The aim of this study was to assess the primary teacher upgrading programme at Ramaano Mbulaheni Training Centre (RMTC). The literature review in this work includes a selection of related studies and articles in developing countries such as South Afric~, Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe and in developed countries like Japan, Britain and United States of America. These together formed I the theoretical base of the research. A survey was carried out in the Malamulele, · Mutale, Sekgosese, Soutpansberg, Thohoyandou and Vuwani areas in the Northern Province Region 3, to find out whether the RMTC teacher upgradi"g · programme is serving the purpose of up·grading underqualified primary teachers. An attempt was made to give the necessity of teacher upgrading in South Africa and an assessment was made of the Ramaano Mbulaheni Training Centre upgrading programme. / Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Issues of overcrowdedness in Eastern Cape schools have become very prominent in the media. The qualitative research in this study reiterates its existence and its implications for both learners and teachers. A need exists to curb the declining schooling standards. Large-scale in-service teacher training in an immediate joint effort by the Education Department and the school is necessary to address these serious issues. Classroom situations with low pupil:teacher ratios, classroom atmospheres conducive to teaching and learning, and an improved quality of education should be strived for. The effective attainment of the ideals of outcomes-based education requires improved teacher management and leadership to better disciplined classes. The treatment of any backlogs and inequalities evident in overcrowded classes should aim mainly at the upliftment of disadvantaged learners, who are still suffering under the effects of the previous education dispensation. Relevant recommendations and a suggested model to rectify the situation are proposed. / Oorbevolkingsvraagstukke in skole in die Oos-Kaap geniet aansienlike aandag in die media. Die kwalitatiewe navorsing van hierdie studie fokus op die voorkoms en implikasies daarvan vir beide die leerders en onderwysers. Daar bestaan 'n behoefte om dalende onderrigstandaarde te verbeter. Grootskaalse indiensopleiding vir onderwysers in 'n onmiddellike gesamentlike paging deur die Onderwysdepartement en die skoal is noodsaaklik om hierdie emstige probleem aan te spreek. Daar moet gestreef word na meer voordelige klaskameromstandighede met 'n laer leerder:onderwyserverhouding, 'n klaskameratmosfeer wat bevorderlik is vir onderrig en leer asook 'n verbeterde opvoedingskwalitiet. Die effektiewe verwesenliking van uitkomsgebaseerde onderrig verg verbeterde leerkrag beheer en leidinggewing aan beter gedissiplineerde klasse. Die behandeling van agterstande en ongelykhede wat in oorbevolkte klasse voorkom, moet daarop gemik wees om agtergeblewe leerders, wat nog onder die gevolge van die vorige onderwysbedeling ly, op te hef. Toepaslike aanbevelings en 'n voorgestelde model om die situasie reg te stel, word voorgele. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Curriculum 2005 together with its learning areas has been introduced in South Africa in 1998. All learning areas, except Technology Learning Area, are not new. Technology is growing so rapidly that it gives so many challenges to people. These challenges include making technology part of our curriculum, formulating and adapting technological solutions to problems people may experience. We have to ask ourselves what technology or Technology Education means. Therefore, this study provides the meaning and the rationale for Technology Education in our curriculum. This study also attempts to shed light on the form of training educators should attend for Technology Education. Although there are different methods of training, for example PRESET and INSET, this study concentrates on various forms of INSET. INSET is chosen because it is a means through which the present need for Technology Education educators can be solved. The percentage of educators involved in part-time study will increase in relation to the number in full-time education. The closing down of some of colleges of education in South Africa reduces the use of PRESET and increases INSET as a means of educator training. The advantages of using INSET instead of PRESET are provided in this study. The National Teacher Audit of 1995 has shown that the quality of INSET in South Africa is poor. In addition, it seems the present ad hoc way of running INSET will not cope with challenges of training educators for Curriculum 2005 and Technology Education. Normally, INSET is the prime strategy for addressing problems in PRESET. Unfortunately, INSET has to train educators for Technology Education (Technology Learning Area) which was never touched by PRESET before. For this reason, this study provides an INSET model, guidelines and recommendations to make the suggested model of INSET work successfully. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)

