This research investigated the role of teacher evaluation in enhancing quality teaching and learning and the extent to which teacher evaluation in Bushbuckridge schools enhances the quality of teaching and learning. It also set out to investigate how the teachers (CS1, HODs, deputy principals and principals) perceived the evaluation system to which they were subjected. The researcher used a qualitative research approach and data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews from a convenient, comprehensive and purposive sample. The sample consisted of twenty-six teachers from three schools in the Dwarsloop Circuit. These schools were chosen purposely on the grounds that all the teachers in these schools had been evaluated successfully. In addition, these schools were within easy reach of the researcher and she also knew most of the respondents. All the interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was carried out simultaneously with the data collection process. Each interview was transcribed and labelled as soon as it was finished. The researcher used a process called coding during data analysis. By means of this process, data was compiled, labelled, separated and organised into categories and sub-categories. Subsequently, these categories formed the basis upon which the findings were made. Among several other findings, it emerged that teacher evaluation enables the educator to create a climate that supports quality teaching and learning, leads to better lesson preparation and presentation in addition to enabling better learner assessment. Respondents also held the view that evaluation encourages teachers’ professional development. Despite these findings, the respondents indicated that in their specific cases, evaluation did not lead to the desired results due to a number of reasons that included incompetent evaluators and an inflexible and unfair evaluation system. Based on the aforementioned findings, a number of recommendations were made. / Education Management / Thesis (M. Ed. (Eucaton Management))

Thesis (MTech (Public Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010 / This research study investigates the impact of different leadership and management styles on Grade 12 learners’ performances in Philippi high schools in Cape Town. The literature that was consulted, explains the nature of performance, performance management, characteristics of good and bad leaders, characteristics of good and bad managers, emotional intelligence, strategic management and different leadership styles. All the above topics were explained in full; the multifactor questionnaire was used to determine the leadership and management styles of principals within their schools. Information was gathered using three instruments, from a sample of seven principals (Leaders) and 150 educators (Raters). Firstly, a set of interview questions for the leaders was compiled, to determine their experience, management and leadership qualifications. This was to ascertain whether the performance of Grade 12 learners in their various schools is directly proportional to their qualifications. Secondly, the multifactor Leadership Questionnaires, which were completed by the leaders (principals), were used to determine leadership and management styles of leaders in the respective schools. The principal rated himself or herself to determine the kind of a leader or manager he or she is, by answering a set of closed questions. Thirdly, the multifactor Rater Questionnaires, which were completed by the raters (Educators and School Management Team), were used to determine leadership and management styles of leaders in the respective schools. The educators rated their principal to determine the kind of a leader he or she was, by answering a set of closed questions.

D. Phil. (Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. / The White Paper on the provision of education in the RSA (1983: 3) has made proposals for a new policy framework on issues of ownership, governance, finance and legal categories of schooling. On launching the White Paper (1993) on Education Provision, Prof. Sibusiso Bhengu (Minister of Education) (Learning Press No 7:712/03/1993:49) said that S.A. has never had a truly national system of education and training and does not have one yet. He added that the White Paper describes the process of transformation in education and training so that a system serving all our people, democracy and the RDP can come into existence. According to the ANC Discussion Document (1994:50) the upgrading of the teacher's quality will improve their competence. The country needs a dynamic system with a clear mission and sufficient scope to perform it. The ANC Discussion Document (1994: 50)states that teacher preparation and development would be the cutting-edge of educational

The research problem of this study was to assess the extent to which the appraisal system for junior and middle level managers in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) met the requirements and guidelines for performance appraisal as stipulated in the literature. To achieve this objective, the following procedure was followed: · A survey of existing literature, related to performance appraisal, was conducted. The literature study focused on the requirements for an effective performance appraisal system, appraisal methods and appraisal errors. Attention was also focused on who should take responsibility for performance appraisal and the importance of regularly evaluating the performance appraisal system to meet the demands of a changing environment. The second part of the literature study dealt with the guidelines for establishing an effective appraisal system as well as performance management processes and cycles that are critical for the effectiveness of an appraisal system. The theoretical study formed the basis for the development of a survey questionnaire to establish the extent to which junior and middle level managers in the SANDF agreed with the theoretical guidelines. The survey was administered to a randomly selected group of junior and middle level managers who were representative of the South African Army, Airforce and Medical Services. The empirical results indicated that there was concurrence with many of the guidelines in the literature, but that there were areas that could be improved. It became evident that many respondents felt that the current system was not entirely fair and was not adapted to meet the needs of the integrated SANDF. Specifically, results indicated that the system should be re-evaluated to eliminate bias and to enhance the development of clear standards, both on a quantitative and qualitative level. It became clear that training and communication were important to the successful development and utilisation of a performance appraisal system. An effective performance appraisal system that is integrated with the overall performance management system of an organisation will enhance productivity, satisfaction and the attainment of goals.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the Performance Management System, since its inception and to date, with regards to the advancement of organisational goals and objectives through employee development, as well as resource allocation for service delivery to the residents of the Amathole District Municipality (ADM). The concept of performance management is key for achieving organisational goals and objectives, since it seeks to develop employees by identifying areas of strengths and weakness. The study is based on the assumption that although municipalities are different, and their approach to performance management particularly individual performance differs. This study therefore is based on the assumption that, levels of poor service delivery, and the consequent service delivery protests experienced in the ADM, can be ascribed to a poor linkage between annual performance planning and the assessment of municipal officials. Annual organisational performance, and individual performance planning and output, is not commensurate. Furthermore, a lack of correlation between these variables has led to the poor implementation of basic services and good governance, which has resulted in low levels of citizen satisfaction with the ADM. The empirical survey and research methodology used in the study is described and explained and followed by the data collection in a form of questionnaires. The research findings from the empirical survey are then analysed and reported accordingly. Recommendations are presented in the last chapter based on the empirical survey findings through the respondent’s inputs in the questionnaire. Recommendations are therefore also presented on how Amathole District Municipality can improve its business to achieve the objectives performance management. The key recommendation that came from the study is that ADM planning should be executed in collaboration with other government departments, government agencies, municipalities, private sector and NGOs, in order to maximize chances of achieving effective and efficient service delivery in communities.

