My project explores the role of teachers at Southern California continuation high schools as it relates to serving low-income students of color in the face of the institutional barriers within alternative education. My study focuses on the teachers’ career, interactions with students, and opinions on accessibility to resources and funding. I have examined their experiences through twenty in-depth, semi-structured interviews with teachers from three districts. My findings indicate that district members’ misconceptions of Latinx students as inherently deviant and academically unengaged drive institutional issues creating financial burden for which teachers are forced to compensate. My study highlights that continuation high schools implement unjust policies, limit teaching materials and resources, reduce funding, and restrict the hiring of ancillary staff. My research pushes for more avenues of communication between the district and teachers to fulfill students’ needs through adequate funding allocation. These results extend existing literature in revealing the untold narratives of California continuation high school teachers, the structural issues within alternative education, and the needs of Latinx continuation high school students.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

This research project explores the views of secondary school Development Studies teachers on the subject in Swaziland. Development Studies as a school subject, was designed to integrate environmental education into the secondary school curricula in Swaziland. The study followed a qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual grounded theory design. Face-to-face individual interviews were carried out where the respondents expressed their thoughts, concerns and feelings about Development Studies as a school subject. Eight Development Studies teachers and one curriculum designer were interviewed. Only one question, followed by relevant probes was presented to the respondents. The question asked was: What do you think of Development Studies as a school subject? This study followed Tesch's approach to data analysis. The study revealed that Development Studies teachers in Swaziland were generally not trained in environmental education. Recommendations are made. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.(Environmental Ed.)

The aim of the study was to investigate the motivation and job satisfaction of teachers in the Ilembe District of KwaZulu-Natal. To this end, a literature study was undertaken on relevant theories and on the results of previous research on the issue. This was followed by an empirical investigation. The research design was a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. During the quantitative phase, a structured questionnaire was completed by 100 respondents from five secondary schools. The qualitative phase involved a phenomenological study in which 16 teachers from the same schools were interviewed. This research found that the teachers generally exhibited high self-efficacies. Teachers with positive self-efficacies were more satisfied with their physical environments and their school’s cultures than the others. However, teachers of different age groups, post levels and personality types were in agreement that the physical working conditions at rural schools were not conducive to effective teaching and learning. Parental involvement in school matters was restricted due to poverty and illiteracy. These factors served to lower teacher motivation and job satisfaction. In addition, teachers believed that school policies related to remuneration, safety and security, school governance, and assessments and evaluations needed to be revised if teacher motivation and job satisfaction were to be raised. Teachers were unhappy with their workloads and the multiple roles they played at school. With respect to interpersonal relations, their relations with their school principals, School Management Teams and parents were unconstructive. Many learners were also ill-disciplined and underachievers. Some significant differences in perceptions were found. Male teachers were more satisfied with policies, interpersonal relationships and school organisation. African teachers were happier than Indian teachers with policies and the nature of the work. Teachers with 26 and more years of experience were less negative about their physical environments. Qualifications also made a difference: teachers with certificates only were the least satisfied with their physical environments, school organisation and structure. Most importantly, teachers who were given the opportunity to demonstrate their potential to be successful, was significantly more satisfied with work-related issues. The study made recommendations to improve the motivation and job satisfaction of teachers. / Education Leadership and Management / D.Ed.(Education Management)

