in the semi-urban school, leadership could be described as dispersed distributed leadership. In addition, the findings showed that the major barrier to teacher leadership in the rural school was resistance from the School Management Team while in the semi-urban school the major barrier to teacher leadership was a lack of time. A further barrier to teacher leadership in both schools was teachers themselves who were lazy and did not want to take on additional leadership tasks. The study also found that the major enhancing factor to teacher leadership, particularly in the semi-urban school, was a collaborative school culture where teachers trusted each other and worked together in professional learning communities. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

This research study is an examination of teacher engagement in pedagogy in the foundation phase, within the context of a literacy learning programme. The study explores what teachers know and do in foundation phase classrooms and how this impacts on learner performance. The study aims to identify areas of pedagogy that need to be strengthened so that all South African learners can compete with others, not only at national level (systemic evaluations), but also at international level in tests such as the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) and Progress in Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). The critical question of the study was: How do teachers‟ engagements in pedagogy influence their practice in the literacy learning programmes of selected foundation phase classes in KwaZulu-Natal? It is expected that the findings of my study will stimulate discussions on teacher development and classroom practices for improved learner performance. The research was conducted in three schools in urban KwaZulu-Natal. For purposes of confidentiality and anonymity, the exact location and names of the schools have not been indicated. These schools were selected on the basis of convenience sampling and are within close proximity of each other. Since teachers were the unit of study, learners were only involved as far as their participation in normal classroom lessons was concerned and where samples of their work were examined. This study is located in the interpretive paradigm. An interpretive approach allows me the flexibility to describe, make sense of and interpret teacher engagement in pedagogy within the literacy learning programme. A qualitative research method has been employed and involves the use of case studies as a means to gather information. First, individual face-to- face interviews were held with teachers; then literacy lessons in progress were observed, and finally, documents that the teachers used in planning, preparation and delivery of lessons were examined. Samples of learners‟ work were also examined. Results of the studies on teacher engagement in pedagogy revealed that teachers had followed the Foundations for Learning documents so religiously that they had neglected the essential components of pedagogy, namely the use of appropriate teaching strategies, creating of appropriate learning environments, establishing conducive learning climates, monitoring learners‟ achievements and giving feedback, and use of learner and teacher support materials. Arising from these findings, recommendations are made for these essential components to be considered when engaging in pedagogy for Foundation Phase learners. This study concludes with the recommendation of a teacher engagement model labeled The Teacher Engagement for Learner Improvement Model. This model focuses on improving learner performance and is built around the six interconnected components of pedagogy. The model suggests that the level of learners' achievements will improve as the level of teachers' engagement with these components increases. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate primary school learners’ perceptions of educator absenteeism. This study, which was located at a government primary school in the suburb of Kloof in the Ethekweni region, KwaZulu –Natal, attempted to answer the following key research questions: What are primary school learners’ perceptions of educator absenteeism and, how do they perceive educator absenteeism to be impacting on their holistic development in the classroom. A qualitative case study within the interpretivist paradigm which this study uses, was regarded an appropriate methodology to provide narrative accounts of children’s opinions, understandings, attitudes and perceptions of their world. Two data collection instruments, namely the focus group interview and the closeended, were used. The questionnaire was used to enhance the representivity of the study by involving a larger sample of the target group. A pilot study of the focus group interview was done to evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of the research questions, and to enhance the validity of the research. The learners’ responses guided the compilation of the close-ended questionnaire. Focus group interviews were conducted with each of the four Grade Six classes in the school which formed the target population of this study, and the questionnaire was randomly issued to fifteen (15) learners from each of the four Grade Six classes giving a total of 60 learners. Using the thematic analysis; and frequency counts the data suggests that learners perceive that educator absenteeism impacts negatively on learner development in the classroom with regards to issues such as learner interest and motivation, learner behaviour, learner-educator relationships, educator support and encouragement and classroom climate. The findings in this study concurred with other research studies, both qualitative and quantitative, in which more specific aspects of educator absence were investigated. Based on the findings of this research, the following recommendations were made: firstly, that learners must be meaningfully and constructively occupied during the socalled “free periods”, when the regular classroom educator is absent; secondly, a pool of qualified substitute educators to be established, to fill in for absentee educators so that the teaching and learning process is not disrupted and thirdly, the department of education should revisit its absentee and leave policy so as to apply stricter measures concerning educator absence in an effort to make educators more accountable for their attendance. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.

The aim of this research is to understand the views of teachers regarding professionalism and leadership. As a researcher, I also wanted to investigate whether teachers were given opportunities to lead within a professional capacity in their schools and to examine the factors that promote the development of these teacher leaders as professionals as well as those factors that hinder such development. In view of the recent public servants strike in 2007 and 2010, teachers have been brought under the spotlight in a very negative manner. The teaching profession has been viewed with scrutiny ever since and most if not all teachers were being painted with the same brush of, lack of integrity and respect. The purpose of the study was to examine how teacher leaders performed leadership roles and also to establish whether such roles were within professional parameters or not. There was a need to understand how teacher leaders understood the term professionalism as well as to ascertain what factors promoted and hindered the development of teacher leaders as professionals. The study was conducted within a qualitative, interpretive paradigm and took the form of a case study of five educators, who were two Heads of Department and three post level one teachers’ in an urban primary school in KwaZulu-Natal. Data collection techniques included semi – structured individual interviews, a focus group interview, questionnaires and observation. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The findings of the study revealed that although teachers were actively engaging in leadership roles, very little was done to develop these teachers as professionals. This study acknowledges that management members of schools play a crucial role in the development of teacher leaders as professionals by creating opportunities for this professional development. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.