M.A. (Public Management and Governance) / The Department of Education has been faced with challenges regarding the improvement of quality teaching and learning in South African schools. This led to the Department of Education’s endeavors to ensure that the goals and objectives set for improving the quality of teaching and learning were achieved by putting the Developmental Appraisal and Whole School Evaluation Systems in place to address the challenges in education. The Developmental Appraisal System and Whole School Evaluation System were, however, not successfully implemented, hence the Department of Education’s agreement with unions in the Education Labour Relations Council to integrate all the systems into an Integrated Quality Management System. The perception of the effectiveness of the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) as a tool for monitoring teacher performance is the focus of the study. Documentary sources on the evaluation of the purpose, objectives and performance of the IQMS and the role-players in the implementation process have been assessed. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with members of the School Development Teams and the School Governing Bodies of the four selected secondary schools. It was found that the teachers were not totally against the IQMS as a tool for evaluating performance and providing for development which could lead to high levels of learner achievement and broader school improvement. However, the way in which the IQMS was implemented posed a challenge to its authenticity. The fact that even ineffective teachers benefitted from the rewards received and that learners’ achievements were not considered, was cause for concern. The School Governing Body members who were interviewed were also concerned about their partial involvement in conducting Internal Whole Evaluations, as data was not used efficiently and effectively to influence decision making and planning towards school improvement. The minimal training provided by the Department of Education hampered the process of assisting the School Governing Body members to realize the goals of achieving quality education. There was also concern that the Department of Education should provide resources that would assist in the realization of quality education especially in no-fee paying schools. It is clear that accountability for poor or underperformance in schools cannot be one-sided as all stakeholders must ensure that the development of teachers is effective and will maximise the potential for better learner achievement and school improvement. All the stakeholders interviewed viewed the IQMS as a step in the right direction but believed that intense advocacy should be undertaken and rigorous training provided for all stakeholders to understand the drive towards achieving quality education. The recommendations made to the Department of Education by scholars and educators who are interested in achieving quality education for all should be welcomed and implemented and efforts towards the upliftment of education should not be a futile exercise. Engagements with all stakeholders, even at grassroots level, are vital to give those in the leadership have direction as to what the real needs are.

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Motivated teachers are essential for effe~~ive teaching to take place. As a result of trauma experienced by the black teacher, especially after 1976, when their authority was. undermined and the slogan "Liberation before education" was the theme of the day, teachers were unmotivated to teach. Furthermore the existing forms used to "inspect" the teachers were unacceptable for the ANC government and teachers. The researcher, out of his experience as subject advisor, identified and addressed the shortcomings in the existing evaluation practices by developing a motivation strategy where a motivation form is used. In this way a learning culture could again be established in the schools. As a grounding for above mentioned strategy a literature study was done on motivation, the motivation theories as well as ways in which adults are motivated. Goal setting, what it entials, existing theories as well as the errors made when setting goals, were also researched by means of literature studies. A motivation form is developed in this research, in which the purpose, development and structuring of the form is discussed. Finally research is undertaken to determine the didactic principles relevant to this study were researched to determine what the purpose and value of each principle were, and how these could simultaneously contribute towards the mastering of the work by the pupils.

M.A. (Social Work) / This study serves to provide social workers in foster care practice in South Africa with a social technology innovation that is: Contextually appropriate Grounded in theory and User friendly. Social workers in South Africa do not have access to a set of standardised assessment criteria with which to assess prospective foster parents, and yet there are over half a million children in the foster care system in South Africa. Consequently, the research goal of this study is to design and develop a contextually appropriate protocol in social work for the assessment of prospective foster parents in South Africa. In order to achieve this, a number of objectives are linked to this goal: 1. To conduct a literature study for the identification of the dimensions (assessment) areas of the protocol. 2. To design a theoretically grounded model of the competencies of effective foster parents in South Africa. 3. To develop a professional social work protocol with which to assess the competencies of prospective foster parents. 4. To conduct focus groups and Delphi cycles to improve the face validity and content validity of the protocol. Developmental research methodologies were used to design the protocol. In the process of using the DR&U model (Thomas, 1984), a further outcome of the study is the development of a research method for the development of a contextually appropriate protocol in social work. The study comprises two stages: Stage 1 entails the design of a model of the competencies of effective foster families (determining “what” constitutes a good foster parent and developing a model of the ideal foster parents). The dimensions or assessment areas of the protocol are identified by means of a detailed literature study. Data obtained from the literature study is integrated with the outcomes of two Nominal Group Techniques and a Delphi Technique. This is to ensure user participation and to contextualise the model and protocol. Stage 2 entails the design and development (to a limited degree) of an assessment protocol with which to assess prospective foster families (specifying “how” one determines if foster parents meet the criteria of the ideal foster parents in the model designed in Stage 1). The conceptual framework of a model of the assessment of prospective parents is refined through a workshop and Delphi Technique with foster parents and social workers. This is to ensure a measure face validity and the adequacy of the protocol. This study concludes with an evaluation of the outcomes of the study, as well as the research method used to develop the model and the protocol. The model and the protocol are attached to this study.

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract