The purpose of this research was to gain insight into key factors contributing to the recruitment and retention of teachers of color in New York City, NY, with special attention to their identity formation and understanding of their professionalism as it relates to who they are and where they work. This research entails quantitative results from a survey of more than 100 public school teachers of different racial backgrounds, followed by in-depth interviews with 26 teachers of color across different social contexts of the New York City public school system. This research is grounded in a trifold conceptual framework based on identity formation, sociology of the professions, and critical race theory to examine the interwoven complexities of how teachers of color make meaning of their district and school work as it relates to their understanding of whether they are seen as professionals. This study seeks to address the gap between the current body of literature about the recruitment and retention of teachers of color and the lived experiences of teachers of color in New York City working in the post-No Child Left Behind education policy context. In the first survey phase of this study, participants are asked a series of questions about their perceptions of their sense of professionalism, including their relationships to other school community members and other parts of their work. In the qualitative, interview phase of this project, participants were asked to make meaning of the different facets of their work and the impact they have on their professional identity development, the role of racial and cultural identity in their endeavors, and how their social context informs these understandings. The research was conducted to help fill a consequential gap in the extant research literature on the role that race plays in the career prospects of teachers of color, how they see themselves and believe they are seen by others as professionals and people, and how that connects to larger policy questions about the recruitment and retention of teachers of color. The research finds that the field of education has severely under-researched the role of race and social context in their professional identity formation and in the sociology of professions. Almost all of the teachers of color in the study operate with a sense of professionalism that both allows them to survive and, in some cases, thrive despite and, in many cases, because of their working conditions. Their concentric professionalism – the confluence of preparation, dedication, and motivation, layered with their racial and cultural identities – is centered on the children (particularly of color) and communities they serve across contexts. This also demonstrates how, regardless of teachers’ expertise and experience, school as both a network of intertwined relationships and school as a tapestry of policies and practices can either elevate or decimate a sense of professionalism for teachers of color. Taken holistically, we have a plethora of evidence suggesting that teachers of color are ready, willing, and able to apply appropriate practice to their work. Yet so much of the onus to professionalize comes from people, policies, and ideas that obfuscate what it means to be professional.

Summary in Afrikaans and English / Hierdie verhandeling omvat 'n beskrywing van die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van die onderwysersvereniging wat vanaf 1893 onder meer as die Vereeniging vir Onderwijzers en Onderwijzeressen in de Z.A.R. (VVOOZA), die Vereeniging van Onderwijzers en Onderwijzeressen in Zuid-Afrika (VVOOZA) vanaf 1903 en sedert 1923 as die Transvaalse Onderwysersvereniging (TO) bekend gestaan het. Die klem val op uitsprake van TO-voorsitters en aktiwiteite wat deur die TO van stapel gestuur is ter bevordering van die professionaliteit en professionele status van onderwysers en onderwyseresse. Die verhandeling sluit ook 'n ontleding van en kritiese besinning oor die kenmerke van professionaliteit in. In die verband word gefokus op die verhouding van die TO met enkele onderwysbelanghebbendes, die bevordering van die professionele beeId van onderwysers/onderwysersesse en die beginsels wat die TO tydens salarisonderhandelinge gehandhaaf het. 'n Belangrike gevolgtrekking waartoe gekom word, is dat die TO vir meer as 100 jaar nie net professionaliteit in onderwysverband bevorder het nie, maar dat sy uitsprake en aktiwiteite op sigself getuig van 'n professionele ingesteldheid. / This thesis comprises an account of the origin and development of the teachers' association known from 1893 as the Vereeniging vir Onderwijzers en Onderwijzeressen in de Z.A.R. (VVOOZA), as the Vereeniging van Onderwijzers en Onderwijzeressen in Zuid-Afrika (VVOOZA) from 1903, and since 1923 as the Transvaalse Onderwysersvereniging (TO). The accent is on pronouncements of TO chairpersons and activities initiated by the TO to promote professional qualities among teachers and to secure professional status for them. The thesis also includes an analysis and critical consideration of the criteria of professionalism, with special reference to the relationship between the TO and roleplayers with an interest in education, the promotion of the professional image of teachers, and the principles upheld by the TO in salary negotiations. An important conclusion drawn is that for more than 100 years of its existence, the TO not only promoted professional qualities in the educational context, but epitomises professionalism in its pronouncements and activities. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Historiese Opvoedkunde)