The study investigated the pedagogical impact of the use of smart classrooms by Grade 11 secondary teachers to facilitate the teaching and learning in the Tshwane South District. The lens used to understand this study’s problem was Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge. The researcher used the interpretivist paradigm and a qualitative approach was applied. A multiple case study research design was also employed. Five secondary schools were used from which to collect data. The instruments used to collect data were semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation and document analysis. The population comprised Grade 11 secondary teachers. The ten participants were purposively sampled on basis that they taught Grade 11 classes using smart classrooms on daily basis. Ethical considerations were maintained by ensuring anonymity, voluntary participation, informed consent and confidentiality. Data collected were analysed using thematic analysis. The data were coded and organised into descriptive themes. Trustworthiness in the study was maintained through credibility and transferability. The results revealed that the introduction of smart classroom have a predominantly positive impact on the pedagogy in education and teachers are enjoying the new era in education. The findings of the individual semi-structured interviews reflect that the participants of this study used smart technology in their daily teaching. The findings also revealed that smart technology is useful, important and effective in the teaching and learning process. The findings of the non-participant observation revealed that participants showed varied degrees of mastery of Technological knowledge, Technological Content Knowledge and Technological Pedagogical Knowledge. Some participants were well conversant with navigation of the smart board. They could use the tools and icons on the smart board throughout the lessons. The findings of the document analysis revealed that the five schools had an ICT file and the table of contents of these files were spelt out clearly. Every school had a policy on ICT integration and implementation. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum studies)

Abstracts in English, Sotho and Zulu / Waste generation is a global problem encountered by many nations. In recent years, population growth, booming urbanisation, an increase in economic activities and rise of communities’ living standards have significantly escalated household waste generation which has been a cause for concern. Waste production in households and schools imposes serious concern on the environment. To curb further depletion of environmental resources, sustainable consumption and household waste management practices and systems cannot be over emphasised. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore the views of secondary school teachers’ views with regard to learners’ awareness of household waste management in Newcastle, South Africa. This study, following a qualitative approach, adopted a case study design to explore secondary teachers’ views on learners’ awareness on household waste management in the Newcastle municipality, in the Amajuba District, South Africa. By using semi- structured interviews, non-participatory observation and documents analysis, data were collected from three secondary schools and nine teachers, teaching Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Life Orientation in Grade 8. The findings revealed that teachers understand the importance and benefits of household waste management although misconceptions of household waste management still prevailed. A challenge that emerged showed that teachers lack training to successfully integrate household waste management in their subjects. Their failure to identify household waste management themes in their CAPS subjects was sufficient evidence for the urgency of in-service training of teachers to assist them in integrating environmental education (EE) themes such as household waste management in their subjects. Although teachers experienced several challenges regarding implementing the theme of household waste management in their subjects, they considered the benefits outweighed the challenges. / Tlhahiso ya ditshila ke bothata bo aparetseng dinaha tse ngata. Dilemong tsa morao tjena, kgolo ya baahi, ho eketseha ha ditoropo, ho eketseha ha mesebetsi ya moruo, le ho phahama ha