The principles of Total Quality Management (TQM), initially designed to effect continuous improvement in the business sector, have been successfully applied in educational settings. Hence, this study was undertaken to explore educator participation in the implementation of a TQM Strategy at selected academically underperforming secondary schools in the Moses Kotane Area to address shortfalls. A literature review on TQM provided a conceptual framework for the empirical inquiry. Special attention was given to the role of educators in TQM implementation. The empirical study used qualitative research methods to explore the use of TQM in fifteen schools selected by purposive sampling. Observation, document analysis and focus group interviews were used to gather data. The findings indicate that educators regard TQM as an improvement tool; however, they hold negative and positive views about TQM. Finally, recommendations were made to enhance the implementation of TQM in underperforming secondary schools in the Moses Kotane Area. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study deals with the way school principals, educators and learners manage learner behaviour inside the classrooms, as well as in the entire school for the effective and uninterrupted realisation of teaching and learning activities. A qualitative approach was used in this study. The research findings were based on observations, the analysis of documents, as well as the main and sub-categories that were formulated from the interview data gathered at the selected schools. The research confirmed what is already known on learner discipline and discipline problems. In the dissertation more attention is given to factors that contribute to misbehaviour, the impact of misbehaviour on the culture of learning and teaching, and how learner behaviour should be managed in the classrooms and in the schools in general. Furthermore, effective measures of managing learner behaviour are explained and a comprehensive school-wide model of preventing and remediating learner misbehaviour is also provided. / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate opportunities to learn (OTL) algebra by grade ten learners at three Catholic secondary schools in South Africa. Performance in mathematics is poor and is a great cause for concern. Despite the government’s effort to make education open and available to all, underperformance has continued among the black majority who were previously marginalised in the former regime. This thesis focuses on the OTL which are afforded learners who are given the chance to attend classes. This thesis met its aims through an extensive review of related literature and the implementation of practical research. The latter was carried out through case studies conducted in three schools where lessons were observed and interviews conducted with the respective teachers. Literature on how OTL mathematics are created is lacking in South Africa. Real OTL still needs to be created if the expected level of performance is to be achieved. The research produced a number of key findings: the learners were given the right to attend class but were subjected to different OTL, learning to convert within and between the different registers of representation of algebraic concepts is necessary to provide learners with OTL, it is not enough for learners to master certain facts and procedures, and learning is enhanced if the means to make the conversion necessary for concept building is developed and the OTL provided. The teacher’s approach influences the way OTL are realised and utilised by learners. The main conclusion drawn from this research is that the OTL afforded the grade ten learners were not the same and that different chances to make conversion within and between registers of representation of algebra concepts were given. Giving the teachers guidelines without expounding the meaning of specific terms such as ‘convert’ leaves gaps in their practices and results in some learners receiving adequate OTL and others not. This research argues for a more involved capacity building programme for in-service teachers to acquaint them with the expected learner-centred approaches to lesson delivery as well as familiarise them with the terminology used in defining terms in the syllabus. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Globally, there are numerous debates on what constitutes an effective school. Parents strive to choose what they regard as the best school for the education of their children. Historically, school effectiveness is a phenomenon associated with learner attainment. Yet, school effectiveness is measured and conceptualized differently throughout the world. The aim of this research was to determine and define the factors contributing to the effectiveness of secondary schools in the Free State Province of South Africa. A case study was conducted on six schools selected in the Free State Province. Data were collected qualitatively by means of semi-structured and focus-group interviews with principals, SMTs, teachers, SGBs, learning facilitators and school-management and -governance developers. A documentary analysis was carried out to triangulate data from interviews. The data collected were triangulated and supported by an extensive literature review on school effectiveness and improvement. In particular, the literature review encompassed the policy context of school effectiveness in South Africa, definitions of the concept of school effectiveness, models of school effectiveness, methods of evaluating school effectiveness, the relationship between school effectiveness and school improvement, change and school improvement, approaches to school improvement and the characteristics of effective schools. The legislative framework for both teacher and school evaluations is highlighted and their effectiveness critically reviewed with reference to current investigations in the field. These empirical investigations, which, form part of this larger qualitative research project, show that effective schools exhibited high learner attainment, effective teaching and learning, as well as a highly effective leadership and management. Management, leadership and administration, curriculum, school governance and VI school support structures were confirmed as very instrumental as far as school effectiveness and improvement are concerned. Furthermore the study indicates that the current policies are not enhancing school effectiveness and improvement, thus the study recommends the index of school effectiveness and improvement (ISE&I). The Index of School Effectiveness and Improvement, which is a document that schools can use to review and enhance their effectiveness, is a model developed in the course of this study to assist schools in improving their effectiveness. Unlike the WSE review, which takes place every five years, the index suggests a continuous and regular review process by schools carried out by all stakeholders. In conclusion, an overview of the challenges identified by this research project, as well as the aspects in need of further research, is highlighted. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The study focused on the challenges facing school governing bodies in the Vhembe district in the implementation of finance policies. Through the provision of the South African Schools Act, 84 of 1996, the school governing body is entrusted with the responsibilities of establishing and managing the school fund. The research was a multi-site case study of the Vhembe district. Purposive sampling of schools was conducted. Semi-structured interviews, observations and document analyses were carried out. The findings suggest that the finance personnel and committees at school level were not well established, trained and thus became dysfunctional. The researcher recommends that finance policies should be amended, finance committees trained and continuous monitoring of finances provided by the circuit and district officials. The study was also characterized by a number of limitations, including difficulties in understanding financial terminology by some participants and fear of handing in financial documents for examination. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Learner absenteeism is one of the major precursors to poor academic performance. If learners miss school, they do not learn and ultimately they fail or drop-out. Notwithstanding, this problem does not receive the attention it deserves. A literature study, which reviewed research findings concerning absenteeism in South Africa and selected countries, provided a framework for the ensuing empirical inquiry. A qualitative study using in-depth interviews, focus group interviews, document review and observation as data gathering techniques focused on two selected primary schools with a high rate of learner absenteeism in the Acornhoek area of Mpumalanga, South Africa. Participants were purposefully selected as information rich candidates: absentee learners, parents of absentee learners, teachers and school principals. Learner absenteeism negatively impacts effective professional practice, that is, teaching and learning. The study concludes with recommendations to prevent learner absenteeism in order to improve teaching and learning in South African primary schools. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