Summary in Afrikaans and English / Hierdie verhandeling omvat 'n beskrywing van die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van die onderwysersvereniging wat vanaf 1893 onder meer as die Vereeniging vir Onderwijzers en Onderwijzeressen in de Z.A.R. (VVOOZA), die Vereeniging van Onderwijzers en Onderwijzeressen in Zuid-Afrika (VVOOZA) vanaf 1903 en sedert 1923 as die Transvaalse Onderwysersvereniging (TO) bekend gestaan het. Die klem val op uitsprake van TO-voorsitters en aktiwiteite wat deur die TO van stapel gestuur is ter bevordering van die professionaliteit en professionele status van onderwysers en onderwyseresse. Die verhandeling sluit ook 'n ontleding van en kritiese besinning oor die kenmerke van professionaliteit in. In die verband word gefokus op die verhouding van die TO met enkele onderwysbelanghebbendes, die bevordering van die professionele beeId van onderwysers/onderwysersesse en die beginsels wat die TO tydens salarisonderhandelinge gehandhaaf het. 'n Belangrike gevolgtrekking waartoe gekom word, is dat die TO vir meer as 100 jaar nie net professionaliteit in onderwysverband bevorder het nie, maar dat sy uitsprake en aktiwiteite op sigself getuig van 'n professionele ingesteldheid. / This thesis comprises an account of the origin and development of the teachers' association known from 1893 as the Vereeniging vir Onderwijzers en Onderwijzeressen in de Z.A.R. (VVOOZA), as the Vereeniging van Onderwijzers en Onderwijzeressen in Zuid-Afrika (VVOOZA) from 1903, and since 1923 as the Transvaalse Onderwysersvereniging (TO). The accent is on pronouncements of TO chairpersons and activities initiated by the TO to promote professional qualities among teachers and to secure professional status for them. The thesis also includes an analysis and critical consideration of the criteria of professionalism, with special reference to the relationship between the TO and roleplayers with an interest in education, the promotion of the professional image of teachers, and the principles upheld by the TO in salary negotiations. An important conclusion drawn is that for more than 100 years of its existence, the TO not only promoted professional qualities in the educational context, but epitomises professionalism in its pronouncements and activities. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Historiese Opvoedkunde)

This thesis is entitled “Fostering collective teacher efficacy through values-based leadership in Ethiopian institutions of higher education”, which is delimited to the private universities. The main question was “What constitutes/determines the institutionalisation of values-based leadership (VBL) to foster collective teacher efficacy (CTE) in the context of Ethiopian private universities (EPrUs)?” The sub-questions were: 1) what does the current state of CTE and its perceived outcomes look like in EPrUs? 2) What sets of behaviours are desired to institutionalise VBL so as to foster CTE in EPrUs? 3) What are the institutional contexts required to institutionalise VBL so as to foster CTE in EPrUs? In addressing these issues, academic leaders, students and teachers from EPrUs participated in the study. As methods of data gathering both the survey method and interviews were used. Results revealed that CTE is not high enough in EPrUs and hence it needs to be fostered so as to bring the desired change in students’ learning. To foster this, institutionalisation of VBL is required that involves two inter-related aspects. The first one is about institutionalising desired values (behaviours), which are linked to the academic leaders’ yearning for positive sets of values and the teachers’ moral contract to their professional values. To this effect, the positive sets of values that academic leaders should yearn for and the sets of values that teachers should espouse as their professional values are explored. The commonalities between these values are also described and how these would be institutionalised is suggested. The values include integrity and trustworthiness, humility/selflessness, compassion and sense of gratitude, accountability and self-discipline, sense of collaboration and teamwork, and envisioning in leadership as the driving force. The second aspect is about institutionalising the contexts conducive to foster CTE and VBL support behaviours. The need to institutionalise those behaviours and contexts arise out of the perceived leadership gap (between what the teachers believe are the leadership priorities of the leaders and the behaviours they actually see in the leaders). This gap has been linked to CTE, and hence a model has been developed that would foster this efficacy. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Educational Management)

Bibliography: leaves 148-154 / This research is a case study conducted at Mkoba Teachers’ College from 2017 to 2019 which aimed at establishing the applicability of the phenomenological method to the teaching and learning of Religious and Moral Education (RME) in Tertiary Primary Teacher Education institutions in Zimbabwe. The majority of the student teachers were Christians and had a negative attitude towards African Indigenous Religions (A.I.Rs). They also showed little knowledge of concepts in African Religions yet the old and new syllabus in RME and Family, Religion and Moral Education (FAREME) respectively required them to use the multi-faith approach and to view all religions they may encounter in the classroom with equal importance. This research sought to determine the extent to which the phenomenological method can change the student teachers’ negative attitude to/ and increase their knowledge of A.I.Rs, thus preparing them for the task of religious education in future. In the theoretical framework, the researcher discussed the concept of Religious Education (R.E) and reviewed related literature on approaches to R.E, the history of R.E in pre-colonial and post-colonial periods in Zimbabwe and recent researches in R.E in order to gain insights on historical developments and current trends in the field of R.E. The researcher selected ten (10) participants who belonged to various Christian denominations using the purposive sampling strategy. Qualitative methods of generating data used were unstructured interviews, field work, both participant and non participant observation, and focus group discussion. After field work, participants applied the phenomenological method to the bira ceremony and discussed religious artifacts encountered during field work. On the whole, the phenomenological method increased the participants’ knowledge of A.I.Rs and significantly changed their attitude towards it. Despite the participants’ strong Christian background, they were able to separate the demands of their commitment to personal faith and the requirements of the phenomenological method. The study makes some recommendations,some of which are the use of the phenomenological method together with the multi-faith and comparative religion approaches in the College R.M.E curriculum. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)