This research is directed at the investigation of teacher education and the professional status of the teacher in the Northern Province. The literature study examined the essential characteristics of a profession and these were rephrased as criteria to evaluate to what. extent education . meets these criteria. Education is a profession although it does not fully meet the criteria of such traditional professions as law and medicine. A qualitative investigation was undertaken to determine how successfully teacher education is realised in the Northern Province. It was revealed that teacher education is not founded on a pedagogically justifiable theory. The status of the teacher is low. To redress this situation, continuous research and in-service education are recommended whereby the teachers' status and the standard of teacher education may be enhanced Culture needs recognition in the curricula that need to be changed to meet the demands of a changing society. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

The purpose of the study was to explore the implementation of the curriculum and assessment policy statements in the selected primary schools in Limpopo Province. An empirical investigation following qualitative approach was carried out to investigate the views of teachers from two primary schools in Capricorn District. Two curriculum advisors were interviewed as well as five teachers to find out their views and experiences on the CAPS training and implementation issues and challenges. The study confirms that teachers are not well prepared to meet the challenges of the CAPS. The time set aside for training is limited, the resources needed to support teachers and the implementation are inadequate and some of the trainers are not well prepared. The study recommends that the Department of Basic Education continues engaging with trainers, school management teams, teachers and learners and determine specific strategies, based on the school contexts, to improve the provision of training, resources and support to enable effective and efficient curriculum implementation. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The study deals with the professional development of educators as a key factor in the promotion of the culture of learning in Johannesburg South District. The aim was to determine the impact of professional development workshops in Johannesburg South district schools. A literature review was used to establish what other scholars say about the concept of professional development. Thereafter, a qualitative study was conducted. Data was gathered during interviews, based on pre-planned interview questions. Ten experienced participants were selected by using purposive sampling and asked about their perceptions and experience of professional development in the Johannesburg South District. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed to explore educators’ insights about professional development in the district. Findings indicate that educators wish to be rewarded with certificates of attendance or monetary incentives after attending professional development workshops presented by knowledgeable facilitators, and they also wish to collaborate with teachers from other districts. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The worldwide emphasis on lifelong learning, the continuous and fast pace of change and the competitive nature of practice forces professionals in all sectors to remain abreast of the latest knowledge, skills and/or innovations. This has contributed to the evolution of the term continuing professional development (CPD). The university lecturer in the natural sciences functions within a unique area of professional practice, as the practice requires scholarship – which contains elements of both subject-specific and educational expertise. It remains unclear how CPD within this professional arena is defined in terms of need, purpose and provision. The current quality of learning and evaluation of learning also warrants investigation. This study aimed to investigate how CPD could play a role in scholarly development from the perspective of lecturers in the Faculty of Science at Stellenbosch University (South Africa). A qualitative approach was followed. Semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample, followed by an open-ended questionnaire with a stratified random sample, were used. The results are reported in seven chapters, of which the first provides an orientation to the conducted study. The second chapter focuses on placing CPD in the context of scholarly practice in the natural sciences at Stellenbosch University. The third chapter investigates the provision of CPD in the natural sciences that could enhance integrated scholarship. The fourth chapter investigates the quality of learning within CPD as a measure of scholarly development. The fifth chapter reports on the evaluation of scholars’ learning in CPD in the natural sciences at Stellenbosch University, while the sixth chapter focuses on current issues and future trends in CPD for natural science lecturers at Stellenbosch University that will motivate an integrated and holistic approach to scholarly development – based on their own insights into their professional practice. The final chapter concludes the study with recommendations for the future practice of CPD within this sphere. The main findings indicate a difficulty in defining CPD, as these lecturers see themselves as a diverse group not easily confined to the traditional boundaries of a professional sphere. This difficulty in defining CPD has a direct influence on the lecturers’ need for CPD and the purpose of CPD within this sector of higher education. The provision of CPD for lecturers in the natural sciences does not conform to an integrated and coherent system of provision between the different stakeholders. Many initiatives are informal and are initiated according to individual needs. There is evidence of collaborative efforts within the different disciplines, although they are limited in terms of transdisciplinarity and true integration of scholarly roles. As a result of the complexities of academic practice, the quality of learning within the existing CPD initiatives is not easily determined. The progression from novice to expert is a continuous process, which is mostly self-directed and reflective in nature. Formalised government interventions, Total Quality Management systems, leadership development, mentorship and situated learning are presented as possible means of enhancing the quality of learning in CPD. The present study indicates the lack of appropriate evaluation of learning in CPD as the main shortcoming in the total process of CPD conceptualisation, provision, quality assurance and evaluation within the study population. Accountability for the monetary investment and energy spent on any CPD initiative is therefore limited. Portfolios, peer review, open-ended problems and simulations, auditing and observation of practice are presented as viable options for effective evaluation of learning in CPD that could enhance integrated scholarship. The future trends in CPD are discussed in terms of the future context of practice; the role of and need for experts; how experts will be educated and how they will maintain their competence. This provides a holistic view of scholarly development through CPD within the context of lecturers in the natural sciences in the Stellenbosch University.

Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Studies))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The numerous changes to the South African education system since January 1998 have had far reaching effects on schools and the training of educators (Government Gazette, 31 May 2002:13). Changes in subject content have occurred in various subjects, and the General Science (now Natural Science) syllabus is no exception. The General Science syllabus previously catered mainly for Chemistry, Physics and Biology, but the Curriculum 2005 (C2005) Natural Science syllabus includes subject matter on Physical Geography (Climatology, Astronomy, and Geomorphology) (Department of Education, 2002b:6). The problem with this is that educators that previously taught General Science are not necessarily qualified to present the Physical Geography component of the new syllabus. This study investigates the impact of the changes in the new curriculum. The review of existing literature on curriculum development in Natural Science education in South Africa emphasises key changes made in the development and implementation of C2005 and the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS). It also explores the characteristic features of misconceptions, before considering specific misconceptions in Natural Sciences. The first part of the two-tiered empirical investigation is based on the results of questionnaires and interviews completed by different groups of Natural Sciences educators. The questionnaires, which drew in part on existing questionnaires used in similar studies, were based on information used for the literature review. The second part of the empirical investigation consisted of interviews conducted with Natural Sciences Departmental Heads at randomly selected schools. An attempt was made to determine how these senior educators experienced the implementation of C2005 and RNCS and what their attitude to the new curriculum were. The data obtained from the questionnaires and the subsequent interviews were categorised, interpreted and coded for statistical processing.

The aim of this research was to make recommendations on how to facilitate a healthy sense of Computer Self-Efficacy (CSE) in teachers of a primary school in South Africa. A literature study was conducted to determine a theoretical framework for the study. Thereafter a mixed method design was used to conduct an empirical investigation. This was done by means of focus group interviews, questionnaires and an observational narrative. The most important finding was that the teachers who participated in the research were professional and enlightened about the value of technology. They agreed that although daunted by the idea of technology it is essential for them to become proficient in the use of computers. The researcher came to the conclusion that the main obstacle that stands between the participants and technological proficiency was a weak sense of CSE. Recommendations were made on how one could use extrinsic motivation to introduce new technology in such a way as to enhance self-efficacy and as result computer self-efficacy. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

The aim of this research is to find out if a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college in Mpumalanga, South Africa has any CPD programme for its lecturers and how it is managed. Through personal experience, interaction with fellow lecturers and literature review, I noted the evident lack of college-driven continuous professional development (CPD) of lecturers. I discovered that most TVET college lecturers are holders of teaching qualifications suitable for schools and not the TVET college sector. The research was qualitative. I conducted in-depth interviews with the senior management of the college, a focus group interview with lecturers and finally document analysis. Data analysis was inductive and verbatim quotations from participants were used. I found that although the college did have a CPD programme, there were many shortcomings. Strengths of the programme include funding and a planned CPD committee. Deficiencies relate to non-communication between staff members and management and a laissez-faire attitude of management in the handling of CPD. Based on the findings numerous recommendations are made concerning the way CPD is managed at this college and by the Department of Higher Education. These recommendations may relate to other colleges to make their CPD programme more effective for their academic staff. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)