TQM has been identified as an approach that can be adopted to improve quality in business as well as in education. The main aim of this approach is to involve everybody in decision-making of the organization, in this case a school, with the purpose of achieving highest commitment from staff and customer satisfaction. TQM can be a way which can bring about changes in the education system. It is a philosophy with continuous improvement which can provide a set of practicable tools and techniques to meet the present and the future desires of any educational system. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the influence of TQM on school improvement in secondary schools in the Uthungulu District, Kwazulu-Natal. The questionnaires were handed to schools in the Uthungulu District which is made up of 5 circuits, namely, Umhlathuze Circuit, Umfolozi Circuit, Umlalazi Circuit, Mthonjaneni Circuit and Inkandla Circuit. The research concentrated mainly on School Management Teams (SMTs) and Post Level 1 educators (PL1 educators) from senior secondary schools (high schools). On the whole, respondents in the study area have shown a positive attitude towards understanding the significance of Total Quality Management principles in schools. The findings seem to suggest that everyone has a responsibility of encouraging implementation of TQM in schools. It is important to develop quality management systems, because without them, it is impossible to implement. The quality improvement teams should be empowered to manage themselves and provide programmes that will enable them to be more effective. The proposed model of the study provides information about basic elements and factors which need to be taken into cognisance during the TQM and implementation process. The model identifies the main principles of TQM with continuous improvement at the centre of them all. The main aim of implementing TQM in school should be continuous improvement. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This study investigated the involvement of parents in their children’s homework in the Umlazi District, Mayville Circuit, KwaZulu-Natal. A literature review investigated the nature of parental involvement in learner schoolwork, the role and function of homework in education, models of effective teacher practices to ensure parental involvement in homework and an empirical study that investigated perceptions of teachers, managers and parents regarding effective parental involvement in homework in education. The findings indicate that most teachers agreed that parental involvement in homework is important for learner achievement. The literature review and empirical investigation showed that lack of parental involvement was due to socio-economic factors. From the findings of the investigation, recommendations were made for parents, teachers, school managers and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education to encourage effective parental involvement in their children’s homework and other aspects of their child’s education. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study aimed to gain insight into the nature and extent of traditional and cyberbullying among Grade Six and Seven learners in four public primary schools in Benoni. Using the Social Learning Theory as a basis for understanding bullying as a learned behaviour (socially learned through the observation of authoritarian parents), a quantitative research method was applied which utilised an online self-report questionnaire to examine the relationship between bullying and the Authoritarian parenting style. Results indicate that 50.4% of learners had been victimised, while 31.6% and 8.8% had engaged in perpetrating traditional and cyberbullying, respectively at least once (N = 279). Further results revealed that the Authoritarian parenting style is significantly related to the perpetration of both types of bullying. These results bring to the fore the reciprocal relationship between both types of bullying, and indicate a need for systemic intervention at the primary school level (involving parents/caregivers). Interventions should therefore not seek to separate types of bullying into discreet problems, but rather focus on their common underlying aspects, including parenting behaviours / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

This research is undertaken in Vhembe region in Limpopo Province. Many researchers, on the subject of ‘parent involvement’, have conducted in-depth research; this means parental involvement is not a new term. According to St John and Griffith (1997:48-52), there are important benefits that teachers, learners and parents derive from parents’ participation in school programmes and activities such as healthy communication, generation of interest and building positive self-esteem and confidence, to mention but a few while their children attending school during pre-primary, primary and secondary level. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether parents in Vhembe District involved themselves in the education of their children. The population of a study included three schools in Vhembe, six parents from each sampled schools, six teachers from sampled schools and each principal from sampled schools. The purposeful sampling technique was used to select the participants. The findings are briefly that: -Few parents indicated their appreciation of parental involvement by suggesting ways in which they could become involved, it was clear that a developmental programme should be introduced to motivate parental involvement; -It also came to the attention of the researcher that most of the parents did not attend school meetings because of lack of proper communication; -Parents were silent about the monitoring and supervision of their children’s work while they are at home, which can result in better academic performance. Parents should have high expectations for their children’s future and academic achievement. -It emerged from the interviews that many factors present barriers to parental involvement; like parents’ limited education, economic status, lack of a school policy, poor communication and teachers’ attitude towards parents. Recommendations -From the conclusions drawn above, it is recommended that parental involvement workshops be organised for school managers, school teachers and parents. -To improve parents’ attendance of school meetings, teachers should provide them with an opportunity to communicate their expectations and concerns. -In relation to parents’ role in their children’s education, parents should be motivated to ensure that their children accomplish their goals. -Parents should be empowered with skills of self-confidence, so that they will realise that their children have potential. -Schools should encourage parents to play an important role as partners in their children’s education. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Educational Management)