This study investigated the oral proficiency of ESL teacher trainees in different discourse domains. The sample for the study consisted of twenty ESL teacher trainees in their final year at a College of Education. Different methods were used to measure the teacher trainees' oral proficiency in the English Communication Skills class while engaging in less formal conversations and in more formal teaching of content subjects during Practice Teaching. Three categories of constructs for oral proficiency were measured: Accuracy and fluency, classroom language and non-verbal communication. The findings supported the hypothesis: The oral proficiency of ESL teacher trainees is more satisfactory in some discourse domains,e.g. casual conversation, than in others, e.g. formal teaching. Although these findings cannot be regarded as conclusive they raise awareness of the problem. Recommendations were made on how to address the problem of poor oral performance of ESL teachers and teacher trainees teaching content subjects. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Specialisation in Applied Linguistics)

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))

Mkoba Teachers College is one of thirteen Primary school Teachers Colleges in Zimbabwe offering a University of Zimbabwe Diploma in Education programme comprising Theory of Education, Academic Studies, and Professional Studies. This study sought to investigate the validity of current assessment procedures in Professional Studies. Results of the study revealed historical influences upon assessment procedures at Mkoba. Over the years assessment has been by way of two course work assignments in Syllabus B, an end-of-year examination in Syllabus A, and a research of limited scope. The study tended to indicate the need to amplify the scope of assessment procedures beyond the two course work assignments, the end-of-year examination and the research of limited scope. Despite these indications, an analysis of certification results at Mkoba for the period 1976 to 1996 showed that 5955 good quality professionals were produced. The study thus declares assessment procedures at Mkoba Teachers College valid. / Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Thesis (D.Tech.: Education)-School of Education, Durban University of Technology, 2008. x, 257 leaves / Educational institutions are pursuing quality improvement for various reasons. A great deal of literature on staff evaluation covering a wide spectrum of fields such as industry and commerce, including schools, has been produced and it generally identifies three main purposes of quality evaluation. Firstly, evaluation is conducted to review performance, identifying strengths and weaknesses. Secondly, it provides information about the service in order to improve the quality of the service and to demonstrate accountability. Thirdly, evaluation is aimed at encouraging personal and professional development. This study analyses the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS), an evaluation system which was implemented in South African public schools in 2005. The IQMS is a clear reaction to the autocratic mode of evaluation that operated during the apartheid era and is a major shift from the old paradigm of external evaluators. The new paradigm calls for a joint collaboration between schools, districts and supervisory units with the overall aim of enhancing the quality of education in South Africa, in addition to addressing the inequities and injustices of the past. Since its introduction, very little empirical research has been carried out to establish whether the IQMS model addresses that which it was intended to. This thesis evaluates the extent to which the IQMS is perceived to have enhanced individual development and ensured improvements in teaching and learning.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The students and teachers who provided data for this study were participants in school dropout prevention programs in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. The research was initiated to identify the strategies used by those teachers who are viewed to be effective in their work with students in at-risk situations. The study evolved as an interpretative account of the teachers' reflections. The multiple roles of the researcher in the pursuit of action research were explored, and the reciprocal interaction of the researcher with the research was recognized. The processes used to formulate and examine themes in the teachers' stories were given detailed explanations. These approaches were compared with the methodologies reported in the literature on qualitative research. In addition to using the techniques of grounded theorizing, biographical readings were undertaken to present a holistic perspective of the stories given by individual teachers. An emphasis on the teachers' stories precluded extensive examination of the students' accounts, but illustrations were provided of the students' statements corroborating the teachers' reflections. As well as references to the substantive literature on students in at-risk situations, the data were considered in respect to psychological, sociological, anthropological and philosophical theories. The theories that developed from this study were presented in relation to formal theories. The noted implications included actual classroom applications as well as suggestions for teacher preservice and inservice training and proposals for future research.

Thesis (D.Tech.: Education)-School of Education, Durban University of Technology, 2008. x, 257 leaves / Educational institutions are pursuing quality improvement for various reasons. A great deal of literature on staff evaluation covering a wide spectrum of fields such as industry and commerce, including schools, has been produced and it generally identifies three main purposes of quality evaluation. Firstly, evaluation is conducted to review performance, identifying strengths and weaknesses. Secondly, it provides information about the service in order to improve the quality of the service and to demonstrate accountability. Thirdly, evaluation is aimed at encouraging personal and professional development. This study analyses the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS), an evaluation system which was implemented in South African public schools in 2005. The IQMS is a clear reaction to the autocratic mode of evaluation that operated during the apartheid era and is a major shift from the old paradigm of external evaluators. The new paradigm calls for a joint collaboration between schools, districts and supervisory units with the overall aim of enhancing the quality of education in South Africa, in addition to addressing the inequities and injustices of the past. Since its introduction, very little empirical research has been carried out to establish whether the IQMS model addresses that which it was intended to. This thesis evaluates the extent to which the IQMS is perceived to have enhanced individual development and ensured improvements in teaching and learning. / D