maemo a bophelo a baahi ho ekeditse tlhahiso ya ditshila tsa malapa ka mokgwa o bonahalang, e leng seo e leng sesosa sa ho tshwenyeha. Tlhahiso ya ditshila malapeng le dikolong e baka mathata a tebileng tikolohong. Ho thibela ho qepha ho eketsehileng ha mehlodi ya tikoloho, tshebediso e tsitsitseng le ditlwaelo tsa taolo ya ditshila tsa malapeng le ditsamaiso ho hloka ho elwa hloko ka tsela e kgethehileng. Kahoo, sepheo sa phuputso e ne e le ho hlahloba maikutlo a matitjhere a dikolo tse mahareng mabapi le tlhokomediso ya baithuti ka taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa Newcastle, Afrika Borwa. Phuputso, ka ho sebedisa mokgwa wa boleng, e amohetse moralo wa phuputso e ikgethileng ho hlahloba maikutlo a matitjhere a dikolo tse bohareng hodima tlhokomediso ya baithuti mabapi le taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa mmasepaleng wa Newcastle, Seterekeng sa Amajuba, Afrika Borwa. Ka ho sebedisa dipuisano tse hlophisitsweng hantle, tlhahlobo e sa kenyelletseng bonkakarolo le manollo ya ditokomane, datha e ile ya bokellwa ho tswa dikolong tse tharo tse bohareng le ho matitjhere a robong, a rutang Saense ya Tlhaho, Saense ya Phedisano le Thuto ya Bophelo bakeng sa baithuti ba Sehlopha sa 8. Diphetho di senotse hore matitjhere a utlwisisa bohlokwa le melemo ya taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa le hoja maikutlo a fosahetseng mabapi le taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa a ntse a atile. Phephetso e ileng ya hlaha e bontsha hore matitjhere a haellwa ke kwetliso ya ho kenyelletsa ka katleho taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa dithutong tsa bona. Ho hloleha ho kgetholla dihlooho tsa taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa dithutong tsa bona tsa CAPS e ne e le bopaki bo lekaneng ba ho potlaka ha kwetliso ya matitjhere a tshebetsong ho ba thusa ho kenyelletsa dihlooho tsa thuto ya tikoloho (EE) jwalo ka taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa dithutong tsa bona. Leha ele hore matitjhere a ile a ba le diphephetso mabapi le ho kenyelletsa dihlooho tsa taolo ya ditshila tsa malapa dithutong tsa bona, ba ile ba utlwa hore melemo e feta diphephetso. / Ukukhiqizeka kukadoti kuyinkinga ehlangabezana nezizwe eziningi emhlabeni. Eminyakeni esanda kudlula, ukukhula kwenani labantu, ukukhula kwamadolobha, ukukhula kwemisebenzi yamabhizinisi kanye nokukhuphuka kwezinga lempilo yabantu yikho okuye kwadala ukuthi imizi ikhiqize izinga eliphezulu likadoti/lenkukuma, okuyinkinga ebekade ivele isikhona. Ukukhiqizeka kukadoti emakhaya kanye nasezikoleni kudala izinkinga ezibi kakhulu endaweni. Ukuqeda ukumoshakala/ukuguga kwemithombo yezendawo okuqhubekela phambili, kusobala ukuthi kudingeka izindlela ezisimelele zokugaywa kukadothi kanye nezindlela zokulawula kukadothi kanti konke lokhu kuyiqiniso elingenakuphikiswa. Ngakho-ke, inhloso yocwaningo kwakuwukuphenya imibono yabafundisi bezikole zamabanga aphakeme mayelana nokuxwayisa uhlelo lokulawulwa kukadoti endaweni yase Newcastle, eNingizimu Afrika. Lolu cwaningo ngokulandela indlela yocwaningo eyencike kwingxoxo, luye lwalandela idizayini yocwaningo lotho ukuphenya imibono yabafundisi bamabanga aphakeme mayelana nokuxwayiswa kwabafundi ngokulawulwa kukadoti emakhaya ngaphansi kukamasipaladi waseNewcastle, ongaphansi kwesiFunda saseMajuba, eNingizimu Afrika. Idatha iye yaqoqwa ngokusebenzisa inhlolovo embaxambili, kwahlaziywa indlela yokuziphatha futhi kwahlaziywa imibhalo, kanti le datha iqoqwe ezikoleni zamabanga aphakeme ezintathu kanye nakubafundisi abayisishiyagalolunye, okungabafundisi abafundisa izifundo phecelezi Natural Sciences, Social Sciences kanye neLife Orientation yabafundi bakaGreyidi 8. Ulwazi olutholakele luveze ukuthi abafundisi bazwisisa ukubaluleka kanye nezinzuzo zohlelo lokulawulwa kukadoti, yize kusekhona ukudideka/ukungazwisisani mayelana nohlelo lokulawula ukuphatha kukadoti. Inselelo ebonakele, ikhombise ukuthi abafundisi baswela ukuqeqeshwa ukuze bakwazi ukuzwisisa kahle uhlelo lokulawulwa kukadoti kwizifundo zabo. Ukwehluleka kwabo ukwehlukanisa izindikimba zokulawulwa kukadoti emakhaya ezifundweni zabo zeCAPS kuye kwaba wubufakazi obanele besidingo esisheshayo sokuqeqeshwa kwabafundisi abasemsebenzini ukubanceda ukuba bakwazi ukuhlanganisa izindikimba zezifundo zezendawo environmental education (EE) ezinjengokulawulwa kukadoti ezifundweni zabo.Yize abafundisi behlangabezana nezinselele ezimbalwa mayelana nokusebenzisa indikimba yokulawulwa kukadoti ezifundweni zabo, baye babona ukuthi izinzuzo zalokhu zedlula izinselele. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Environmental Education Curriculum)